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Jeremiah Trotter wouldn't make the same mistake twice.
The Pro Bowl middle linebacker signed a $15 million, five-year contract with the Eagles on Friday, remaining with the team he helped lead to the Super Bowl after returning to Philadelphia last season.
Trotter's contract includes a $4 million signing bonus. He visited Kansas City and Cincinnati this week, and said he turned down a better offer to stay in Philadelphia.
"It was going to take a lot to get me out of Philly," Trotter said. "Somebody had to overwhelm me. Traveling to those teams made me nervous. You want a team to overwhelm you, but in a way, you don't want them to."
Trotter, who spent two years with Washington, solidified the Eagles' defense and earned his third trip to the Pro Bowl after making just seven starts. He is the third player re-signed by the Eagles in three days. Running back Correll Buckhalter and defensive end Hugh Douglas also are returning to the NFC champions.
"I love it here. This city loves me," Trotter said. "This is where I'm supposed to be. I didn't want to go through a situation like two years ago. Philly is home. This is where I wanted to retire. My heart is in Philly."
Trotter left the Eagles following a bitter contract dispute after the 2001 season. He signed a seven-year, $35 million contract with the Redskins but had trouble adjusting to a new defensive scheme, was plagued by injuries and failed to live up to expectations.
Trotter returned to the Eagles for just $535,000 last season and accepted a backup role. He made the most of his chance to get on the field early in the year by playing well on special teams.
Midway through the season, defensive coordinator Jim Johnson inserted Trotter into the starting lineup and moved Mark Simoneau over to the weakside spot.
The Eagles were 24th on defense and 27th against the run when Trotter reclaimed his job before the ninth game. In the next six games, the defense allowed averages of just 70.2 yards rushing, 227.2 total yards and 10.7 points per game. The Eagles gave up the fewest points in the NFC (260).
Trotter finished the season with 80 tackles, one sack and three hurries. In Philadelphia's 27-14 second-round playoff victory over Minnesota, Trotter led the defense with seven tackles, had a half-sack and made a key interception.
Trotter said his knee problems won't allow him to pass a physical, but he still performs at a high level.
"Every doctor that I talk to can't believe I'm still playing," Trotter said. "It doesn't look good on paper. But I can still run."
Trotter was the Eagles' most significant unrestricted free agent. Pro Bowl running back Brian Westbrook is a restricted free agent who was tendered a one-year, $1.43 million offer last week.
"We retained a good player who really wanted to be here and we really wanted to have here," Eagles president Joe Banner said. "We've obviously retained somebody who we think is a quality player, an emotional leader on the team and somebody who really wanted to be here, which has been, since the day (coach) Andy Reid got here, something that is very important to us."
Source: AP
The Pro Bowl middle linebacker signed a $15 million, five-year contract with the Eagles on Friday, remaining with the team he helped lead to the Super Bowl after returning to Philadelphia last season.
Trotter's contract includes a $4 million signing bonus. He visited Kansas City and Cincinnati this week, and said he turned down a better offer to stay in Philadelphia.
"It was going to take a lot to get me out of Philly," Trotter said. "Somebody had to overwhelm me. Traveling to those teams made me nervous. You want a team to overwhelm you, but in a way, you don't want them to."
Trotter, who spent two years with Washington, solidified the Eagles' defense and earned his third trip to the Pro Bowl after making just seven starts. He is the third player re-signed by the Eagles in three days. Running back Correll Buckhalter and defensive end Hugh Douglas also are returning to the NFC champions.
"I love it here. This city loves me," Trotter said. "This is where I'm supposed to be. I didn't want to go through a situation like two years ago. Philly is home. This is where I wanted to retire. My heart is in Philly."
Trotter left the Eagles following a bitter contract dispute after the 2001 season. He signed a seven-year, $35 million contract with the Redskins but had trouble adjusting to a new defensive scheme, was plagued by injuries and failed to live up to expectations.
Trotter returned to the Eagles for just $535,000 last season and accepted a backup role. He made the most of his chance to get on the field early in the year by playing well on special teams.
Midway through the season, defensive coordinator Jim Johnson inserted Trotter into the starting lineup and moved Mark Simoneau over to the weakside spot.
The Eagles were 24th on defense and 27th against the run when Trotter reclaimed his job before the ninth game. In the next six games, the defense allowed averages of just 70.2 yards rushing, 227.2 total yards and 10.7 points per game. The Eagles gave up the fewest points in the NFC (260).
Trotter finished the season with 80 tackles, one sack and three hurries. In Philadelphia's 27-14 second-round playoff victory over Minnesota, Trotter led the defense with seven tackles, had a half-sack and made a key interception.
Trotter said his knee problems won't allow him to pass a physical, but he still performs at a high level.
"Every doctor that I talk to can't believe I'm still playing," Trotter said. "It doesn't look good on paper. But I can still run."
Trotter was the Eagles' most significant unrestricted free agent. Pro Bowl running back Brian Westbrook is a restricted free agent who was tendered a one-year, $1.43 million offer last week.
"We retained a good player who really wanted to be here and we really wanted to have here," Eagles president Joe Banner said. "We've obviously retained somebody who we think is a quality player, an emotional leader on the team and somebody who really wanted to be here, which has been, since the day (coach) Andy Reid got here, something that is very important to us."
Source: AP
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