This week, Touchdown Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Brian Dawkins, a Pro Football Hall of Fame member and Philadelphia Eagles legend.
In his interview with Easton Jr., Dawkins discussed representing Boehringer & Lilly’s It Takes 2 health initiative, spreading awareness about getting tested for kidney disease, and his memories of what made the early 2000s Eagles consistently successful.
“I can use the platform that I’m blessed to have now to just talk about these tests, you and your doctor coming together to get the test,” said Dawkins. “It takes two, you and your doctor, and then two tests, a blood and urine test, to make sure you don’t have kidney disease or you’re not going on that path to have it is extremely important.”
As part of his role as a campaign advocate, Dawkins will ride in a custom float at the 2025 Rose Parade. The float, titled “It’s In Your Hands: It Takes 2,” is designed to empower people to take control of their health.
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Dawkins spent his first thirteen seasons with the Eagles as their defensive leader. He reflected on the winning culture developed during his tenure under then-head coach Andy Reid.
“I would say accountability towards one another and self,” Dawkins explained. “Accountability goes a long way, but then others accountability takes you to the next level when you have that in the building, and when we have that in the building, we love one another. We trusted one another, and we trusted everyone to do what they were supposed to do so that we could make runs at runs year after year.
“We had a coach who knew how to help us reach those goals and those plateaus. Andy (Reid) did a great job on the offense, and Jim Johnson obviously led on the defense for all those years. But we had quality position coaches and the right individuals assigned to help and bring out the best in all of us. But again, you don’t have accountability. You got nothing right. So accountability goes a long way.”
The Eagles appeared in the NFC Championship game for four consecutive postseasons, and they finally broke through in 2004 for Dawkins’ lone Super Bowl appearance as a player.
“Accountability then allows the discipline of the team to rise,” Dawkins said. “You don’t make mistakes on the field with a disciplined team. You don’t make mental mistakes or physical mistakes on the field. You take proper angles and do all the small things; the small things help you have big victories.
“So, ultimately, that’s what we were, year after year. And again, you gotta give. You gotta give Andy (Reid) and Jim (Johnson) and those coaches a lot of respect for that props for that. But ultimately, some of that also came from in the house, like we police one another as players.”
The following links provide more information on Eli Lilly’s It Takes 2 & TestYourKidneys.com.