A second-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, former Eagles defensive end Vinny Curry climbed his way up the ranks during his career.
After getting acclimated to the team and defense in his rookie year, Curry posted 20 tackles and four sacks in 14 games in Year 2.
The following year, he posted what would remain a career-high nine sacks and 12 solo tackles (16 total).
In his sixth year in the league, Curry helped propel the Eagles’ defense to the franchise’s first-ever Super Bowl victory, tallying four tackles in the game. During the championship run, Curry became responsible for breaking down huddles before the game with the saying, “We all we got. We all we need,” which became a mantra of the team. It was a moment that Curry will remember forever.
“When that clock hit zero and the confetti came down, it was something that you think about and when the game comes on NFL Network and I’m sitting here with my 7-year-old son (Noah) and we’re watching it, it’s like man, what a feeling that was,” Curry said. “Everybody had one goal – the goal was to win a championship and I think all egos were checked at the door. We leaned on one another and it just brought us that much closer together. It was a special group of men, special group of coaches, and it was a special year.
“That had to go down as one of the best parades in championship history. If there was a trophy for that, I think the City of Philadelphia would have won that.”
The Neptune, New Jersey, native fulfilled his dream by playing for the Eagles for eight total years.
“It meant everything to me, grew up as an Eagles fan and to put that Midnight Green on and to actually win a Super Bowl in the Midnight Green meant the world to me,” Curry said.
After six seasons in Philadelphia, Curry departed for a brief one-year stint in Tampa Bay, before returning to the Eagles for two more seasons in 2019 and 2020. Curry played his final season with the Jets in 2022.
Curry was a leader of the defense during his time, bringing an uncanny energy and passion to the city each and every day. Curry would often break down the huddle and give a pregame speech, spreading the fire he had to his teammates before each game.
In eight seasons in Philadelphia, Curry registered 222 QB pressures, 204 tackles, 35.5 tackles for loss, 30.0 sacks (19th in franchise history), five forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 111 games played.
On Thursday, he retires in the place where it all began – as a Philadelphia Eagle.
“To be able to play 11 years in the NFL is amazing and to get ready to retire as an Eagle is crazy,” Curry said. He will be the Honorary Captain for Thursday’s game.
– Written by Liam Wichser
