Eagles cornerback Kevon Seymour says he has already seen rock bottom. He grew up in project housing, was out of football for an extended time, and was even a tire salesman. Now, Seymour finds himself a cornerback on the Eagles’ active roster.
Seymour, who was signed to the Eagles’ practice squad Dec. 2 and elevated to the active roster Dec. 12, told the story of his journey to Philadelphia Thursday.
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When Seymour was playing with the Carolina Panthers in 2018, he had double shoulder surgery. A year later, he suffered hamstring, calf, and wrist injuries and was eventually released by the Panthers in September 2019.
Seymour said he always had eyed different ways to build generational wealth for his family, and he had invested in some stocks and municipal bonds. However, having not signed on with a team and being out of football for a year, Seymour began looking for ways to bring in some income to help his family.
The idea of a close-knit family is important to Seymour. Growing up in rough conditions with his twin brother in Pasadena, Calif., Seymour wanted to make sure that his kids did not grow up in a similar experience.
“I grew up with just my mom, and she gave us the world, but it’s tough living in the projects, living in Section 8 and things like that,” Seymour said. “My mom would be gone all day. She used to leave the house at 6 a.m. and wouldn’t get home until about 7 or 8 p.m. She worked in Hollywood, and we lived in Pasadena, so she was coming home with traffic. I just want to give my kids a better life than I had.”
Wanting to provide for his wife, his four-year-old daughter Karsyn, two-year-old daughter Kendall, and nine-month-old son Kruz, Seymour went out to get a job selling tires to provide for his family.
Wheel and Tire Exchange owner and operator A.J. Schlub runs the small shop in Charlotte, NC. Seymour worked at the auto shop until the Eagles called him. Schlub said Seymour was a good worker. Schlub also said that he had known Seymour for a while, and he was good friends with him and the other people who worked at the shop.
“He’s a good man,” Schlub told NJ Advance Media. “He’s a good friend of ours. When he worked here, he did a great job.”
Seymour said he enjoyed the job because he was a car guy, and he likes to talk to people.
“Other than football, I was doing something I loved, working with customers, and just interacting with people,” Seymour said. “I was doing that just to keep my mind free and clear and not get caught up on the actual situation, where I was, and how things weren’t going the way I wanted them to go.”
Eventually, the Eagles called Seymour. Seymour had participated in workouts for two other teams since being released in 2019, but he was optimistic that the Eagles would give him a chance to get back in the league.
Seymour made the trip up north and waited five days in a hotel in isolation due to COVID-19 related guidelines. Seymour tried to stay in shape for his workout by cranking the heat up in his hotel room and jumping rope to try to simulate game conditions. On the fifth day, he worked out for the team and was eventually signed.
“I could have just given up,” Seymour said. “My wife and I both have our degrees, and I could have gone a different route and said it was over with the way things were going. But I always kept my faith and just kept on believing, and God gave me the opportunity, and I just took advantage of it.”
Defensive back Jalen Mills also sees Seymour’s determination, saying Seymour is continually trying to find ways to make sure he is in the right position.
“From day one, he’s a guy who’s always right next to Coach M (Marquand Manuel), or he’s asking whether it was Rod, me, or even Slay, asking so many questions,” Mills said. “When you see that in the guy who has been out of football for two years, that lets you know that he’s not just satisfied with just being here. He’s a guy who wants to keep elevating his game. When you got a guy like that, especially with me, I’m always willing to help.”
Seymour could have given up after going through what he did. Instead, he found himself on the field against the New Orleans Saints last Sunday, collecting six total tackles in the win.
With injuries to Avonte Maddox and Darius Slay, Seymour finds himself with the chance to get significant playing time against DeAndre Hopkins and the Arizona Cardinals. Seymour knows he will do everything he can to make sure he is ready Sunday.
“My main goal going into the week is attacking every day like it is my last and try getting better every day,” Seymour said. “I know when I’m better, the people around me are getting better, and the coaches can count on me. I want to let my teammates know that they can count on me. Whenever my number is called or whenever opportunities come, I’m going to be prepared to a T.”
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