"It's been a huge blessing. I've always felt super blessed, but now I'm feeling extra blessed in the last week or so."

Sure, Braden Mann could easily have been discussing his new four-year contract, which he officially signed on Thursday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex.

Instead, the punter was marveling about the birth of his week-old daughter, Makenna.

"It's amazing," said Mann, still wearing the hospital bracelet on his wrist. "She has been the best thing for us (wife, Kylie). It was incredibly life-changing and you always hear about it and I never really knew what to expect and then as soon as it hits you, it hits you. Happy, healthy baby girl, so we're excited about it."

As for his brief foray into free agency, Mann never wanted to be anywhere else but Philadelphia. He felt from the time he joined the team early in the 2023 season that the organization invests in its people – whether it's players, coaches, or support staff. That commitment, Mann explained, makes the players and coaches want to put everything on the line for the team in return.

Mann has been an exceptional weapon on special teams over the past three seasons, both with his leg on punts and occasional kickoffs, and as the holder for kicker Jake Elliott. Mann's three-year stretch as a punter rivals any such span in franchise history. He ranks atop the team's all-time list for both net and gross punting averages. He also owns not just the best individual punting seasons in Eagles history from both a net and gross average standpoint, but the second-best as well.

Mann pinpointed a moment where the Eagles' belief in him allowed him to flourish as a punter. It was the first meeting with the Dallas Cowboys in 2023, Mann's seventh game with the team. With 15 seconds left in the first half, Special Teams Coordinator Michael Clay asked Mann to use a different type of punt to pin the Cowboys deep in their own territory. Mann nailed a 47-yarder that was downed at the Dallas 12-yard line. The Cowboys took a kneeldown and went into the locker room for halftime. At the end of the game, Clay called on Mann again. This time, there was just a minute left and this punt would determine where Dallas' final offensive drive would begin. Mann uncorked a 55-yarder that was downed at the 14-yard line. The defense stood tall and the Eagles won, 28-23.

"I'm super pumped that he's still here with us. He is the best," Mann said of Clay. "It's little things that you hear in meetings or the time that he wants to spend with guys, I think that's why everybody loves him. Every player that I know has spoken so highly of him, both from a coaching standpoint and a personal standpoint. He's just done a great job of really developing relationships with his players."

The Eagles continue to show their trust in Mann, rewarding him with a four-year deal through the 2029 season. He may have a few more sleepless nights in his future, but his standing with the team will not be the reason.