Bryce Huff Opens Up About Eagles Exit: ‘A Plethora of Things Went Down’

What a difference a year makes. Just last summer, Bryce Huff was preparing to enter his first training camp with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Fresh from signing a lucrative three-year, $51.1 million deal, including $34 million fully guaranteed, expectations were sky-high as the Birds targeted him to bolster their pass rush under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. But his inaugural season in Philly proved … underwhelming doesn’t quite cover it. Huff played in 12 regular season games, starting six, and finished with just 13 tackles (three for loss), 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

Early in the offseason, he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers, where he reunited with defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.

In a July 1 interview with TheSFNiners YouTube Channel, Huff suggested he knew from very early on he wasn’t going to be a great fit in Philadelphia, and he shared some candid comments about his lone year there.

“If I’m being 100% honest with you, I wanted a trade like fairly early on. And just cause of how things went in Philly, I knew pretty early on it wasn’t a fit,” he said, before elaborating further.

Bryce Huff Further Comments on Eagles Exit: A ‘Plethora’ of Things Went Down

Noting his expectations were “at an all-time high” when he arrived in Philadelphia, Huff suggested things went South in a hurry — as early as training camp.

“I talked to my agent about it and was like, when it’s all set and done, I might need to step to put myself in the best position to ball out and have a fruitful career,” Huff added. “There’s a plethora of things that went down. I don’t wanna get into specifics. Being in the league for five years, I kinda knew what it felt like to be in a good situation. … I kind of knew where it was headed fairly early on into the season — probably even training camp if I’m being honest.”

Whew. Perhaps Huff and Fangio clashed immediately, which is possibility. Regardless, Huff is glad to be playing in Saleh’s defense again.

When asked what the Niners were getting in Huff, Saleh seemed stoked.

“Speed off the edge,” the Niners DC said on June 11. “I think highly of him as a pass rusher. I thought he was very productive, obviously with the Jets. He wins at such a high rate. A lot of times we look at pass rushers, we look at sacks, and sacks are important. They end drives, and it’s what ultimately gets these guys paid. But his disruption rate and getting the quarterback off the spot and the way he can do it now. He is a second effort pass rusher, but he wins so quickly so often that coordinators have to account for his presence on the field.”

Huff Played Well Before Heading to Philly

Huff began his NFL career as an undrafted free agent, signing with the New York Jets in 2020. Over his four seasons in New York (2020–2023), he steadily climbed the depth chart.

Under Saleh, who served as Jets head coach at that time, Huff had a breakout season in 2023, finishing with career-highs inn QB hits (21), tackles-for-loss (10) and sacks (10.0).

To be fair, a torn wrist ligament cost him five weeks during his 2024 campaign, and despite returning in late December, he was ultimately inactive for the Eagles’ Super Bowl 59 victory. Thus, Philly likely won’t miss him, and will write him off as a rare misstep from GM Howie Roseman.

Now, Huff is reunited with Saleh, while Fangio and the Eagles will rely on Nolan Smith, Josh Uche, Moro Ojomo and Jalyx Hunt, among others, to anchor their pass rush.