Tag: rose parade

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.

This week, Touchdown Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Pro Football Hall of Famer and Philadelphia Eagles legend Brian Dawkins.

In his interview with Easton Jr., Dawkins discussed representing Boehringer & Lilly’s It Takes 2 health initiative at the Rose Parade, spreading awareness about getting tested for kidney disease and the origin of his ‘Weapon X’ nickname during his playing career.

“I’m excited about all those years of watching the Rose Parade, and I will be participating on one of the floats, driving around, waving at people,” Dawkins said of the event. “They probably won’t know who I am, but hopefully, some will. But the bigger initiative is fun: it takes two initiatives, and knowing that Rob Base’s song, ‘It Takes Two’ from back in the Day.”

Dawkins has seen both of his parents struggle with these risk factors. As he ages, he’s taking his health into his own hands and urging football fans to get the same CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) testing that he does every year. The nine-time Pro Bowler was known for his fantastic play at safety and popular nickname.

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“Weapon X is a part of me that has always been a part of me, even since Little League. I’ve been that type of player growing up, which was extremely emotional,” said Dawkins. “I would cry after losses; I don’t want to shake people’s hands and all that stuff. So that is always a part of me, that extra effort to work harder and outwork everybody around me.

“It’s always been a part of me, but often, it was from a place of anger. I use a lot of anger in a lot of aspects when it comes to that. But as I got older, I became more seasoned and wiser in utilizing that. I recognize that I can use it as passion.”

Dawkins played sixteen seasons in the NFL, most with the Philadelphia Eagles. He eventually finished his playing career with the Denver Broncos.

“Because of my walk with Christ, I understand I can use that same energy as passion, so I began to use that because I knew I could use it as a professional in the National Football League,” said Dawkins. “So, the first rendition that I named was because I didn’t name that part of me, like if, and not everybody names the other part of them, or not everybody knows they have another part, but I named them. So, the first name that I gave that individual was ‘Idiot Man,’ and I called myself ‘Idiot Man’ for the first couple of years in the National Football League. So ‘Idiot Man’ became ‘Weapon X.”

A Marvel Comics fan growing up, the five-time All-Pro first-team honoree identified with a popular X-Men character.

“I just changed it to ‘Weapon X’. Why? Because I love Wolverine, love his tenacity. He takes care of himself and his family, but sometimes, to his detriment, he hurts himself to care for his family,” said Dawkins. “So it’s a deeper dive into the character, not just the peripheral him having claws and all that stuff.

“All that is beautiful, but his character and love for his family drew me into it and allowed that part of me to come out on the game day. That’s a part of me forever; that part of me is still in me. I allow that part of me to come out when I work out now, so let him come out and play every once in a while.”

The following links provide more information on Eli Lilly’s It Takes 2 & TestYourKidneys.com.