Just the routine of it, you know, the ins and outs of the week, of the preparation leading up to it. Um. Obviously, I've learned a lot about close games. You know, We've been a lot of close games, and I've learned that's it's tough to win in this league. So there's a lot of things that have been really good learning things for the for the season. Coach I mentioned you had to played a lot of football since going back to last year. Any any o d factor on that, I mean,
just you know, combine and all that, I don't think. So, you know, it's it's been unfortunate. You know, this is our last game of the year. We're not gonna be playing into January. Um, but you know, I've loved it. I've loved every sep of the way. Um. Finally was starting to get into a routine with as far as the weekly prep and everything later in the year. Um, but but it went quick, it went quick, unfortunately. UM,
it'll be over here in a couple of days. You're the first quarterback to let's start of sixteen games year sixteen thousand and eight. Giving the history you had with the injury last year in the preseason, is that something we take Friday. UM, I'll tell you I'm very fortunate. I'm very fortunate. Um. I think it goes first of all the guys up front doing a great job protecting me. But um, ultimately I'm very fortunate. You know, this is a flukey game. Things happen, so UM, I just got
to thank the Lord for that for sure. The injuries at the quarterback positions, the flaky something out is that? Is that the nature of the build the position? What's the key to being horrible? Yeah? I think, like I said, it's there's flukey things that happen. You know, those injuries those guys Fate suffered, Um, really unfortunate. You know, it's tough, but it's football. At the same time, it's football and
those things happen. You know, I dealt with some of those in college, and Um, those things happen and it's just kind of part of the game. Have you learned anything since you've been in the league about, um, maybe an appreciation for how much a team's success is tied to the quarterback position and how it can kind of change, you know, change things for franchise, even a coach. You know, that sort of thing. Maybe a little bit. I don't know.
I think you you can always see that. Heck, ever, since I was a kid, you know, the quarterback us a lot of ability to win games late in games and those types of things. So, um, I've definitely seen something that for sure, I guess what amazing? Do you have a sense that people are going to judge Doug in a way based on how well you do? Oh? I guess, I mean, I guess that's probably natural thing that will happen. Um. I don't know if that's always right or wrong or in different, but I think that's
just a natural thing that'll happen. First, you mentioned that some of the games that kept it close and havn't gone the Eagles way this year, the one in Dallas was that particularly vexing to you? Yeah, that one was tough. Um, there's a couple, definitely a couple, especially when we have chances as an offense late in games, and that happened a handful of times, um, But definitely that one in Dallas, you know, NFC East rival U the point of the year we were in there, um kind of was a
turning point roughly. Um, So, so that one was tough, especially being down there having a chance to win on the road. That's hard to do in this league. Um, yeah, that one was tough. I don't know, like Trout how was supposed to do. Yeah, it was good. UM got to know him through zach Ertzackertz actually knows him, so he put us in touch and UM, it's been good. Yeah. What did you hunt? We're wanted waterfowl, ducks and geese.
What is gonna be your off season play? And there will be important for you to you know, take more of a break this time. Um. Hard to say, having had a lot of time to think about it. Um, honestly, I've been so focused about now the Cowboys this week and everything. But I'll definitely have some time to just kind of relax and um, let my body and let everything kind of just just decompress a little bit. Hump,
especially in a close game beating the Giants. If you're able to beat the Cowboys and in this season on a two game winning streak, how does that carry into the off season and does that help going into next year of feeling that you have. Yeah, I think that's huge, you know, I think that's huge for us, especially in NFC East. Um two rivalry games like that. Um, I think it'll give us a lot of confidence going forward. You know, we know we're a good football team. We
know we've been in all these games. Um, but I think just it'll kind of give us that extra boost and to carry over in the off season. Well not hunting. Did you think if you pick his brain at all about you know it'll be athlete? You know, grew up a small town from this area, knows this area and just what's that like? Um, not so much. We kind of just hung out and went hunting. Nothing real crazy, but um, he's a great guy. He's a great guy, and um it's been cool again and all are you
a baseball fan? You follow him at all? Yeah? Yeah, I've I've seen what he's done in college. You know, I didn't follow baseball play as much, didn't have a lot of time, but definitely a baseball fan for sure. To plan entering the season was for you to sit and watch and obviously you got a chance to play. How much do you think that benefits you having the opportunity to a play versus watching. Yeah, I think it's been,
um unbelievable. You know, I don't think you can put it into words how valuable that's been, you know to Um. Now coming back next year, it'll be it won't be new anymore, you know, I won't have to you know, kind of get used to that feeling on Sundays. It's already happened. I've been in sixteen games already, so I think that's been huge and they'll just only help me grow and this this offense and this organization grow. For sure, Expectation is going to really ratchet up, you think for
next season. I think we always have high expectations around here. Um. I know we do in the locker room. I know the organization does, and I don't think that'll ever ever go away. UM, good or bad. I could ask you one more Mike Trout for related question. Um, he's pretty well known as a big Eagles fan stuff. I mean, did he kind of mention that to you when he goes Yeah, he mentioned that right away. Um, big Eagles fans, So that that's pretty cool that. Um, he's at some
of the games and the cheering a song. He probably likes you then as quarterback that if I think he asked you, I think he asked you, right, You're probably gonna ask McNabb this week on total past attempts for a season and EVENSI history, you're probably gonna end up
second all time among rookies didn't pattaps in this season. UM. On a similar note to you know, you playing versus not playing, but while that many attempts might now be conducive to winning for a quickback in a looking season, UM, do you feel like benefited from throwing the wall that many times? Um? You know, it's always hard to say, you know, it's always hard to say. I think just all those different scenarios, all those you know, every kind
of past play has its own story. So there's just been a lot of learning, a lot of opportunities for me to grow and developing and kind of see things, see the picture, and all those things are great, um, and will only help me get better at a quicker pace. I believe some of your teammates said that you really established yourself as a leader this season. How did you do that and was that something that you felt was important?
You know, from giving the position you play. Yeah, I think first and foremost as a quarterback, you got to be a leader. I think everyone has their own leadership style.
UM goes about it differently. So for me, it really all just started back and right when I got here, you know, just kind of how it can conducted myself, handled myself out on the field, you know, in the locker room, those types of things, and then just how you perform, you know, how you perform the effort you give, all those things kind of conduct themselves to good leadership qualities. So um, but it's really kind of started off back
when I first got here. And now obviously given those those game situations, being out there with those guys have obviously helped. Losing something that you that you had to get used to having, not something that you ever really want to, But did you have to find ways not to sink down too low? I mean that's not really my personality. You know, I hate losing, But as far as you know, sinking low and letting it affect me,
he's never really been my personality. I'm always kind of optimist, always kind of thinking, you know, the best thing, I'm going forward. So um, that was obviously unfortunate this year, having to deal with some of those losses, especially some of the ways that we lost them. Um, But yeah, that that never really affected me. Um going forward, So to speak thanks everything,