Every step is a new one, greeted with curiosity and enthusiasm, patience and maximum effort.
Oh, and gratitude. So much gratitude.
Seventh-round draft pick Uar Bernard, fresh from Nigeria, had never put on a football helmet until after the Eagles selected him in the 2026 NFL Draft and here he was on Wednesday, six weeks later, brimming with excitement about what he has experienced and what is ahead for him.
"I like it here. For real, it's more like a new thing to me, but I learn every day," Bernard said, smiling throughout the eight minutes he spoke from the podium at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. "I keep learning. My teammates are family for me. They are more like big brothers to me."
Bernard, hailed for his unique physical traits – which intrigued Defensive Line Coach/Associate Head Coach Clint Hurtt – and part of the NFL's International Player Pathway Program (along with Eagles undrafted rookie free agent outside linebacker Joshua Weru, from Kenya) is starting literally from the very beginning. He is brand new to the game and the Eagles understand that he is a work in progress and an exercise in patience. Little steps are celebrated. And every single day, and many times during a single day, Bernard experiences something new in his life.
He is in Philadelphia for the first time, apart from his family still in Nigeria. He admitted that he misses Nigerian food and has found some versions in Philadelphia. He is dedicated to the playbook, to learning the game of football, and everything needed to make it in the NFL.
"On the field, I learn. Off the field, I can talk to my teammates. They are open to me to help me see what I can do better every day," he said. "I believe football is a learning process. If you work hard and you have a passion for what you do, you can progress every day. The process is going smoothly."
Bernard refers to Hurtt as "a father to me," and Hurtt, after openly nudging Executive Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman during the NFL Draft weekend to remember Bernard, has returned the commitment with constant checkups and extra remedial coaching sessions. The investment is equal on both sides.
"Every advice he gives me is helpful to me," Bernard said. "He's a great coach. The D-line group, being one of the best D-line groups in the league, I'm just happy and grateful to be here."
Eagles fans, always on top of everything with the team, have recognized Bernard the few times he has been outside the team's Complex, posing for pictures and making him feel loved.
"It is a dream come true," Bernard said, smiling broadly.
Bernard said he will spend the next six weeks before Training Camp begins "working hard. Trying to improve every day, getting in contact with my teammates, my coach, getting every detail lined up," as he stays in Philadelphia.
A lot has been thrown at Bernard and it can be overwhelming. But Bernard has learned to stay focused and to control what he can control and "flow with your teammates."
And, of course, he picks up different things every day. Mostly, to block out the noise and keep his focus. In other words, to borrow from quarterback Jalen Hurts, to stay in line with his goals.
"I hardly go out. I just focus on my playbook and my teammates," he said. "Coming into the building is fun for me and I love it here. I want to grow every day, so I keep my focus here.
"Keeping the main thing, the main thing."
Progress, every day, indeed.
