Four Philadelphia Eagles with direct ties to the area

The Eagles traded for Detroit Lions running back D'Andre Swift on Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft. 

It's a homecoming for Swift. The Philadelphia native was one of the country's best high school running backs at St. Joe's Prep before tearing it up at Georgia and being drafted by the Lions.

Now, he'll be joining a stacked roster hungry for a Super Bowl ring. Swift will provide a spark to the team's run game and has the potential to be a three-down back for the Eagles. 

Swift isn't the first Eagle to play for the hometown team. Let's take a look at other Eagles with direct ties to the area. 

Center/Linebacker Chuck Bednarik (1949-1962)

Born and raised in nearby Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Bednarik was the last true Iron Man in NFL history,  playing both ways for the Eagles as their starting center and linebacker. He earned the nickname "Concrete Charlie" during his career because he sold concrete as a side hustle during his downtime to make ends meet. NFL players' salaries weren't as lucrative in Bednarik's time as they are today. In fact, several NFL players during the 1940s and '50s had to work second jobs. 

Bednarik is best remembered for paving the way for two NFL Championships with the Eagles (1949, 1960), and for his gruesome hit on New York Giants star running back Frank Gifford. 

Gifford was blindsided in a close-line hit by Bednarik and was knocked out. The hit was so vicious that Gifford had to take a season off from football before making his comeback with the Giants. 

One of the greatest hits in NFL history, it only created more hatred between the Eagles and Giants, an iconic rivalry. The all-time great Eagles was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 1967. 

Vince Papale (1976-1978)

When Dick Vermeil was hired as the Eagles head coach in 1976, he wanted to establish a winning culture in The City of Brotherly Love. The Eagles hadn't made the playoffs since 1960 when they won the NFL championship. Eventually, he'd lead the Eagles to their first playoff appearance in nearly 20 years in 1978 and to their first Super Bowl appearance in 1980. But one of his first moves was signing Philadelphia native Papale as an undrafted free agent.

Papale, 30 when he signed with the Eagles, was a track star at St. Joe's University and never played football past high school. While he had some semi-pro experience, Papale spent the bulk of his 20s working as a high school teacher.

He brought trademark Philly toughness to the team and grew into a solid special teams player for the Eagles thanks to his breakaway track speed.

While he only caught one pass for 15 yards and recovered one fumble in the NFL, Papale caught the minds of the city of Philadelphia and inspired them to believe. His incredible story is told in the movie "Invincible" starring Mark Wahlberg as Papale.  

Josh Adams (2018)

Adams grew up in Warrington, a Bucks County suburb outside of Philadelphia. He became a legend at Central Bucks South High School and his highlight reel is a joy to watch. In most of his carries, he went untouched. The other team was afraid to tackle him. 

Adams became a Heisman candidate at Notre Dame during the 2017 season and led the Fighting Irish to victory in the 2017 Citrus Bowl over LSU.

Adams went undrafted and signed with the Philadelphia Eagles immediately after the 2018 NFL Draft. At first, he was seen as nothing more than a reserve who could be used in short-yardage situations. Injuries decimated the Eagles backfield and Adams was thrown into the starting lineup. He didn't disappoint. By the end of the season, Adams--a rookie--led the Eagles in rushing with 511 yards and three touchdowns. 

He was cut by the Eagles after the 2019 preseason. Before retiring, he spent a few seasons with the New York Jets and on the New Orleans Saints practice squad. Now, Adams is an offensive quality control coach for Vanderbilt University. 

Haason Reddick (2022-present)

Reddick's rise to one of the top pass rushers in the league is an inspiring story. 

The South Jersey native had a solid high school career but wasn't heavily recruited because he missed the bulk of his senior year due to injury. He walked on the football team at Temple University and guided the Temple Owls to the 2016 AAC Championship as he climbed NFL draft prospect rankings with every sack he made.

He was drafted in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, which was at the Philadelphia Art Museum, by the Arizona Cardinals. He holds the Cardinals record for most sacks in a game with five. After a successful stint with the Carolina Panthers, Reddick signed with his hometown team and put together his finest season yet. He reeled in 16 sacks and made his first Pro Bowl as an X-factor on defense for the 2022 NFC champions. And he's just getting started. Reddick has two more years left on his Eagles contract.