Montgomery County native headed to NFC Championship as Detroit Lions running back
ABINGTON, Pa. - The Philadelphia Eagles' playoff run may have come to an end, but there is still some local talent hoping to make it to the Super Bowl.
"Probably one of the hardest working players that I had in my 16 years of coaching," said Tim Sorber, the Former Abington Senior High Football Head Coach.
A mentality that defines Montgomery County native Craig Reynolds, who now plays for the Detroit Lions as a running back.
"He has a chip on his shoulder and I think that chip on his shoulder really comes out in his play there," Sorber said.
Former basketball coach Charles Grasty jokingly says he helped create that chip when he told Reynolds that basketball wasn’t it during his senior year.
"We told him not to come out in 2014 and just stick to football," Grasty said.
That’s exactly what Reynolds did - rushing for more than 2,100 yards and scoring 30 touchdowns!
"Everybody knew he was getting the ball, but he ran with such determination, he was just such a hard worker," says Kevin Conlin, who was the Assistant Coach/Defensive Coordinator in 2014.
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"His senior year he said ‘I’m going to take a shot at the NFL’," said Sorber.
Reynolds went undrafted following the 2019 NFL Draft.
However, after short stints with some other teams, he now plays for the Detroit Lions.
A tough journey, which made Sunday’s Lions versus Tampa Bay Buccaneers playoff game even more special.
Reynolds scored a touchdown to help the Lions gain the lead and ultimately defeat the Buccaneers.
"To give him the ball in that situation was surprising but extremely happy, extremely proud," says Sorber.
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An emotion that wasn’t just felt by Reynolds' former coaches, but even by a member of the Abington Township Police Department.
"Pretty cool when you see your former D.A.R.E student score a touchdown in an NFL playoff game," said Lieutenant Steven Fink.
And that is exactly the message Lt. Fink wrote on a picture he sent to the department.
"Our Eagles are out of it, but it gives us somebody else to root for now. I’m happy for him, happy that he got a win, and he made the community proud."
The message has since been posted on the department's Facebook Page, and has taken off.