PHILADELPHIA- Former Monmouth University football standout Miles Austin has signed a free agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, the organization announced on Tuesday.
“I'm excited to be back home,” said Austin. “Meeting the guys in the locker room, the coaching staff, the front office personnel, it has just been a great experience so far. I'm fired up to be back on the East Coast.
There were a bunch of factors that led me to choose to come to Philadelphia. The team, the proximity to home but knowing DeMarco (Murray) was coming was also a positive. Me knowing him so well, knowing how hard he plays and how well we play together. It is one of those things; to have a good team everyone needs to feed off each other and that's the type of team we have.”
Austin, the only Monmouth football player to have his jersey retired, spent last season in the Cleveland Browns organization. In 12 games with the Browns he caught 47 passes for 568 yards and two touchdowns. He was second on the team in receptions and third in yardage.
Married to former Monmouth lacrosse player Stacy Sydlo, the couple recently welcomed their son Miles J. Austin IV in December. Austin explained coming back near his home state and his alma mater were factors in the decision to sign with Philadelphia.
“I think coming back down this way was a part of it,” said Austin. “Obviously I grew up in North Jersey, but Monmouth is only an hour and a half away. Being able to come back here [Monmouth], to talk with the coaches and team, that was huge. Those were the decisions I made before I even met any of the guys on the Eagles. It has been a great experience so far, I'm excited to meet all the other guys when everyone else comes in.”
Austin, a standout wide receiver for MU from 2002-05, became the first Hawk to sign with a National Football League team when the Dallas Cowboys signed him prior to the 2006 season. The nine-year NFL veteran has twice been named to the Pro Bowl (2009, 2010) and holds the Cowboys record for receiving yardage in a game (250 yards) and longest kickoff return in a playoff game (93 yards).
The Garfield, N.J. native left West Long Branch as the Hawks all-time leader in receptions (150), reception yardage (2,867), receiving touchdowns (33) and scoring (216 points). During his four years, Austin helped lead Monmouth to back-to-back Northeast Conference Championships in 2003 and 2004. He is Monmouth's only three-time first team all-conference selection at wide receiver.
His 20.5 yards per catch in 2005 is still a Monmouth record while the playmaker owns the top-3 single-season receiving touchdown spots led by his 12 scores in 2003. He amassed 33 touchdowns over his four years with the next closest player 12 scores behind him while Austin's 2,867 receiving yards is tops by over 600 yards. Austin's 235 receiving yards and four touchdown catches against Sacred Heart in 2005 still stand as Hawk records today.
Austin's number 80 Monmouth jersey was retired on February 22, 2014. He is one of three Hawks on current NFL rosters; with former wide receiver Chris Hogan playing with the Buffalo Bills and corner back Tevrin Brandon with the Denver Broncos.
