Eagles show support for Roxborough community: "My heart goes out to them"
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia Eagles topped the Jacksonville Jaguars, 29-21, Sunday to become 4-0 for the first time since 2004. Miles Sanders scored twice and rushed for 134 yards against the Jaguars' top-ranked rushing defense.
The Eagles' defense also frustrated Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and forced five turnovers, including one that sealed the win.
But, that's not the only thing the Eagles did Sunday.
The Birds continued to show support for the Roxborough community after a shooting left 14-year-old Nicolas Elizalde dead and four other teenagers injured.
Following the game, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni wore a Roxborough High football shirt and shared a story of his memories of playing football growing up:
"You know, I grew up going (to high school games) -- one of my best memories growing up is being able to do the things I was able to do on the football field as a little kid. Whether that's pretending I'm Marcus Allen and jumping over the pile and setting the dummies up and jumping over the pile and taking a hand off. Or if it was giving a player a water bottle. I looked up to certain guys there. Obviously, I looked up to Mike Sirianni and Jay Sirianni. That was the starting quarterback and starting wide receiver.
I looked up to Pete Connelly, who was the starting fullback and halfback. I looked up to John Briggs, who is my brother's best friend and his receiver. To be able to hand them a water bottle and say -- you know, and so I have so many vivid memories about that.
I just feel bad for the kids that they didn't feel safe, maybe don't feel safe going there. So, my heart goes out to them, and my thoughts and prayers go out to them, and hopefully they feel safe going back and playing a game that can help take us out of bad situations, not put us in bad situations."
Sirianni's father, Fran, was the head coach at Southwestern Central High School in Jamestown, New York. The younger Sirianni graduated from the school in 1999.
Linebacker T.J. Edwards wore a Roxborough jersey walking into the Linc ahead of pre-game warm-ups.
Eagles players spoke out against the violence on social media after the shooting last week, including A.J. Brown and Lane Johnson.
Other Eagles also spoke out against the violence impacting Philadelphia's youth with the media throughout the week.
Roxborough High School students said they felt the love watching Sirianni take questions from reporters while wearing a Roxborough jersey.
"It means a lot to me," Roxborough High student Hydeih Jenkins said "I'm glad to see everyone helping us out through this hard time"
"I was recently shown a clip of them wearing their jerseys in one of my classes," student Jswa Tyson said, "and I will say that I'm very grateful for what they did, because it was just really sincere of them."
The shooting is still under investigation as police search for multiple suspects.
