Super Bowl 2025: Mekhi Becton 'right' at home with Eagles 

NEW ORLEANS — Mekhi Becton is a left tackle at heart, but the former Jet spent the whole season playing right guard for the Philadelphia Eagles. He’s not ready to call himself a right guard, though.

“I consider myself a Swiss Army knife,” Becton told Newsday on Monday night.

The world’s biggest Swiss Army knife couldn’t be happier with his new team and how this season has gone.

Becton was an anchor up front this season for an Eagles offensive line that dominated and will be playing in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday against Kansas City.

This is what the Jets envisioned the 6-7, 363-pound Becton doing for them when they drafted him 11th overall in 2020. He was expected to be their left tackle for a long time, but injuries played a large part in derailing those plans.

Becton appeared in only 31 games in his four years with the Jets. He underwent multiple knee surgeries and ended up playing a total of one game in 2021 and 2022.

There also was the matter of what position Becton played.

He’d always been a left tackle, but the Jets signed Duane Brown in 2022. Becton missed all of the 2022 season.

Former Jets coach Robert Saleh moved Becton to right tackle last year. Becton wasn’t initially on board but eventually said he would do what was best for the team. Brown got hurt in Week 2 and Becton started at left tackle in all but one game for the remainder of the season.

Becton didn’t feel like rehashing what went wrong with the Jets.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t really want to talk about it. I’m at the Super Bowl right now. I don’t really want to talk about it.”

The Eagles signed Becton to a one-year, $2.75 million contract last offseason. Philadelphia’s highly regarded offensive line coach, Jeff Stoutland, believed Becton could be an effective right guard for the Eagles.

He wasn’t wrong. Becton played well in 15 games and cemented himself on a line that features decorated players at the other four positions.

Right tackle Lane Johnson is a six-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro, left tackle Jordan Mailata was an All-Pro this season, and center Cam Jurgens and guard Landon Dickerson made the Pro Bowl.

Philadelphia had one of the top offensive lines in the NFL last season, but longtime center Jason Kelce’s retirement left a big hole in the middle. Stoutland moved Jergens from right guard to center and plugged in Becton at guard.

Philadelphia was off and running. Saquon Barkley rushed for a franchise-record 2,005 yards and the Eagles averaged 179.3 rushing yards per game, their most in 74 seasons.

“He came in probably expecting to be a swing tackle,” Johnson said. “Being able to go inside for a taller guy is super-hard. I think his traits and everything that got him drafted where he was drafted are able to shine. Sometimes you have to go through some adversity to make your way. He’s done that, man. We love him. He’s a great teammate.”

Becton probably wouldn’t have been open to playing right guard for the Jets.

“Yeah, because there you don’t have Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata,” he said. “So who else is going to play that position?”

Becton referred to the two Eagles tackles as “legends,” then said the other two are legends, too.

“They’re all legends to me,” he said. “I feel like I’m right at home. I feel I’m where I need to be.”

Becton said the transition from outside to inside was difficult at first, but he kept working at it and showed improvement throughout the season. Stoutland played a big role in that.

“He’s one of a kind,” Becton said. “He’s a different guy. He’s going to get the best out of you no matter what. He’s going to love up on you at the same time. He’s helped me tremendously.”

Becton relishes everything that’s happened this season and said he’s built more than friendships with some teammates. He said he “made brothers.” He wants to continue making memories with them this week and enjoy playing in a Super Bowl.

Becton never doubted he would get here.

“I work hard at everything I do,” he said, “so I knew it was going to end up happening someday.”

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.