"No matter how long you've been in this game, regardless of whether you're a player or a coach, there are some butterflies the first opener of every year."
Eagles fans probably haven't had this many butterflies concerning a coach or coordinator since Andy Reid's debut as head coach in 1999.
McDermott replacing the late Jim Johnson is the biggest change ever on Reid's coaching staff.
While it is true that Marty Mornhinweg was named assistant head coach and offensive coordinator in 2004, Reid is so connected to the offense that it is open to debate just how much control Mornhinweg has.
Over the past couple of seasons, Mornhinweg seems to be more autonomous, but Reid's fingerprints are still on the offense.
I don't see that with McDermott.
Reid might take more notice of what's going on with the defense now that he no longer has the reliable and experienced hands of Johnson, but make no mistake, this is McDermott's show.
Describing what advice his mentor Johnson would have offered, McDermott said, "Just be myself. Just be myself and stay aggressive. Jim will definitely be there with us, there's no doubt about that.
"The influence is there and will continue to be there."
But McDermott will call the shots. The fatherly sage will be there only in spirit. He won't be there to help McDermott make decisions and adjustments on the fly.
And those are the things most parties want to find out about McDermott.
I don't think anyone questions whether McDermott has been properly prepped for this position.
I'll trust Reid that he would not have promoted McDermott if he didn't have confidence that he was ready.
Still, we won't know anything until Sunday, when the moves McDermott makes will help or hinder the Eagles in their effort to win a football game that actually counts.
