The Eagles' decision to tank in Sunday night's NFC East-deciding content against the Washington Football Team was a polarizing topic among Philly fans and beyond.
At least one Eagles franchise great put himself squarely in the camp of those opposed to the shocking fourth-quarter removal of starter Jalen Hurts in favor of third-stringer Zach Sudfeld in a game that was still up for grabs.
Former linebacker turned NBC Sports Philly analyst Seth Joyner recoiled at the maneuver and suggested it was a dark day for those associated with the organization.
"I’ve never been more ashamed to be associated with the Philadelphia Eagles than I am tonight," Joyner said during the network's postgame show.
“I would love to be a fly on the wall and stand in that locker room and hear the words of consolation that Doug Pederson has for that football team after what I just witnessed.
“You asked these guys to play injured, you ask them to play hurt, you ask them to give 100 percent effort, you ask them to lay it on the line. And tonight, [Pederson] owed it to this football team, the way those young guys went out and played their behinds off, he owed them the opportunity to win this game.”
Earlier in the night, the three-time Pro Bowler took to social media to express his disgust after Hurts was lifted.
Joyner, 56, was among the many who were disappointed by the apparent shameless display of tanking in a game that would award the NFC East title and a playoff berth to either Washington or the New York Giants.
The Football Team, controlling its own destiny, looked to be in control after getting off to an early lead, but Hurts rallied the Eagles to a three-point deficit by halftime. However, Philly was unable to score against Washinton's stout defense in the second half, and had little chance of doing so under Sudfeld.
By waving the white flag, the Eagles assured themselves the sixth pick in this year's draft. They would have had the ninth overall pick if they'd won.
“I just don’t understand how Doug Pederson can look those guys in the eye and think they can respect what he did, and the decisions he made tonight,” Joyner said. “With those guys laying their health, their well-being, their effort, their manhood and their pride on the line for this organization. And he just went out and just threw this game away.
"In my 34 years of my association with the NFL, I’ve never seen anything like this … I’m blown away, and I feel bad for the players that went out and tried to win this football game, when it was evident to everybody that, for the first time, you see a legitimate attempt to tank and lose a game. I didn’t ever think I’d see that in my lifetime.”
Joyner, who almost seemed to be pitching himself for a job by positioning himself as the foremost exponent of the anti-tanking opposition, has long expressed interest in joining the Eagles as a defensive assistant.
On Sunday, he conceded he'd still welcome such an opportunity.
"Let's start with the linebackers [job]," Joyner said, when asked by co-host Michael Barkann whether he'd be interested in the defensive coordinator position. "That job I would take in a heartbeat."
Joyner, who has no coaching experience, said the jump to defensive coordinator would be a "hefty step."
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