Through three years, no Eagle running back has done what LeSean McCoy has done.
Nobodys even close.
McCoy, named to his first Pro Bowl team Tuesday evening, isnt content just being a Pro Bowl pick. He wants to be one of the greatest Eagles ever, and that means he wants to spend his career here.
In Philly.
As an Eagle.
I hope so, McCoy said. Im a hopeful guy. I love to be here. I love the guys in the locker room. The biggest thing about Philly, the first thing other players mention, is how the coaches are. Andy Reid is one of the best coaches, best personalities, works real hard, and a coach like that, you want to play for.
I would love to be here. Ive got time to talk about contracts and stuff like that, but I just want to be the right fit and for me its not just football-wise but as a person, and coach makes everybody feel like theyre a part of this team together. Before the Pro Bowl year and everything, he always treated me with respect and the same way he does today.
NFL
McCoy, 23, has 4,241 yards from scrimmage in his first three NFL seasons, more than 600 ahead of second-place Wilbert Montgomery.
He received more votes than any other NFC running back in Pro Bowl balloting and will start for the NFC in the Pro Bowl on Jan. 29 in Honolulu.
Defensive end Jason Babin and left tackle Jason Peters will also represent the Eagles in the Pro Bowl. Its Babins second consecutive selection -- he played for the AFC last year while with the Titans -- and Peters fifth in a row and third straight as an Eagle.
But nobody was happier Tuesday evening than McCoy, who felt snubbed last year when he led the NFC in yards from scrimmage and still didnt get picked.
It means a lot, he said. I work hard for this stuff, man. I work hard to be one of the best players in this conference, so it means a lot to me, to my teammates, the guys that have pushed me.
To be honored as one of the better running backs in the league? I can call myself one of those now, being a Pro Bowl guy and actually being a starter, it shows all the hard work has paid off.
I always read about Adrian Peterson and Frank Gore, and now I can say Im part of those guys.
With one game left, McCoy has a conference-best 1,309 rushing yards on top of his 1,080 rushing yards last year. Hes the fifth back in NFL history with two 1,000-yard seasons with a 4.5 average or higher before his 24th birthday.
McCoy also leads the NFL with 20 touchdowns and 17 rushing touchdowns, both franchise records.
"I feel like each year, I want to work to get better. Expectations are on me to get better, and thats what Ill do," he said.
I have a lot more to go. Theres room for improvement to be actually a legit, elite back. I just want to push myself. This is just the start.
Babin is second in the NFL with 18 sacks, the third-most in Eagles history and most since Clyde Simmons had 19 in 1992. Babins 18 sacks are second-most ever by a player 31 or older. Michael Strahan had 18 12 in 2003 at 32.
For Babin, last year was a breakthrough and this year was affirmation that he was for real after playing for five different teams from 2006 through 2010 and recording just 19 12 sacks in his first six seasons.
A lot of people said, One-year wonder, one-trick pony, hes a fluke, he cant do it next year, Babin said. So given another opportunity to get back to the Pro Bowl, really speaks volumes for my team that its a personal award but wouldnt have happened without the efforts of the other guys on the team.
Only Jared Allen of the Vikings, with 19, has more sacks this year than Babin. Over the past two seasons, only DeMarcus Ware (33 12) has more sacks than Babin (30 12).
Last year was a big deal because it was something I was working hard to achieve and to be honest with you, the NFC has a lot of really great defensive ends, so to come over to this conference and to get picked again meant a lot, he said. I had to perform. New contract, new city. Im pleased.
Peters, 29, was named to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl, the first two with the Bills and now the last three with the Eagles.
Peters joins Tra Thomas, Bob Brown and Frank Kilroy as the only three-time Pro Bowl offensive linemen in Eagles history.
Eagles offensive line coach Howard Mudd told the Eagles web site in an interview that Peters is the best left tackle in the NFL.
If anyone doesn't think so, I would categorically ask them to give me one who is as good, Mudd said. I didn't say better. I said as good. So that puts him in a pretty rarefied place.
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com.