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  6. article_body => "<p>Brian Dawkins always had a symbiotic relationship with Eagles fans.<\/p>\n<p>He loved them, they loved him, and there isn\u2019t a single Eagle in the last 50 years who was as universally adored as Dawkins.<\/p>\n<p>Try to find an Eagles fan that didn\u2019t like him. You can\u2019t do it.<\/p>\n<p>In 18 days, Dawkins will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, and&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;he talked about the Eagles fans who cheered for him about every autumn&nbsp;Sunday&nbsp;from 1996 through 2008.<\/p>\n<p>\"I\u2019ve said this before and I\u2019ll say it again, but I believe if a Philadelphia Eagles fan had a chance to play, if all of a sudden they woke up and they woke up in the team hotel and they knew the game plan and they had knowledge of the system, athletic ability to run and to jump and they played the position that I played, the safety position, I believe the majority of them, if not all of them, would play the game the way that I played it,\u201d Dawkins said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey would dance, they would be having a good time \u2026 and they would go out and enjoy the opportunity to be on the football field and show it and not be afraid to show their emotions, to play with passion and give everything that they have because that would be the only chance that they would ever get to play the game of football, and that\u2019s how I played.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI played with a chip on my shoulder, I wanted to have a good time, I danced, I celebrated after plays, I celebrated with my teammates, and they saw that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Everybody loves Dawkins. Not just because of his boundless ability, production in big games and peerless leadership, but because he connected on such a deep level with Eagles fans.<\/p>\n<p>He wore his emotions on his sleeve, and you could tell he felt every loss just as profoundly as even the most rabid Eagles fan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was genuine,\u201d he said. \u201cI was a genuine player when it came to, I\u2019m going to give everything that I have, I\u2019m not going to make excuses for anything. As a matter of fact, I\u2019m going to take the burden upon myself. Even if it\u2019s not my fault, it\u2019s going to be my fault. I\u2019m going to take it away from my teammates and put it on myself.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m never going to make excuses. I\u2019m going to try my best and never make those mistakes [again]&nbsp;that I made in the game. And I believe that they saw that, they recognized that, and the feeling is mutual.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI love Eagles fans. Yeah, they\u2019re crazy. They\u2019re twisted in some ways. But I love them, because I am. There are&nbsp;a lot of parts of me that are twisted in a lot of different ways. That\u2019s why I did some of the crazy stuff on the field that I did. So like, we fit. Like hand in glove, we fit.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">More on the Eagles<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/nick-foles-delivers-powerful-speech-after-winning-best-championship-performance-award-espys-super-bowl\">Foles' latest awards speech on target just like a SB pass<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/roobs-10-observations-brian-dawkins-pro-football-hall-fame-nate-gerry-zach-ertz-vs-jason-witten\">Ertz vs. Witten and a sleeper at LB in Roob's 10 observations<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/eagles-2018-training-camp-battles-nickel-cornerback\">Will Sidney Jones win nickel corner job?<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/the700level\/are-2018-eagles-better-or-worse-linebacker\">Are 2018 Eagles better or worse at linebacker?<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/these-criticisms-alshon-jeffery-should-make-you-laugh\">These criticisms of Alshon Jeffery should make you laugh<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
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Eagles

Eagles

Brian Dawkins always had a symbiotic relationship with Eagles fans.

He loved them, they loved him, and there isn’t a single Eagle in the last 50 years who was as universally adored as Dawkins.

Try to find an Eagles fan that didn’t like him. You can’t do it.

In 18 days, Dawkins will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, and on Tuesday he talked about the Eagles fans who cheered for him about every autumn Sunday from 1996 through 2008.

"I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, but I believe if a Philadelphia Eagles fan had a chance to play, if all of a sudden they woke up and they woke up in the team hotel and they knew the game plan and they had knowledge of the system, athletic ability to run and to jump and they played the position that I played, the safety position, I believe the majority of them, if not all of them, would play the game the way that I played it,” Dawkins said.

“They would dance, they would be having a good time … and they would go out and enjoy the opportunity to be on the football field and show it and not be afraid to show their emotions, to play with passion and give everything that they have because that would be the only chance that they would ever get to play the game of football, and that’s how I played.

 

“I played with a chip on my shoulder, I wanted to have a good time, I danced, I celebrated after plays, I celebrated with my teammates, and they saw that.”

Everybody loves Dawkins. Not just because of his boundless ability, production in big games and peerless leadership, but because he connected on such a deep level with Eagles fans.

He wore his emotions on his sleeve, and you could tell he felt every loss just as profoundly as even the most rabid Eagles fan.

“It was genuine,” he said. “I was a genuine player when it came to, I’m going to give everything that I have, I’m not going to make excuses for anything. As a matter of fact, I’m going to take the burden upon myself. Even if it’s not my fault, it’s going to be my fault. I’m going to take it away from my teammates and put it on myself.

“I’m never going to make excuses. I’m going to try my best and never make those mistakes [again] that I made in the game. And I believe that they saw that, they recognized that, and the feeling is mutual.

“I love Eagles fans. Yeah, they’re crazy. They’re twisted in some ways. But I love them, because I am. There are a lot of parts of me that are twisted in a lot of different ways. That’s why I did some of the crazy stuff on the field that I did. So like, we fit. Like hand in glove, we fit.”

More on the Eagles