P.Just about any NFL running back would gain a lot of yardage with the help of the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line, the best in the business (no matter what Miami and San Francisco fans say). Yet Eagles general manager Howie Roseman continues to look for better men to lug around that old pigskin.
On the final day of the NFL draft in April, he traded to the Detroit Lions for D’Andre Swift, a Philadelphia native and former second-round pick whose reputation, aided by the soap opera Hard Knocks, had been trashed.
Duce Staley, the Lions’ assistant head coach and running backs coach (and, coincidentally, an ex-Eagle), was shown in HBO’s behind-the-scenes documentary last summer berating Swift during a speech of encouragement for not running with more confidence. , or hunger.
Then word spread: Swift was gentle. In three seasons with Detroit, he had not stood out, totaling 1,680 rushing yards and missing 10 games due to injuries. He became expendable when the Lions used a first-round pick this year to select Jahmyr Gibbs, who finished his college career at Alabama.
“I know who I am,” Swift said at a press conference after joining the Eagles. “I know what I mean. I know I’m as tough as it gets.
The Eagles are one of two 5-0 teams in the NFL for many different reasons, most of which have to do with their stoic and efficient quarterback, Jalen Hurts. The Eagles also have superb receivers and a tenacious defense. But Swift contributed way more than expected.
D’Andre is only the second most famous Swift in the NFL this season — Taylor is entrenched at No. 1 as long as she’s seen with Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce. But D’Andre Swift has had his own impact on the league this season. He totaled 434 rushing yards in five games, despite only having one carry for three yards in the Eagles’ season opener.
Gibbs missed one game and totaled 179 yards for the Lions, who are 4-1 and rolling. Miles Sanders, who rushed for 3,708 yards in four years with the Eagles but was allowed to leave because he would make too much money, has 190 yards for the 0-5 Carolina Panthers.
Swift is fourth in the NFL in rushing this season, behind San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey, Miami’s De’Von Achane and Indianapolis’ Zack Moss. Swift hardly looked sluggish in the second half of the Eagles’ 23-14 win Sunday against the Rams, rushing for 63 yards on 12 carries.
That O-line (center Jason Kelce, guards Landon Dickerson and Sua Opeta, and tackles Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson) of course deserves a lot of credit. But Swift seized the opportunity and ran with it — propelled, in part, because he knew what he was getting into.
Swift, 24, grew up in Philadelphia and played at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, which has won seven of the last nine state championships (and lost the other two in the finals) in Pennsylvania’s top classification. Swift led the school to a state title as a senior in 2016.
The Prep practiced several times during the state football playoffs at the Eagles’ facility in South Philadelphia. Roseman knew Swift as a high school player. It wasn’t difficult to know him. He scored seven touchdowns in a single game against rival La Salle.
But this victory was so satisfying because La Salle had swarmed Swift in the Philadelphia Catholic League title game the year before, leading to a stunning last-second defeat for Prep. After rushing for 175 yards against Minnesota in his Eagles home debut on September 14, Swift mentioned these battles of La Sallecalling it a “full circle moment.”
“If you’ve been here, you kind of know what Philadelphia sports are like, what Philadelphia fans are like,” Swift said in August. “If you’re not from here, if you’re not used to it, I understand that it might be a little too much. Hopefully, they love you.
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Eleven days after the Vikings game, Swift rushed for 130 yards in a 25-11 victory at Tampa Bay. Brought in to be one of four running backs in a rotation, Swift has suddenly become a workhorse, replaced only occasionally by Kenneth Gainwell, who is in his third year in the NFL.
(And if there's a background combo with better last names than Swift, Gainwell and Hurts, please let the NFL PR office know.)
It all made for a delightful homecoming as the Eagles pursue a second straight Super Bowl appearance, but there could be a catch ahead. Swift, acquired from Detroit for two low draft picks, is in the final year of his $8.5 million rookie contract.
Miles Sanders (also a good first name for someone paid to gain traction, when you think about it) had a four-year rookie contract worth $5.35 million with the Eagles. Roseman famously refuses to pay top dollar for a running back, given his vulnerability to injury, like Swift. So Sanders signed a four-year, $25.4 million contract as a free agent with the rebuilding Panthers.
It's possible Swift could play just one season in Philadelphia after bolstering his resume — and repairing his damaged reputation — to sign a bigger contract with an NFL team that would lean even more heavily on him. Swift isn't focused on next year, at least publicly. He talks about being a “piece of the puzzle.” He will not defame anyone about the Lions.
Swift, who wore No. 7 in high school and at Georgia and No. 32 with the Lions, said he chose to wear No. 0 with the Eagles because the NFL had never offered that number before. He stands out in that, but it's like he reset his football odometer when he moved.
There is a long way to go. The Eagles, despite their record, still have some inconsistencies to clean up. Swift could be injured or replaced. His future is unclear. None of that matters right now: Swift gets the spoils.