Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Quinn, Dunlap, renew acquaintances on opposite sides
Old high school mates face off in Super Bowl LVII
PHILADELPHIA >> Robert Quinn gently shook his head the way you do when a part of your past suddenly becomes part of your future again.
Four teams and a dozen years in the NFL with not even a sniff of the Super Bowl and here he is, preparing for the game with the Eagles and facing an old high school teammate he hasn’t seen in years who also is making his first appearance in the title game.
That would be soon-to-be 34-year-old Carlos Dunlap, almost two years older than Quinn and a defensive lineman with the Chiefs.
“It’s still kind of surreal,” Quinn said. “It took 12 years to make it and ironically, I’ve got an old high school teammate on the other team. So it’s kind of interesting, really kind of interesting. I’m 12 years in, he’s 13 years in the league and we get to make our first appearances together. It’s kind of surreal for both of us.”
Dorchester High School in Ladson, S.C., that’s the place firstround pick Quinn and secondround selection Dunlap began turning themselves into household names. That’s also the alma mater of Byron Maxwell, the bighearted cornerback the Eagles signed to a mega-bucks contract during the Chip Kelly era.
The 32-year-old Quinn (6-4, 255) is completing a career worthy of being taken 14th overall by the St. Louis Rams in the 2011 draft. Quinn has 102 career sacks, although just one with the Eagles, injuries limiting him as well as the deep rotation featuring pass rushers Haason Reddick (16 sacks), Brandon Graham (11) and Josh Sweat (11).
To beat the Chiefs Sunday, the Eagles’ pass rush must disrupt quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Even coming off the bench, Quinn is capable of it.
Dunlap and the Chiefs have to make Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts uncomfortable, as well. The 6-7, 285-pound Dunlap can disrupt the passing lanes with his reach and savvy. Like Quinn, Dunlap hit the century mark in sacks.
Which reminds Quinn of a story from high school.
“It might have been against our rival high school,” Quinn recalled. “For whatever reason, our coach decided to put (Dunlap) in as a kick returner. First time ever, takes it to the house. Six-foot-seven, however tall he is and he’s running all the way down the field. I don’t know if they were afraid of tackling him or he was moving that fast, but he returned the opening kick for a touchdown.”
Quinn confirmed the jaunt at the Chiefs’ availability Tuesday. To show you how close he and Quinn are, they’re treating their high school coach, Steve LaPrad, to the Super Bowl.
“Robert Quinn was the one end, I was the other end,” Dunlap said of his high school days. “For us to both be playing in the Super Bowl in our first appearance, I thought it was only right that our coach be here. So I look forward to having him and his wife here.”
By the end of the game, the careers of Quinn and Dunlap will have gone full circle. For years they’ve toiled knowing full well their teams were longshots to reach the Super Bowl.
“I’m not saying that you don’t get irritated or (upset) but you only can control so much,” Quinn said. “You do your part, and you keep on pushing, and you smile and go on again.”