Guard Jon Runyan Jr.
Q: So you always in your back of mind think that? They have to think that way. Does a player think that way too? That at any time I could have a new guy to the left or right of me or both?
JON RUNYAN JR.: You never want it to be that case. It's really rare that all five guys play every single snap, all 17 games. That's probably about 1,200 snaps a year. That's really rare. That's what training camp and in-season practices are for. Getting a lot of reps in an individual period and team settings and stuff like that. Just building that chemistry with each other and use that going forward when we get to the games.
Q: I know you're new to the division, with Eagles vs. Giants, but not really with your history. The Eagles have really taken control of this division on both sides of the ball. We started asking you guys that in the spring of how important it was to set the tone on the offensive and defensive lines. Do you guys feel like you're carrying that into this game, knowing that the game is probably going to swing either way about how you guys play up front against this team?
JON RUNYAN JR.: For sure. We've known from OTAs and training camp that this team is going to go as this offensive and defensive line goes. The defensive lines have been playing out of their minds, really good. Really happy and excited for those guys over there. We've (the offensive line) had our ups and downs. I feel like we've been playing really well, but there's a lot more. We have such high expectations for this offensive line unit and how good we can be. It doesn't just stop there. There's always room to get better. That's what we're trying to do. We feel like we can be one of the best offensive lines in the league. When we have those down games, those down moments, we take that personally. That's not who we want to be. That's not what we want this offense to be. That's not what we want this team to be. We do everything we can to keep evolving and not slowing down.
Q: How's practice going, getting in there with (tackle) Joshua (Ezeudu)?
JON RUNYAN JR.: I hate to say I wouldn't notice a difference or a change. (Tackle) AT (Andrew Thomas) is a great player. Me and Josh out there, we've gotten some reps together in OTAs and a little bit in training camp too. Josh is a really smart player. He knows where to be at all times, knows his job. It's easy to work with him. Practice reps help. I feel a lot of confidence going into this game with him and how prepared he is, how smart he is, how hard he works. I don't see any lull coming in from him.
Q: They always talk about tough losses, tough games you lose. It's that 24-hour rule. When you have a guy that's a big loss to lose like AT. Do you have a 24-hour rule on that as well? The idea of you absorb it and then move forward, and that's it?
JON RUNYAN JR.: For sure. He's a great player, a great teammate, a great person. We were talking to him yesterday. His surgery went well. He's resting up now. I don't think he's going to be back for this year. His locker's right there. I hate to say it, but we're moving on from him at this point. He's not going to be able to help us anymore out on the field this season. He can help us in the locker room and off the field and stuff like that but going forward and what matters going on the field in these games is just going to be the eight guys that dress up there on game day. That's just going to help us win football games. It's a big loss to miss AT, but we've got to go forward without him now. That's just how this league is.
Q: The way (running back) Tyrone (Tracy) stepped in the last two games, now (running back) Devin (Singletary) looks like he's back. Do you think, if you use both of them, that they give a different dimension to the running game? Sometimes teams have one guy. Sometimes teams have two. They are different-looking players, athletes. Do you think a one-two punch can work here?
JON RUNYAN JR.: I definitely think so. I feel like in the NFL it's tough to just have one running back to feed the ball over to over and over again. Devin is a really established veteran in this league. He's had success everywhere he's gone. Does really well in pass protection. He's always slipping out, finding those holes. He's gotten a couple of explosive runs so far this year. Tyrone, he's a really good pass-catching back of the backfield. Young. He's playing really free and loose. He's just as fast as well. When you can have two running backs like that, they're sort of similar in their style of running and stuff like that, but it doesn't matter. I feel like whoever's back there, we're not going to miss a beat. They know how to set up our blocks pretty well and make us look pretty good, so it helps a lot.
Q: You guys have done pretty well in screens? (Running back) Eric (Gray) has gotten involved in that. Before you got here, this team had not been a good screen team. Why are you guys good at it now?
JON RUNYAN JR.: I think it has a lot to do with Tim Kelly, tight ends coach. He came in here and I think he was kind of known as the screen guru. He's brought in a lot of screens here. I think we have over 15 screens that we're able to call, but we only have about five or six of them up every week. We have a screen presentation every week and it kind of seems monotonous, but it's always good going over all the rules and all the different types of screens we have involved. They've been hitting really well. The rules and how he breaks it down, the information he gives to us makes it really simple, makes our job easier, and kind of use it as a weapon to tire defenses out. We've hit a lot of big screens, and it helps us. They're explosive plays that get the ball going downfield. It's a nice gaining 20 or 25 yards in one play.
Q: Is that more than you had in Green Bay?
JON RUNYAN JR.: Yeah. Everywhere I've been, I've never been able to successfully have a good screen game, and this is the first year I've been on a team with a really valuable screen game, and I think that adds a lot to our offense.
Q: Obviously, you drill it. You guys talk about it a lot. Is it patience? Is it the personnel that's involved? Is it timing of when the plays are called? What do you contribute to the seeker?
JON RUNYAN JR.: There's a lot involved into it. There's a lot of feel to it, but there's also a lot of timings, a critical part of it, and distribution and just getting to your right landmark out in space and being able to read whoever's going out with you. Whether me and the interior three are out or me and the tackle are out, being able to read their block and being able to make a decision off what they're doing in that split second. I think (Tight Ends Coach Tim Kelly) T.K. has done a really good job breaking that down for us, and it's been working really well, and we're going to keep doing it.
Q: What does the old man think about the Giants and Eagles facing each other this time?
JON RUNYAN JR.: He's excited. He won't be at the game. He's got to work this Sunday just like most Sundays, but I've got a lot of family and friends coming up from the area. They're all going to be in Giants gear, or else they're not allowed to be around us, but everybody's excited. Like I said, a lot of people coming. This is a big one. Obviously, when I was a little kid, I grew up as a huge Eagles fan, but work took me elsewhere, and now I'm the biggest Giants fan in the world, so I'm excited for this weekend coming up.
Q: How many tickets do you have to get?
JON RUNYAN JR.: I have somewhere around 20, and I'm sure there are other people that are coming to support me that I'm not getting tickets to.
Q: All wearing offensive lineman gear?
JON RUNYAN JR.: There'll be a lot of them out there.
Q: There'll be a lot of Runyans?
JON RUNYAN JR.: Yeah, there will be a lot.
Q: What would be your favorite memory growing up as an Eagles fan? Is there a memory that sticks with you? I'd say (former wide receiver) DeSean Jackson…
JON RUNYAN JR.: I didn't watch the Miracle Meadowlands game. I actually missed that one because we were on a family trip, but I think one of my favorite ones was the Eagles-Cowboys game. The Eagles won; I think it was like 44-6. I think it was (former Eagles defensive back) Lito Shepard or (former Eagles defensive back) Sheldon Brown had a 95-yard pick-six for a touchdown, and I think that might have sent them to the playoffs. Either that or the Fred X, the Eagles-Packers game. I think that was a wild card game. Fourth and 26, that was another one that I remember. I was at both of them, and it was a really cool moment being able to share those with my dad when I was a kid and being able to be around that locker room, being in a locker room post-game and being around those guys was really memorable for me.
Q: Has he told you about the Giants-Eagles?
JON RUNYAN JR.: No, not really, but I grew up, obviously, a huge NFC East fan. If the Eagles or Giants aren't playing, we're going to get the Cowboys or the Commanders broadcast. I'd always be watching that one o'clock window and just always watching NFC East football. That's what I grew up on, and I know how heated it is now, how close everybody in proximity is. Me personally, I have a lot of family that's down in Texas, so they're all Cowboys fans, so that kind of even made me grow up hating the Cowboys even more. That kind of feeds into a lot of that going on now. Back in the NFC East, it feels like I'm back home, I'm really enjoying it.
Q: You've seen (Eagles running back) Saquon (Barkley) going from here to Philly. He's gotten reaction from fans, betrayal and all that stuff. You grew up an Eagles fan, but you came here. Did you hear anything from your friends and family who were Eagles fans when you decided to come here? Or was it an easy transition?
JON RUNYAN JR.: Yeah, friends and family, I'd say, were a little disappointed. Not disappointed – but upset. But they were going to support me no matter where I go. There's nothing they can do about it. I'm happy to be here. They're still going to be out here supporting me. They were a little apprehensive to throw on that blue, but I know they're excited. They're excited to share this with me, and I'm excited to be here.
Q: It used to be '26' was the most prevalent jersey here. Now with all your tickets, you think 76 on Sunday will be a lot of people?
JON RUNYAN JR.: Yeah, I don't think it'll be up there with 97 or 0, like that. I think there might be a few more in the crowd this week.
Q: Or one.
JON RUNYAN JR.: Oh yeah, one for sure.
Q: They didn't take yours out of retirement?
JON RUNYAN JR.: No, they did not.
