PHILADELPHIA — Jahan Dotson was playing catch up all of last season. It wasn’t something the former first-round pick wished upon himself, nor wanted in just his third year playing in the NFL.
Reality struck Dotson once he fizzled out in Washington. No longer was he the the focal point in the offense, contrary to his role at Penn State and in his first two NFL seasons. The numbers weren’t showing up in the box score, nor were the targets on the field.
For any wide receiver, it’s a hard pill to swallow.
“You know, younger me wouldn’t have handled that very well,” Dotson said regarding his lack of targets in his first season with the Eagles. “Being a receiver, obviously everyone wants the ball. That’s just a part of who we are.”
Dotson knew he wasn’t going to be the high-volume target he was in Washington. Not in an offense that already had A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith as the top two wide receivers. The third wide receiver in Philadelphia barely gets targets as is, so the Eagles weren’t a franchise Dotson could use production as a means to salvage his career.
A whirlwind of a season
Getting traded to Philadelphia was the wake-up call Dotson needed after falling out in Washington. After just two seasons with the Commanders, Dotson fell out of favor with the new coaching staff (Kliff Kingsbury’s offense). He was a remainder of the old regime under Ron Rivera, the same first-round pick who had two different offensive coordinators in his first two seasons in Washington (Scott Turner and Eric Bieniemy).
So the Commanders found a taker in the Eagles, who thought highly enough of Dotson that they gave up a third-round pick and two seventh-round picks to acquire him. The Eagles received Dotson and a fifth-round pick, hoping they finally could land a consistent No. 3 wide receiver for their offense.
No longer the top wideout, Dotson had to grow up. If he didn’t, his NFL career would have taken a turn for the worse.
“Getting traded here (and) realizing that, you know, your job in the NFL isn’t safe anywhere you go,” Dotson said. “You gotta be on your Ps and Qs. … It’s bigger than me at the end of the day. I got a family to feed.”
Dotson embraced his role as he was learning the offense, crediting Eagles coach Nick Sirianni for catching up quickly. He was traded to the Eagles just 15 days before the 2024 regular season began, so the accelerated courses began.
“Last year, it was a big learning process for me,” Dotson said. “Learning the offense, learning how things work around here, being introduced to a new organization. But I felt I picked up on it real fast.”
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The turn around
Dotson accepted the targets weren’t going to come his way very early on, only having one game with over three targets prior to the season finale in Week 18 (when the Eagles rested all their starters). He had 10 targets in an 11-week stretch before having seven catches for 94 yards in the season finale against the Giants, showing the Eagles what he could so if called upon to be a high-volume receiver.
That’s not Dotson’s role, and he’s okay with that.
“Whatever is asked upon me, whether that’s running a clear out route, whether that’s catching a bubble screen, if that’s gonna be my only target of the day — that’s gonna be my only target,” Dotson said. “I gotta make the most of it.
“You can throw me in everywhere, X, Y, Z, F — and I’m gonna do my job. I’m gonna make it happen. That’s what the team has kinda looked to me for. Being kind of a spark plug when we need to make a play. I’m gonna make the most of my opportunities when they come my way.”
Dotson had just three catches in the postseason, but two of them sparked the Eagles to victories. He caught an 11-yard touchdown from Jalen Hurts on the Eagles’ first possession in the wild-card round victory over the Packers, fresh off the heels of that seven-catch game against the Giants.
His number was called seldomly in the postseason, but when the Eagles rang — Dotson answered. In Super Bowl LIX, with the Eagles facing a second-and-11 from the Chiefs‘ 28-yard line, the play design was to Dotson — and Hurts hit him for a 27-yard gain to a raucous uproar from the Superdome crowd. The play was initially ruled a touchdown, but Dotson was ruled just short of the goal line.
The Eagles scored on the next play and never looked back in the 40-22 victory, vindication for Dotson after a whirlwind of a season. Dotson finished with two catches for 42 yards in the game, showing the Eagles they were right to trade for him.
All because he bought into their culture.
“Being able to come here and playing alongside great guys and learning from them, it really helped me grow as a player,” Dotson said. “It’s up to me to do my job to the best of my ability. That’s what I’m gonna do every time I’m on the field. I’m gonna do what I’m supposed to do and be where I’m supposed to be. Make the plays I’m supposed to make.”
A full offseason in Philadelphia
Unlike last year, Dotson was able to spend all of minicamp and training camp with the Eagles. He had the opportunity to build his chemistry with Hurts, going down to Houston and working with the Eagles quarterback on getting the connection even stronger.
Having a full offseason with the Eagles makes Dotson’s process going into the season significantly easier. The former first-round pick isn’t a flameout with this organization, rather knowing his role in the offense and how if he can perfect it.
“It’s up to me to produce. It’s up to me to really come out here every day and make it happen,” Dotson said. “I felt like last year I was picking up along the way and it really showed later in the season as I was gaining more trust with Jalen and becoming very familiar with the offense.
“So it’s up to me. I had OTAs, training camp this year, so I have no excuse. I’m gonna make it happen whenever my opportunity is called.”
The Eagles didn’t pick up Dotson’s fifth-year option of being a former first-round pick, which he expected to happen. Nothing is guaranteed in Dotson’s mind, which makes him even stronger as he looks to make the most of the second chance the Eagles have given him.
“I thought I grew mentally as a player last year,” Dotson said. “I feel like it’s really gonna help me this year.”
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Author: Jeff Kerr
July 29, 2025 | 3:06 pm
