Andre Dillard: I’ve got a fire in me and a chip on my shoulder

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Andre Dillard missed all of last season. The Eagles offensive tackle says that has him more eager and, believe it or not, more confident heading into his third season.

“I definitely learned a lot about myself, and how much the game means to me, and how serious I am about this,” Dillard said Thursday, via Mike Kaye of NJ.com. “Losing a season to an injury definitely makes you see it in a different perspective and different light, and it kind of lit this huge fire in me. A different kind of fire than I’ve felt before because something like this has never happened to me before.”

The Eagles made Dillard the 22nd overall choice in 2019. He started four games and played 339 offensive snaps, but it’s not the rookie season he or the Eagles expected.

Dillard, 25, tore his biceps in training camp last summer and didn’t play a down his second season. He instead reduced his social media, began reading motivational books and worked on adding muscle while watching and learning.

Dillard now is battling his good friend, Jordan Mailata, for the starting left tackle job.

“I’m all about this competition,” Dillard said. “I’ve got a fire in me. I’ve got a chip on my shoulder, and I’m really serious about this, so bring it all on.”