Byron Maxwell: 'Yes,' Eagles Missed Me In 2016
PHILADELPHIA (CBSMiami) - Miami Dolphins cornerback Byron Maxwell, a former Philadelphia Eagle, reunites with his former team this week.
The Dolphins and Eagles engaged in their first of two joint practices in Philadelphia on Monday, leading up to their preseason meeting on Thursday night.
Maxwell and linebacker Kiko Alonso were both traded from the Eagles to the Dolphins in March of 2016, with the Dolphins swapping their 8th overall pick to Philly for pick 13 of the '16 draft.
The Dolphins needed key pieces for the defense, while the Eagles wanted to move into the top 10 to draft quarterback Carson Wentz. So far, the trade has been a win-win. Wentz is looking like a franchise player while Maxwell and Alonzo both became cornerstones of the Dolphins defense last season.
"It was obvious," said Maxwell, when asked why the Eagles dealt him away. "You need a quarterback."
Still, finding a quarterback didn't come without sacrifice. The Eagles struggled at cornerback last year while Maxwell enjoyed a renaissance season in Miami.
When asked if the Eagles missed Maxwell after dealing him away, Byron's answer was simple and without hesitation.
"Yes."
To Maxwell, the change of scenery turned into a positive.
"I think the things that happened in Philly made me a better leader for Miami," Maxwell said. It made me a better football player and a better person. I was able to handle getting benched in Miami and bounced back."
Does Maxwell use that 2016 trade as motivation and fuel?
"Well, yes," he said. "I would be lying if I told you I don't want to do better than the Eagles do. I do. I want to win more games than them. I want to prove them wrong."
Linebacker Kiko Alonso, the other piece Philly sent away in that 2016 trade, also spoke to the media after Monday's practice.
Alonso said he does not use the trade as fuel or motivation, the way Maxwell clearly does.
"No, not really. I just go do what I do," said Alonso.
Alonso said he wasn't surprised or blindsided by the trade.
"Not really. It was obviously the second time I had gotten traded," he said. The first trade was from Buffalo to Philadelphia in 2015. "I was definitely more surprised the first time around, but given the year (the Eagles) had (in 2015), I wasn't that surprised."
The Dolphins and Eagles will hold another joint session on Tuesday. The Teams meet for preseason game 3 on Thursday Night at Lincoln Financial Field. Kickoff is slated for 7:00pm. You can watch it on CBS 4 and hear it on 560 WQAM and KISS 99-9.