Brian Dawkins played in seven Pro Bowls as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles and admitted Monday that leaving the organization as a free agent was a "traumatic experience."
Brian Dawkins didn't have much of a choice.
In 2009 on the heels of advancing to the NFC Championship game the previous season, Dawkins was allowed to leave via free agency when the Eagles front office failed to present an offer that approached the five-year $17 million deal the iconic safety signed with the Denver Broncos.
With his heart in Philadelphia, Dawkins signed with the Broncos and played three seasons, earning two trips to the Pro Bowl in the process.
On Monday, Dawkins joined the Mike Missanelli Show on 97.5 The Fanatic and said that leaving Philadelphia was a trying experience.
"It was a pain in my heart," Dawkins admitted. "It still is. Sometimes you go through traumatic experiences and that was a traumatic experience for me.
"I don't like to rehash it and don't really like to talk about it. That's hwo much pain it caused me. But, at the end of the day, that place will always be home to me."
The Eagles decision not to re-sign one of the most beloved figures in franchise history opened a wide chasm between the front office and the fan base that is just now beginning to heal. From a football perspective, the Eagles have been chasing a playmaking safety in Dawkins' mold like a white whale ever since his departure.
Sean Jones, Macho Harris, Nate Allen, Kurt Coleman, Jaiquawn Jarrett, Jarrad Page, Kenny Phillips, Patrick Chung and Earl Wolff have all spent time in the Eagles defensive backfield as part of an exhaustive and largely frutiless quest to identify a starting caliber safety.
Dawkins eventually returned "home" in 2012 when his Number 20 jersey was officially retired and he was inducted into the Eagles honor roll.
Last week, general manager Howie Roseman said he lists allowing Dawkins to walk among his regrets.
“I’d be lying to sit here and say Brian Dawkins shouldn’t have retired as an Eagle,” said the Eagles’ general manager, who at the time was vice president of football administration and served under president Joe Banner and head coach Andy Reid.
“And every time I see him, and I have had a chance to visit with him a bunch, I call him and ask him questions about safety play. To me, it’s a great resource for the Philadelphia Eagles. He’s an unbelievable guy, but he was a Hall of Fame [caliber] player.
“When you look around the league, it’s hard to find safeties who can cover, who can blitz, who can play the run. I mean, he was an unbelievable player and I think the more we get away from him, and we knew what a great player he was when he was here, but the more you get away from him you find out how special he really was. He’s probably a once-in-a-lifetime kind of player.”
A nine-time Pro Bowler, Dawkins finished his career with 1,131 tackles, 37 forced fumbles, 37 inteceptions and 26 sacks.
Dawkins, 40, says that he's comforted knowing Roseman's thoughts on how the situation ultimately played out in Philadelphia.
"That's something that's obvious in my eyes," Dawkins told Missanelli. "As far as, I never should have left. The way that it happened, me having to move on, which I did. But to tell you that it's something that it's good to hear [Roseman's remorse], it really is."
Matt Lombardo is the Editor-In-Chief of Eagledelphia and also an on-air personality on 97.5 FM The Fanatic in Philadelphia. Join the conversation and follow Matt on Twitter.
