Myles Jack considered trade school before signing with Eagles, loves work

Myles Jack spent the offseason contemplating his NFL future and thinking about perhaps another path for his life.

Following his release from the Pittsburgh Steelers in March after just one season with the team, Jack garnered little interest on the open market. His football future in peril, Jack was forced to look into another direction. According to Zach Berman of The Athletic, Jack considered going to trade school to learn how to become an electrician or plumber.

Jack, who signed a four-year, $57 million extension with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019, surely didn’t need the money, but couldn’t live with sitting at home and doing nothing.

“I like to work. I couldn’t sit at home,” Jack said. “I’ve been blessed to make a lot of money. I could retire and sit at the house… I want to be innovative. If a Zombie apocalypse came, I want to be able to build something.”

A trip to trade school never materialized. Jack’s NFL career will continue as the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles signed him to a one-year deal Sunday. The 27-year-old will look to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.

Eagles bolster LB corps with signing of Myles Jack

Jack is entering his eighth NFL season after spending 2022 with the Steelers. He started in 13-of-15 games to finish the year with 104 tackles (three for loss) and three passes defended.

A former second-round pick out of UCLA, Jack played the first six seasons of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was a regular starter with the team throughout that time and so far in his career has 617 tackles (22 for loss), 6.5 sacks, three interceptions, 18 passes defended, two forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.

In addition to signing Jack, Philadelphia brought in veteran linebacker Zach Cunningham on a one-year deal. Cunningham played his college ball at Vanderbilt and was also a second-round pick in 2017 to the Houston Texans. He had the best season of his career in 2020 to finish with a league-leading 164 tackles in addition to a forced fumble.

Both Jack and Cunningham join an Eagles defense that ranked as one of the top units in the league this past season. Philadelphia finished first in yards allowed per play (4.8), second in yards allowed per game (301.4) and eighth in points allowed per game (20.2). That helped the Eagles to earn the NFC’s No. 1 seed and reach the Super Bowl, where they ultimately fell to the Kansas City Chiefs.