Nnamdi Asomugha looking forward to Eagles defense under Bowles

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha spoke favorably about Todd Bowles when asked about his new defensive coordinator in a press conference this week.

Asomugha has worked with Bowles all year long, as the former interim head coach of the Miami Dolphins has served as the team's defensive backs coach since the beginning of the season. Asomugha finds Bowles' easy-going personality good to work with:

"The thing about Todd is, like you guys know, he’s real chill. I don’t know if you guys have interviewed him or anything; there’s like an equanimity about him. It doesn’t matter what’s going on, he’s always going to be calm and just relaxed and stuff like that. So, that’s good. He always feels like there’s always a solution, no matter what we’re going through. So, I think that’s one of the big qualities that he’s going to bring."

Here's what he had to say about Bowles' first speech to his unit now with his new responsibilities:

"It was the same as always. He’s addressed us before. He’s a funny guy when he gets up and speaks, so it wasn’t like anybody was tense or nervous or anything like that. It was pretty much the same as always when he would have addressed us in the past."

The 31-year-old cornerback in his tenth season out of California was considered to have thrown his former defensive coordinator, Juan Castillo, under the bus, by criticizing some of the Eagles' defensive schemes after the team dropped their Week 6 game in overtime to the Detroit Lions. Castillo was fired days later last Tuesday. Asomugha said the controversy was difficult for him but that he has smoothed things over with Castillo.

Here are more quotes from Asomugha's press conference:

On how much the defense can change with a shift in coordinators:

"I’m not sure. That’s kind of up to him. He could change it all or he could just change it a little bit. It’s all possibilities. I’m not sure exactly what he’s going to implement and how he’s going to do it."

On whether the tension in the locker room increases when the team is "on alert":

"No, the mood in the locker room [doesn’t get tense]. No one gets tense or nerves start going a little bit. I think everybody’s just eager to start winning some games. We won early and then the last two, we weren’t able to get. So, I think that’s the mood. We’ve got to put some wins together above anything else."


On whether there is a feeling that Castillo would still be the defensive coordinator if the players had played better:

"I don’t know. As a player, how do you really adjudicate something like that? My mind can’t even think on that level because I’m a player. Those decisions are all for the people in upper management. But I couldn’t say if the players let him down or what the reason was for why he was let go. As a player, I can’t even think on that level."