Eagles Press Conference: Jahan Dotson, A.J. Brown, and More | August 29, 2024

Jahan Dotson never how's the crash course in the Playbook going uh it's been good um been meeting with Amo a lot uh just getting in to the building as much as possible and um trying to get it all down uh it's really it can be challenging you know um going through all of preseason camp OTAs um and learning a whole different kind of I call it a language um and then coming here um and picking up a completely different language but um I I look at challenges um and I look at them and I attack them um so me and Amo that's what we've been doing these past couple days uh staying in late hours coming in early hours and uh getting after it what' you pick up from from AJ Brown those training sessions what was that what' you pick up from AJ Brown those training sessions um I would say you know the biggest thing is like competing um with him uh you know I I can't do some of the things AJ can do obviously he's uh physically gifted but you know any chance I get pushing myself to compete against him um it was fun um and it's good because you know he's he's one of the best to do in this league um so you know competing with him um and stepping up to the plate every single day I come to work uh training wise uh it was fun um and I I looked forward to it every day uh he pushed me I pushed him uh so it was cool he said you reached out to he said he reached out to his trainer to to get into those sessions why' you do that and how that come about yeah I mean um a couple years back I I went down there um and I was training with Coach Joey uh and AJ had already he had a relationship with him he coached him in high uh in college um but yeah I saw AJ in there one day um and you know after a couple weeks uh we kind of started work out together a little bit and then this past year was We we were really working out together really running together pushing each other uh competing with each other so I guess as time went on it kind of build it and build it up uh to us really competing with each other and working out with each other what's Johan what's it like being home um and being able to play in this area for the first time in your career and also to be with saquin who you know from Lei valy since high school yeah um it's really cool um in so many aspects I feel like my family uh super close they can come to games whenever um and then I I feel like the Lehigh Valley has done me so well um and they've supported me all throughout Little League High School um so being so close to them they can get the games really cool um and then you know I feel like for me this is like really cliche but Pennsylvania has never done me wrong uh I came here I excelled and little league High School uh went to college here um so being back here is kind of refreshing a little bit um and being back home is always fun uh I I truly love being around here in the atmosphere um so yeah um ready to put on for for the green and white as a follow to that what do you recall about when saquin was at whiteall before he was at Penn State when he was at at whiteall yeah um I played saquin my freshman year at High School uh his senior year at whiteall um they beat us pretty bad you know he looked like an NFL running back in his senior year of high school which was crazy but um it it was pretty cool and we kind of built the relationship from there um him going to Penn State uh me going to Penn State you know we communicated throughout that and then you know our battles uh through NFC um division games was pretty cool uh seeing him put on from the sideline and then me doing my thing um just knowing that you know we were two people who kind of made it from you know a very small area where a lot of people don't make it to this stage uh it was it really awesome to see and you know we're we're just trying to do our best every single day exchange last year you had I guess that was last year the Jersey exchange where you guys wrote each other messages what was your message to him that day you remember um that was two years ago my rookie year um but yeah you know uh just representing the the 610 um and you know just putting on uh that's really what we're doing uh putting on for where we come from uh because like I said it's such a small community and a lot of people don't get this opportunity that high school game that high school game when you said he looked like a an NFL running back is there anything specific you remember um no he got killed so I don't I try to forget those times but uh yeah it was pretty cool to just compete with him and uh yeah Johan it's early but how do you feel this offense highlights your strength um yeah you you started with a great point it's early um right now I'm just trying to figure out my role in this offense um really learning The Playbook is is my big thing right now um we still have a a good amount of time till week one uh so making sure that I'm comfortable uh in the Playbook and making sure that I'm able to to play fast as possible um that that's my biggest Focus right now aside from your time with Aon on the play and you know you uh look at film and see you know what placement you might have on the field do you also um in terms of teams and their analytics do you do you take that into your approach do you do you look at what you like take that of information and see how it might apply to you um yeah uh that and that's a a week to we Thing game planning um with the different teams that we're going to face the different Corners we're going to see um but yeah right now I'm I'm just trying to figure out what I'm doing on each and every play um that that's really my main focus right now um and then you know the game plan it comes uh week to week like I said um and knowing your opponent that's a big thing knowing what the other guy across from you likes to do um how you can attack him um so that's things that I'm going to get into on a on a week toe basis but right now I'm just focusing on playing fast and we'll do a couple more we'll get Toon aside from that extra time with Aaron Morehead what else have you done like what's been your process to learn this Playbook sticking in it as long as possible um being in it day in and day out um even when I go home uh it doesn't stop uh just so I I can be comfortable when I'm on the field um and I can play as fast as possible uh getting those hours in with with Amo is is big for me um just because I'm so behind in the learning curve but you know it it's not only the time that I'm in here it's it's when I go home I got to put it on myself to to Really prepare um and make sure that I'm I'm good when I get in here it's only been a few days but what have you learned about Jaylen Herz uh you know in this short period that maybe you didn't notice when you were in Washington um he's a leader um and you know he he has a lot of weapons around him um we know he's going to make good decisions um but yeah building a relationship with him is is big uh just because he is the the guy who's going to be leading us this year um so yeah every chance I get to to build that relationship I'm going to do so um and continue to to try to be be more comfortable with him uh make sure that I know where he wants me to be on certain plays um and different things like that so building a relationship I feel like is the biggest biggest key for for me uh throughout these couple weeks speaking to us how he referenced the amount of did on you coming out of the draft uh a what do you remember from that and and be the Eagles were in that range before trading for AJ did you think coming here out of the draft was a possibility um I had no idea honestly um when it comes to the draft you you honestly have no idea where you're going to go uh you just got to be prepared for everything um so you know I heard talks uh about maybe coming back home but you know different things happen um but yeah I was ready for any any outcome that that came about DeVonta Smith got what do you think of the addition here with Jan adding him to the receiving Court um I think it's a great addition um me personally always been a big fan of him um studied his college tape um studied what he's done past two years um always been a big fan I think it's going to be a nice addition to the room were you fan what what stood out about him would you say U so my first time watching him was um in college when we were playing Ohio State in nna um I know he um played against him so I was studying some of the corners over there and he just popped out on the tape and ever since then I I've been a fan so just the way that he runs routes the releases he does and things like that I feel like we're kind of similar AJ AJ said that you know he has an opportunity ahead of him um because of the attention that you guys get he spoke to his experiences hearing what the defense says for him over the past couple years what is it that you hear when they see um you know how they dedicate to you on the field um I think it just depends on who who you're playing you know you have some teams that have guys that feel like they can put one-on-one with us and they just play their defense regular versus you know a team that kind of adds a little more attention to us and um I think week in week out that changes but um I think it's going to be hard for a lot of teams with the addition of sequan with Jan and all the other weapons that we have um that if you just try to zero in on you know one person we have plenty of other guys that can make plays he's come to your softball game um how did that come about and did you get to know him well um knowing that he was from the area I feel like that was a big part of it him being from the area just inviting somebody that's been around there somebody that has ties to it with three softball games there are you now an honorary Lehigh Valley guy in addition to saquon and and Jan yeah for sure what's your what's your vision of this offense right now what it's going to be when you guys get on the field on Friday do you do you have a feel for that um no not really you kind of have to get into the groove of you know the game plan and things like that as right now we haven't done that yet we haven't you know dug into the game plan so feel like when we get there then I'll kind of have a clue but as of right now you know we still we're still in the phase where we're focused on our on ourselves still trying to make every individual get better we saw you the summer lineup inside quite a bit in this offense is there an opportunity for you to really succeed in that role um I like I said I think it just depends on the game plan depend on who we're playing um ultimately um that's up to the coaches um so you know kind of won't know until the game plan comes out you like being in there I'd be anywhere it doesn't matter to me how much are you looking forward to kind of like showing everybody what this offense can do I mean like none of you guys have really played at all during the preseason games your first game is going to be next week in Brazil like you know how much how much is that exciting for you um I don't think it's just showing everybody else I think it's just you know proving to ourselves the work that we've done the past month coming out here grinding every day with each other um the work that we've put in the time that we've put in watching film with each other um you know helping each other out whether it's you know running routes um you know quarterback in the low line with protections and things like that I think it's more so just helping each other out and just being excited for each other that we get to go out there and do this together partipate that this is maybe the most movement that you'll have since Alabama obviously that was um useful for you um we'll see we'll see um you know getting out there and practice is one thing but like I said going to the game game plan different teams and things like that um that may not be the case for some teams are there more option routes in this offense um I feel like option rout is something that we've always done um definitely something that we've always done but like I said I can't really just pinpoint it until we get there how therefore I mean you know whether there is or isn't um late last season you talked there was a couple games where I think you talked about the communication issues that maybe um between quarterback and receiver how much have you guys had to hone that um in light of also having a new offense um I think it's it's more of a when it happens um because you can just sit there and talk about oh we need to communicate we need to do this but it's more so you have to be in that moment in that situation so you can you can we can have talks outside of on the field in the building things like that about we need to communicate better um it don't it takes place when it's on the field so um I feel like we've been doing good adjusting on the Fly um when things did come up in Camp um we I feel like we communicated well but um you know that only happens when things come up so as they come up we will handle it as so Britain was talking about you yesterday as a smaller receiver he seems to uh try to look at you and your success how's that relationship uh progressed over the years with him uh it's great we we joke all the time about you know being probably well for sure being the smallest guys on the team um he he probably weighs a little more than me so I consider myself the smallest guy U we joke all the time about that um he's a phenomenal person phenomenal player um just the relationship um it's more than just football um what it's us talking about you know the kids and things like that or anything else um he's just he's he's the light of the room in the room he's the guy that's always keeping the spirits up um you know no matter if anybody's having a bad day he's going to be the the guy to always make sure that everybody in the room is having fun that whoever it is that maybe down a day that he doesn't continue to let them feel that way Devonte what are your thoughts on playing in Brazil going you know quite a distance to play your say it again what are your thoughts on playing in Brazil going this great distance to play a game no comment really not excited you're not it's football just line up okay thanks we A.J. Brown get J what do you think of the addition of jond do U man it's a great addition um this someone that I uh train with an offseason so I'm very familiar with you know and uh just to take the offseason into and bring it into our room now you know it helps out a lot you know what I'm saying so from that time you've trained with him what's some insight you can give us on him off the field and maybe what he can provide on the field uh first of all he's a great person he a great person um I don't let people train with me honestly and I let him train with me so I should tell you everything you need to know how did that come together um create a relationship he uh he reached out to my my trainer and my trainer asked me so like uh it's a one-onone thing with me with my trainer and um he reached out to my trainer he trained you know of course like I said he's a great person and he works extremely hard you know to answer your question man um he's a great rout Runner great a hard worker you know so uh that's honestly that's all I could care about he's a hard worker so so you didn't know him you didn't really know him beforehand or anything until like his trainer reached out to you um I was a fan of him from from afar you know um and when I put two and two together um they told me who he was I was like oh yeah what what did you like about him uh before you met him and and now yeah you know just going against him in Washington man he he will always make make some good plays and you know uh he run some really good routes you know and he was still early on his career and um you you can still see like he was developing and still learning the game um and so um what my trainer told me he was like that's Jan from from Washington I was oh okay you know and then it just kind of progress from there how competitive were those training sessions AJ um it's always competitive you know uh like I said uh he works hard so you know I mean that's my training session so of course I'm trying to outdo them so just to get better you know most importantly so how you he has here AJ over the past couple years when when you and Devonte are on the field together and you guys are in 11 like how how much attention do you guys get and how much of an opportunity is that potentially for Jan he has a big uh big opportunity in front of him I'm not going to put too much on his plate but he he does and and and I can tell you guys uh when I line up I know they other than out 11 in the slot 11 outside you know and most of the time I'm getting coverage rotated to me you know most most most importantly and you know Smitty has his one-on-one matchups you know and and I don't know how they do with Smitty um so I don't speak for myself but but I know they account for SMY as well so when you look up you're not I G to say you're not really worried about them but they they're probably not going to put their best guy over there they can only do so much they only can do so much you know and you know it's it's very rare that certain teams probably have three all like three really really good DBS and so he has a big opportunity in front of him to to he has mismatches all day and uh you know and I I hope he he maximize those mismatches most different about this offense the difference what what's going to be different than your first two years why do you think it's going to be different um I can't answer that because we haven't played yet um so I really don't know um you seen you seen training camp yeah but that's Camp though you know um I honestly feel like nobody knows how this team is going to play until we play against and play against somebody else and and it's a real game you know you want to see how guys react you don't know how the game's going to get called you don't know you know we got new new offensive coordinators so you you just don't know and you know um so it's still early yes we we done some great things in Camp that's Camp you know but they're blowing the whistle nobody's getting tackled stuff like that you got to fact uh put all that into into into one so going back to what you hear pre- snap you know defensive backs trying to figure out where you're lined up how much of an advantage is it that Jan can play inside out you know having three guys can all play from different alignments you know uh just having having guys just can go inside and outside helps helps the offense out a lot you know U cuz I can tell you guys uh going against 55 on outside and that hey it's not fun in my world honestly you know uh but to have guys that can uh change with you and and you moving in motion and doing those those type type of things and it helps out everybody so AJ T told us a story earlier this Summer that last year you found out he spent time in Brazil and you're asking him a lot of questions about Brazil ask Portuguese things of that nature yeah hey where did that Curiosity come about and and have you uh have have you focused on Portuguese at all or try to learn any Portuguese um no um because we we had a a meeting yesterday and there was like a whole bunch of don't dos and uh so um I'm just trying to go down there win a football game and come back home that's the best way I can put it remember though with yeah yeah yeah it's me talking talking to him and asking a lot of question you know that was my uh first initial thought you know you know um but after hearing all this stuff you know I'm probably going to be in my room how do you how do you kind of balance you know the fact that you guys are going to Brazil and it's this great opportunity to grow the game with also the fact that you know you're playing the Packers it's you know your first game and everything and you know you got to be focused on that I mean is that tough to do or how do you handle no it shouldn't be tough to do you know we're professional this isn't my first game um but um it is my first game out the country so um you just gotta put all that into a factor and just try to navigate through that the best way you can and ultimately you know um what we what we down there to do we down there to win football game what we told not to do we're not down there to we're not down there to see the city and do all this other stuff this is not a vacation this is this is uh a football game that's that's what were you told not to do a lot honest honestly things that we would normally do here and simple as just walking down the street with your phone in your hand and stuff like that like which is kind of crazy so it's all right last one please uh Jan and and Britain kind of said that you guys didn't really run any plays for for your third receiver last year what kind of opportunity will will that kind of reality present for Johan and how different will that look uh based on his skill set and you know his ability to not you know not being covered the same way you guys I didn't I didn't hear the first first part said you guys didn't really run any plays for your third wide receiver don't do that and obviously you know youve got to really Jan does that present for Jan um I I say everybody is uh keying in on us you know um every every pre-nap what we doing so like I said earlier he has a there a big opportunity in front of him because uh guys are just they're not just really just worried about him you know he's he's not the focal point you know and that's not a bad thing you know it's a perception thing you know you can look at it two ways I'm not the focus point or he was like I have a huge opportunity they're not worried about me you know I can make him worried about me and so and I think he's taken that approach and like I said he's been working extremely hard um put in a whole bunch of overtime learn his offense as quickly as possible um so um he has a he has a like again he has a big opportunity in front of him thank Nick Gates what's up guys hey Nick what was cut down daylight for you uh when you got word I guess I don't know if you got word or when you got cut and then you got brought back what was it what was that like uh yeah it the first time that's kind of happened to me and I've been through that process um but you know they were upfront with what they were going to do with me and how they were going to go about it so yeah I knew I knew it was coming G to happen when they did it so did they tell you they wanted you to come back yeah they did they back on practice squad Nick when you signed here did you feel like you were behind the eight ball could you start a little later or uh maybe a little bit in the learning The Playbook and stuff but they did a really good job with you know getting me on track and getting me CAU to speed real fast with that so I feel like I ain't feel too far behind the eightball you know for too long are you going to take reps at center now been any discussion about that yeah they've been repping me at the you know inside three the whole camp and you doing that the whole time so um yeah and I'm it's been my job the last three years is you know playing the inside three so you know always stay ready for no matter what Nick you've been you've been in other places uh Stout's got such a great reputation what a what have your been your first impressions of him oh Stout's a great coach you know he coaches you hard but he loves you too and he um he's done a good job and you you know been on you can see it on film how well he coaches the the guys and you know that's always jumped off the film you know being within the division you know seeing those guys they always play so well and do a really good job and you know I'm excited to be here and be able to you know learn from him when there's that many new guys on the interior a mix you know veterans and rookies you all the other are trying to find your place what is that relationship like what whenever you know yall are interacting I mean even off the field yeah um feel like it's same you know Ricky or you know that you know they've been through it's not like it's their first radio come through the college you know similar but they just you know as long as they understand the game and you know know what they're supposed to do and you know it's pretty easy so you just got to build relationships with each other on and off the field and I think that helps Nick what's it like blocking for saquon barley since you've had that experience before oh yeah no it's saquon's awesome to block for you know you give him just a little tiny hole and he could hit it and he's he could be out the front door and you know be gone and even if you mess up a play he could uh you know turn it into a big play for you and it's it's it's awesome I love blocking for saquan love saquan as a human and a person he's he's good teammate too he's he's an awesome player aw person I'm sorry what was your first thought when you signed you saw that he signed with Philly I was so happy for him I was like it's it's finally now he has a good offensive line and good you know good guys that he could run behind Nick in Camp we saw you rep at guard and at Center mostly at guard what's your comfort level at at center right now yeah you know i' I've played you know the inside three my whole my whole uh you know whole career so you know whatever they they see me as fit I'll you know I'm ready to play wherever they want me to play what kind of prep have you got gotten about what Brazil is going to be like um you know what have you what have you learned to this point kind of what yeah they just you know told us you know kind of just stay on the hotel and stay in that area you know but you know we're there to play football game and that's kind of what they you know they hinted at so you know we're there for any two days and you know business trip so you know we going you know hopefully get a win and know come home Nick what did you learn from Jan being his teammate in Washington oh he's he's awesome dude he works hard he's willing to do whatever and you know good good locker room guy so you know it's a a you know really good person he's awesome in have why no gloves or tape on your hand I just never really wore gloves and then last year I stopped wearing tape and I just kind of liked it so I just you know kind of stuck and you know it used to be a tough guy thing and then I was like back in college I was like oh I'm not going to wear the gloves be a tough guy but now I just it's just like a what I've gotten used to what I like and I feel like I can feel you know the Jersey more and be able to grab easier with it without my gloves from a center perspective you know if if you're snapping is is there any different there what do you mean without the gloves like yeah I mean I've never wore gloves as my snap when I started to play center I never wore on my snap hand so I always felt it was not be able to feel the ball was kind of a thing but I even before that I didn't wear gloves what about the road up jersey I guess what made you settle on on that I've always done that ever since high school you look up pictures online of my high school coming out to games and stuff I've always had to roll up you know Jersey and never wore a shirt underneath my pads and stuff so just kind of always been my look and I always kind of liked it you've gone like I think you went overseas with the Giants played in London um how how is that different from like what you guys are doing in Brazil is it more of a business trip like in in this case just because you're not there as long yeah I think the same thing we were only there for a couple days too I think we left uh I can't remember but yeah we were only there quick any of these trips they are they business they're business trips we're there when you know we're there for football and win a football game so that's you know it's a business trip no matter what you what you look at it have you been working on your snaps more have you been like practicing more your snaps yeah you know I practi them you know try to do every day get a couple snaps with the quarterbacks you know even when I wasn't getting reps in camp at at Center as much at the beginning I you know I was you know getting snaps and just working on them and you know it's something I know it's part of my job you know it's going to be you know keep me around as working on inside three so I got to you know do as much as I can what led to your decision to to sign with the Eagles and were there were there other options uh no there wasn't any other options at the time until like right before but you know the Eagles are a good team and a good organization I've only heard good things about it so I'm excited to be here and excited to you know be with the team couple more please did you find Jaylen likes the snap a certain way compared to maybe some other quarterbacks yeah I haven't got to work with jayen yet on the snapping and stuff but quarterbacks like the ball right in their chest so you know I don't think it matters who it is but I think they like it so they keep their eyes down field and you know could you know do their job yeah thanks guys e