Howie Roseman, once a polarizing figure in Philadelphia for some questionable contracts and draft selections, has become one of the most beloved sports figures in Philadelphia after building a Super Bowl roster for the second time, this one appearing much more sustainable than the first. Objectively, Roseman’s biggest advantage to the Eagles is his ability to swing and hit trades both extremely often and efficiently. His recent track record in that department has been nothing short of sensational.
It is easy to infer that Roseman must be quite shrewd and savvy in his language in order to be so persuasive in his negotiations. This savviness came to public light on Tuesday in an interview with Mike Florio of NBC Sports on his “ProFootballTalk” podcast. Florio attempted to wrap up the interview by getting some insight from Roseman on how exactly the settlement with the Arizona Cardinals regarding their tampering with Jonathan Gannon came to be. Of course, the Eagles moved up 28 spots in the third round for the very small cost of a 2024 fifth-round pick as a method of settling Arizona’s illegal contact with Gannon during the Eagles’ playoff run. Gannon also lied about his status with the Eagles immediately following the NFC Championship.
Predictably, Roseman initially gave a political answer to Florio’s inquiry. When Florio called him out for it, however, Roseman pulled out the gloves and went right at Florio’s neck, calling him one of the five biggest conspiracy theorists in the National Football League. He also shuts down Florio’s notion that the timing of the release of the news was done intentionally:
Mike Florio presses Howie Roseman on the Jonathan Gannon tampering charges
(via @ProFootballTalk) pic.twitter.com/Dbufra46ed
— Crossing Broad (@CrossingBroad) May 23, 2023
Roseman has never been one to disclose a lot of valuable information to the media, so the initial teleprompter-esque answer he gave should not have been unexpected. The sequence of events afterward, however, admittedly caught me a little off guard. It was a pleasant surprise to see Roseman refuse to be pushed around after Florio’s attitude turned snarky. Gannon is no longer with the Eagles organization, and the case has been settled, so there is no reason to dwell on the past, with the focus already being shifted to the upcoming season. Having an executive who is so quick on his feet in regards to keeping the team’s best interests in mind is a huge reason the Eagles are in the position they are.
After a frustrating Super Bowl loss, Roseman has kept his foot on the gas, maintaining a very complete roster despite a series of significant free-agent losses. The Eagles are starting OTAs and aiming for another Super Bowl run, one they should be very well-equipped for, given the relative dearth of talent in the NFC, especially at quarterback.
