PHILADELPHIA - Bradley Roby became a Super Bowl champion in his second NFL season and the new Philadelphia Eagles cornerback has been chasing that same dragon ever since.
“You think it's automatic and it's funny because the guys kept telling me that, 'like Robe, cherish this right now. This is not common. This does not happen every year.'” Roby said on Wednesday before his first practice with the Eagles after being officially added to the practice squad earlier in the day.
Now a 10-year veteran, Roby was a first-round pick by Denver in 2014 out of college powerhouse Ohio State, and got his Super Bowl ring by year No. 2.
Winning was a habit.
“I was like whatever, it's always gonna be like this and I played a 10-year career and it's very tough to get back,” said Roby. “So I'm just ready to play in big games and playoff games and do what we can to get back there."
Roby’s appearance in Philadelphia is due to injuries to slot cornerbacks Avonte Maddox and Zech McPhearson and is similar to what happened at defensive tackle last season when injuries forced phone calls to veterans Lival Joseph and Ndamukong Suh.
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Bradley Roby (21) while with the New Orleans Saints against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.
“I had other options and other things like that and even though they were open early I still wanted a couple of weeks to go by for it to play out to see how these teams were gonna do,” Roby said. “Really, it was more that kind of stealing a little extra rest, it's a long season. So it's really more about being patient and ready for the right time and I feel like now is that time."
Roby gets it all in Philadelphia: a Super Bowl-level team, and an opportunity to take over the slot role in support of two very good outside cornerbacks in Darius Slay and James Bradberry.
"Yeah, that's gonna be a dope combination,” Roby said of playing with the two Pro Bowl players. “I feel like that was one of the reasons why I decided to do that because there's nothing like playing with elite guys.
"And I've been that way while I was playing for the Saints last couple years, in fact, in my Denver days (as well) and it was great when you have great elite, smart players to play with because you feed off each other," Roby said. "You make plays off each other.”
Roby even has a bit of a comfort level baked in with the Eagles because he works out with Slay in the offseason in Houston, and was teammates with Justin Evans in 2022 with New Orleans and both Zach Cunningham and Kentavius Street with the Texans.
A source explained the goal with Roby is to get him up to speed when it comes to football shape and learning the defense before elevating the veteran to the 53-man roster.
A small bit of foreshadowing to that end game was Roby being placed on the outside wall of the NovaCare Complex locker room rather than an inside movable space most PS additions get.
"I don't think it will take too long,” Roby said when asked about leaning the defense. “Once you played so long I mean it's really learning certain coverages you're gonna run. Just the small minute details.
“I don't think it will take me too long to get ready."
And when he’s ready, the chase for Super Bowl No. 2 will commence.
"I really wanted to win a championship,” he said. “Got one in my career. I've been thirsty to get back and I was really only considering teams I thought could make it to the Super Bowl."
Tag(s): News