Connor Barwin didn’t show up The Philly Specials Christmas Albumsbut he has been there from the start and ensures that a lot happens behind the scenes.
The origins of the Eagles’ Christmas albums date back to the 2022 offseason, when the team was training at the NovaCare Complex, months before the team made a Super Bowl run.
After Jason Kelce indicated he wanted to make the album during a workout, the recently retired former Eagles centerBarwin, Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata and Charlie Hall, the drummer for the 2017 Grammy Award-winning band The War on Drugs, discussed making the album in Barwin’s backyard.
“I remember Jordan had his guitar and he started strumming and singing,” Barwin said. “We were like, ‘Let’s take this seriously, No. 1. If we’re going to do it, let’s make good music, let’s take it seriously. No. 2, let’s have fun, and No. 3, let’s we do something positive with it.”
Barwin talked about The Philly Specials, his upcoming charity dinner with former Eagles Super Bowl champion Chris Long and more on this week’s episode of “Gallen of Questions” with CBS News Philadelphia’s Pat Gallen, airing Saturday at 6:30 PM on PHILLY57 .
Since its initial release, The Philly Specials have been a huge success and feature big names. Last year’s album, “A Philly Special Christmas Special,” came up over $3 million for more than 60 organizations in Philadelphia.
This year’s album, “A Philly Special Christmas Party,” features Stevie NicksBoyz II Men, Mt. Joy and even a song with Jason Kelce’s wife, Kylie.
Proceeds from “A Philly Special Christmas Party” will go to multiple Philadelphia organizations, including Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and The Children’s Hospital Of Philadelphia, and Barwin said Jason Kelce, Johnson and Mailata wanted to do something even more special this year.
Barwin said that as part of this year’s album, they will be giving a gift to every child in the Philadelphia public school system.
“We’re going to try to make every kid feel special and give them a little something for the holidays,” Barwin said.
“Jalen is right there on the path to be with them”
Barwin played 10 seasons in the NFL, including four with the Eagles, and played with quite a few talented defensive linemen.
Barwin, who is now the Eagles’ head of football development and strategy, has played alongside dominant defensive linemen like Fletcher Cox, Aaron Donald and JJ Watt, and he has noticed what Jalen Carter is doing in his second season in Philly.
“Jalen is right on track to be with them,” Barwin said.
Carter played a key role in Philadelphia’s defense, which ranked No. 1 in the league in total defense through Week 13. The unit also ranks third in the league against the pass and seventh against the run.
One of Carter’s most dominant performances of the season came in a huge game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Carter had a sack, three tackles for a loss and two quarterback hits to go along with eight pressures in the 24-19 win.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio told reporters during a news conference this week that Carter is still improving and is extremely coachable.
“Jalen is still a young player who needs to improve,” Fangio said. “He is very coachable. [He’s] play good football.”
Overall, Carter has 34 tackles, 4.5 sacks and one forced fumble so far this season. The Eagles will face the Carolina Panthers as heavy favorites on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
Barwin’s team dinner with Chris Long
For the second year in a row, Barwin and Long will host a “Team Dinner” at Steak 48 in Center City to benefit Make The World Better and the Chris Long Foundation.
The event, which takes place on the red carpet of Gallen, takes place on Monday 9 December at 6pm and individual tickets can be purchased online.
“It’s more than just raising money,” Barwin said. “It’s about us, for me, getting together with former teammates, doing something with Chris. “I think it’s also our young players showing up and seeing what this could look like and what it should be fun and trying to be an example of how important and beneficial it is to connect with the community that’s being played.”
