Antonio Dixon makes solid debut

When Brodrick Bunkley suffered an elbow injury a couple weeks ago, the Philadelphia Eagles needed somebody to fill in on the defensive line. Antonio Dixon stepped up and played some good football.

Dixon, Eagles defensive tackle, picked up his first sack of the season when the Eagles defeated the San Francisco 49ers, which happened to be the game Bunkley got hurt.

Dixon also had three solo tackles in that game. He had a solid performance in his first pro start against the Atlanta Falcons last week. Dixon, a 6-foot-3, 322-pounder, knew the Eagles needed a lift and provided one.

“I’m just trying to help out,” Dixon said. “I learned a lot of things from coach Rory (Segrest, defensive line coach) in the offseason. He used to work with me all the time. He worked with my technique. He really helped my game. I tried to get better during the offseason. The whole D-line showed up every day. We just wanted to get better. Bunkley tells me how to use my hands. My teammates help me out. Actually, everybody helps each other out.”

The Eagles (4-2) will travel to Nashville to face the Tennessee Titans (4-2) on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

Chris Johnson, Titans running back, has rushed for 596 yards on 139 carries while scoring seven touchdowns. He averages 4.3 yards a game.  Johnson is the second leading rusher in the NFL.

“He’s fast,” Dixon said. “The defense has to do our part. We need gap control. We got to stay in our gap and make plays. We’ve faced Frank (Gore, 49ers running back) and Michael Turner (Atlanta Falcons running back), too. But Chris Johnson is a lot faster. He can stretch the field. We have to be able to move laterally to stop the run. We have to go sideline to sideline. But we have some pretty good linebackers who can fill the gaps pretty fast That’s a good thing.”

Dixon contributed to the Eagles defensive line rotation last year. He had 17 total tackles. He played in every game after being claimed off waivers just days before the season opener. The Washington Redskins following the 2009 NFL draft originally signed him as a rookie free agent.

Dixon is a real inspiration to all people who need hope. He grew up in Miami, Fla., with four siblings spending most of their childhood living in homeless shelters while his single mother, Cornethia, worked hard to maintain a stable home life for her family

Dixon started playing football in ninth grade. He stayed in school although he had thought about quitting school to get a job to help his family. Dixon continued to play football and starred at Booker T. Washington High School. He had several scholarship offers, but decided to play his college football at the University of Miami.

Dixon had a fine career with the Hurricanes. He recorded 71 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. In spite of these numbers, he went completely undrafted.

However, his efforts have not gone unnoticed this season. Andy Reid, Eagles head coach, has been very pleased with Dixon’s play on the field. Reid also recognizes his long journey to professional football.

“I mean Antonio’s had to overcome some things just in his life,” Reid said. “He has a speech impediment, and so on, and he’s worked through that and he’s one of the team favorites, just as far as being a person. He’s playing very good football right now and he works at it, he really worked in the offseason about keeping his weight down and kind of reforming his body and it’s paying off for him. He’s playing very good football (and he’s) very, very strong player and really enjoys playing the game. So, I’m happy for him. He’s doing well.”

He’s making an impact off the field as well. Two years ago, he was named Man of the Year by Miami’s athletic department for his community work. Dixon and a few of his teammates devoted their Saturdays in the offseason to playing football and other games with kids at a local homeless shelter.

“My family and coaches call me every day,” Dixon said. “They tell me how proud they are of me. It’s not easy. It’s been hard. I’m just trying to make the best of my opportunity.”



(phillytrib.com)