Andrews: I understand, and I apologize
Shawn Andrews understands. That's the message the released offensive linemen wanted to deliver during an interview this evening
Andrews: I understand, and I apologize
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
Shawn Andrews understands.
That's the message the released offensive lineman wanted to deliver during an interview this evening with Mike Gill of The Sports Bash on 97.3 ESPN Radio in South Jersey.
Andrews was remarkably upbeat to the point where it almost seemed like he was serving as the spokesman for a franchise that cut ties with him Wednesday morning.
"To be honest, I wasn't," Andrews said when asked if he was surprised. "I said actually earlier when I was Twitting. Sometimes when you expect things, it doesn't hurt as much. It was just a matter of when. I knew it was going to happen, or had a feeling. I'm a realist. I knew it was gonna happen sooner or later because they went to their lengths with me, and I appreciate it."
Andrews has clearly gone through the exercise of putting himself in the shoes of the people making decisions within the Eagles' organization. He apologized to his teammates, the city and his fans for being a distraction.
"I think that my whole situation with depression, it brought a lot of hoopla on the positive side and the negative side, and that in itself is just a distraction to the whole organization," Andrews said. "And that's why from a standpoint of me being real with myself first and foremost, as a business, it doesn't look good. And they have to do what they have to do. And I really, really apologize from the bottom of my heart that I had to put the whole city, the fans, my teammates, everybody through what I put them though. And I do apologize until I'm 10 toes to the sky. So everybody's gonna judge me and say what they want, but hey, I love life. Go Eagles."
In terms of his future, Andrews reiterated what he said on Twitter earlier in the day - that he expects to have a future in the league.
Mentally, he said his state is "as good as I've ever known." And physically, Andrews said he's working at a level three or a level four (out of five) in physical therapy.
The question that has been asked so many times over the last couple of years was asked again: Does Andrews still want to play football?
"The doctor that I went to see in Dallas said that if you don't plan on playing football again, I don't suggest you have a surgery," Andrews said. "And I had another surgery. I went through that whole thing, and that let me know, which I hope that it convinced everyone else, that I still want to play football. I still want to be a Philadelphia Eagle, but some things are not in my control."
Andrews spoke glowingly about Andy Reid, as he's done all along, saying the Eagles' coach was there for him on a non-football level throughout his career here.
"He called me this morning. I was like 'Coach, I love you man. I appreciate everything you that have done and the BS that you had to put up with in being there for me,'" Andrews said.
He was asked - why now? If he's in a great mental state, if he's recovering physically, if the Eagles had stood by him up to this point, why did they decide to cut him loose now?
"Last year I didn't play, and I guess I can speak for them. I've become a headache, if you will," Andrews said. "And knowing that I'm getting better is just not a guarantee. There's not much in life guaranteed so they say 'Hey, he's had an OK career, and could come back and kick some butt, but at the same time, we want to move in another direction, we want to go younger, fresher, a guy that probably doesn't have a history of being hurt.' So it could be a lot of reasons why and I don't know. But I respect coach Reid for calling me, and letting me know 'Hey, we're going this way...'"
Andrews said he has not yet talked to his agent, or even his brother Stacy. When asked if he believes he can still play at a Pro Bowl level, Andrews responded, "Hell yes."
"You guys'll see me somewhere hopefully in somebody's jersey in Hawaii and wherever the Super Bowl is."
Earlier today, we posted on Mike Bell and his abilities as a short-yardage back.
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Big lazy outta here! Some of you people make me sick. No one is entitled to a job in pro sports. Andrews acted like he was doing US a favor.— dragoon6- soulman - i stand corrected, i didn't think they contacted westbrook at all. i must have been thinking of joe banner or someone else, not andy. but i am curios as to why now... on the radio sal pal said it was due to the article about andrew's tweeting all the time about himself, which i think is a big reach, but i do wonder.— sasquatches
Comment removed.- Ok Now . . . cliff lee . . . can we just move on . . .— ingy9
- No, Shawn Andrews did not beat his girlfriend. Yes, Andy Reid called Westbrook to discuss his release.— soulman386
- Jay, it was Stacy who beat his girlfriend— da_sneaky
- I just dont understand the timing. He's not due any money until the season starts. Thats 5 months from now. Its not like he's a distraction, he's not here. Hasnt been here for 2 years, no one in the locker room is threatened by his presence or absence. Its like throwing away a lottery ticket before the drawing. I know his behavior has annoyed many people, but I dont care. I care only about his production on the field. He has the potential to be a very productive player when healthy. If they could allow McDougle to collect a paycheck for 3-4 years with no production, but you lose patience with an all pro lineman? Seriously, if there is no financial benefit to cutting him, why now? Why not this summer? Why not in training camp? The guy had 2 back surgeries. Bad management if you ask me.....typical Eagle arrogance.— audrina
- i like shaun but why the hell does andy reid call him and no one calls Brian Westbrook? what the hell.— sasquatches
- Kudos to Shawn for talking openly about his battle with depression. Cornell just saw its third suicide in a month and its partially attributed to the fact that people are so scared to admit they have are suffering. Maybe now people will be less reluctant to get help knowing that if it can happen to an All-Pro Offensive Lineman, it can happen to them too!
- Comment removed.
- soulman 386 is absolutely correct! Ditto! Good luck to Shawn Andrews but I'm not sure he'll ever be healthy enough to really play again.— SportsFanWaBrain
- depression is nothing to play with when you are in that state of mind you CANNOT play football or anything else for that matter until I knew some people who suffered from it (still are)I didnt take it seriously..I do now.— only 9
- Shawn Andrews did not waste his career. Getting a severe back injury and clinical depression were not things he did to himself. Those things just happen to some unfortunate people. His career came to a tragic, premature end but he did not waste it.— soulman386
hey beetle, u must be a soccer fan. they already announced that the pro bowl will be back in hawaii genius. so he will be wearing a real jersey for another team. and will be back in the pro bowl. ur an idiot just like the eagles front office. even hurt shawn is the eagles best lineman. maybe you should get a job in the eagles front office. they dont know what they are doing and you dont know where the pro bowl is. go check out bend it like beckum or something. you got the wrong sport of "football"— omar8012- My goodness give the guy a break. People in Philly are so cruel. When he was healthy Shawn played hard for the team. He had the bad luck of coming down with clinical depression and then a severe back injury. Every player is one bad injury away from the sudden of his career. Does this guy go around raping women in hotel rooms and night club bathrooms like that guy in Pittsburgh? It's wrong that people with clinical depression are stigmatized as if it's some kind of character flaw. I've known several good people who suffered from depression and took medication for it. Back injuries are the hardest injuries to completely recover from. I had a disk problem in 2000 and to this day I can't do some things like play basketball because of the impact. Have some compassion.— soulman386
- the uninformed making opinions...yes beetle the pro bowl is in hawaii this year...good grief how do people have the right to speak— tremo12
- Joe Funk -- totally agree. Its a disgrace.— UncleEddie
- i don't think the pro bowl is in hawaii, anymore, big guy. maybe he just means he'll be wearing a player's replica jersey while on vacation...— beetle
- The NFL is more entertainment than sports...I'm beginning to think he earned his money.— Joe Funk
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