While the Eagles are preparing to make their first road trip of the season, Thursday night's nationally televised game against the Pittsburgh Steelers will be a homecoming for running back LeSean McCoy.
McCoy last played in the city of Pittsburgh as a member of the University of Pittsburgh football team, where he set the Big East afire, leaving the Panthers with the fourth-most rushing yards in school history, despite only playing for two seasons.
"It's going to be a lot of fun," McCoy said of the trip back to Pittsburgh. "I can't wait to get back, see all my old friends, a lot of people I left there and just that city, that atmosphere.
"A lot of players I played with are still there, a lot of people in the training room. So there are a lot of people there that I can't wait to get back and talk to. We'll get a day (off), I'll probably stop over to say what's up."
But while McCoy is excited for the trip back, he also knows that serious work lies ahead. With training camp now gone, the Eagles are working to prepare for Week 1. Now is a time to work out the kinks.
"I'll just try to go out there and just play, try to be mistake free, know all my keys and do the right things," McCoy said. "Just timing on a lot of things, be mistake free, kind of get in the shape of breaking the huddle, doing the play and getting back. Just the timing of everything
"Now, if it was a real game, then I would have to try to do something special."
McCoy isn't the only Panther heading back to Pittsburgh. Offensive lineman Mike McGlynn helped lead the way for McCoy in college, and rookie running back Dion Lewis broke many of McCoy's records in his collegiate tenure. Lewis also received praise for his blocking ability, as McCoy said it took him until his second year to be as advanced as Lewis is in blitz pickup now.
Meanwhile, McCoy said he expects to play the full half with the rest of the first-team offense on Thursday night, despite not taking reps in practice Monday, which head coach Andy Reid said was only to rest McCoy and give the other running backs more looks. Of course, it would take a lot for McCoy to miss his return to the steel city.
