Thursday, May 26, 2011
Posted: 8:35 p.m.
CSNPhilly.com
Kevin Kolb had been training about a week and a half ago near his Granbury, Tex. home when he realized that he had been away long enough. It was time.
After training at a high school down south, throwing to only a few receivers, the quarterback decided to come to the Philadelphia area Wednesday and join Eagles skill position players, who were already holding informal team workouts.
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"I just booked a flight and came on up," Kolb said. "I think I called Brent Celek like 18 hours in advance and was like, 'Hey, come pick me up from the airport. I'm gonna stay with you for a week.'"
But how long Kolb is able to room with Celek while they're still teammates, though, remains to be seen.
The backup has made his desire to be a starter known, and it seems as though the Eagles are willing to trade him, but with the current state of the NFL lockout Kolb finds himself in limbo.
"It's pretty tough," Kolb said. "But you all have known me for a long time, and the way that I handle things is I kind of keep my mind and keep the things out of my life. So I don't pay too much attention to it. It's hard when it has to do with my life, but I keep a positive attitude and keep moving forward, and whatever happens, I'll be ready to roll."
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Kolb wants to move and may be the most sought after quarterback in the NFL. But so long as the work stoppage continues, the Eagles can't make a trade.
"One way or the other, you hope for the best," Kolb said. "But not knowing things for your family, for myself, for preparation, who to throw to ... the only thing I can do is to try to get my body right, make sure my mind's right whenever the bell rings."
Kolb isn't a man without a team, though. He's still a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, and since that may no longer be the case down the line, he wants to spend some time with his current teammates.
"It crosses your mind, and that was one of the reasons I wanted to come back too," Kolb said. "I've spent four years with these guys, so they're more than teammates to me, and that's what I was telling some of the guys yesterday. I can come back anytime after not seeing them for three or four months, and it's like I never left."
Even after all the potential trade talk and encouraging words from Andy Reid, there's always the chance that Kolb will remain the Eagles' backup.
"I want an opportunity," Kolb said. "If the situation cant be avoided Im not going to sit there and be a turd. Its not my style. I think Ive voiced my opinion, and theres nothing else I can do."
Kolb and Reid have spoken during the lockout, but surprisingly, Kolb didn't text to talk about his future with the Eagles.
"He brought it up," Kolb said. "Andy's done me great for years, and obviously we'll be good friends for a long time after I'm an Eagle. So I just wanted to talk to him and hear his voice ... He said, 'I'll do what's best for you.'"
Kolb knows that what's best for him is a starting position somewhere, anywhere in the NFL.
It has been his goal since he was drafted by the Eagles back in 2007, and no work stoppage is going to change that.
"That's obviously a big deal to me," Kolb said. "That's the next step for me, and that's what I'm looking forward to doing."
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