Eagles' Haason Reddick went from Camden to Temple to Super Bowl
CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) -- From Temple Made -- to Super Bowl-bound.
Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick is getting a lot of attention after his dominating performance during the playoffs, but his journey from South Jersey to the NFL wasn't so easy.
"Never let nobody put limitations on your abilities, your goals, your dreams, because I had people try to do that to mine and I didn't listen to them," Reddick said.
The Camden County native rarely says no to a picture or selfie with a fan.
"It's crazy, I'm blessed. That's the only thing I can say, just blessed," Reddick said.
Now he's ranked second in the NFL for sacks.
During the first quarter of the NFC championship game against the San Francisco 49ers, Reddick knocked quarterback Brock Purdy out of the game. It was part of a superb team performance and ultimately sent the Birds to the Super Bowl.
Reddick attended Haddon Heights High School and was a star for the Garnets football team. Head coach, then assistant, Christopher Lina remembers.
"He's just electric, he was making plays, he was one of the best players of our team," Lina said.
But an injury sidelined him.
"When I was a junior in high school I had suffered a fractured femur," Reddick said.
Reddick's senior year, he barely played four games.
"Being hurt most of my high school career, I had no looks, I had no offers, I just really thought football was over for me," Reddick said. "I didn't know what was next at the end of the day."
But high school nurse Peggy Iuvara helped him heal physically and mentally.
"Big love for Ms. Peg," Reddick said.
"That was my escape, as smart as I was in school, I don't know, I used to have a little bit of a hard time focusing for a long period. I would go down there, visit Peggy, show her some love," he added.
Luvara and Reddick became very close.
"Super great kid. We were like this," Iuvara said crossing her fingers.
While Reddick was injured, his dad kept him going - telling him he'd play college ball.
"Knowing the talent that he had, and the drive and what he really wanted... I just wanted him to have better," Ray Matthews said.
Reddick walked on at Temple University. He worked hard both, in academics and football.
He earned a scholarship in his junior year and became a star as a senior. And then he was a first-round draft pick in the NFL draft.
Part of that drive he credits to growing up in Camden.
"You might look at it and see the city is run down," Reddick said. "But for somebody like me, I see grit. I see hardness. I see toughness."
Reddick's mantra to never let anyone tell you what you can't do inspires South Jersey students.
"He started at nothing and he worked his way," Arion Bunch said. "It's the true definition of work and he showed his potential of what he has."
He gives back to those who helped mold him, like Nurse Peggy.
"He's a total influence on my son. My son is a senior playing football," Luvara said.
And Reddick is glad to hear it.
"Just trying to be a role model at the end of the day, I feel that outside of playing football, that's my duty," Reddick said.
"All I got to say is go Birds, Fly Eagles Fly," Reddick added.
