Eagles star Jordan Mailata names team’s most underrated player entering 2025 Super Bowl vs. Chiefs

NEW ORLEANS – The Philadelphia Eagles enter Super Bowl LIX with arguably the most talented offense in the NFL, boasting recognizable Pro Bowl-caliber talent at basically every position group. Yet there’s one specific name that isn’t often called, but has an extra dose of respect inside the locker room going into the big game: former Washington Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson.

Dotson, 24, has been a virtual nonfactor as a pass catcher during his debut Eagles season, securing just 19 catches as the No. 3 behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. This is despite Philadelphia sending a conditional third-round draft pick to Washington as part of the trade to acquire the wideout last August. When asked to identify his most underrated teammate, however, All-Pro left tackle Jordan Mailata identifed Dotson as the Eagles’ do-it-all catalsyt behind the scenes.

“He’s not talked about much, but we ask him to do a lot,” Mailata told CBSSports.com this week. That goes for both the run game and the pass game. When it comes to the former, it’s possible star running back Saquon Barkley wouldn’t have so much access to clear lanes if it weren’t for Dotson, a fellow Penn State product, using his speed to serve a very particular downfield role: “Whether it’s running a deep route, trying to pull the safeties out,” Mailata explained, “he does it selflessly.”

Dotson had no issue acknowledging the specificity of his job, while seated next to fellow reserve wideout Parris Campbell at the Eagles’ team hotel: “Our roles aren’t, like – obviously you see DeVonta, A.J. in the stat sheet all the time,” he said. “But we do a lot of the dirty work.”

Campbell still cautioned not to underestimate Dotson’s ability to make a splash in Super Bowl LIX.

“He’s a complete player on the field,” he said. “He can do the dirty work. He can go out there and run a route when a route needs to be run. But the thing about Jahan is he’s an explosive player. He doesn’t get a lot of opportunities, but we’ve seen it when he does get those opportunities: He makes plays.”