When the Los Angeles Rams travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs on Sunday, rookie pass rusher Jared Verse is going home in a sense. The No. 19 overall pick in this past draft attended Central Columbia High School in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, which is just a couple of hours away from where the Eagles play. Did Verse grow up cheering for “The Birds?” Absolutely not.
“I hate Eagles fans,” Verse told The LA Times this week. “They’re so annoying. I hate Eagles fans.”
When Verse says he hates Eagles fans, he says he can’t even see their colors without getting upset.
“When I see that green and white I hate it,” Verse said. “I actually get upset. Like I actually genuinely get hot.”
The Eagles and Rams faced off in Week 12, and Saquon Barkley got the best of the Rams defense by rushing for 255 yards and two touchdowns. While it was a home game for the Rams, Verse remembers Eagles fans’ harsh words for him before the game.
“I didn’t even do nothing to ’em,” Verse said. “It was my first time playing. Oh, I hate Eagles fans.”
The Rams defense allowed a whopping 481 yards of total offense in that November 37-20 loss to the Eagles, but this unit has made a remarkable turnaround. Los Angeles’ defensive starters haven’t allowed 10 points in four straight games now, while the Rams have won five straight road games after starting the season 0-3 on the road.
The winner of this matchup will secure a spot in the NFC Championship game, and it’s safe to say Verse will have some extra motivation to defeat the hometown team he despises.
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