Philadelphia Eagles Trey Burton Credits Improvement to Renewed Focus

While his intended destination never changed, the journey to get there certainly did.

What began as a smooth ride for the highly touted high school quarterback and potential heir apparent to current Philadelphia Eagles teammate Tim Tebow resulted in a revolving door of roles for Trey Burton at the University of Florida.

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However, just one year later, why so much attention (such as here, here and even here just this month alone) for the undrafted free agent, fresh off a campaign where he was the fourth-string tight end with zero receptions to his name?

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For Burton, it simply came down to capitalizing on opportunity by maximizing his ability.

With incumbent starter Zach Ertz out for the remainder of the preseason, veteran Brent Celek approaching the twilight of his career as an Eagle and the release of third-stringer James Casey, it has left the window wide open for the former Gator to make his presence known.

Burton planted that seed as a key contributor on the NFL’s best special teams unit last season, where he registered seven tackles, blocked a kick and returned another one for a touchdown.

But now he’s ready to take the next step – and he credits a renewed commitment to his offseason training regimen, which put him in position to do just that.

"“Obviously, every year you want to grow…I want to prove to the coaching staff that I have the ability to play more on offense.”"

That consisted of joining forces with Core Elementz, a comprehensive personal fitness training and nutrition program featuring such clients as Derrick Jeter, Maria Sharapova and Ryan Howard.

“At the time, I wasn’t into taking supplements,” Burton said. “I couldn’t even take a pill because I was afraid I was going to choke. And I never paid attention to the way I ate – I didn’t really believe in it.”

After seeing noticeable improvements in reduced body fat and anxiety, plus quicker recovery after working out, Burton has become a believer. “It’s done wonders for me,” he said.

As it turns out, the admiration is mutual. “When I first met Trey, I could just see his character, integrity and discipline,” said friend and Core Elementz Co-Founder Jason Riley. “When you’re training…you want to surround yourself with those people.”

However, with the strict enforcement by the league of what a player can and can’t put into his body, some advanced research was necessary. “We’ve been able to back what we do with the testing we’ve done,” Riley said, noting that all supplements the program uses have been certified for approval by the NFL. “You know what’s in your product and you know where it comes from. It’s an education on all levels.”

In addition to improved performance, Burton claims it’s also led to better health, as well. “It’s night and day,” he said. “Adding this to my routine, personally I feel I sleep better, I’m a lot less prone to injury and reach my genetic potential more.”

So what is that potential? “Obviously, every year you want to grow more,” Burton said. “I want to prove to the coaching staff that I have the ability to play more on offense. I’m just trying to hang around Ertz and Celek to gain as much wisdom as I can,” specifically crediting their assistance – along with that of position coach Justin Peelle – with his improved run-blocking technique.

And, of course, Burton’s also primed to build on his previous contributions for a historically great-great special teams unit.

“It really was special,” Burton said with a chuckle. “Everybody was so selfless, putting the team’s best interest first. And we think we have an even better unit this year than we did last year.”

As for the team as a whole, Burton declined to make any predictions but has high hopes, pointing to such battery mates as WR Jordan Matthews (“a top five receiver in the NFL; incredible work ethic”) and QB Sam Bradford (“I love the way he carries himself, the way he plays; he has a rocket for an arm”) as two in particular ready to lead the charge.

“We have a great group of guys. I’ve never been around anything like this.”

But for Burton, just being around is a testament to the work he’s put in.

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