Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Howie Roseman's effort in building the Eagles results in exec of year award

The team's ascent started with Wentz trade, and continued this year.

Eagles Executive Vice President of football operations Howie Roseman during pregame warm-ups prior to the Eagles playing the Atlanta Falcons in a NFC Divisional Playoff game on Saturday, January 13, 2018 in Philadelphia.
Eagles Executive Vice President of football operations Howie Roseman during pregame warm-ups prior to the Eagles playing the Atlanta Falcons in a NFC Divisional Playoff game on Saturday, January 13, 2018 in Philadelphia.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

Howie Roseman was named executive of the year by the Pro Football Writers' Association on Thursday, after overseeing the building of a team that improved from 7-9 in 2016 to 13-3 this season.

Roseman, the Eagles' executive vice president of football operations, has final say on football decisions. He was the Eagles' general manager from 2010-14, was not involved in football decisions in 2015 at the behest of then-coach Chip Kelly, then regained authority in 2016. Roseman has transformed the roster since then, most notably with a series of trades to land the No. 2 pick in 2016 in order to draft quarterback Carson Wentz.

In 2017, Roseman drafted defensive end Derek Barnett in the first round; signed wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, quarterback Nick Foles, and defensive end Chris Long; re-signed guard Stefen Wisniewski; and traded for defensive tackle Tim Jernigan, cornerback Ronald Darby, and running back Jay Ajayi.

Roseman is the first Eagles executive to win the award since it was established in 1993.

Eagles coach Doug Pederson did not win PFWA coach of the year; the award went to Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay. The Associated Press also names a coach of the year.

Jenkins takes on more responsibility

Malcolm Jenkins, the Eagles' defensive leader, hasn't gotten a great deal of sleep this week, he acknowledged Thursday. Jenkins' wife, Morrissa Jenkins, gave birth to the couple's second daughter, Selah Nola Jenkins, this week.

"One play at a time. Just like football, you take it in life. Spent two nights at the hospital. But my family's home now, so it's been a good week for me. Hopefully it ends well too."

This is hardly the first time this season Jenkins has had to multitask – he became a leader of the national anthem protest movement, and helped broker a deal with the league to fund social justice causes.

" Yeah, definitely. It's been pretty much on par for the rest of the year," Jenkins agreed. "But obviously this is an exciting time for not only me, but my family … Now that everybody's home, my focus is on the game."

Stefanski’s son succeeds in Minnesota

Kevin Stefanski is only 35 years old, but the Drexel Hill native and son of former 76ers general manager Ed Stefanski is the longest-tenured member of the Vikings coaching staff.

Kevin Stefanski, a St. Joseph's Prep product and former cornerback at Penn, started with the Vikings in 2006 as then-head coach Brad Childress' assistant.

Over the years, Stefanski has climbed the coaching ranks, moving from assistant quarterbacks coach to tight ends coach, to running backs coach. This year he became the quarterbacks coach. Mentoring Case Keenum this season will certainly look great on the resume.

"Kevin is an outstanding coach," Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said. "He has been very patient with his career. I think he has always aspired to coach quarterbacks and he did an excellent job this year. He's really in to being organized, which is good for me. Although I'm organized, it's not to his level, and staffs need that."

Injury report

Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen (back) returned to practice Thursday as a limited participant after sitting out Wednesday. Ditto Eagles middle linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (hamstring). Vikings safety Andrew Sendejo remains in the concussion protocol and was again listed as a limited practice participant.