Haason Reddick has always called Philadelphia home. But Eagles Nation could finally celebrate the pass rusher as one of their own starting in 2022. The New Jersey native didn't just return to the area as one of Philly's top additions leading into a Super Bowl bid. He also delivered a career-best season for his hometown, registering 16 sacks and garnering Defensive Player of the Year consideration to become one of the game's most feared outside linebackers.
From fracturing his femur in high school to walking on at Temple to starting slow with the Cardinals, the 28-year-old Reddick has come a long way. Now, entering 2023, he's looking to go further than he's ever gone: freshly named the spokesperson for the Campbell's "Chunky Sacks Hunger" campaign to fill Feeding America food banks, Reddick also has eyes on a successful return to the Super Bowl and, eventually, a contract that ties him to Philly for life.
Here's Reddick's full discussion with CBS Sports, edited for length and clarity:
Partnering with Campbell's, how aware were you of the Eagles' history with Chunky Soup, a noted favorite of longtime quarterback Donovan McNabb?
Reddick: Aw man, very aware. And my mother worked for Campbell's (for) as long as I could remember. Like, literally since I was yea high. They're headquartered in my hometown of Camden, New Jersey, so this partnership ... to be able to be a part of their initiative across America is big. It's major.
What is your favorite way of serving the cities you call home?
Reddick: From holidays to giving back for school -- for kids that are getting ready to go back to school, getting them the supplies they need -- these things were all big to me. Now we're sitting here and I have a partnership with Chunky. And instead of doing it locally now, now (we can) attack the whole nation. I usually do my community work locally. Now that I get to bring my reach and partner with a brand of this magnitude across the whole nation, (we get to) do some good work and feed families in need.
You said before Super Bowl LVII that you're not superstitious, but rather a "man of God." How does that influence you on and off the field?
Reddick: I've been through some ups and downs in my career, and that's what brought me closer to God. Like, I've been blessed. I've been blessed to be in this position. I've been blessed to be in the NFL. And because of that, I just want to give back. I want to be able to make an impact. I feel like God has shined a light on me, and in return, I wanna do the same. I wanna give back. I wanna help people. ... Now that I have this platform, now that I have this reach, I just wanna do my part.
You returned to your stomping grounds last year, and your Eagles debut couldn't have gone better. Was the 2022 season confirmation for you that you were meant to play in Philadelphia?
Reddick: Oh, most definitely. 'Cause everybody knows how hard it is to Philly. The fans here, the things they expect, this is a football town with a winning culture. So to come here and to be able to be an immediate impact at home? Just unbelievable for me.
Your goal is obviously to return to the Super Bowl and win it. That often starts with the quarterback. What does Jalen Hurts do best as the Eagles' leader?
Reddick: The thing that he does best is work -- the way that he works, the way that he approaches the work that he puts in. Man, Jalen, he's like the first guy in the building and the last one to leave. He's in there every day trying to be his best, making sure that he's his best, so that way when we get the opportunity to go back to the Super Bowl, he can do whatever is in his power to make sure that we get the 'W.' I know that from talking to him. I know what's on his mind. And he wants to get back bad. He wants to win a championship for the city, just like all of us do. We came up short, and we wanna get back, we wanna have that parade, we wanna see the fans out there. We're not just doing it for ourselves, we're doing it for the city as well.
You've said one of the best moments of your career was signing with the Eagles. Do you hope to eventually sign another deal to stay long term?
Reddick: I am hopeful. You know, I'm home. I would love to be able to finish my career here. I'd love to be able to do that. Like I said, I'm from here, man. What more is there to say? I wanna represent my city and I wanna represent my city well. So if I could, I would like to represent my city for the rest of my career.
