Billick Responds To Davis: 'Tough When You're In Middle Of It'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- In 1992, Brian Billick and Billy Davis began their respective NFL coaching careers. Billick as a Minnesota Vikings tights end coach, Davis as a Pittsburgh Steelers defensive assistant.
23 years later, Billick---a former Super Bowl champion head coach of the Baltimore Ravens---is now an analyst for the NFL Network. Davis, currently the third-year defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, is with his 11th NFL franchise.
This week, the two are tied together by a little radio feud.
Earlier in the week, Billick went on the NFL Network's "Move The Sticks" podcast and said the 1-3 Eagles are a "powder keg ready to blow up," pointing to dissension in Chip Kelly's locker room.
Wednesday, on the 94WIP Morning Show, Davis called Billick's comments a ploy for ratings, dismissing those claims.
Listen: Billy Davis on the 94WIP Morning Show
Thursday, during his weekly call-in on the 94WIP Morning Show, Billick responded to Davis.
"I've known Billy for a long time," Billick began. "He's not all together wrong when it comes to that kind of stuff. I don't get paid by the ratings. It was DJ, Daniel Jeremiah, who worked for me in Baltimore. I love doing the podcast because it's free flowing, it's not as structured as the shows you do and the bits. And DJ was with me in Baltimore and we've been through good times and bad times.
Listen: Brian Billick on the 94WIP Morning Show
"I've made it very clear when I do games and I do commentary---and I must say. People will say, 'We'll they keep pushing you to say inflammatory things.' No. No one has ever said we want you to say this," he continued. "We want you to be inflammatory. I've made it very clear, I am not going to just criticize. I will critique. I will give my opinion based on 40 years in the business. But I am not going to criticize just for criticism sake. And it's important to recognize that when you're in the middle of it, it's tough. It really is and I've been there. And I've had probably things said about me in tough lean times about my coaching style and the way I did things, much along the same lines."
Whether it was for ratings or page views or whatever, the point is---Davis and the 1-3 Philadelphia Eagles need a win on Sunday against the 1-3 New Orleans Saints. That much is clear.