A former star of the Philadelphia Eagles offense was disappointed in his lack of snaps in Super Bowl 57 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Philadelphia Eagles fell short of winning their second Lombardi Trophy after blowing a 24-14 halftime lead in Super Bowl 57 to the Kansas City Chiefs and losing 38-35.
In the offseason, the Eagles lost some big-name players, but still made moves in free agency, the trade block, and the NFL Draft to solidify their status as the favorites to win the NFC again. One of their former players is now speaking out about his role, or lack thereof, in the big game.
Former Eagles running back Miles Sanders, now with the Carolina Panthers, was asked at organized team activities this past week about his lack of usage in the biggest game of the year.
Well, let’s just say that Sanders didn’t hold back. Then when asked about whether that played a role in his decision to leave, Sanders said, “Maybe you should ask them why I’m moving here.”
Sanders’ comments come courtesy of Steve Reed of the Associated Press.
Miles Sanders sounds off on lack of snaps in Super Bowl 57 with the Eagles
It was rather shocking that Sanders, one of the top running backs in the league last season, didn’t have much of a role in the big game. Specifically, he received seven carries for just 16 yards and one target in the passing game. Sanders received 26 offensive snaps, just 35 percent of snaps per Pro Football Reference.
Meanwhile, Kenneth Gainwell out-gained Sanders in snaps with 38. Gainwell took seven carries for 21 yards while catching all four of his targets for 20 yards.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts out carried both Sanders and Gainwell, combined, as he took 15 carries for 70 yards and three touchdowns. Granted, the Eagles’ patented “tush push” play with Sanders was a problem for the Chiefs’ defense to stop in that game.
In the 2022 regular season, Sanders ran for 1,269 yards (fifth-most in NFL) and 11 touchdowns (eighth-most) on 259 carries (eighth-most). In the passing game, Sanders hauled in 20-of-26 targets for 78 yards.
This offseason, Sanders signed a four-year, $24 million contract with the Panthers, where he is their top option on the running back depth chart. He will play a pivotal role in alleviating the pressure off of rookie quarterback Bryce Young, whom the team selected first overall following a blockbuster trade with the Chicago Bears.
The answer is no for those wondering if Sanders will face his former team this season. However, that could change if both teams make the playoffs and happen to match up with one another.