Ben VanSumeren learned from his mistakes.
He’s now ready to compete for a ring.
The Essexville Garber and Michigan State University product was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster of the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, becoming a full-fledged member of the reigning NFC champions and the NFL’s hottest team.
The big move comes in the days leading up to a pivotal game between the Eagles (10-1) and the San Francisco 49ers (8-3) in a battle for the top NFC seed. The game is set to begin at 4:25 p.m. on Sunday in Philadelphia.
VanSumeren began the season on the practice squad but has recently been promoted to the 53-man roster. To be added to the gameday roster for the fourth time, the player is no longer eligible to return to the practice squad and must be added to the active roster. VanSumeren’s days on the Eagles’ practice squad are over, and he will now play on Sundays.
VanSumeren, who joined the Eagles as an undrafted free agent, has worked his way into a key role, providing much-needed depth at the linebacker position.
“The undrafted route’s a grind, but it’s really a chip on my shoulder,” VanSumeren said in an Eagles Today video. “I’ve had to deal with it my entire life.” I had that undrafted tag long before I arrived here on draft day, so it seemed like a fitting start.
“I’m just trying to focus on my development… making the most out of my talents and my skills and advancing along the way.”
With Nakobe Dean out and Zach Cunningham unlikely to play, the Eagles were down to Nick Morrow and Christian Ellis as active linebackers on Sunday. VanSumeren could get his first call to play defense.
In three NFL games, he has played 62 snaps, all of which have come on special teams. He appeared in three crucial victories for the Eagles, defeating the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, and Buffalo Bills.
As the Eagles push for a Super Bowl rematch, No. 57 could become a more frequent sight between the lines for the stretch run.
The son of Cindy and Jeff VanSumeren of Bay City, Michigan, has had an exciting journey. As a senior at Garber in 2017, he was named the Associated Press Division 5-6 Player of the Year for the state of Michigan after setting a state record for regular season receptions as a wide receiver.
He spent his first three collegiate seasons at the University of Michigan, where he switched from fullback to linebacker in his final season. He spent the previous two seasons at Michigan State, where he recorded 81 tackles in 10 starts in 2022.
He signed as a free agent with the Eagles shortly after the NFL Draft and led all NFL players with 26 tackles during the preseason.
