Runyan on Strahan

If you are an Eagles fan and think of Michael Strahan, your first thought is of Jon Runyan.

So when word got out this morning that Strahan had decied to retire, reporters found Runyan following the Eagles' organized team activities.

As usual, Runyan, always a straight shooter, did not disappoint.

"Going out on top, if you could write a book, that's the way you'd want to end it … I'd put him up there with Reggie White. I only played against Reggie once. He's right up there with him," Runyan said. "He'll tell you he's not the fastest guy in the world, but he's very smart. He knows how to play the game. If you make a mistake, he's going to take advantage of it. He's very good at that, being patient, waiting for his time to come."

Runyan and Strahan became friends, as has been chronicled many times, as Pro Bowl attendees several years ago. Runyan said he saw Strahan a few weeks back, when they reminisced about their rivalry for NFL Films.

"You have to have the ability to turn it on and turn it off, on and off the field," Runyan said. "You can't live like that - you can't live as a crazy man running around hitting people all the time. That's what makes it fun; you can sit down and talk to a guy like that, because you respect each other professionally, you just go about your business."

Look for more from Runyan and other Eagles on the retirement of Michael Strahan in Tuesday's Daily News.