Two-time Super Bowl Champion LeSean McCoy recently joined All The Smoke with Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes to discuss the NFL MVP race and reflect on his iconic Eagles career.
Few running backs have left a mark on football quite like McCoy. With six Pro Bowl selections, two All-Pro honors and two Super Bowl championships, McCoy redefined the running back position at the height of his career, particularly during his years with the Eagles. This season, McCoy was inducted into the Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame. While sharing with Matt and Stak that it felt good to be inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame, he said that he questioned whether the fans still loved him the same as they had during his playing career. But when he went back to be recognized, the fans’ love for him remained the same.
When his highlights were played during the ceremony, he was in amazement over what he had done, especially given that a select group of eight to nine players are in the Eagles Hall of Fame. He also made sure to point out to the guys that he’s eligible to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame next year. When asked if he had a good chance of getting into Canton, he immediately answered yes and compared himself to the guys currently in the Hall of Fame, cross-referencing their stats with his to affirm his candidacy.
Looking at the current season, the NFL MVP race is shaping up to be one that will likely come down to Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Bills quarterback Josh Allen. McCoy expressed that he evaluates players based on what they did and who they did it with. He admitted that he had not seen someone play as great as Jackson in a long time and affirmed that he had been BALLING. He explained that Allen has also been balling and that even though Lamar has better numbers, Allen gets his MVP nod because he is doing it with players he says he wouldn’t make other squads in the NFL. Jackson has other great players like running back Derrick Henry and speedster wide receiver Zay Flowers compared to Allen, who is one of just two Pro Bowlers on the Bills.
During his time in Philadelphia, Shady played on some talented teams that featured Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson. Many people question why those Eagles teams were not able to get over the hump and win a championship. When he reflects on it, Shady believes that the team put too much pressure on Vick to throw the ball, and even though he was NICE, he felt that the Eagles could have benefited from a more balanced approach on offense. He even compared how superstar quarterbacks in today’s NFL, like Jalen Hurts, have a strong supporting cast to help make their jobs easier.
Another aspect of Shady’s tenure with the Eagles that has been well-documented is his disdain for Chip Kelly. McCoy told Matt and Stak that Kelly had difficulty relating to his players. Rules such as no locker room music and players having to wear white socks rubbed Shady and others the wrong way. Shady added that Kelly went as far as to monitor each player’s sleep patterns because he believed championship teams got a certain amount of hours of sleep. To his point, Shady mentioned that Kelly did not consider the lives of the players, the young ones who might want to have a night out on the town, or those who were married and had newborn babies. Kelly’s college coaching rules did not translate to a team of grown men. Despite the talent they had, sports fans will always look back on that team and think…What if?
Watch or listen to the full episode below and keep an eye on DraftKings Network for new episodes of All The Smoke every Thursday at 6 p.m. ET!
SHOW BREAKDOWN
LeSean McCoy Breaks Down 2025 NFL MVP Race + Untold Locker Room Stories
VIDEO:
Check out the DraftKings YouTube page and the All The Smoke Productions YouTube page for more. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on Instagram at @Matt_Barnes9 and @_Stak5_ as well as All The Smoke Productions.
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