Jason Peters: 'We'll Be Stronger And In Better Condition' Than Last Year
PHILADELPHIA, PA (CBS) — Jason Peters wasn't exactly pleased last year. The future Hall of Fame left tackle for the Eagles wasn't too happy in Chip Kelly's mile-a-minute offensive system, especially when you're 6-foot-4 and 330 pounds, like Peters. He was frustrated over the fact he couldn't play his best, beset by back injuries, and he was angry the Eagles didn't make the playoffs.
Time is winding down for one of the best players in Eagles' history. The five-time Pro Bowler is about to enter his 13th season in the NFL. He turned 34 in January and has accomplished everything he could in the NFL—except win a Super Bowl.
"I feel good," Peters said. "There's nothing different from this year to last year, I always train hard and give it my all. It's no different in my approach from last year.
"Going through last year, I probably did feel like [Kelly's system] was taking five years off my career. When you're going through it, you can't recover. I was just a part of it, and at the time, that was probably what I was thinking. I feel good now, though."
Peters admits he had his down weeks in 2015.
"I was more frustrated with my injury," Peters said. "We had a chance to win the [NFC East] division and I wasn't in there. I was playing, in my opinion, 55-to-60 percent the whole time last year. I think that's what frustrated me. I couldn't play my best, because I wasn't my best physically.
"But I was out there. I played against Washington hurt. The game before that, Tampa Bay, I was hurt. It didn't bother me what the media was saying then. What's important is what these guys [in the locker room] think. The players know me. They know I give 100-percent. But personally, it was frustrating and it's a side they hadn't seen from me.
"I'm getting older and I want a Super Bowl ring. I want to bring a championship to Philly. I was mad about that, not being on the field and not bringing that vision."
Peters does admit he knew Doug Pederson's practices would be a grind from the Andy Reid years.
"I already knew that," Peters said. "When I signed here with Andy Reid, I knew it was going to be a grind. We always work hard in training camp, and I mean we work hard. This is harder really than Chip's training camp. I like that. We're going to grind that out. It's longer and more physical. Andy Reid doesn't run it. We're going to bang, a lot more banging between the d-line and o-line.
"I like it. Once we get into the season, we're going to be that much more physical and that much more ready. We'll be stronger and in better condition than everybody else."
