Eagles HC Nick Sirianni shouts out rookie for his 'toughness' through the first 3 weeks
Philadelphia Eagles rookie wide receiver Johnny Wilson has been silent on the stat sheet, however, his presence has still been felt on and off the field. According to Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, Wilson brings plenty of toughness to the table, which we've seen when it comes to his elite blocking skills that have opened […]
Philadelphia Eagles rookie wide receiver Johnny Wilson has been silent on the stat sheet, however, his presence has still been felt on and off the field.
According to Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, Wilson brings plenty of toughness to the table, which we've seen when it comes to his elite blocking skills that have opened up plenty of opportunities for others to make plays.
"He’s really tough, first and foremost," Sirianni said. "Talent is just the beginning. It’s about how tough you are if you’re going to reach your ceiling. Obviously talented and unique. He has unique traits with how big and strong he is.
"He’s able to do some different things that we need, some dirty work things that we need. And then he’ll be called upon, if we need to, to make some plays catching the football."
Through three games so far, the 6-foot-6 and 231 pounds Florida State product has just one receptions for nine yards — his only catch on four targets coming in the Eagles' 15-12 win over the New Orleans Saints.
On the catch, Wilson not only broke through a tackle but picked up a critical first down on 3rd-and-8 for his first NFL reception.
"I loved his first catch yesterday, putting his head down," Sirianni said. "He’s a big dude, and trying to tackle him was hard for those guys. And he was able to get some yards after catch and get the first down on that. So I just think I’ve seen toughness."
Wilson hasn't been perfect as he has also had two penalties that have killed drives, but he's learning every day and making up for those mistakes.
"He’s continuing to learn everything there is to learn about playing wide receiver in the NFL. Obviously not going to learn that all in one night, or one season, or two seasons. That takes time. But he’s uniquely talented and he’s got toughness. I’ll take tough guys on this football team any day of the weeks.
"Those are the guys – it’s like basketball, your shot is not always falling, right? Sometimes in football, you’re not getting opportunities, or it’s not coming your way or going your way. It’s the guys that play with relentless effort and toughness that can overcome things not going your way with the ball in your hands."
Wilson also hasn't gotten too many opportunities to showcase his receiving skills, though that could change with both top Eagles' top wideouts A.J. Brown (hamstring) and DeVonta Smith (concussion) potentially sidelined for Week 4's matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
