As the Eagles prepare to play the Tennessee Titans, some players are taking "beat Tennessee" to a whole new level.
Earlier this summer, the Eagles hosted flag football athletes from Special Olympics Pennsylvania at Training Camp. The players met Eagles linebacker Zack Baun whose brother was part of the Special Olympics family.
Baun surprised the athletes with a special announcement – the team will travel to Nashville to play against Special Olympics Tennessee at Nissan Stadium for a Unified Flag Football exchange immediately following the Eagles at Titans game.
Steve Wimmell, one of the coaches of the Special Olympics Philadelphia flag football team – known as the Hammers – said the athletes ate Baun's announcement up.
"It's super exciting. We've been hoping for an opportunity like this and it's great to have one and we're going to bring it home for PA," Wimmell said.
With gameday approaching, the Eagles brought the Hammers back to the Jefferson Health Training Complex on Tuesday to host practice, a media day for the team, and gift new uniforms.
What is the saying? "Look good, play good," according to Darius Cooper.
Before the flag football team's practice, the second-year Eagles wide receiver presented the Hammers with new jerseys for their matchup against Special Olympics Nashville. Eagles Insider Dave Spadaro announced every player and their number as the athletes stood onstage in the Eagles' team meeting room, posing with Cooper, SWOOP, and Eagles Cheerleaders.
"It's so important to be involved in the community and to show support," Cooper said of hosting Special Olympics Philadelphia. "God blessed us with this platform, with this beautiful organization in this beautiful city, and so we have to give back. We have to support what's going on in the community. And that's what we thrive on out here in Philly.
"I'm so excited for them as we're both playing in Tennessee. I told them that we going to set the stage for them, have a good game, and then they have a great game after us."
After putting on their new jerseys, the athletes headed to the Eagles' indoor practice field for media day. A team photographer from the Eagles took photos of every player in front of a backdrop, trading cards featuring the athletes were made, and some of the players even gave interviews to local media outlets.
"We are the best kept secret," Champ, an athlete for the Hammers, said in an interview. "I've never been to Nashville ... but we are going to be doing a lot of singing and dancing."
Eagles running back Will Shipley came to the Hammers' practice to take part in the huddles and give the athletes advice for their game on Sunday. Anything to give the team "a better chance down in Tennessee."
"Just being able to give back and ultimately just help these guys and girls out to go on Sunday and maybe perform a little better, get a win, and honestly just have fun and enjoy themselves," Shipley said after practice. "What I see when I'm around them are smiles and joy. And man, it just fills myself up. I leave with a smile on my face and just hope that I can do the same for them and benefit them in some way."
Shipley, fully embracing his new role as a coach, taught the athletes a lethal route and even a trick play ahead of their unified flag football game against Tennessee. For competitive reasons, those plays will be kept under wraps.
Treated like an NFL team on Tuesday, the Hammers are raring to go in Tennessee, right after an NFL game is played. Football and flag football are inextricably linked.
"It's amazing. We just love having the NFL involved and it just makes it even more special for these guys," Wimmell said.
Both Cooper and Shipley played flag football growing up before transitioning into tackle football as its accessibility makes some form of football available for everyone.
"It's awesome for everybody to get the opportunity. I think that the game of football is such a beautiful game. I think it's the most beautiful and best team sport," Shipley said.
"You got to have everybody on the field be on the same page, you're only as strong as your weakest link. Being a team teaches you so many life lessons from the game of football that I think everybody can learn from. The more opportunities and experience everybody gets to play it, whether it's flag or in whatever vicinity, then I think they should." – Written by Caroline Connor
