Yesterday, the Eagles said goodbye to Connor Barwin, a civic activist and part-time football player who did real, honest-to-God work to improve the city of Philadelphia during his time here. In fact, you could probably argue that he helped the city more than he contributed to the Eagles (that’s not a shot). Barwin’s release was not a surprise nor unjustified. Still, the sports media reacted as if Bruce Springsteen died:

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Les Bowen said it would be “hard to name an athlete in any sport who became a bigger part of the fabric of Philadelphia than Connor Barwin did in just four years” Even SEPTA thanked him:

Image uploaded from iOS (8)

And I assume Reuben Frank typed this into his Notes app while wiping tears away in the back of a Guided b Voices show:

I can’t remember an athlete coming through town over the years who more naturally and genuinely and passionately became a Philadelphian.

Connor Barwin’s love for our city, and his tireless energy in raising money to fund projects that really made a difference in the South Philly neighborhoods within a few miles of the sports complex is unprecedented.

There’s really never been anyone like him.

He didn’t just talk about it, he rolled up his sleeves and organized and ran meetings and raised money and held concerts and truly made a difference in the community he lived in.

And that’s rare.

The local media has guys they latch on to, and Barwin was absolutely one of them. Deservingly so, as he built playgrounds, raised money, brought awareness, and threw indie rock concerts where your perfect sightline is ruined when Jason Kelce decides to stand in front of you, or whatever. Barwin will be missed off the field more than on, and it’s understandable that McLane, Bowen, and more are going with sentiment over the football focus. It just shows how infrequently we have an athlete in town who really goes out of his way to positively affect the city around him, and how he’s treated when he does.