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Eagles’ Zach Brown and Rodney McLeod disappointed with Trump’s tweets about Baltimore

Linebacker Zach Brown and safety Rodney McLeod, who each grew up not far from Baltimore, decried the president's weekend tweets as divisive.

Eagles safety Rodney McLeod sighed as he called President Trump's weekend tweets "insensitive."
Eagles safety Rodney McLeod sighed as he called President Trump's weekend tweets "insensitive."Read moreMICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer

Maryland natives Zach Brown and Rodney McLeod weren’t 10-alarm-fire outraged about President Trump’s weekend tweets disparaging their state’s largest city, but the two Eagles were annoyed.

And disappointed.

“I just think he could have used a better choice of words,” said McLeod, an eight-year NFL veteran who attended DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Md., 30 miles outside Baltimore. “I know Baltimore for being more than a rat-infested city.”

Trump on Saturday attacked Maryland congressman Elijah Cummings for being a “brutal bully” and called his Baltimore 7th district “the worst run and most dangerous anywhere in the United States.”

Brown, who is in his eighth NFL season, played the last two seasons with Washington.

“If y’all help us, it would help the kids do better growing up,” said Brown, who is from Columbia, Md., 15 miles outside Baltimore. "You just can’t point out our city. ... My friend is buying property, and he’s trying to get me to buy property there. I’m down for it; just to build it up and make it a better place. That’s how it starts. That’s how you make it better.”

Both players spent Sunday’s off day relaxing and unplugging. Brown took his children to see The Lion King (he fell asleep), and McLeod binge-watched NetFlix. On Monday, they went through a two-hour morning practice under the searing sun before heading to an afternoon and evening of positional meetings and weight training.

NFL players have been among those criticized by Trump, especially after the Colin Kaepernick controversy when the then-San Francisco quarterback refused to stand for the national anthem. The Eagles, following their Super Bowl win after the 2017 season, did not take part in the ceremonial visit to the White House.

» From the archives: The bizarre saga of the Eagles and the visit that never happened

Most of the players declined to go to D.C. The White House said the Eagles were “abandoning their fans” and actually were disinvited. Whatever.

“He should focus on, as president, to find ways to help each other out,” McLeod said. "[Find] ways to continue to build America up and build cities like Baltimore up. I’m not really into politics, but right is right and wrong is wrong.”

This and that

After yesterday’s morning session, Zach Ertz asked a teammate to hustle up some water ices from the nearby Rita’s tent. “The rookies are getting them,” the disgruntled and unidentified teammate said. "Do I look like a rookie?” ... The Eagles continue to be favored by 9 points for the Week 1 opener against Washington at Lincoln Financial Field, which is six weeks away. The over/under is 46.5.