Find out what Philadelphia Eagles coaches and players are saying about playing the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
On playing the Patriots in Super Bowl LII
"I think when you've been playing for a long time, you've had games where you've played unbelievable players and unbelievable coaches. These guys have been more consistent throughout the years, but this is the NFL. You play good players every week. There's good coaches you go against every week. I don't think you look at this any different than the fact that this is just another game. You see what they do really well and how you can defend it."
- Eagles center Jason Kelce
"This is a business trip. We've been underdogs this whole postseason. We don't expect it to change, especially with the New England Patriots. It's not going to be an easy task."
- Eagles running back LeGarrette Blount
"Our guys just go about their business every day. We know what we're facing – a lot of respect for [the Patriots], obviously, what they've done and accomplished. It's about what we do, how our players handle this week and eliminate distractions."
- Eagles head coach Doug Pederson
"We have a ton of respect for Tom Brady and their team and what they've been able to accomplish, not only this year, but throughout the years. But we feel like it's our time. We just have to go out there and win the game."
- Eagles defensive tackle Tim Jernigan
On Tom Brady...
I definitely respect him and all that he's done in this league. I'm not going to go into the Super Bowl worshipping this man and make him more than what he is. No disrespect. As far as bulletin-board material, they can put it on their nightstands for all I care, in their bathrooms, I don't care. I don't think you need any motivation to play in the Super Bowl. They know that."
- Eagles tackle Lane Johnson
"Obviously, Tom Brady is one of the greatest to play the game. I'm excited to compete against the Patriots on Super Bowl Sunday. They've had a great team for a long time. I'm excited to go in there with my team and face them."
- Eagles Quarterback Nick Foles
"It's going to come down to the front four guys getting after the quarterback, making him uncomfortable in the pocket."
- Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox
"Everything runs through number 12 (quarterback Tom Brady) and 87 (tight end Rob Gronkowski). In my opinion, those are two of the greatest to ever play at their positions. You can make an argument that they are the greatest. They work well as a team. Everything they do, they do on the same page. They have four or five really good running backs. Their offensive line, they've got one of the best-coached units in the league … they just have a ton of weapons. You have to do everything well to beat them."
- Eagles defensive end Chris Long
"Some of the things Tom does, he can make something out of nothing. His ability to find that one person that's [missed an assignment] or that's not really in the right spot [defensively], he'll find you and pick on you. So, this week, the emphasis is to pay attention to detail."
- Eagles defensive end Vinny Curry
"We have a lot of confidence in ourselves. We think we're going to be able to get to Tom and dominate the game, but Tom is a great player. Sometimes it doesn't matter how much you hit him, he's going to get right back up and keep playing. We know we have a tough game in front of us, but we're very confident in ourselves and our preparation."
- Eagles defensive tackle Tim Jernigan
On defending against the Patriots offense...
"It's how we've been doing it all season and we have to continue to do it on Sunday. We have to go out there and fly around the make plays and impose our will. It's what we do best – get off the ball and be physical and take it to them. This is not about one individual. We know that we have to do our jobs to have collective success. That's what it's all about."
- Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox
On the Patriots cornerbacks...
"Well-coached, disciplined, they really pay attention to their assignments and make adjustments to the offense. No matter who's out there covering me, I'm looking forward to the challenge."
- Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery
"They're also great at disguising coverages. We're going to have our hands full. We just have to make sure we use these days to get on our game and be ready come Sunday."
- Eagles wide receiver Torrey Smith
On Rob Gronkowski...
"He's obviously a phenomenal football player. He's been the preeminent tight end in this league for an extremely long time," Ertz gushed. "His ball skills are top-notch. His ability to use his body is probably second to none. He's really nimble and agile for how big he is. His ability to get open consistently, his ability to understand defenses is extremely underrated. I've got a lot of respect for him… I've definitely learned a lot watching him."
- Eagles tight end Zach Ertz
