Jersey No. 54 was a natural for Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and so as he arrived at the NovaCare Complex on Thursday for his uniform and helmet fitting with the team's equipment staff, the Eagles' fifth-round draft pick from Clemson slid right into that as if … as if it were part of a family legacy.
Which, of course, it is.
Trotter's father, Jeremiah, was an Eagles third-round draft pick in 1998, is a member of the franchise's Hall of Fame, and a true legend among the worldwide fan base.
Junior is appreciative of all of that, without question, and how his family has always been a part of the Eagles' family and if you watched the video of Eagles Chaiman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie greeting the draft pick shortly after the selection was made, you understand that.
Moving. Touching. Real.
"It was emotional as well, because I know the memories he has with my mother (Tammi, who passed away in 2023) and my dad and the family in general with me coming around (the NovaCare Complex and Lincoln Financial Field) as a kid, so hearing him get emotional was definitely emotional for me, too, because we were both thinking about her and the memory of her during the moment," Trotter Jr. said.
"It really did show the type of connection he had with my family when she was here and the relationship that they had."
Those emotions – all very positive, all very heartfelt – have melted into reality: Trotter is here to play football. He has no guarantees, and the Eagles have significantly challenged the linebacker position through free agency and the NFL Draft.
This is going to require a stern focus and production on the football field and Trotter knows it.
"I feel like you've got to kind of treat it like a game," he said. "You have a big win on Saturday and maybe it's an overtime win and you celebrate it that night after and maybe another day and then you're back grinding and getting ready for the next opponent.
"That's how I treat it and have that mindset. Celebrate it, thank God and celebrate with my family, thank the coaches and the organization, and then after that celebration period I'm back grinding and I lock in on what I need to do to come in and help the team any way I can."
The fans have reached out, Trotter said, and he appreciates the support. And he means it, truly.
But this is a kid who is all business and who is here to show the best version of himself. Period.
"I'm just focused on what I can control and that's me coming in, trying to be the best player I can, learning the defense and making sure I know what I'm doing, and being a good teammate," Trotter said. "I'm here to help the team any way I can and whatever role I'm put in, that's the role where I'm going to put in 100 percent effort."
