Alex Anzalone: It Will Be 'Surreal' Playing Eagles

“I think I was really little, I would get invited to go to the game. My parents wouldn’t let me go. And I would be like, ‘Why didn’t you let me go?’ Now, I realize, looking back at it, a little too rowdy for a five-or-six-year-old to go with his friends’ parents,” Anzalone said with some mirth. “The Linc is cool, I have been to a ton of games there. I remember seeing, I think I was in high school, when Brian Dawkins got inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame. 

“I’ve been to their training camp growing up, getting autographs. You know, you lose that fandom, when you play long enough in the NFL just because you know how this business is, but it’s still cool.”

Anzalone got some of his scouting away from the position and film rooms, as he revealed that he did participate in watching some Monday Night Football. The Eagles took down the Green Bay Packers, 10-7. He contrasted the raw film with the TV footage, discussing the general flow of the game.

“Yeah, if we’re playing a team, especially like last night, I am going to tune in and see what is going on,” the linebacker revealed. “I watched their offense, and how they operate. It’s a little bit different than watching the film we get, you kinda get more of a feel of the game, how it’s going, on the TV copy than the film we get. Sometimes, I’ll look at it.”

The defending Super Bowl Champions have certainly caught the league’s attention, and Anzalone is no exception. He already is predicting a grueling week for the linebackers, with Saquon Barkley standing across the line of scrimmage from his unit.

“We are going to have our hands full, just as a linebacker going against a guy like Saquon, who’s a big deal,” Anzalone said. “We are going to have to be sound in the run game, which, typically, we are and we take pride in that. They have good weapons on the outside, on the offensive line, and Jalen (Hurts).”

Dan Campbell calling offensive plays

The Florida product was asked what it will take for Detroit to reach that next level from its 6-3 start, and the veteran was open about what it takes in the NFL. Anzalone has been to the NFL playoffs multiple times between his time with the Saints and the Lions, and he knows what that next step feels like and how to get there. 

The key for this 2025 Lions team is to continue to work.

“I think that every week you can keep getting better, it’s a lot of the same tasks, same personnel,” Anzalone said. “Every year, there is a new team. We just have to continue growing as a team every week and keep getting better. The best teams, at the end of year, really, in November is where it shifts. They just keep on growing and getting better as who winds up making a run to the playoffs. We just have to keep practicing hard, stick to the gameplan, keep grinding away.”

Dan Campbell took the reins of the offense for the Lions’ 44-22 victory last weekend. While Anzalone was not affected by the change as much as his offensive counterparts, he still knows the intelligence of his head coach.

“We found out, as players, earlier in the week, on Wednesday,” Anzalone revealed. “It is one of those situations where it is what it is, he felt it was right for the team, right for the offense. He has the persona of being a meathead and a motivational coach or speaker, but he’s really highly intelligent with X’s and O’s. He’s proven it, in 2021 where he took over play-calling, and this last game. I’m excited to have him keep on doing it throughout the year.”

The coaching change that did affect the veteran, however, was promoting Kelvin Sheppard to defensive coordinator following Aaron Glenn’s departure to lead the New York Jets. 

“I think so, I think so,” Anzalone said in reference to whether Sheppard is potentially better than Glenn. “Some of that is personnel, in who we have back, who’s healthy, and all that. Like I’ve said, Shep is a different play-caller than AG was. He (Sheppard) allows us to do a little bit more. Statistically, right now, maybe we’re a little bit better. It is hard to say which one is better. There’s a little bit different, a flair, but a lot of the same principles that we’ve had in the past.”