In the last two seasons, Oren Burks has suited up for the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl as a member of the San Francisco 49ers.
Now, with the Eagles after signing a one-year contract on Tuesday, Burks is hoping to reach the mountaintop.
"I think I know what it takes, man," Burks said immediately after signing his deal. "It takes everything that you have in you, and I think the consensus in the building is everybody is ready to take the next step. Hopefully, I can be a part of taking that next step as a team."
Burks and his wife, Jocelyn, are embarking on "a new season of life" between a new home in Philadelphia and the addition of their first child later this summer.
"I think we're just excited for a new chapter here in Philadelphia and excited for what that means for our family as well," Oren Burks said. "I always wanted to be a father at some point and knowing that that's right on the horizon, it's a big, big motivator to come out here and give my all, not just for myself, but for my family as well."
"It's a time where you're relying on the people around you a lot more and I can already tell just being in the building today that it's a really great organization that takes care of the players and the families both, so it's super important for this new chapter," Jocelyn Burks added.
A former third-round pick of the Packers out of Vanderbilt, Burks (6-3, 233 pounds) spent the first four seasons of his career in Green Bay thriving on special teams. He signed as a free agent with the 49ers in 2022 and enjoyed a career year on defense in 2023 with 45 tackles, his first career interception (against Dak Prescott), and his first full career sack (against Carson Wentz). Burks, who turns 29 on Thursday, has played in 91 games (15 starts, 5 in 2023) and amassed 130 tackles (another 46 on special teams), two sacks, two pass deflections, one interception, and one fumble recovery.
"You have no idea where you're gonna land and you just want to find a great organization and a great city, someone that's going to support you and your family and I feel like Philadelphia fits all of those things," Oren Burks said.
"I don't take a single year for granted. It's hard to get in the league, let alone stay in it. It's been really special. I just take every year with a lot of blessing and I'm grateful for every opportunity Oren gets," his wife added.
Burks switches sides in one of the budding rivalries in the NFC. The Eagles blew out the 49ers to win the NFC title and reach Super Bowl LVII in 2022, while the 49ers got revenge at Lincoln Financial Field last season.
"We obviously had some history and it kind of was the same thing going from Green Bay to San Fran," Oren Burks said. "For me, I always want a chance to compete at a high level and whatever that looks with the next team, I'm always diving into it, so excited to be here."
Burks also adds a dose of athleticism to the team. In the 2018 draft class, Burks ranked fifth among all linebackers in Relative Athletic Score after he posted the best mark in the broad jump, second best in vertical jump, second-fastest time in the short shuttle, and third-best time in the 3-cone drill among all linebackers at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Adding to his on-field success, Burks was named the NFLPA Community MVP in Week 4 in 2020 for his work with several charities, including House for Hope, which transitions women and children out of homelessness in the greater Green Bay region.
"It's extremely important," Oren said of his family's charitable efforts. "They (the fans) give so much to us, cheering for us on the sidelines. I feel like the least we can do is give back to our community. I'm excited to see what opportunities are here in the Philadelphia area, what the needs are, and how we can be a voice for people that need it."
