Former Eagle LeGarrette Blount reflects on an ‘unreal’ 2017 championship season

PHOENIX — LeGarrette Blount wouldn’t have made it to the NFL without the support system around him. The former Eagles running back still recalls the words his mom told him after he went undrafted in 2010.

“She said, ‘You can go take this and use it as motivation and inspiration or you’re going to live in pain and in Perry, Florida, for the rest of your life,’” Blount told The Inquirer on Saturday.

Blount, who retired in 2020 after nine years in the NFL, shared those moments and more about the grind and the time it took to pursue his passion of football during a panel by The Shop UNINTERRUPTED.

Former NFL tight end Vernon Davis led the conversation around the theme of becoming a champion, with Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, Blount, and former Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman weighing in with their experiences.

“I had a lot of people in my ear telling me that person doesn’t believe in you,” said Blount, 36. “There’s 32 teams that had the opportunity to go all in and they didn’t take that chance. A lot of things that I put in the back of my mind really drove me, motivated me, and inspired me.”

He overcame his adversity and went on to become a three-time Super Bowl champion. He won two rings with the New England Patriots and one with the Eagles, being a part of the first Super Bowl championship in franchise history.

» READ MORE: Jason Kelce once convinced Cincinnati’s coaches to give his brother, Travis, a second chance. The rest is history.

Blount, who lives in Gilbert, Ariz., coaches his son’s youth football team. With the Eagles playing in Super Bowl LVII, Blount made the 30-minute drive out to a practice on Friday, bringing his son and a few other players to catch up with his former teammates.

“They got to sit inside and watch the boys practice,” Blount said. “I’m a full-time coach, so I’m telling them this is how you practice without having shoulder pads and helmets on. [Coach] Nick [Sirianni] came in and said what’s up to the kids and Jalen Hurts took pictures with the boys.”

Although Blount was with the Eagles for just a season in 2017, it was a year he wouldn’t forget. After three seasons in New England, the Patriots placed a tender on Blount worth $1.06 million with a few additional incentives.

When the Eagles offered a one-year deal worth $2.8 million, Blount signed the tender and came to Philadelphia. He instantly felt the family atmosphere and a new profound confidence when Eagles general manager Howie Roseman assured him that his talents were what the team needed.

» READ MORE: Eagles star A.J. Brown’s selflessness contributes to his success in the NFL: ‘That’s how I was raised’

“The first time I saw [coach Doug] Pederson, I walked up to him and he got a big Kool-Aid smile on his face,” Blount said. “He was just excited. He’s like, ‘Man, I’m so happy you’re here, you’re going to be that one piece that we’re missing that we need to take this thing to the next level.’”

Blount finished with 766 rushing yards, averaging 4.4 yards a carry, and three touchdowns. In Super Bowl LII, Blount rushed for 90 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown run. He became one of six players to have consecutive Super Bowl titles for different franchises.

When he described the dynamic and culture of the team, the first word that came to his mind was “unreal.” But helping the Eagles to their first Super Bowl against his former team felt even better.

“We had success, but it happened in a different way,” Blount said. “You’re able to have that kind of sense of relief and sense of I could actually be my full self and nobody has a problem with it. That’s what I liked. Doug was a player’s coach — he loves everyone. That sense of warmth and family-oriented atmosphere was huge.

“The fact that I ended up being on the other side with the Eagles, I have all love and respect for the [Patriots], but man, I wanted to beat their [butts].”

Blount still receives calls and messages from Roseman and other former and current Eagles, checking in on his family and how he’s doing.

“I hold them really close to my heart,” Blount said. “There are guys that have stayed in contact with me even though I only played one year with them. These guys have stayed in contact with me more so than anybody that I’ve played with.”