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http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/n...-Ex-Team/619c28a7-9e60-4fc0-a245-6e936d78afe8
Fletcher All Business Before Facing Ex-Team
By Adam Hermann
Bradley Fletcher was used to success.
In high school, Fletcher was successful on both sides of the ball. He was selected to first-team All-Conference, All-District and All-State as a cornerback in his senior year at Liberty High School in his hometown of Youngstown, Ohio. He was also a wildly successful running back that year, piling up 815 yards and 12 touchdowns.
In college, Fletcher played for the University of Iowa, redshirting his freshman year in 2004. During his five years with the team, the Hawkeyes went 38-24, including going 9-4 and winning the Outback Bowl in his senior year in 2008.
But when he was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the 2009 NFL Draft, Fletcher was heading to a team that had gone 2-14 the year before. It was time for Fletcher to experience a little bit of failure; in his four years with the Rams, the team went 17-45-1.
By the time he finally came to Philadelphia via free agency in 2013, Fletcher was ready for a change of scenery - and a change of fortune.
In his first year with the team, the Eagles went to the playoffs, an entirely new experience for Fletcher, this time in a good way.
"I'd never been to a playoff, before last year, in my career," Fletcher explained. "It was great to have that experience last year, and I'm still willing to do all I can to get us back in that situation and to go further, see how far we can take this thing."
Fletcher enjoyed his time with the Rams, even though it was anything but consistent. He averaged just 6.5 starts per season in his four years in St. Louis, and saw his spot on the team evaporate near the end of the 2012 season and the ensuing free agency period. St. Louis replaced him with cornerbacks Cortland Finnegan, Janoris Jenkins, and Trumaine Johnson, and he saw the writing on the wall.
His time with the Rams was limited, and that was okay.
"That's kind of how the game goes sometimes," Fletcher said. "I had some good times, I had some injuries there, and I had some things that were changes for me there as well.
"Through all of that, it was a generally good experience there, and I definitely look forward to playing them Sunday."
With St. Louis visiting Lincoln Financial Field Sunday afternoon, Fletcher is excited to play his former team, but it's not a revenge thing for the ex-Ram. Sunday is strictly football business.
"It's going to be fun to play them, fun to play a team that I still know a few guys that play there, stuff like that," Fletcher explained. "As far as special emotion or any kind of that stuff, I'm just ready to go play them like they're anybody else.
"Getting to play another deep team and be able to have a chance to put a 'W' in the right column. That's what our agenda is, and that's what mine is, too."
Fletcher will be defending passes from third-year quarterback Austin Davis, who just two months ago was the third quarterback on the Rams' depth chart.
Through four weeks, the Eagles' defense has improved week by week, and Fletcher, two seasons removed from his frustrating time in St. Louis, believes Bill Davis' unit is bound for great things this season.
"We can take this defense as far as we want to take it," Fletcher said with a smile, and with that he turned to his locker.
Fletcher All Business Before Facing Ex-Team
By Adam Hermann
Bradley Fletcher was used to success.
In high school, Fletcher was successful on both sides of the ball. He was selected to first-team All-Conference, All-District and All-State as a cornerback in his senior year at Liberty High School in his hometown of Youngstown, Ohio. He was also a wildly successful running back that year, piling up 815 yards and 12 touchdowns.
In college, Fletcher played for the University of Iowa, redshirting his freshman year in 2004. During his five years with the team, the Hawkeyes went 38-24, including going 9-4 and winning the Outback Bowl in his senior year in 2008.
But when he was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the 2009 NFL Draft, Fletcher was heading to a team that had gone 2-14 the year before. It was time for Fletcher to experience a little bit of failure; in his four years with the Rams, the team went 17-45-1.
By the time he finally came to Philadelphia via free agency in 2013, Fletcher was ready for a change of scenery - and a change of fortune.
In his first year with the team, the Eagles went to the playoffs, an entirely new experience for Fletcher, this time in a good way.
"I'd never been to a playoff, before last year, in my career," Fletcher explained. "It was great to have that experience last year, and I'm still willing to do all I can to get us back in that situation and to go further, see how far we can take this thing."
Fletcher enjoyed his time with the Rams, even though it was anything but consistent. He averaged just 6.5 starts per season in his four years in St. Louis, and saw his spot on the team evaporate near the end of the 2012 season and the ensuing free agency period. St. Louis replaced him with cornerbacks Cortland Finnegan, Janoris Jenkins, and Trumaine Johnson, and he saw the writing on the wall.
His time with the Rams was limited, and that was okay.
"That's kind of how the game goes sometimes," Fletcher said. "I had some good times, I had some injuries there, and I had some things that were changes for me there as well.
"Through all of that, it was a generally good experience there, and I definitely look forward to playing them Sunday."
With St. Louis visiting Lincoln Financial Field Sunday afternoon, Fletcher is excited to play his former team, but it's not a revenge thing for the ex-Ram. Sunday is strictly football business.
"It's going to be fun to play them, fun to play a team that I still know a few guys that play there, stuff like that," Fletcher explained. "As far as special emotion or any kind of that stuff, I'm just ready to go play them like they're anybody else.
"Getting to play another deep team and be able to have a chance to put a 'W' in the right column. That's what our agenda is, and that's what mine is, too."
Fletcher will be defending passes from third-year quarterback Austin Davis, who just two months ago was the third quarterback on the Rams' depth chart.
Through four weeks, the Eagles' defense has improved week by week, and Fletcher, two seasons removed from his frustrating time in St. Louis, believes Bill Davis' unit is bound for great things this season.
"We can take this defense as far as we want to take it," Fletcher said with a smile, and with that he turned to his locker.
