Jihaad Campbell didn’t leave much room for the rumor mill to breathe.
With Eagles training camp officially underway, the second-year linebacker addressed the chatter around his decision to wear No. 11, the same number A.J. Brown had before the trade that sent him to New England. Campbell made it plain that there’s no hidden message behind it.
“I've been hearing the A.J. (Brown) thing - we can leave that out, it's nothing towards him at all.
I wore it in high school, in college. I just wanted to wear it in the NFL.”
That was the end of that. Campbell said the number is simply familiar to him, something he’s worn throughout his football career, not a shot at a former teammate. In a league where jersey numbers can turn into mini soap operas, he moved quickly to shut this one down.
The bigger picture in Philadelphia is a lot more serious than a number on a jersey. The Eagles are heading into the 2026 season with Super Bowl expectations again, and Campbell is expected to be part of the mix as he continues developing inside one of the league’s most talented defenses. The first-round pick would much rather have his play define him than any conversation about what’s on the front and back of his uniform.
And from the sounds of it, there’s no issue inside the building. With camp rolling, the Eagles can get back to football, which is exactly where Campbell wants the attention to stay.
If he delivers the way Philadelphia expects, fans won’t remember No. 11 for the number itself. They’ll remember what he does between the lines.
In Other News...
Eagles Camp Is Sending An Early Warning About Eli Stowers
Training camp has already made one thing clear in Philadelphia: the tight end room is being sorted by role, not just by name. Dallas Goedert is handling the starters job, while veteran Johnny Mundt has been getting notable work as the blocking presence in the Eagles 12-personnel looks, the kind of package that asks one tight end to help in the run game and another to threaten the defense as a receiver.
Eli Stowers, meanwhile, has not been seeing much action early on, which is a reminder that camp reps can tell you as much about the pecking order as any depth chart. The Eagles are trying to build a tight end mix that can do both jobs, and for now the competition behind Goedert is still taking shape as the staff sorts through who fits best in those specialized snaps. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles May Have Finally Found Hurts New No. 2 Target
Training camp has a way of sorting out the pecking order quickly, and Dontayvion Wicks has given the Eagles a reason to keep watching. The receiver, acquired from Green Bay and locked in on a one-year extension, has flashed enough early to make himself part of the conversation as Philadelphia looks for a new running mate for DeVonta Smith.
The most encouraging sign has been the kind of play that turns heads in camp, including a tough catch in double coverage that suggested he can win when the window shrinks. With the Eagles still evaluating who can step into the WR2 role, Wicks is starting to look like more than just another name in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Are Already Committing To A Stunning Fangio Development Gamble
Uar Bernard is getting his first taste of an NFL training camp with the Eagles, and the early stages of his development are as raw as they come. Philadelphia took the seventh-round pick as a long-term project, and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Bernard is still in the learning phase as the team starts to map out how he can eventually fit.
The Eagles are willing to be patient with that process, even carving out a roster spot for Bernard while they work through the details of his growth. It is the same kind of developmental bet they once made with Jordan Mailata, and the hope is that patience and persistence can turn a fascinating gamble into a real contributor down the line. [Read more 🡒]