Georgia football connection powers Eagles' league-best defense into Super Bowl 59

Georgia football connection powers Eagles’ league-best defense into Super Bowl 59

Posted by author February 8, 2025 Football

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NEW ORLEANS – Dawg Mentality.

It’s a philosophy and culture fostered by the University of Georgia’s football program that’s now paying huge dividends at the NFL level for the Philadelphia Eagles. It might even provide the winning edge Sunday in Super Bowl 59 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

“It’s really a lifestyle that kind of molded us,” Eagles defensive tackle (and former Bulldog) Jordan Davis told USA TODAY Sports. “We played on great teams.

“It’s easier because (we) know what it takes, been in big games before, know how to handle this media stuff – it can be overwhelming for a lot of people. But being (at Georgia) helps with this experience.”

Davis, a first-round pick in 2022, is one of five players Eagles executive vice president and general manager Howie Roseman drafted from Georgia’s 2021 and ’22 national championship teams. The others are linebacker Nakobe Dean (third round in 2022), defensive tackle Jalen Carter (first round in 2023), linebacker Nolan Smith Jr. (first round in 2023) and cornerback Kelee Ringo (fourth round in 2023). Defensive back Lewis Cine, a first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings three years ago, was signed as a free agent last month.

Roseman’s approach certainly wasn’t coincidental as he remade a defense that only has three starters remaining from its Super Bowl 57 version and is employing its third coordinator over the past three seasons (Vic Fangio) but has been injected with quick-fix rapport.

“We were in position to draft really good players from the Georgia defense,” said Roseman. “These Georgia guys had chemistry, and it really helped that you don’t have all these guys from different schools who don’t have relationships. They already had that created – obviously from a historically great defense – and it just kind of worked out that they were able to play together.”

Have they ever.

Philadelphia’s defense finished the 2024 regular season ranked first overall while surrendering the second-fewest points in the league. They’ve only allowed 16.4 per game while going 15-1 since their Week 5 bye. Of course, these are veterans of a history-making 2021 Georgia defense, which set a modern-era record by ceding just 6.9 points per game during the regular season. The 2021-22 Bulldogs, coached by Kirby Smart, posted a combined 29-1 record on the way to those two national titles.

“Because they played together,” said Roseman, “I think that there’s a chemistry that developed quicker than maybe it would have if you drafted guys from different schools.”

‘Setting their culture’

Being talented, high-end draft picks is one thing. The collective ability to alter an NFL locker room – particularly a veteran-laden one like Philadelphia’s – is quite entirely another.

“I think those guys have brought whatever culture they had at Georgia, they’ve brought it in – and they’ve allowed other people to join them, it’s not just the five of them,” said left tackle Jordan Mailata.

“Those guys have done such a great job, they’re so tight. They’re a close unit, but they open their little circle to everyone. It’s so fun to see and be a part of, because those guys are gonna be leaders on this team in the future, and we’re pretty lucky to have those guys setting their culture early on.”

Quarterback Jalen Hurts has repeatedly cited the former Bulldogs defenders throughout the playoffs for their impact, but especially the off-field component.

“(J)ust the bond that those Georgia guys have, and how they play,” Hurts said after last month’s wild-card defeat of the Green Bay Packers while lamenting the loss of Dean, who blew his knee out in that game.

“(T)here’s always a confidence, there’s always an intensity there and swagger about themselves. I think that feeds through the whole defense.”

Hurts credited their collective persona Thursday for making the team closer and more connected than the one that fractured by the end of the 2023 campaign and even the squad that lost the Super Bowl by three points to the Chiefs two years ago.

It doesn’t come as a surprise in Athens.

“We really pour into personal relationships – in the offseason just as much as we build into the football piece. Having deeper relationships than surface-level relationships that you sometimes can have as teammates, that matters – because you’ll go a little bit further for (each other),” Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann, who’s been on the Bulldogs coaching staff since 2016, told USA TODAY Sports.

“Those guys, because they have those lifelong bonds from their time here, I think they’ve just carried that over. And so it probably has a little bit of a college feel.

“I know that those guys eat together and do all kinds of stuff up there together. Just a little bit extra in how they care about each other and love each other. You can feel that when it’s genuine.”

And it doesn’t necessarily lead to individual accolades or recognition. Carter and linebacker Zack Baun were the only Eagles defenders recognized as Pro Bowlers in 2024.

“We really preach team over self. If there’s team success, then individual success will come,” said Schumann.

“Sometimes that culture is contagious – when one guy’s playing that way, it’s easier for everybody to play that way.”

Said Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni: “(T)he guys have a relationship with each other, they’ll go a little bit harder because they got a little bit more on the line, and because they don’t want to let each other down.

“They can fly around and make plays, they’re tough. Coach Smart and his staff have done such a good job of getting good players there and developing them, and we just try to continue to do the same thing. Love those guys, big part of why we’re here today.”

That also includes the dirty work, Sirianni spotlighting Ringo for his work on special teams.

“The Georgia program, going through a system like that – you know how to win, you know what it takes to be able to win,” Ringo told USA TODAY Sports. “There’s a specific standard.

“Going through a system like that for a couple of years, man, you’re kind of molded within that – holding yourself to a good standard and being able to live with that and maintain that.”

Yet it also means spirited ping-pong games in the locker room. And trash talk no one is safe from. Tight end E.J. Jenkins has had to endure the Dawgs as the only Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket on the Philly roster.

“Oh, wow, it’s a tough role, a tough job,” Jenkins told USA TODAY Sports. “You have that real deep rivalry, but you get to know them from a teammate perspective? They’re really good people.

“The proof is in the pudding when you just bring all these guys here, and the production that they’re having. They’re obviously doing something right.

“We’re one team, one family, and we have one goal.”

Budding stars

“Let’s hunt” has become the Eagles’ mantra during the playoffs. Pay special attention Sunday to Carter and Smith as Philadelphia tries to bag its second Lombardi Trophy in the last eight seasons.

Carter has emerged as one of the league’s most dominant interior forces while playing an insanely high number of snaps at his position – 84% during his 16 regular-season appearances. His utility has been even higher in the postseason despite the 55-23 blowout of the Washington Commanders in the NFC championship game.

Contrast that to Georgia’s legendary 2021 defense, when Carter had to rotate in off the bench behind Davis and Devonte Wyatt, a Round 1 pick of the Packers in 2022.

“To see him develop and see him grow from college to here, it’s been amazing,” Davis said of Carter, whom he now starts alongside. “I’m so grateful to call him my brother, so grateful to call him my friend. And he’s seen me grow, too, we’ve grown up together. Just to see him excel and succeed and make big plays and just do what he’s capable of doing – fulfill his potential – I’m so proud of him.”

Carter was sick this week and did not meet with reporters but was a full practice participant Thursday and Friday and should be ready to go Sunday.

“He’s a dominant player, he’s been that way since high school. He’s an impressive guy,” Schumann said of the disruptive and relentless Carter. “He’s always been able to dominate games. He’s one of the most talented players I’ve been around for sure.”

Yet it’s Smith whose game really seems to be elevating – and might reach a higher plane if Carter helps unleash him against Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

After coming off the bench as a rookie, Smith started 10 games during the 2024 regular season and finished with 6½ sacks and 15 pressures. In three playoff games, he has a league-high four sacks among seven pressures.

“I’ve known him for five years now, and he’s always been a hard worker,” Ringo said of Smith. “I really see the game slowing down for him a lot. It’s just really good to see him going out there and playing a lot more confident. His hard work’s really paying off.”

Sirianni offered even higher praise after Smith bagged Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love twice in the Eagles’ playoff opener.

“I want my sons to play football like Nolan Smith,” said Sirianni. “Before my kids go out to play any sport, I say, ‘Have fun, play hard, be physical.’ That guy is the definition of those things. He has fun out there. He has fun with his teammates. His teammates love him. He plays hard as I’ve ever seen anybody play, and this dude is a physical, physical, physical guy. I can’t say enough about the way he plays this game. He loves this game. You love guys like that.”

Schumann, who’s known Smith since he was in high school, could have predicted this.

“Nolan’s always prepared at an elite level – walkthroughs, meetings, weight room, practice – if anything, you have to tell him to tone it down at times, because there’s only one speed for him,” he said. “And so when you prepare the way that he does, and you have the ability level that he does, it was only a matter of time and opportunity for him to do what he’s doing now.”

Ironically, one knock against Smith when he “fell” to the 30th pick of the first round in 2023 was his statistical lack of production at Georgia. He only had 11½ sacks over four college seasons – thought it’s important to note what a heavy rotation the Bulldogs used, how quickly their D got off the field, and the fact that a pectoral injury cut Smith’s senior season short.

“The cool part about this sack production he’s having right now … he’s not out there chasing sacks or stats,” Schumann says. “He’s chasing wins – that’s what he wants to do. He wants to win. And it’s amazing how when you prepare the right way, and you want to win, and you’re willing to do whatever it takes to win, the rest kind of falls into place.”

Smith, a team captain for Georgia, thinks it’s all pretty simple – from his emergence to the success he and his longtime teammates have helped to cultivate anew.

“One thing that we bring is hard work,” he told USA TODAY Sports.

“The guys from Georgia are used to hard work and used to big games. We say, ‘It’s just another game,’ or ‘It’s a big game because we’re in it.’ It’s that kind of mindset that we keep in our back pocket.”

Sunday’s game is big. And these Dawgs will likely be in it until the end.

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