The Eagles are traveling to England this week, a country where one of their players lived for years.

At the age of 14, Eagles outside linebacker Joshua Weru moved from Kenya to England to pursue rugby union. He played for the Northampton Saints' academy and earned a first-team contract in 2022. During his time at the club, Weru attended two English boarding schools. The first was in the English countryside near Milton Keynes – a city to the north of London, while his second school was, funnily enough, in a town called Rugby.

"In school, you got a lot of support from the other students," Weru said about his days playing boarding school rugby in England.

"I watched Saints games. It's a fun experience watching a rugby game because it's friendly. It's not the same way soccer is where it's like the fans are separated. It's the same as this kind of football (American football) where fans mix. It's a good, fun experience watching rugby."

Weru left England and his childhood rugby club to pursue his dream of playing on the Kenyan National Rugby Team in 2022. He earned his first cap that November, scoring in his debut for Kenya against the United States in a 2023 World Cup Qualification match. While Weru joined the NFL's International Player Program in 2025, transitioning from rugby to football was an idea he got all the way back during boarding school.

Weru's favorite rugby player in England was Christian Wade, a name that should sound familiar to followers of the NFL. One of the best players in Premiership Rugby, Wade took part in the NFL's International Pathway Program and played three years for the Buffalo Bills. Similar to Weru scoring a try in his international debut, Wade scored a 65-yard touchdown on his first NFL preseason rushing attempt.

Weru remembers watching Wade play rugby in person as a teenager in England. When the English winger made the switch to American football, the seed was planted for 16-year-old Weru.

"He was just a very exciting player. I just used to watch attackers. So, he was a winger and I'd actually played on the wing for a bit when I was playing rugby," Weru said. "Watching him play running back, when I thought of American football, I used to watch running backs and receivers as well because of him. Seeing players who you can relate to actually going through this journey, it means a lot and opens your mind to the possibility.

"I watched that story and I always knew I was athletic. So, I kind of always had it in the back of my mind."

Athletic is an accurate self-description from Weru. The 6-foot-4, 244-pound rookie ran a 4.45 40-yard dash, leapt a 41.5 inch vertical, and recorded an 11-2 broad jump ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Eagles signed the former rugby union player as an undrafted free agent right after selecting Uar Bernard of out Nigeria in the seventh round – a player Weru went through the International Pathway Program with.

Weru made headlines in Week 2 of the NFL preseason, recording a sack after flying off the edge, losing Patriots tackle Dametrious Crownover on a fake inside. Waived as part of the Eagles' final roster cuts, both Weru and Bernard joined the team's practice squad.

Now, the Eagles face off against the Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, the home of Weru's favorite Premier League soccer team. While he was never able to see his Lilywhites play in-person while living in England, Weru did go to a few England Men's National Team soccer games.

"I would say it's actually kind of similar, very passionate," Weru said of English sporting fans and American football fans. "At least maybe chanting and all of those things is different, but super passionate fans who care a lot about what their team is going through.

"And I think it's probably more similar to the NFL where it's week on week, super high stakes because with the way the Premier League is, where it's a points-based system, every game matters so much."

If there is one thing Eagles fans are known for, it's their passion. With the Eagles playing at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, many in attendance will be fans of the English Premier League. On Sunday, the passion of traveling Eagles fans will merge with English football fan culture. It will certainly be a sight to see. - Written by Caroline Connor