Sports

Paul Sokoloski

In a training camp filled with heartbreak and headaches, even the good stories turn out bad for the Philadelphia Eagles.

When they are not cursing their fate, fate seems to be cursing them.

The latest example came Tuesday, on Philadelphia’s final full day of the summer at Lehigh University.

That’s where a 31-year-old rookie named Matt Nagy had his NFL dream stolen from under his pillow before he even fell asleep.

Nagy is a former record-setting quarterback at the University of Delaware who never generated any NFL interest.

So Nagy, who stands 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, spent six successful seasons playing in the Arena Football League. He also spent last summer and this one working as a coaching intern for the Eagles at training camp.

They thought he’d be a natural fit when they needed an extra arm. That scenario occurred when Eagles backup quarterback Kevin Kolb went down with a sprained knee Monday. On such short notice, the Eagles signed Nagy to play in their preseason opener tonight, and Nagy didn’t even bother to read the terms of the contract.

“I didn’t even care,” Nagy said. “Just let me go out here and play.”

After more than a decade of longing, he was finally going to the NFL.

“I’ve been playing quarterback since I was 8 years old,” Nagy said. “I’d be crazy to say I didn’t want a chance. If I’m able to parlay this into something else, I’d love it. It’d be a good story.”

A fairy tale, really.

Beloved old Eagles coach Dick Vermeil, who took Kurt Warner out of a grocery store and to a Super Bowl title with the St. Louis Rams, envisioned a Hollywood script for Nagy.

“It’s happened many, many times,” said Vermeil, who made his first trip to Eagles training camp as a visitor this summer. “Never as drastic as Kurt Warner. Kurt Warner went from scout squad player of the year in ’98 to NFL Player of the Year.”

Nagy would have settled for playing one preseason game.

He wasn’t going to last long on the Eagles roster, especially with Kolb expected to return next week. But if Nagy was able to find instant success against New England’s second-stringers, who knows – maybe someone would see him as a backup.

“I never guessed I’d be out here doing this,” said Nagy, after looking pretty sharp Tuesday morning competing in his first NFL practice. “But life’s crazy, full of options. I’m just going to have fun with it.”

His fun was so fleeting, it disappeared faster than it arrived.

By Tuesday afternoon, Nagy was out of his new job and back in his old one. The NFL didn’t approve his contract, apparently because the league doesn’t want teams stashing talent on coaching staffs.

Good point. But terrible timing for the Eagles.

During a stay that lasted less than three weeks at Lehigh, the Eagles mourned the loss of their legendary defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, whose life was claimed by cancer. They lost stalwart linebacker Stewart Bradley and promising rookie tight end Cornelius Ingram to season-ending knee injuries. They lost some respect when starting defensive end Juqua Parker was arrested for marijuana possession near training camp.

Finally, the Eagles lost their one feel-good story.

Maybe that’s fitting. Just one last reminder of how summer dreams sometimes turn into nightmares.