PHOENIX — Robert Quinn’s family is used to overcoming obstacles. For his sister, Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, these are distributed over 100 meters on a track.
Those of the Philadelphia Eagles linebacker are of a different type.
A change of scenery, a significant reduction in time just a year after enjoying his best NFL season and, most recently, a foot injury that had him in doubt for Sunday’s Super Bowl against the Kansas Chiefs. City.
Just like his sister, Quinn has cleared every hurdle that comes his way and is now one more win away from claiming his first championship ring after 13 years in the league.
“It’s kind of surreal, just because of everything that’s happened this year with me,” Quinn said. “To be in this position really is a blessing, so I just enjoy it. I enjoy the process.”
It’s hard, after all, for a 6-foot-1, 250-pound player who pushes mountains of similar size for a living to find an obstacle he can’t clear. Like Jasmine after 90 meters during the summer of 2021 in Tokyo, Robert only needs one hurdle to overcome to become champion.
“She already has her gold medal, so I guess I have to catch up,” he commented with a bit of pride.
But what is better an Olympic medal or a champion ring?
“I think both of them are quite special. Both things are very difficult to achieve, ”she said humbly, knowing that he still has obstacles in the way. “I think both are a great feat and I don’t think one is more important than the other.”
That gives Jasmine a little more bragging time and stays ahead of the sibling rivalry that always exists. And the Quinns are no exception.
“There’s always some family competition, but it’s more with love than anything else,” Quinn declared, finally cracking a smile. “We both want the other to do well, no matter what we’re doing.”
What they do most of the time is put the name of Puerto Rico up high. Jasmine did it in Tokyo 2021 when she gave the Island just the second Olympic gold in her history. Robert has done it with three Pro Bowl nominations, two All-Pro designations, a career tallying 102 quarterback tackles, and a Twitter account that says it all: “puertoricanbobby.”
“For those of you who are Hispanic, you have to be proud of your roots, whether you are Puerto Rican, Dominican, whatever, just be proud of your origins,” said Quinn, who described her command of Spanish as “like this, like this.”
“I am black and Puerto Rican and I am very proud of it.”
