Philadelphia Eagles to report Wednesday to Lehigh and will stay until Aug. 17

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

The Philadelphia Eagles will hold training camp at Lehigh University, Dean of Athletics Joe Sterrett confirmed late this afternoon.

The team will report Wednesday to Lehigh -- the designated start date for teams with Aug. 11 preseason games -- and coach Andy Reid is expected to address the media at 5 p.m. that day, the team announced.

Players can report to the NovaCare complex in Philadelphia beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

"As far as our team, we look forward to reconvening in the near future and we are looking forward to holding training camp once again on the campus of Lehigh University," Reid said, according to the team. "We understand that we have a lot of work ahead of us in order to get ready for the season opener at St. Louis and I'm excited to get started on that as soon as we can."

Training camp must be complete by Aug. 17, a week before students arrive, Sterrett said. The Eagles will break camp that day, the team said.

"They're really not that far off their schedule practicing," said Sterrett, adding that the Eagles normally would have reported today.

Lehigh's football team comes to camp Aug. 8, but the overlap is common, Sterrett said. The Mountain Hawks will use different locker rooms and fields. The Eagles have typically left Lehigh before their second preseason game, Sterrett said.

The Eagles will have a public event Tuesday in Lower Saucon Township to "share the news and show appreciation for the area," Sterrett said.

Starters Pub, 3731 Route 378, will host the 11:30 a.m. lunch which will include Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan and Sterrett. Eagles Chief Operating Officer Don Smolenski will announce at that time when the first practice will be open to the public, according to a news release from the Eagles.

Lehigh is mostly ready for the Eagles, but the dining and housing services have some work to do planning meals and assigning dorm rooms, Sterrett said. When it became clear the owners and players were getting close to an agreement, Lehigh began preparing fields and bringing in bleachers.

"We'll be ready," Sterrett said. "I don't know if it will be as smooth as usual."


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