Former Philadelphia Eagles safety Rodney McLeod Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Eagles see familiar faces in joint practice with Browns

By Bruce Ewing | Last updated 8/14/23

The Browns are in Philadelphia for joint practices with the Eagles this week, and even though they play in a different conference, some faces look very familiar to Philly fans.

Rodney McLeod

The Browns safety is entering his 12th NFL season after breaking in with the Rams as an undrafted free agent. He spent last year with the Colts but prior to that, he spent six seasons in Philadelphia. He intercepted a pass in his first game as an Eagle and batted down Tom Brady’s Hail Mary pass to help the team win Super Bowl LII in 2018.

McLeod was an Eagles team captain from 2020-2021 and still maintains close ties with Philadelphia. He and his wife Erika continue to focus their philanthropic efforts in the city and recently held their annual Change Our Future Foundation Sneaker Ball to provide shoes and school supplies to students in need.

#Eagles Super Bowl Champion Rodney McLeod here for practice against his former team pic.twitter.com/NJWEdrE0LA
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) August 14, 2023

Jim Schwartz

Cleveland’s defensive coordinator started his NFL career as a scout for the Browns in 1993. Since then he’s held jobs with six different teams including five years as head coach of the Detroit Lions.

Swartz spent five seasons as Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator from 2016-2020. His fourth-ranked defense in 2017 was a big reason the team won their first Super Bowl, even though they gave up 33 points and a record 505 passing yards to New England’s Tom Brady.

Kevin Stefanski

The Browns’ head coach grew up in Drexel Hill, attended St. Joe’s Prep and played defensive back for the University of Pennsylvania where he twice earned All-Ivy League honors. In 2005, he served as an intern for longtime Eagles assistant and one-time Vikings coach Brad Childress, who brought Stefanski with him to Minnesota in 2006.

Ed Stefanski, Kevin’s father, was drafted by the 76ers in 1976 and spent five years as the team’s general manager. At one point the younger Stefanski hoped to follow in his father’s footsteps with a basketball career, but those dreams were short-lived.

With a .520 winning percentage in Cleveland and an NFL Coach of the Year Award already in his pocket, the Philly kid seems to be doing just fine.

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