Eagles

Kevin Byard Says Scouting Report Story is “Being Taken Out of Context”

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Dec 18th, 2023 · 9:51 AM EST

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We mentioned this Sunday on the site, but it’s worth a separate post:

This article is being taken out of context. It was a cool change up for each individual to present what they’ve watched on film before our first meeting of the week with our DB coaches. Nothing more nothing less. Please stop reaching for narrative that’s not there! https://t.co/fKvQLUXhyQ

— Kevin Byard (@KevinByard) December 17, 2023

Brooks Kubena is a new Eagles writer. He replaced Zach Berman and Bo Wulf at The Athletic (now with ads).

The story was published Saturday and is titled “Inside Eagles’ push for player-led scouting reports ahead of matchup with Seahawks.” The first three paragraphs go like this:

At the end of their regularly scheduled Tuesday meeting, as coaches and players dispersed in the NovaCare Complex, Philadelphia Eagles safety Kevin Byard approached Sean Desai privately and pitched the defensive coordinator a new plan.

“Hey, let us do the scouting report this week,” Byard said.

By “us,” Byard meant the defensive backs. By “the scouting report,” he meant the position-by-position breakdown of the Seattle Seahawks, their upcoming opponent.

Kubena notes later in the story that “Byard and a few veteran defensive backs believed the players, at least those in the secondary, also needed to assume more accountability.” There’s another line that says “Desai agreed with the arrangement. Byard relayed the message to the rest of the defensive backs, and they split up their scouting assignments.”

Naturally, some people read the story, or probably just the headline or snippets, and came to the conclusion that the players took control because Desai stinks. That’s a claim only strengthened by Desai’s demotion to the booth, and elevation of Matt Patricia. How much of Desai’s reported amenability was because he knew he was getting bumped? That’s impossible to say, but the timing is curious and certainly does not help.

Byard, however, goes on Twitter to say that fans and media are reaching for a narrative that’s not there. And the story itself is innocuous, and interesting as well, so on a side note, I appreciate Byard for taking the “out of context” route instead of shredding the article, which he himself is quoted in. It’s behind a paywall, but if you have an Athletic (now with ads) sub, here it is:

Eagles safety Kevin Byard persuaded DC Sean Desai to let the secondary handle their own scouting report of the Seahawks this week

It’s a task the coaches normally handle

More on the player-led move for self-accountability

“There’s ownership in all this”https://t.co/iYs3V1Go6j

— Brooks Kubena (@BKubena) December 16, 2023