“On the field, I learn. Off the field, I can talk to my teammates. They are open to me to help me see what I can do better every day,” he said. “I believe football is a learning process. If you work hard and you have a passion for what you do, you can progress every day. The process is going smoothly.”
Bernard refers to Hurtt as “a father to me,” and Hurtt, after openly nudging Executive Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman during the NFL Draft weekend to remember Bernard, has returned the commitment with constant checkups and extra remedial coaching sessions. The investment is equal on both sides.
“Every advice he gives me is helpful to me,” Bernard said. “He’s a great coach. The D-line group, being one of the best D-line groups in the league, I’m just happy and grateful to be here.”
Eagles fans, always on top of everything with the team, have recognized Bernard the few times he has been outside the team’s Complex, posing for pictures and making him feel loved.
“It is a dream come true,” Bernard said, smiling broadly.
Bernard said he will spend the next six weeks before Training Camp begins “working hard. Trying to improve every day, getting in contact with my teammates, my coach, getting every detail lined up,” as he stays in Philadelphia.
A lot has been thrown at Bernard and it can be overwhelming. But Bernard has learned to stay focused and to control what he can control and “flow with your teammates.”
And, of course, he picks up different things every day. Mostly, to block out the noise and keep his focus. In other words, to borrow from quarterback Jalen Hurts, to stay in line with his goals.
“I hardly go out. I just focus on my playbook and my teammates,” he said. “Coming into the building is fun for me and I love it here. I want to grow every day, so I keep my focus here.
“Keeping the main thing, the main thing.”
Progress, every day, indeed.
