He had to go to a meeting, reporters were told.
No warning. No goodbyes.
It just ended.
Sort of like how he went to Denver in February for a 5-year, $17 million contract with $7.2 million guaranteed in the first two seasons. The Eagles, having witnessed his gentle erosion from Hall of Fame caliber to simply Pro Bowl level, offered nothing comparable to the proud, 36-year-old legend of the Midnight Green.
The pride remains, if wounded.
Asked if, given his age, he felt a measure of validation returning to Philadelphia with a restructured 8-6 team with a 33-year-old, first-year coach, amassing 100 tackles along the way, he replied:
"That's for people outside to write about and talk about and try to find whatever [reason] they can - why I didn't make this specific play at a specific time in my career. I know what I still can do. And that is, bring a lot of things to this football team - on and off the field."
In reality, Dawkins repeatedly has insisted that his age should have nothing to do with evaluating his performance.
So, does he feel vindicated?
"That's for everybody else to write about and talk about. All I know is what my teammates in this locker room are saying about me. What are my coaches depending on me to do?"
They depend on him to do what he did in Philadelphia - especially from a leadership standpoint, right from the start. Right?
"They didn't hand me anything. Leadership is earned," said Dawkins . . . who was elected a team captain before the season began.
