He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005 and won Super Bowl XLIV with the New Orleans Saints, beating the Indianapolis Colts.

Changing parishes during eighth grade, Eckel was able to attend and graduate Holy Spirit while playing football for The Saint Denis Bulldogs of Havertown, Pennsylvania.

While playing baseball for the Churchmen of Episcopal Academy, Eckel recorded a .460 batting average during his junior season, earning All-League, All-City and All-Area selections.

Eckel was most recently added to Ted Silary's "30 Year Inter-AC Football All-Star" team.

Eckel attended the Naval Academy and was ranked as a preseason All-American and the top NFL fullback prospect in the country by draftboardinsider.com prior to his senior season at Navy.

Eckel, who had a practice deal with the Patriots while on active duty, was signed by the Miami Dolphins in 2006 but did not play that year.

Eckel made his regular season debut in that Monday Night Football contest, playing on special teams for much of the game, recording one tackle and getting his first carry (for three yards) in the fourth quarter.

Eckel was named the most valuable special teams performer in a divisional round playoff victory against the New York Giants at the Meadowlands.

Eckel was primarily a fullback and special teams player on the 2009 Saints that won Super Bowl XLIV against the Indianapolis Colts, 31–17.

In 2014, four years after leaving the NFL, Eckel was named the color analyst for the West Chester University football team, a school a few miles south of his native Philadelphia.