The NFL is full of underdog stories and the Philadelphia Eagles have no shortage.
While most of the attention leading up to the Super Bowl has been on the journey of Jalen Hurts, defensive back Reed Blankenship has had to overcome great odds as well. Blankenship is currently leading the Eagles in tackles this postseason and has carried a fire with him dating all the way back to his younger days when he dreamt of playing for Nick Saban and Alabama.
A Lester, Ala., native, Blankenship loved the Crimson Tide and even attended one of Saban’s camps in hopes to catch the attention of the esteemed head coach. But it was that day when Blankenship’s outlook on Alabama changed but it was also the day that gave him the fire to prove his doubters wrong.
Blankenship detailed in a piece written by NFL writer Tyler Dunne, of how Saban didn’t pay much attention to him or his family when shaking their hands as he moved through the group of players but made the time to have a lengthy conversation with the player right beside him.
“So I’m like, ‘OK. I’m not worth anything to you right now? Alright. Bet,'” Blankenship said. “It was a slap in the face. After that day, my interest in Alabama went straight down. It killed me, honestly.”
It was also highlighted in the piece how Blankenship is one of the very few Caucasian defensive backs playing in the NFL and when asked whether that’s what may have played into Saban’s disinterest in him at the time.
“I guess so,” Blankenship said. “I was the only white guy in the group. It usually happened like that. Everywhere I went, I was the only white guy, which didn’t bother me one bit.”
Blankenship would go on to play his college football at Middle Tennessee and would eventually sign with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2022. After serving primarily on special teams, Blankenship was called upon to sub in for an injury C.J. Gardner-Johnson during the season and impressed the team enough to give him more on-field opportunities.
You can read more about Blankenship’s impressive journey to the Super Bowl here.
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