Philadelphia Eagles’ Gardner Minshew Takes Break On Old Prison Bus, Focusing On ‘Super Bowl or Bust’ – Philadelphia Eagles Blog

PHILADELPHIA – Coach Anthony Tumbarello Doesn’t Know If Philadelphia Eagles midfielder Gardner Minshew He was serious at first when he told Tumbarello that he wanted to live in a bus outside Tumbarello’s gym in Bonita Springs, Florida, this holiday season.

But sure enough, on February 20th after a few weeks of cross-country travel, Tumbarello said he heard a “beep, beep, beep” sound coming from behind the industrial building where his gymnasium was located. when Minshew pulled the monster in. near the garage. And it stays there for the better part of five months before Minshew reports for training camp this week, where he will look to build on a successful first year in Philadelphia.

“Hey, I don’t know of any coach in the country who can say their pro athlete got on the bus and ate, slept and worked out in the gym 24/7 to get ready for the season.” Tumbarello said.

Living on the bus is something Minshew has wanted to do since high school, he said in one Instagram video detailing his long, weird trip this summer. “I just love the freedom it gives me. It gives me a place to come and focus,” he said. “I’m living at the gym, eating, sleeping, bathing here. Everything. It’s my own little island here. I love it.”

To make his dream come true, he bought an old prisoner van and gave the interior a hippie makeover, complete with a vibrant orange couch with white fluffy pillows, a dress 70s style flowers, a series of album covers lining the wall. (Pink Floyd, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Janis Joplin, Black Sabbath – compositions), candles, and of course, a lava lamp. He learned to play the guitar.

With the property backed up for conservation, Minshew made a gravel pit and set up a hammock nearby, where he would read from a book collection including Hunter’s “Fear and Fear in Las Vegas” S. Thompson and “The Mind Athlete” in his downtime, says Tumbarello, with a live music brewery nearby, buses are often a gathering spot for coaches and athletes. to relax on a beautiful summer night.

Minshew connects the bus to the gym’s electricity to power his refrigerator, (semi-efficient) air conditioning unit and cooking zone. He showers outdoors – don’t worry, he wears compression shorts – using the gym’s water supply and his own cleansing kit. He also has to rely on the gym to use the bathroom, as the bus is not equipped with a bathroom.

His personal quarterback coach Denny Thompson said he had “early worries” about Minshew’s decision to live on the bus, wondering if it was the best thing for a Physically professional athletes or not. But those close to QB were expecting the unexpected from Minshew, one of the truly unique personality in sports who just likes to stretch himself in a leash in the locker room before games, wrestle with big fish and once tried to break his own arm with a hammer to get an extra year of qualifying for the Grand Prix. East Carolina school – the stories that have infused “Minshew Mania” since he entered the league as the sixth pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019.

“If someone calls you a pro athlete and says, ‘I’m going to live on a bus during the holiday season,’ your assumption is that it’s going to be a big RV like this. than my house, right? ‘Whoa, wow, this really doesn’t fall into the bus category. It’s not that big.’ But I found that he handled it well and really thrived with it,” Thompson said. “I think it ends up being one of the better things for him to just disconnect.”

Tumbarello’s gym, called CTP (Coach Tumbarello’s Performance), became Minshew’s second home. He wakes up and goes in around 7:30 a.m., where he microwaves breakfast and drinks coffee while planning the day. They’ll be out on the field around 8:30 for an hour or two, take a little break, and then go back inside to practice.

They focus on several areas, from leg mobility to arm strength to speed training, says Tumbarello. Thompson arrives several days per week during parts of the season. Given that Minshew excelled in off-ground throws, they focused on rhythmic runs with both feet on the ground.

“We can get the data every 30 days so we can see what his percentage is,” says Tumbarello. “His mobility, his versatility is probably the highest ever. He’s definitely faster, which is huge. You’ll see that translate to the pitch at some point. Overall, he’s stronger, faster, he’s ready to Go. This is the best version of Gardner Minshew, for sure.”

Minshew, who was acquired by the Eagles for a conditional sixth-round pick last August, made the most of his limited opportunities in 2021. He went 20 in 25 for 242 yards. with two touches and no interceptions in a December game against New York Jets on behalf of an injured person Jalen Hurts in a 33-18 win – the first of four straight wins that put the Eagles into post-season.

With 41 touchdowns to 12 interceptions in 27 NFL games, there’s no doubt that 26-year-old Minshew wants a return to the QB1 status he enjoyed during his two seasons in Jacksonville. But it’s still the Hurts show, so Minshew has an eye on the team’s success, according to Thompson.

“The focus of this whole year for him – and the kind of vibe that captures him and what he wants from this season – is that he loves the squad that Philly has and he wants to have a match. Super Bowl. That’s the focus behind everything he’s done and not once has anyone discussed his role with the Eagles. His job is to be ready,” he said.

“It’s the Super Bowl or bust for him. When most guys travel to different islands and things like that, he actually lives in the back of the bus outside the room. He does his exercises and throws three times a week for the whole year. Even last week he went to Jacksonville. He has a house in Jacksonville, but he is not in that house. He parked the bus later. my gym and that’s where he stayed for a few days he was in Jacksonville on his way to Philly So I think it’s just a pledge: This is the lifestyle I want, this is the lifestyle that I wanted and I wanted to make it all about the ball And that’s the vibe of the bus: This is not a luxury accommodation This is exciting and it will get me through the season but I’m 100% focused on football.”

The bus days – at least for now – are over. Back in Philly for camping, Minshew has put the bus up for sale and is asking for $25,000 for it, but says on social media he really just wants to “see her in a nice house.” and love”, while noting that it could be perfect for the Eagles to follow each other.

“This is amazing [sic] Veterinarians have seen 146k miles,” Minshew wrote. When I took her in for her most recent service, the mechanic said in his professional opinion, and I quoted, ‘This is awesome, man!’ “