Vinny Curry is very happy to be back with the Eagles: “These guys are truly like my brothers”

Most of you know the Vinny Curry story by now.

The Neptune, New Jersey native grew up rooting for the Eagles and had the fortune of being selected by them in second-round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Even better, Curry became a member of the Eagles’ first Super Bowl winning team in 2018.

Now, after a one-year stop with the Buccaneers, Curry is back where he belongs. And he’s sure not hiding how excited he is to be back. On could really sense Curry’s genuine enthusiasm during his conference call with local media on Thursday afternoon.

EAGLES PR: I’m here with Vinny Curry.

VINNY CURRY: Sup fellas? What’s going on? Y’all don’t sound too excited, what’s up fellas?

[laughter]

REPORTER: What’s up, Vinny, how’s it going?

CURRY: There you go, there you go. I’m doing good.

REPORTER: The bigger question is: are you excited?

CURRY: Hell yeah! Super excited.

REPORTER: How did it all come down? There was a report that you could’ve had more money with the New York Giants.

CURRY: Definitely had a couple different offers on the table but home is home. This felt right. This felt like the right situation. I think it was just time for me to be back in Philadelphia.

REPORTER: Were you surprised they wanted to re-sign you?

CURRY: No, nah, not at all. I won’t say surprised, I would just say I was happy. [laughs]

REPORTER: In the year away, what did it mean to you to realize you missed not being here?

CURRY: Man, I just missed the guys. I missed the guys in the locker room. You know, obviously, some of my best friends is on the team. Anytime you go on a Super Bowl run like that, you kind of just miss that morale. I definitely enjoyed my time in Tampa, but at the end of the day, home is home.

REPORTER: When you were last with the Eagles, you’d signed a big contract. Obviously, this is a different situation, a one-year deal. Do you think your role is going to change substantially?

CURRY: Nah, like I said, you gotta go back again and understand that there were definitely different offers and opportunities to do something for different teams. But at the end of the day, I chose to come back to Philadelphia because it’s home and when it comes to the role, whatever the team needs me to do, I’ve always been that guy. You guys know that. Whatever the team needs me to do, I’m gonna do it. I don’t have an ego at all.

REPORTER: You had an ankle injury last year?

CURRY: Yeah, that had me out seven weeks, unfortunately. But I’m healthy now. I’m ready to rock and roll.

REPORTER: When did the ankle injury happen?

CURRY: Um, I’m going to say Week 4 or 5. It was against the Atlanta Falcons.

REPORTER: Was it a high ankle sprain?

CURRY: Yes. I was in a hard cast and on one of those little wheels, with the little carts. You know what I’m talking about?

REPORTERS: Yeah.

CURRY: Sucked! God dang gave me blisters on my knee. [laughs]

REPORTER: When you talk about other opportunities, how did the comfort of knowing this defense fit in for you?

CURRY: That played a major part. The whole morale, the whole situation, the whole setup, no matter how you look at it, just felt right. It feels right. I’m happy, I’m excited. I can’t wait to get to work. I can’t wait to see the guys in the locker room. I’m just excited and I’m ready to get to work, man. I’m ready to help out the best way I can.

REPORTER: Did anybody reach out to say welcome back?

CURRY: Oh, yeah, yeah. A lot of guys, man. But again, like I said, it’s more than just football with these guys in this locker room. These guys are truly like my brothers. So, at the end of the day, this wasn’t like a surprise to them. Because like I said, they’re truly like my brothers. And I love them for that. It’s truly a family.

REPORTER: You were used both inside and outside the first time you were here. Do you kind of expect the same thing this time?

CURRY: Man, I just expect anything they ask of me to do I’ma do it to the best of my ability. Whether that’s inside or outside. Shit, they want me to play wide receiver, I’ma play wide receiver! [laughs] Whatever they need me to do.

REPORTER: I don’t think they’ll be asking you to do that.

CURRY: I don’t think so either. I got hands like feet! [laughs]

REPORTER: Did you ever think you’d miss it so much? Did it occur to at all that you really missed it here?

CURRY: Listen, Tampa was a cool experience. I enjoyed my time. But I don’t even want to dwell on that, you know what I’m saying? But I do know one thing: that I’m back, I’m happy to be back, my family’s happy to be back, and my teammates is definitely happy that I’m back. So we just excited for the season.

REPORTER: Do you get the sense that, with DeSean Jackson coming back, and they bring back Brandon Graham and Jason Peters, and now you, and a couple of other guys, and you’re talking to Howie — obviously, they want to win a Super Bowl ever year, but do you feel like this is a really concentrated effort to put forth an effort to get it now while the kettle is hot?

CURRY: Yeah, but at the end of the day, the work still has to be put in. We got a long way to go. We’ve just got to grind and look up at the end of the season and see where we are.

REPORTER: Have you talked about getting the No. 75 jersey [currently worn by Josh Sweat] back yet?

CURRY: We’re working on that, we’re working on that. We definitely working on that. Hopefully I’m back in the 75.

REPORTER: Was it more difficult than you thought it’d be, winning a Super Bowl, you’re going down Broad Street, and then a couple months later you’re in Florida. Was that more difficult than you thought it’d be to make that adjustment?

CURRY: I would say it was different. But at the end of the day, I’m back, I’m happy to be back. And I can’t wait to get this thing started.

REPORTER: Did you understand why they had to move on last offseason?

CURRY: Definitely, definitely. No, absolutely. And I don’t think any of that matters at this point because I’m strapping up that green helmet and that green jersey.

[silence]

CURRY: How you guys been, man?! You guys all quiet over there. How you guys doing, you doing good? I missed you, man. How’s the family?

REPORTER: Not bad. Getting big. Growing.

CURRY: There you go. That’s what I like to hear, that’s what I like to hear, man. Well, thank you guys for your time, I can’t wait to see you guys, and take it easy, have a safe weekend!

Curry’s mention about his teammates feeling like his brothers helps speak to the culture that the Eagles have fostered under Doug Pederson. So does the fact that Curry reportedly took less money to come back to Philly.

Curry is more than just a good locker room guy; there’s reason to believe he can still help the Eagles win football games. But his off-field personality makes it even easier to be glad he’s back.