Tight end Brent Celek was certainly impacted by the decision to make Michael Vick the team's starting quarterback from a football perspective. He was also affected personally, as he and Kevin Kolb are very close friends.
"I feel for Kevin, especially, because he's my buddy. That's the sport. That's just business. It's something that you have to live with," Celek said. "I told you guys how great of a teammate Kevin was before and this just shows it once again."
Celek was having dinner with a friend on Tuesday when he learned of the news. He called Kolb a short time later. Even though head coach Andy Reid and Kolb had spent Monday and Tuesday discussing the situation, Celek was unaware of those talks.
"I think that was between him and coach," Celek said.
Celek had a breakout 2009 season catching 76 passes for 971 yards and eight touchdowns, each of those numbers second-best all-time among tight ends in franchise history. But in the two games where Kolb started, Celek became the first Eagles tight end to record back-to-back 100-yard receiving games since Pete Retzlaff in 1965. So far in 2010, Celek has five catches for 59 yards.
Reid said on Wednesday that Kolb still has a "bright, bright future" with the Eagles. Celek agrees that Kolb has not lost any respect amongst the other players in the locker room.
"I don't think so at all," Celek said. "We all feel the same about Kevin as we did last week as we do this week. I don't think anything has changed with that."
Celek also defended the play of the oft-criticized offensive line which gave up six sacks in Sunday's win over the Lions.
"I think the line has been doing a good job," Celek said. "I just don't think outside people see the plays the way that we see them. I think they've been doing a good job."
Now that a decision has been made, Celek has to simply focus on his job since he believes that whoever is at quarterback can succeed.
"I have to play tight end, but I think both of them give us a great chance to win," Celek said.
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 11:40 p.m., September 22
