Eagles' offensive linemen motivated to get 'big brother' Jason Peters a Super Bowl ring

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- Jason Peters hasn't played a game since rupturing his Achilles tendon in Week 7 against the Washington Redskins, but in a way, was the first Eagles player out of the tunnel for the team's 38-7 dismantling of the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game to reach Super Bowl LII. 

Peters means so much to the Eagles' offensive line room, that the team arranged to have Lane Johnson introduced first out of the tunnel at Lincoln Financial Field two weeks ago, and he sprinted onto the field holding Peters' jersey aloft. 

Sunday would have marked Peters' first Super Bowl appearance, but even though he won't be on the field, his presence both physical and spiritual are with his teammates in Minneapolis as they prepare for the New England Patriots and the chance to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy ... 

To hear Johnson tell it, it was a no-brainer for him to make sure that the 69,176 fans in attendance at the NFC Championship Game would have a chance to recognize what Peters has meant to the Eagles' organization, and this Super Bowl team in particular. 

“He’s such a pillar of our offense, and our identity," Johnson told NJ Advance Media on Thursday at the Mall of America. "It’s been like that for a number of years. Obviously, we’d love to have him out there. It’s breaking his heart not to be out there with us. Anyway we can make him feel special, he’s a big reason why we’re here. I can’t say too much nice stuff about him He’s a real genuine person. He’s a legend. He really sets the tone for this team.”

Beyond Johnson running out of the tunnel with Peters' jersey, Eagles center Jason Kelce paid tribute to Peters by wearing a t-shirt with a cartoon resemblance of the left tackle during his media availability on Thursday. 

Kelce has been Peters' teammate since 2011, and explains that the left tackle has a formidable presence both in the locker room and on the field. 

"He’s a tremendous leader," Kelce said. "He's a tremendous teammate. He’s always trying to help other guys out. It’s really the biggest drawback to this whole situation. The only drawback to being in this game is that 71’s not going to be out there with us. If there’s anybody in this organization that deserves to be there, he’s the guy. We’re all pretty sick that he’s not going to be out there. He’s still involved. He’s still active with the team, which I think is huge, because we need that. We definitely wish we had him out there.”

Kelce said Thursday that he was struck from his first meeting with Peters by his athleticism, which humbled him under the hot sun of training camp at Lehigh University in 2011. 

“Jason I think is probably one of the least talked about leaders on this team," Kelce said. "And he should probably be the most talked about, as far as we’re considered on the offensive line. I still remember my first day ever putting on an Eagles practice jersey watching him doing ga one-on-one, and how quickly I questioned myself … ‘Am I this kind of physical specimen?’ Quickly, I learned that nobody is. It was amazing to see his body balance, coordination and athleticism combined into one athlete.”