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Eagles Legend Steps In as Rookies Tune Out Old Coach — A Lesson in True Locker Room Culture

Philadelphia, PA – July , 2025

The summer sun bore down on NovaCare like a heat lamp, melting the line between discipline and discomfort. But it wasn’t the heat that made young Eagles players sweat. Amid the grunts, drills, and clipped shouts of the play clock, a different voice cut through. Calm. Familiar. Revered.

Jason Kelce was back.

Not to coach. Not to criticize.
Just to share.

“Honestly… the young guys are probably sick of hearing me talk at this point. But when someone like Jason speaks — someone who bled for this franchise for 13 years — those aren’t reminders anymore. They’re battle-tested lessons. Hard-won truths,”
—Long time offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland , after Eagles training camp

The Return Wasn’t About Instruction — It Was About Inspiration

He could’ve stayed retired, stayed home, stayed silent. But Jason Kelce — the soul of the Eagles' offensive line for over a decade — showed up on Tuesday in a plain black shirt and straw hat, standing in the background… until he wasn’t.

“He’s earned that,” said offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. “He’s family. He doesn’t have to ask. When he walks in, he belongs.”

And then, Kelce did what he always did best — he led by doing.

“It's good to break it up a little bit and hear it from the guys that are actually doing it ... Jason, he knows me. He knows what we're learning. He knows what works best.”
Tyler Steen, second-year OL, after a one-on-one tip from Kelce

 Legacy Is Built in the Trenches, Not in the Headlines

Former linemates like Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson have tried to fill the leadership vacuum Kelce left behind. But nothing hits quite like hearing it from the man himself.

During team drills, Kelce pulled Drew Kendall aside. Adjusted his hands. His stance. Walked him through the body mechanics of anchoring low in pass pro. Then he did the same with Tyler Steen, focusing on leverage and finish.

No shouting. No spotlight. Just decades of wisdom being passed, one rep at a time.

“Having Jason around is like hearing a voice from the past pull you back into the present. Reminding you that this jersey — this helmet — carries weight.”
Landon Dickerson

 It’s Not About Holding On — It’s About Passing On

The Eagles are known around the league not just for talent, but for culture. A locker room that polices itself. That rallies. That remembers.

That’s not by accident.

It’s built by men like Kelce — who know that greatness isn’t passed down through trophies, but through mornings like these. Through hot, gritty, soul-testing practices where one retired legend teaches a rookie how to take that first real step.

“Sure, the kids might be tuning me out these days… but when Jason talks?
Everyone listens.”
- Jeff Stoutland

And so, Eagles training camp wasn’t just another practice.
It was a quiet reminder: This team didn’t begin with you — and it sure as hell won’t end with you.

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Raiders Reunite with a Former Starter to Fortify the Offensive Line
Las Vegas, NV   The Las Vegas Raiders have brought back a familiar face in a move that screams both urgency and savvy: versatile offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor is returning to the Silver & Black on a one-year deal (terms not disclosed), reuniting with the franchise where he logged some of the best football of his career and immediately fortifying a position group that has been stretched thin. Eluemunor, 31, started for the Raiders from 2021–2023, showing rare position flexibility across right tackle and guard while anchoring pass protection against premier edge rushers. His technique, anchor, and ability to handle long-arm power made him a steadying force during multiple playoff pushes. After departing Vegas, Eluemunor spent time elsewhere refining his craft, but a confluence of roster needs and scheme familiarity has set the stage for a timely homecoming. For the Raiders—fighting to keep pace in a rugged AFC—this is about stability and fit. Injuries and week-to-week availability on the right side of the line have forced constant shuffling; protection packages have leaned heavily on chips and condensed splits to survive obvious passing downs. Eluemunor’s return allows the staff to plug him at RT or slide him inside at RG, restoring balance to protections and widening the run-game menu (duo, inside zone, and the toss/ pin-pull that Vegas fans love when the edge is sealed). “Jermaine knows who we are and how we want to play,” a team source said. “He brings ballast. Assignment sound, physical, and smart—he raises the floor for the entire unit.” Beyond the X’s and O’s, there’s an unmistakable emotional charge to this reunion. Eluemunor was a locker-room favorite in his previous stint—professional, detail-driven, and accountable. The belief internally is that his presence stabilizes communication on the right side (IDs, slides, and pass-off rules vs. games and simulated pressures), which in turn unlocks more vertical concepts and keeps the quarterback cleaner late in games. On social media, Raider Nation lit up the timeline with a simple refrain: “Welcome back, Jem.” Many fans called the deal the exact kind of “rival-poach, ready-to-play” move a contender makes in October: low friction, high impact, zero learning curve. What it means on the field (immediately): Pass pro: Fewer emergency chips, more five-out releases—OC can re-open deeper intermediate shots without living in max-protect. Run game: Better edge control on toss/duo; more confidence running to the right on money downs. Depth & versatility: One injury doesn’t force a cascade of position changes; Eluemunor can cover two spots with starting-level competency. The timetable? Swift. Because Eluemunor already speaks the language—terminology, splits, cadence rules—he could suit up as early as this weekend if the medicals/check-ins continue to trend positive. The message is clear: the Raiders aren’t waiting around for the line to gel—they’re engineering it. If Jermaine Eluemunor plays to his Raider résumé, this reunion could be the precise mid-season jolt that steadies the offense and keeps the Silver & Black firmly in the postseason race. Raider Nation, the question writes itself: Plug-and-play stopgap—or the catalyst that reclaims the right side