By Chris Murray

For the Chris Murray Report

Now that the stress of getting his five-year, $45-million deal is behind him, Eagles running back LeSean “Shady” McCoy is not only ready to get back to work to start the 2012 season, he is out to prove that he is the best in the NFL.

“Even without this deal, I want to come in this league, in this year and dominate,” McCoy said. “That’s what I want to do with the money or without the money, I want to dominate. I want to be considered the best all the time, not just this year and then take a year off. I want it to be on a consistent basis where I’m mentioned as one of the best better backs and my team is doing well.”

Coming off a season where he gained 1,309 yards rushing (ranked 4^th in the NFL) while scoring a franchise record 20 total touchdowns (17 rushing and three receiving), it was a no-brainer for the Eagles to reward the 23-year-old McCoy , who also had 48 receptions, with a good deal because of his value to the offense.

“We felt like we had a great nucleus of guys, LeSean being one of that group,” Eagles head coach Andy Reid. “He does it all, so this isn’t a one-dimensional running back. This is a running back that can not only carry the football for you but can catch the football as well as the wide receivers and he can block and loves playing the game. That brings great energy to this football team.”

McCoy said with the burden of getting that big contract signed makes it easier for him to get ready for the organized team activities during this spring.

“I love to compete and that’s the biggest thing with me and my teammates in the locker room ,” McCoy said. “A lot of guys on this team have nice deals and they’re in the same boat I am. They’ll come in and work hard.”

On the surface, it looked like getting the deal would be easier said than done, especially since McCoy’s agent is Drew Rosenhaus. But this time around there was no prolonged holdouts, or negotiating in the news media or elaborate press conferences outside his clients home. It was a matter of all sides being honest and working it out.

Rosenhaus said Reid was a major force during the negotiations along with Eagles general manager Howie Rosen with who the controversial agent spent the most time with during the course of working out the terms of McCoy’s contract.

“Coach Reid kind of sat there as a presence,’hey I want this deal to happen, guys. Do whatever it takes,” Rosenhaus said. “He motivated both sides. He was very instrumental in the process.

“In the multitude of deals we’ve done with the Eagles and they are in the dozens since he’s been the head coach this is the most involved that I’ve seen him. ..The main goal is to win a championship.”

Not only has Rosenhaus successfully negotiated deals McCoy, but he’s also gotten deals for DeSean Jackson, and Evan Mathis. Yes, this is the same Drew Rosenhaus whom folks despised for his infamous, “Next Question,” debacle back in 2005 with his former client Terrell Owens. He was a guy that was presumeably the scourge of Eagles management because of what some people thought was his penchant for strong-arming teams by negotiating with them through the media. .

Apparently, That’s the case not anymore. Rosenhaus said he has a good relationship with Eagles management in recent years and credits the Birds management for facilitating that process.

“Guys have been uneasy about some of the things that have happened in the past and may have been nervous about our relationship with the Eagles,” Rosenhaus said. “With Evan, DeSean, and LeSean, the Eagles were very positive towards them about us. They let the players know that they have no problems dealing with us and that we would be able to work out deals.”

Rosenhaus said he’s learned a lot of things over the years about allowing things with his clients to escalate in the media during the course of contract negotiations.

“At one time, I communicated too much with the media when it was related to negotiations then I was completely distance,” Rosenhaus said. “Now I’m trying to be somewhere in a good middle.”