Against All Odds

PHILADELPHIA – Drenched in sweat following a muggy Saturday session amid the dog days of training camp, Brett Toth fielded questions in a post-practice scrum with reporters.

It’s not often, but usually around this time each summer, that the veteran offensive lineman finds himself in this position, precipitating another reminder of his undersold value to the Eagles, on and off the field. And as improbable as it might have back in the summer of 2019, when the team signed Toth as an undrafted free agent, there’s something to be said for his staying power.

He’s approaching Year 7.

Year 7?

“Year 7,” he responded. “Happens fast, huh?”

To suggest that luck fueled Toth’s admirable traverse though rugged terrain that’s included injuries, coaching changes and a seemingly never-ending bout of positional roulette, would be another example of underselling his doggedness. The word that Toth prefers is fortunate, as he believes people make their own luck.

He then recited the famous words of Benjamin Franklin for further illustration: “The harder I work, the luckier I get.”

But perhaps the most apt designation to describe Toth would be adaptability. The 28-year-old, who also briefly spent time with the Cardinals and Panthers, has existed in NFL limbo for six seasons, bouncing between practice squads and active rosters. For perspective, of Toth’s six accrued seasons, he appeared in a regular season game in only three, accounting for 20 games (two starts) total.

In Philadelphia, Toth is in a unique position. The Army product doesn’t profile as an intriguing, young developmental prospect, nor does he have a defined position of focus. He also routinely occupies meaningful practice reps, though often bypassed in the evaluation process for someone with more upside.

For the better part of six seasons, that’s been Toth’s reality.

His role entails doing what’s asked of him as it pertains to his position room and imparting wisdom gained over the years whenever applicable. Toth has mastered the art of wearing multiple hats, while also serving as an asset in the locker room and in meetings. He doesn’t harbor delusions of grandeur about breaking into the starting lineup. Toth owns his role, whatever it might be.

Armed with the perspective of someone who served as a linemate with locker room pillars throughout his tenure – including Jason Peters, Jason Kelce, Brandon Brooks, Isaac Seumalo and the current iteration of the league’s best offensive line – Toth values the rich ancestry of the offensive line, establishing a legacy that’s raised the bar.

“When that’s your standard, I’m very hard on myself,” he said. “That’s a pretty difficult standard to match, in a lot of cases. But, again, any time I’m in there filling in, whether Landon [Dickerson] is taking reps – if I’m at left guard, right guard – just being able to perform to that standard to where Jordan [Mailata] is comfortable and he’s not having to change his game at all. Whether I’m next to Lane [Johnson], he’s not having to change his game.”

GETTY IMAGES: Veteran OL Brett Toth returns to the Eagles every season even while facing long odds to make the 53.

Toth most learned by watching Seumalo, whom he marveled over while recalling a game in which Seumalo once repped at center, guard, tackle and tight end. On the practice fields and in the locker room, Toth’s leadership and calm demeanor are evident. He’s always willing to help, reflecting the culture ingrained in him early.

What’s probably too often taken for granted is Toth’s ability to line up anywhere on the offensive line. Need a left guard? Toth has it covered. How about a right tackle? Eh, just plug in No. 64.

And if you need another lineman to snap the ball, Toth can do that as well. It’s an under-appreciated skill that requires keen attention to detail and constant preparedness, as his role is subject to change at a moment’s notice. At this stage, Toth has his own remedy to offset the inevitable challenges that accompany pivoting from position to position.

“You try to simulate it,” he said. “When you get to your game-day eight, realistically, the most stress from not knowing which one. As we got further last year, in the playoffs, that’s how it kind of rolled out. It’s interesting … you can try and prepare all you want at right guard, but all the sudden, the left one goes down. So, that’s why making it as realistic in practice is important.”

Toth said he tells position coach Jeff Stoutland not to tell him where or when he’s going to line up.

“I’ll straight up tell Stout, ‘Don’t tell me. Just, once it comes up … go,'” he said. “And the true difficulty behind it is just – there’s so many nuances within a game plan that triggers different thought processes.

“Whether you’re a center, and you start the entire run scheme, the passing scheme, and everyone else kind of works off of it. Whether in read schemes, the tackles are looking for different indicators. It’s a difficult mentally, but you gotta be able kind of switch hats. Then it comes down to physically, and you see our guards … they’re most stout. Our centers, lighter. It’s tough.”

Since much of Toth’s contributions have occurred behind the scenes and away from the public eye, he’s widely – and unfortunately – viewed as an afterthought. He plays a vital role in bringing along younger players, such as rookie fifth-rounder Drew Kendall, whom Toth lauded for his professionalism and humility.

Toth, who doesn’t believe in enforcing the culture right away to newcomers – he needs to first see the “demeanor” – saw it right away in Kendall.

The reality is that Toth has come to terms with what he calls a “love-hate relationship.” Five members in his room last season earned at least one All Pro vote. He’s seen that multiple times, giving him little opportunity for advancement. It’s something Toth said he’s battled internally in the past, understanding he’d likely have had a better chance at carving out a career someplace else.

There’s also another side to that coin, one that Toth embraced with a team-first mentality.

“But a part of it is, and it’s in different people’s DNA, when you see greatness — whatever facet it’s in, whether it’s you doing it yourself or just our o-line room as a whole — you just can’t let go of it,” he said. “And that’s what I see on a day-to-day basis. I love those guys, I love the work they put in and just the mindset that we have as a whole.

“And I’m sure down the road, I’ll have that question of, ‘What if … I should have done this … made more money somewhere else?’ But at the end of the day, I got to witness an unbelievable run that a lot of people have never been able to see. And I’m grateful to be a part of it, in what role or way I can be.”

Apart from his unique perspective, Toth also expressed a sense of pride and responsibility in fulfilling his role of ensuring that the impeccable culture he essentially grew up in endures.

“A big part of being a vet, especially in our room – where it’s different than a lot of places – is that vets are actually there to bring ‘em with ‘em,” he said. “And that’s part of why the ancestry of the o-line room here is like that, because you have guys who care about the legacy of our room and the next guy that comes after ‘em.”