Meeting The Moment

PHILADELPHIA – Fixating on the subtleties and nuances of his position has become standard operating procedure for Eagles third-year safety Tristin McCollum, whose attention to detail and thorough preparation throughout the week is designed to give him an advantage over his competition.

It’s those infatuations that fueled McCollum’s offseason training, when he honed his craft in Texas and Florida alongside his twin brother, Zyon, under the scorching sun.

The McCollum brothers, who opted to train at local fields as opposed to advanced performance centers, believed they’d gained enough knowledge from performance center programs in years past to apply what they learned and grow together.

One of Tristin McCollum’s objectives during the NFL’s idle months centered on consistency, specifically in terms of film study and fine-tuning minute details.

No longer did he feel pressured to make a play or be worried about a potential outcome or shifting focus from all of those little things that it takes to get in the right position.

Even though he had registered the first defensive snaps of his career in the 2023 season finale against the Giants at MetLife Stadium and, at that point, appeared to have a path to a more prominent role in 2024, McCollum always saw the bigger picture, continuing to position himself to best seize his next opportunity.

“I approached the offseason just trying to get as better as I could get,” he said. “I don’t like to look too far ahead at what the possibilities could be, but I was just trying to better myself so that when I come in here, I can make an impact any way that they see that I can.

“I wasn’t really necessarily thinking that I was gonna have a starting job or this role or that role, but I knew that I was going to be better. That’s the main thing.”

GETTY IMAGES: Eagles backup S Tristin McCollum is preparing for his first NFL start vs. the Panthers.

McCollum stuck to his plan of staying a step ahead and allowing everything else to fall into place.

When Reed Blankenship’s head injury on Sunday against the Ravens ushered McCollum onto the field late in the third quarter – in the midst of the Eagles clinging to a 14-12 lead – McCollum unsurprisingly didn’t flinch.

And the defense didn’t miss a beat.

McCollum, who entered Sunday’s game having logged only 85 defensive snaps this season, finished with four tackles and a pass breakup, the latter of which yielded friendly ribbing from most every teammate. The most vocal was fellow safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who jokingly chided McCollum for failing to secure his first career interception.

The modest McCollum, who naturally deflects attention, quickly credited the coaches for preparing him and for their emphasis on assignment-sound football.

Coaching is a crucial component to the equation, for sure, but multiple players after the game pointed to McCollum’s practice habits and how he prides himself on consistency.

“Tristin made certain plays like that throughout the week and it ended up showing up in the game,” said cornerback Isaiah Rodgers after the game, a 24-19 Eagles win.

McCollum, who went undrafted out of Sam Houston State and first signed with the Houston Texans, entered the offseason more confident in his belonging in this league.

The speed of the game, often said to be overwhelming, didn’t faze the 25-year-old, as he said it measured up with what he’d experienced prior.

As McCollum put it, those 29 snaps last season against the Giants “gave me hella motivation in the offseason so that I could prepare for moments like this.”

One moment McCollum was referring is Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers, where he’s slated to make his first NFL start in place of the injured Blankenship.

Despite his inexperience, McCollum can be expected to be prepared and to take a workmanlike approach to the job, along with offering terrific length, physicality and versatility.

The exhausting preparation throughout the week, especially for a player in McCollum’s position, can often be taken for granted. But McCollum didn’t mince words when asked how critical safeties coach Joe Kasper has been to aiding his development.

“Man, tremendously,” McCollum said. “Him and C.P. [defensive backs coach Christian Parker]. They’re really good coaches. They know exactly what it takes to play at a high level and they’re not afraid to coach you hard, which I respond very well to that.

“We have very, very similar communication. He likes to focus on all the little intricacies, and I love doing the exact same thing. So, it’s a good relationship.”

A core special teams performer, McCollum in a smaller role wasn’t always easy to spot. But prior to the return of safety Sydney Brown, McCollum was the one outmuscling and disarming jammers with technique and physicality from his gunner spot, accelerating downfield to make a play in punt coverage.

Outside of a smattering of defensive snaps, McCollum was forced to patiently wait for his opportunity.

But he’s come such a long way in a year’s time, pinpointing one area where he feels he’s shown the most growth.

“Probably just up here – the mentality,” he said. “Not just knowing that I can play in this league, but knowing that I can play really good in this league. And not really thinking too much on game day, just trusting the keys, trusting the preparation from the previous week, and letting loose and just going.”

McCollum appears to be the ideal fit for Fangio’s defense. Along with being coachable, detail-oriented, and asking questions, McCollum has traits that Fangio desires.

“Tristin is a guy that I think has good talent, good ability to play the position,” Fangio said. “He’s young, inexperienced. I believe as he gets more and more reps, he’ll be better and better, which is not rocket science.

“I like his movement. I think he can be a good safety.”

When asked on how Fangio’s system best accentuates his skill set, McCollum sported a wide grin.

“You gotta be multiple,” he said. “It’s two-high shell, so you’ve gotta have a lot of athleticism, whether that’s fitting the run from the roof, whether that’s busting out in coverage. A little bit of everything.

“So, you gotta be, like, a jack of all trades, if you will. And I feel like if you’re a good athlete and a smart player, then you’ll flourish in his defense. As you’ve seen from all the guys here.”

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com.