RUNYAN STILL WANTS TO PLAY
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
RUNYAN STILL WANTS TO PLAY
Bob Brookover
If you saw Jon Runyan an hour after the Eagles' NFC championship loss to the Arizona Cardinals Sunday night, you'd have thought he'd be considering retirement.
After weeks and weeks of playing on a sprained right knee, then suffering a concussion on the final play of the game, the Eagles' 35-year-old tackle looked like a worn-down man.
But as the players cleaned out their lockers this morning at the NovaCare Complex, Runyan made it clear that he wants to keep playing and he'd prefer that it would be with the Eagles. Runyan, in fact, said he had more energy playing this year than he has in the past.
"Actually this year was easier than most," Runyan said. "It hurt a little bit, but more than anything it's an energy issue and going through this year, besides my knee bothering me, I felt pretty good."
He went on to rate his current level of pain as a 12 on a scale from one to 10 and said most players would have shut it down rather than play with the knee sprain he had to deal with on a weekly basis.
"I'll be better in a week or two," he said. "I think the biggest thing is being able to get off of it. Most people probably wouldn't have played with what I've been through, but most people aren't me. That's who I am and that's how I've always approached it. I take a little more pride than most people do."
Both Runyan and fellow offensive tackle Tra Thomas are among the Eagles' seven potential unrestricted free agents. That group also includes safeties Brian Dawkins and Sean Considine, tight end L.J. Smith, running back Correll Buckhalter and cornerback Joselio Hanson. Receiver Hank Baskett and Nick Cole are both eligible to become restricted free agents.
Runyan said he wouldn't put a number on the years he still thinks he can play in the league. Before re-signing with the Eagles in 2006, Runyan visited the New York Jets. He said he doesn't have any inkling whether the Eagles want him back and coach Andy Reid declined to talk about the specifics of his own free agents at his year-end news conference.
"I don't worry about that kind of stuff," Runyan said. "You do what you can and you make their job hard. If there job is easy, then it means it's time to go. It would be nice to stick around, but if I got to go I got to go. I still do this better than most. I just hope everybody else feels like that."
Hey Reid made the right calls yesterday !!!There are NO better coaches out there right now period. It was McNabb and the recievers who choked big time Celek had a great game and Curtis had a few good catches. If L J Smith is a free agent this year please let him walk . He stinks the place up. McNabb was so off target yesterday it looked like he was getting paid to throw the game. He will go down as one of the biggest big game chokers of all time.— phillybruce- Its one thing to have mediocre receivers, its even worse when you don't have anyone that can throw the ball to them. You can get the greatest wide receiver in the game, but if you keep throwing behind him and at his feet you will make him look mediocre as well.— frank2926
- YOU GUYS R VERY FUNNY. ALL OF THOSE THATS ON HERE WANTING MCNABB TO GO IS STUPID. HE DIDNT LOSE THE GAME ,THE D-FENCE DID. IT WAS FOURTH AND ONE AND ALL WE HAD TO DO IS STOP HIGHTOWER. IF YOU GUYS THINK KEVIN(THE CORN ON THE KOLB) IS BETTER THAN MCNABB THEN YOU GUYS DONT NO FOOTBALL.— fiddler
- Bobby Brook, Again, Great Article! Love your stuff! Very even on both sides of the ball with your review. Love to see you more on Comcast.— PEFF
- Bobby Brook, Again, Great Article! Love your stuff! Very even on both sides of the ball with your review. Love to see you more on DNL.— PEFF
- im from boston and philly fans should be proud;u got a world series;those ny losers who try and dump on on u have 8 teams and one title this decade)yanks and mets spend billions and are still losers;the giants were a one and done fluke and u kicked their behinds this year and most of the decade;they act like they have a great history;ya right, they were 2-14 in title games till parcells came and won for them;they lost 6 straight title games to packers and colts in '50s and '60s and u were thre only team to beat green bay(1960 title game);plus their jets havent won in 41 years;their knicks are a laughingstock and their hockey teams are a joke.— kerryman
- Well,Well,Well....Why doesn't it surprize me that the EAGLES once again have "DROPPED THE BALL"....I mean like they didn't have me fooled one-bit...I have been telling people that the Eagles are a bunch of "BUMS".... I wasn't or haven't been impressed with they go getta disposition by going to NFC Champions games time after time only to come up SHORT....Wanna impress me...get a SUPERBOWL Ring..I mean like you don't have to get 3,4, or 5 of them like the Steelers...just get one then I will be impressed until then.....Oh, well— tee45cool
- I think that the Cardinals were just a better team on that day. The time now is for the Eagles to reevualate the people that they have ,and to see what would make them an improved team.— Donnie
- bryky...I would like to see you try for just one play try and get around either one of those guys and to dis a guy because of his depression just shows what a low life you are. Go ahead and try to make yourself feel better by talkin SH*& about other people but it will never work.— phillyfanEugene
Comment removed.- Absolutely bring Mr. Runyan back. He is a warrior and a fiery competitor. He has done an admireable job at tackle for us and has a few more years left in him. We are much better off with him than without.— PaulW
- Put Smith on the next bus to anywhere but here. Thomas had a good run, but I think it's time for him to hang it up at this point. I won't lose any sleep if Considine doesn't come back either. I really hope they bring back Buckhalter and actually utilize him more, but it seems really unlikely. He wants to go somewhere where they will let him play, and I can't say I fault him for that. Hopefully the Eagles can hold onto him though. I think Runyan's still got some gas left in the tank and I'd like to see him back next year. I would very much like Dawkins to come back too. He is clearly past his prime, but he can still be effective and he gives his all every game. The guy is just the ultimate embodiment of what Philly fans expect from their athletes. He is a shining example of what McNabb should have always been like if he wanted to be truly embraced by everyone in this city. Dawkins is a true leader in every sense of the word. He'd never come out like McNabb and claim to have played great when the team lost. Likewise, Donovan would never apologize to the fans for not getting the job done. For all his flaws, I still think Donovan is the man for the job. I just don't see anyone else out there that the Eagles could get who would do a better job than Donovan. But 5 is not a Philly guy, and he never will be. I just get the impression that after all these years he still doesn't get it. All he had to do was observe how Dawkins conducts himself and be as much like him as he could. Dawk has earned the right to play here until he is ready to retire IMO. No matter how old or slow he becomes, I never want to see Dawkins playing for anyone else. Some might think that's stupid, but to me this is a man who has earned his keep time and time again. I wish every athlete in this city had his attitude. When they lost Sunday, the first person I thought about besides myself was Dawkins. I so want to see him get that ring, but I feel like he never will.— Kramerica
- William Thomas is done. He was slow and missed assignments. All of the pressure on McNabb came from his side. When Thomas gave up a sack on McNabb that resulted in a fumble, Thomas just stood there and watched as the ball laid on the field for two seconds before anyone jumped on it. Thomas is the single biggest reason the Eagles lost on Sunday. He will not and should not be resigned. Runyan played poorly too, but he was hurt and when an opportunity for him to recover a fumble presented itself, he had run across the field and put himself in position to make the play.— kujo76
- LJ and Sean Considine need to go. Dawk needs to be back, period. Jon and possibly Tra will be needed to groom younger players and hope Andrews holds up. Hanson won the nickel job over Lito. So that is saying something. Hank Baskett is decent and needs more opportunities. It would be great to keep Buck and add a 'heavy' and a decent fullback.— cleansports
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