Eagles HC Nick Sirianni reveals how positive relationships have kept the free agent in Philadelphia

When the Philadelphia Eagles decided to release Parris Campbell late in the game at the 53, many fans assumed the former OSU star would stick with his former Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator, Nick Sirianni.

It eventually happened, but did you know that it almost didn’t? That’s true; Parris told reporters that he initially turned down the Eagles’ training offer, but returned when it became clear he would not receive a 53-man offer after missing much of the preseason.

When discussing the prospects of bringing in Campbell, who made his Eagles debut in Week 3, Sirianni told reports that his relationship with the former second-round pick is a major reason why he ultimately stayed with the team, as their mutual trust helped ease a pretty difficult transition for the former influential winger.

“I love (WR) Parris (Campbell). I’ve known him for a long time. Obviously I had contact with him before the Philadelphia Eagles and I became close to him there (at the Colts). Again, everything we do is about relationships, right? So as his offensive coordinator and someone who specializes in wingers, I was able to coach him and get to know him,” Sirianni told reporters.

“I said one thing – obviously I’m not going to share the conversations I’m having with these guys – but I’ll share one thing I told him is, ‘We’re going to need you, man.’ We’re going to need you to make some plays. We’re going to need you – I know this isn’t what you wanted, but we’re going to need you on this journey we’re going on. We believe in you and this is how it turned out in numbers. And I’m sure I’m glad he decided to change his mind. But I think it shows how important relationships are. Many of the topics we discuss are probably about X’s and O’s rather than relationships.

Was it difficult for Campbell to swallow his pride and spend some time on the practice squad? He certainly did, but after the Eagles made a good impression over the summer, he stayed with the team and could ultimately play a big role in Philadelphia in Week 4, outplaying DeVonta Smith, Britain Covey, and (potentially) AJ Brown.

Parris Campbell reflects on his imminent departure from the Eagles

You might be wondering what Campbell had to say about said interview? Well, he effectively made it clear that he initially turned down a spot on the practice squad because he thought he could do better elsewhere.

“I immediately thought: no. It’s not me. It’s not for me. Somehow I closed the door on it. I talked to my agent and he said something like, “Do you want to practice in the lineup?” I just closed the door on it,” Campbell explained to NBC Sports Philadelphia.

“About a few hours passed and I was sitting there thinking about what was going to happen next, if I was going to get a call from another team or if this was the end of the road. I started praying and said, “If I’m going to be here in Philadelphia, I’m going to open this door again.”

How did Campbell feel about his position in the NFL? Of course, he didn’t break it, but in the end he passed it and he is happy with the decision.

“I think as players, the amount of work we put into it makes us proud,” Campbell said. “I think my pride got in the way. The reason was an injury I suffered in the middle of the camp. But these are things I can’t control. It was just a culmination of both of those things. These were things I couldn’t control, so that was the hardest thing for me, knowing that I had no control over it. But like I said, pride was also a hindrance.