PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The San Francisco 49ers finished the season with the NFL's best defense and the unit is led by a name that is very familiar to the Philadelphia Eagles: DeMeco Ryans.
"On Sunday, it doesn't matter,” Ryans said. “If we can take the ball away and we create more turnovers than the Eagles, we'll win this game."
Ryans is in his second season as the Niners' defensive coordinator. The unit was the NFL’s top defense this season, leading the league in fewest yards allowed, fewest points allowed, fewest rushing yards allowed, and they had the second most turnovers.
The 2006 Defensive Rookie of the Year and former Pro Bowl linebacker, Ryans played 10 NFL seasons. The final four were with the Eagles from 2012-2015.
Four current Eagles players — defensive linemen Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox and offensive linemen Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson — were teammates with Ryans during the early years of their careers.
Cox in particular raves about the man DeMeco is.
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"Playing with DeMeco taught me a lot,” Cox said on Thursday. “He taught me how to be a pro and how to approach things."
Cox was a rookie first-round pick when Ryans joined the team, said he was like a mentor to him.
"If I had problems at home, I would go to him,” Cox said. “It didn’t matter who it was – rookie, second, third-year, a vet – he always just wanted the best for whoever. I've always just looked at him as a natural leader."
Kelce was in his second year with the Birds when DeMeco arrived and like Cox, the word “leader” was thrown around a lot.
"You talk about an impeccable leader,” Kelce said. “In a lot of similar ways to Jalen [Hurts]. Just always composed and in the moment."
“He was definitely a favorite during the Chip Kelly-era in the locker room by coaches and players,” he added. “Everybody loved DeMeco.”
Kelce said that DeMeco's presence left an impact in the locker room, much like he has on the Niners.
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And he knows that's what will be coming at them as they try to get back to the Super Bowl on Sunday.
"They play fast. They play physical. They run around,” Kelce said. “They're well coached by my man, DeMeco Ryans.
“They are definitely a formidable group this week."