Jahan Dotson: ‘I got goosebumps leaving the field today’

For anyone who doesn’t yet understand the impact the fans and football culture in the City of Philadelphia and Lincoln Financial Field have, if you don’t think it matters or that the fans aren’t part of the family, here is what newest Eagles wide receiver Jahan Dotson had to say about his first experience on the home sidelines on Saturday. Jahan Dotson: 'I got goosebumps leaving the field today'

“Being out here today and being on the field and kind of taking it all in a little bit, I’m very excited,” Dotson said after the preseason finale. “Like, I got goosebumps leaving the field today. Growing up only an hour and a half away from here (in Nazareth, PA), you understand the passion. You understand how much people care about the Eagles. Seeing the fans go crazy literally after a third preseason game, it was exciting.

“It got me a little excited to be here.”

The Eagles sure are excited to have Dotson, in his third season after two with Washington. He has played both inside and outside wide receiver, is good at the top of his routes, has good speed, and makes plays. The Eagles did their work on the Penn State product prior to the 2022 NFL Draft and had him in for a visit to the NovaCare Complex for a top-30 visit. He eventually went 16th overall to the Commanders, but the Eagles stayed up on Dotson – as Executive Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman and his staff always do – and swung a trade with Washington on Thursday to acquire Dotson.

Said Head Coach Nick Sirianni about Dotson: “Really liked him a couple of years ago coming out. Really looking forward to working with him. I think he helps our team. He gives us an addition to an already deep room. I’m excited to work with him. We’re just really excited that we were able to make our team better.”

Now the race is on for Dotson to learn enough of the offense and develop chemistry with the other 10 players on the field, especially quarterback Jalen Hurts, in time to help the offense. Dotson said he wants “to get on the field right away,” so the onus is on him to do the studying and learn the terminology of the offense. The cram sessions have already begun – Dotson arrived at the NovaCare Complex on Friday morning, started his crash course, then reported to the classroom early on Saturday to continue his education, and then had a Zoom session scheduled with Wide Receivers Coach Aaron Moorehead on Saturday night.

How does Dotson plan to fit in? He knows the offense is oozing with talent and the passing game will continue to go through A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert. There’s also a guy named Saquon Barkley in the backfield and, of course, Hurts is a multidimensional weapon. Dotson is here, he says, to do his job, whatever that may be.

“By doing anything possible to help this team win,” Dotson said, “and I look at that as a great thing. We have a lot of people who can make a lot of plays. It’s going to be fun. In all of my years of playing, I’ve never been on a team with this much talent, so I’m not only excited to play with them, I’m excited to learn because we have a lot of great guys in the locker room from top to bottom.”

Dotson is already in a good place within the Eagles’ locker room, having a strong bond with Barkley and training with Brown in the offseason. He clearly had a seismic moment at Lincoln Financial Field, learning more about how much the Eagles mean to the fans. Dotson has been told multiple times already how the Eagles do their business and the standards this organization has.

They’re very high. Dotson has the challenge of being the very best player he can be to help the offense.

“Being ready for my opportunity in my hands and taking advantage of it when it comes,” he said. “That is what I’m here to do. Getting to work. That’s what it is all about right now.”