It caused some confusion for the Eagles’ equipment staff on Sunday afternoon when newly acquired Robert Quinn began to warm up with sweatpants over top of his game pants.
So much so that an equipment manager stopped Quinn mid-drill and tried to get him to take them off.
Not wanting to make any waves before his first game, Quinn eventually obliged and lost the black sweatpants, but they were back on when he got to the sideline before the game. It’s not about superstition. It’s just what Quinn has done in his career since his second season in the NFL.
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So why would he change it when he got to Philly?
“I’ve been doing it since back in St. Louis,” Quinn said. “You tie your shoes a certain way every time, I just prepare the same way. Not trying to be different, that’s just the way I get ready.”
In a way, it’s like a way for him to feel a little more comfortable in a new environment after the whirlwind of getting traded to the Eagles.
Just three days after the Eagles acquired Quinn in a trade with the Bears, he played 20 defensive snaps in the 35-13 win over the Steelers and he flashed a little bit in his brand new defense. He had a quarterback hit and still looks like he can get to the passer at 32 years old.
It’s easy to understand why Quinn’s head has been spinning a bit. He played for the Bears on Monday Night Football in Week 7 and then had to play on short rest for the Eagles in Week 8 just three days after being traded. And there’s still no time for a breather as the Eagles get ready to play the Texans in Houston on Thursday Night Football.
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That’s three games in an 11-day span.
“I’m alive and kicking, first of all,” Quinn said to NBC Sports Philadelphia on Tuesday afternoon. “Can’t complain after that. The first week was … I don’t want to say hectic, but it was a little whirlwind. Quick turnaround with a Thursday night game, not a lot of time to dwell on anything. Just get ready for this game coming up Thursday and keep on pushing.
“Following the guys’ lead who have been here and have been doing their thing. Trying to contribute when and where I can and just try to help this team. Do my part not to mess up the mojo they done built up here. Just do my part.”
Quinn is known as a good locker room guy around the league and the Eagles had plenty of connections to him to know exactly who they were bringing into a very tight-knit locker room. Quinn was a leader and a captain in Chicago but he’s just doing his best to fit in here.
And he said his new teammates are all pretty laid-back guys who have helped him acclimate so quickly. It’s because of them, he said, that the transition has been smoother than expected.
“Since being here, they’ve been very welcoming, allowing me to join the brotherhood they’ve built up here,” Quinn said. “With them, they made the transition easier for me in the middle of the season, especially in Year 12.”
One of the downsides of the timing of Quinn’s trade — at least for him — is that the Bears have yet to have their bye week and the Eagles traded for Quinn coming off theirs. So the 32-year-old simply won’t get a bye week during the 2022 regular season.
“Yeah, I realized that a few times,” Quinn said with a chuckle. “I don’t get a bye week and 18 games. That’s maybe one of the first in NFL history but that will work itself out one way or the other.”
Quinn’s playing time is expected to increase as he gets more integrated in the defense, but at least he won’t play as many snaps as he did in Chicago. And he said he’ll focus on the aspects of recovery that will help his body feel fresh.
The best Quinn can hope for is that the Eagles continue on their tear and end up with the only first-round playoff bye in the NFC. That would give Quinn enough rest to power up for what the Eagles hope will be a long playoff run.
Maybe we’ll get to see Quinn warm up with those sweatpants in Arizona before Super Bowl LVII.
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