Coach Andy Reid hasn’t returned to work, but the rest of the Eagles have gotten back to business in the wake of his son Garrett’s death.
According to offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, who is splitting the duties of the top job with defensive coordinator Juan Castillo while Reid is away from the team, the team isn’t viewing that as a challenge. While meeting with the media on Monday, Mornhinweg explained that they are simply looking at it as doing their jobs.
“We haven’t talked about the challenge. We’ve talked about, simply, our responsibility [which] is doing our job. So, that’s where we’re at right now,” Mornhinweg said in comments distributed by the team.
Mornhinweg’s other answers made it clear that things aren’t as simple as that. The players have been emotional over the last two days, “saddened and shocked” were Mornhinweg’s words, and there will be a funeral on Tuesday before they have to take the field against the Steelers on Thursday. Tuning out the distractions will be almost impossible and there are sure to be questions about the impact over the course of the season.
The routines of practice and preparation can be a way to escape from the grieving, though. Emphasizing the responsibility to do your job even when other things are grabbing at you sounds like just about the only way to proceed at present for the Eagles.