Philadelphia Will Always Have Brotherly Love for Brian Dawkins, No Matter What

Whenever Brian Dawkins was introduced during an Eagles home game at Lincoln Financial Field, there was no telling what to expect from him as he came out of the tunnel.

Sometimes he would crawl out. Sometimes he would show us a somersault. Sometimes he would bounce up and down from the ground in a sort of way that seemed nearly impossible for a human to perform.  

And that is only part of the reason why the city of Philadelphia loves and will always love Brian Dawkins, no matter what team he plays for.

Last weekend, Dawkins ended his 13-year reign as an Eagle by signing a five-year deal worth around $17 million with the Denver Broncos. The news was shocking to not only the fans but the players as well, considering most of them assumed he would finish out his career in Philadelphia.

Blame it on Joe Banner and the rest of the Eagles' front office for not re-signing Dawkins. The reasoning behind the effort to resign Dawkins will always be questioned by fans for years to come. Was it because of his age? Did it financially make sense for the team to go their separate ways?

No matter what the reasoning behind the decision about Dawkins, the only thing the Eagles and their fans can do now is accept the decision and move on. All they can do is wish him best of luck for him and be grateful to have had such an amazing athlete play for their team.

Even if he does wear blue and orange for the remainder of his career, his legacy as a player in the NFL will always be remembered as an Eagle.

The passion and intensity on the field that Dawkins, or "Weapon X", brought to the Eagles over the last 13 seasons will always be remembered by the City of Brotherly Love. He was always seen as one of the most hard-hitting safeties the league has ever seen.

The way he flexed his muscles to the sky after a big play on defense. The way he played throughout his career as an Eagle will leave fans with stories they will cherish for the rest of their lives.

One of the most admirable characteristics about Brian Dawkins how he is not afraid to show how religious he is. When Terry Bradshaw asked Brian Dawkins how the Philadelphia Eagles managed to stop Michael Vick in the 2005 NFC Championship game, his response showed he knew how blessed he was for an opportunity to be in the position he was.

"First off, HALLELUJAH!"

"And then, I tell you what. I'ma give all the credit to Michael Vick. We give him the most respect but nobody respected as a defense....GIVE ME SOME RESPECT RIGHT NOW!"

As the crowd roared over Dawkins, Bradshaw continued the interview by discussing Dawkins' individual performance and his one specific hit on Falcons' tight end Alge Crumpler.

"I tell you what; I wanted to set a tone. WE wanted to set a tone as a "D". It's not just me. It's the defense. It's my line. It's Burgess. It's Kearse. All them boys. Trot, we came and we brought it. Every doggone play."

His response to winning the NFC Championship game shows why Brian Dawkins was always a fan favorite in the city of Philadelphia. He may have had one of the best individual performances in Eagles' playoff history.

However, he knew that football was a team sport and that his teammates were the reason behind his success. Without them, the Eagles would have never had the opportunity to play in Super Bowl XXXIX.

Dawkins may be remembered as one of the hardest hitting players in NFL history. However, he will also be remembered for his love and desire for the game of football. His passion for the sport is on a level that most athletes will never even come close to.

The Philadelphia Eagles are one of 15 current teams in the NFL to never win a Super Bowl. It may be a debatable subject, but there is reason to believe that no former Eagle deserves a Super Bowl more than Brian Dawkins.

Throughout his career, Dawkins and the Eagles have had numerous chances at winning a Super Bowl. They have been to the NFC Championship game five times in the last eight seasons. They made it to the Super Bowl in 2005.

Unfortunately, eight seasons making the playoffs, five NFC Championship games, and one Super Bowl appearance could not accomplish the dream of holding up the Lombardi trophy at the end of the season.

From 1983-2008, the city of Philadelphia went through a 25-year drought of not winning a major sports championship. During those 25 years, the city has seen its fair share of popular athletes build their legacy around a Philadelphia team and part ways later in their career.

After 11 seasons as an Eagle, Randall Cunningham retired from the NFL only to return to play for the Minnesota Vikings. Allen Iverson almost spent 10 years as a 76er only to be traded to the Denver Nuggets in 2007.

Dawkins has been a major part of not only the Eagles but the city of Philadelphia as well. Not only was he a great player for the Eagles, but a great leader for them too. If the team needed motivation before the start of a game, he was the fire burning the fuel.

When the Eagles acquired Jevon Kearse and Terrell Owens in 2004, he was the one who took them out to a 76ers game their first night in Philadelphia.

When Dawkins decides to hang up his cleats and retire from the NFL, there will be a fair amount of fans who will be disappointed his legacy ended with him in orange and blue instead of Eagles green.

Whether he finishes his career as a Bronco or decides to play with two more teams, Brian Dawkins will always be seen as a fan favorite in the city of Philadelphia. There are certain athletes in Philadelphia sports history that would be booed up their return to the city they once played in (do Terrell Owens or Scott Rolen ring a bell?)

Next season, Brian Dawkins will return to Lincoln Financial Field as an opponent, standing on the opposite side of his former teammates, wearing a blue and orange uniform. He may be a Bronco, but the fans will most likely give him a standing ovation as they show nothing but love and respect for their former Pro Bowl safety.

That's because no matter what team Brian Dawkins decides to play for in his career, he will always be appreciated in the City of Brotherly Love for everything he has done the last 13 seasons.