This Sunday's Vikings-Eagles matchup is more than just a game for the Kendricks household. It's a family affair.
Eagles linebacker Mychal Kendricks will face his younger brother, Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks, for the first time in his football career.
"We've been on the same side, playing with each other in high school. That was so fun," Mychal Kendricks recalled on Thursday.
The Kendricks brothers are expecting a big turnout for the family duel.
"I have 40 people coming. Family members, probably like 20," said Mychal Kendricks.
In regards to which team their family chooses to support, it is up to them.
"They can wear whatever, I'm not worried about it," Mychal Kendricks said. "It's a special time. Our family is going to be there rooting us both on and I think it will be a good memory."
Eric Kendricks is in his second year in the NFL, after being drafted by the Vikings in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. UCLA's all-time leading tackler became the first rookie to lead the Vikings in tackles since 1961. He finished with 92 tackles and four sacks. In Week 1 of this season, he returned an interception 77 yards for a touchdown.
"In all honesty, I want him to do really well. I want him to play just as good as we will. That's me being his brother. And then me being a competitive opponent I want to whoop them. We're coming off two losses and we have some things to prove," Mychal Kendricks said.
The Eagles allowed 493 total yards, including 230 on the ground in the loss to the Redskins. After not allowing a touchdown through the air in the first three games, the Eagles have surrendered five in the past two contests.
"I think we just got to make our tackles. We had a lot of missed tackles. We just have to do our assignment. We can't try to do other people's jobs. We got to be solid upfront. Front seven has to be solid. When we're in good position, we have to capitalize," Mychal Kendricks said.
Mychal Kendricks has posted at least 88 tackles in each of his first four NFL seasons. So far, he has only 10 on the season and he's playing slightly fewer than a third of the snaps on defense.
"I'm taking it one game at a time. Where I'm at as a player as a person as a teammate," Mychal Kendricks. "You know I'm a true believer that I can only control the things that I can control. When I'm in there, I have to capitalize on the time that I'm in and that's that."
