Monday is the opening of the Eagles’ offseason work, and players in Philadelphia are bracing for an intense experience under the strength and conditioning staff brought in by new coach Chip Kelly.
One of Kelly’s first acts as the Eagles’ head coach was to hire Shaun Huls, a former Navy SEALS trainer, and give him the title of sports science coordinator. Players on the Eagles haven’t worked out under Huls, Kelly or the rest of the staff yet, but offensive lineman Todd Herremans told PhillyMag.com that the players are ready to sweat.
“It’s going to be very intense, is what I’m expecting,” said Herremans. “But I think that April 2nd, we’re going to start our training sessions, and that is going to be simulating what we’re going to be doing in practice and in the games. It’s going to be pretty intense. Constantly going, you’re going through one drill, and then you’re going to jog to the next one, and then you do that, and then you jog to the next one. So you’re constantly moving, and he’s basically probably going to get us in the best shape of our life.”
Eagles center Jason Kelce said the players have been told to expect up-tempo workouts to prepare them for Kelly’s up-tempo offense.
“I think that part of the reason why is because we’re going to run up-tempo,” Kelce said. “Instead of being able to relax and just kind of walk around the weight room and do your lifts, it’s more at a steady pace where you have a set amount of time rest period. I think the receivers and those guys might be doing a little bit more conditioning. They know they’re in for a lot of running in this offense.”
And a lot of running this offseason.