The Philadelphia Eagles might have issues that go beyond their on-field performance, entering Week 8 not only with a 3-4 record but after weeks of drama stemming from anonymously sourced reports and accountability concerns. And now they've got a former player coming after them. Four days after he was released by the Eagles for the second time this year, cornerback Orlando Scandrick was a guest on FS1's "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed" Friday morning, and he used most of his interview time to rip the leadership in Philadelphia.
"The problem in Philadelphia is much, much deeper than me," Scandrick said after calling his release "really scapegoat-ish."
The 32-year-old, re-signed in late September following a rash of injuries to Philly defensive backs, went on to suggest the Eagles are "having a tough time dealing with success." Of course, as a former 10-year veteran of the rival Dallas Cowboys, who routed the Eagles on Sunday night in Week 7, Scandrick isn't exactly a spokesperson for title-winning teams, but he pointed to players "living on that Super Bowl high" from two seasons ago as a reason for the club's slow start in 2019.
He also didn't mince words when addressing perceptions of leadership issues in the Eagles' locker room. Pro Bowl tackle Lane Johnson said after the Cowboys loss that some players need more accountability, and ESPN previously cited an anonymous Eagles player in critiquing quarterback Carson Wentz and the team's front office. Scandrick, meanwhile, played up those issues.
"Let's just say where there's smoke, there's fire," he said, insinuating that safety Malcolm Jenkins is a "selfish" player and then questioning the integrity of Eagles general manager Howie Roseman.
"I don't believe anything that Howie says," he said. "Howie's one of the people that, if he told me it was raining outside, I'd probably get some shorts, just in case."
Scandrick's remarks were a far cry from his own comments in September, when he called Roseman "very, very honest" in regards to how his initial release -- and later return to the team -- were handled. There's also speculation he may have been the one behind some of the anonymous Eagles quotes he was asked about, as ESPN's Josina Anderson hinted via Twitter. Much of the second half of his interview on FS1 was dedicated to Scandrick praising the Cowboys, his other former team.
In any event, the headlines don't seem to be leaving Philadelphia anytime soon. If the Eagles don't wake up after this latest wave of drama, though, it might be safe to start taking some of Scandrick's digs to heart.