Eagles rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr.’s strong preseason debut began with special teams impact

BALTIMORE — Playing under the lights didn’t do Jeremiah Trotter Jr. any favors.

Trotter Jr. was anxious playing in his first NFL game. Even being the son of a Philadelphia Eagles legend, there were some butterflies in Trotter Jr.’s stomach as the fifth-round rookie awaited his opportunity to proved he belonged in the NFL. 

During the middle of the second quarter, Trotter Jr. got that opportunity.

Trotter Jr. entered on punt coverage, finding himself downfield and putting himself in position to make a play on Baltimore Ravens punt returner Damarion Williams. After Nakobe Dean missed the initial tackle attempt, there was Trotter Jr. wrapping up Williams and preventing Williams from turning a 7-yard return into 10+ yards. 

“It felt good,” Trotter said with a smile. “That was my first play out there. So, coming out there and making that play, backed up, and it felt great. I thank God. I thank my teammates, but I also felt really good getting in the game and that being one of my first plays out there.”

That special teams tackle set the tone for Trotter’s impactful NFL debut, as he finished with five tackles and a sack in Friday’s 16-13 win over the Ravens. With the sack, Trotter also recorded a pressure and quarterback hit, seeing time with the second team at inside linebacker. 

“I think it gave me some momentum right there,” Trotter said on the special teams play. “I got a lot of high fives from my teammates saying great tackle, great job right there, because when it comes to football, there are three phases to the game, and we all have to work together and we take special teams very seriously.

“Once I got that going I was just playing football again.”

Trotter’s most impactful play also came in that second quarter with the game tied at 6-6 and the Ravens facing a third-and-2 from their own 34-yard line. Trotter blitzed Ravens quarterback Josh Johnson on third down and prevented him from going outside the pocket and making a play with his legs. Johnson stepped up in the pocket and Trotter was there to make the play. 

Unsure if he had a sack or not, Trotter didn’t make his signature axe-chop move his father — Jeremiah Trotter — coined over two decades ago. 

“I thought he got a few yards,” Trotter said. “I was trying to make sure that he actually didn’t get the first down. Right there, I was just trying to make a play.”

Trotter Jr. has been impressing the coaching staff this training camp, moving up the depth chart to the second team behind starters Devin White and Zack Baun. Finding his way on an Eagles linebacker group that’s still in flux, all Trotter can do is make plays when he gets the chance.

Jeremiah Trotter made his mark on special teams as a rookie in 1998. Trotter Jr. may have found the same path. 

“Definitely I feel like I’m taking steps forward,” Trotter said. “We have a great coaching staff teaching me different things, and great veterans as well who teach me the ropes and different techniques. I’ll get back and watch some film, make those corrections, and try to improve every week.

“I went out there, made some plays, doing my job, trying to help out the team on special teams. And when I was out there on defense just trying to take advantage of the opportunity.

” I thank God, and I’m blessed to be able to have this opportunity. I feel I went out there and did my best.”