Latest news with #AJDillon
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Eagles Rumors Swirl About Saquon Barkley Backups
Eagles Rumors Swirl About Saquon Barkley Backups originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Philadelphia Eagles' running back room looked vastly different when organized team activities wrapped up in June compared to how it appeared just months earlier. What seemed like a straightforward depth chart behind superstar Saquon Barkley has evolved into one of the most intriguing position battles heading into training camp. Advertisement At the center of this uncertainty is the precarious roster status of newly signed veteran AJ Dillon, whose Eagles tenure could be over before it truly begins thanks to the rapid ascension of sophomore Will Shipley. When the Eagles released longtime contributor Kenny Gainwell and signed Dillon to a one-year, $1.3 million deal in March, the expectation was clear: the former Green Bay Packers power back would slide into the No. 2 role behind Barkley while Shipley continued his development as a third-string option. Spring practices told a different story entirely. Multiple reports from OTAs and minicamp highlighted Shipley's impressive showing, with the 2024 fourth-round pick out of Clemson demonstrating improved vision, cutting ability and overall comfort within offensive coordinator Kellen Moore's system. Sources close to the team describe Shipley as "more explosive" and "noticeably more confident" than during his rookie campaign, when he managed just 30 carries for 82 yards (2.7 yards per carry) in the regular season. The 5-foot-10, 200-pound back has reportedly caught the attention of coaches with his versatility, showing improvement as both a receiver out of the backfield and in pass protection. Shipley didn't receive any targets in the passing game during the 2024 regular season, aside from his appearance in the meaningless Week 18 against the Giants, where he caught all four of his targets for 35 yards. Advertisement Shipley's limited regular-season opportunities came primarily in garbage time situations, but he made the most of his chances when it mattered most. In the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship Game against Washington, Shipley exploded for 77 yards and a touchdown on just four carries, including a spectacular 57-yard burst. The play served as a flashpoint for the potential that had been largely hidden during his rookie year. The rookie's preseason showing in 2024 also offered a glimpse into his ceiling. In the Eagles' preseason opener against Baltimore, Shipley scored the team's first touchdown on a 7-yard reception from Kenny Pickett and rushed for 23 yards on seven carries. He was one of just three Eagles running backs to receive at least seven carries in that game. While Dillon brings an undeniable physical presence that the Eagles have lacked in recent years, questions persist about his fit within Moore's offense and his ability to contribute on special teams. Dillon's 2024 season was wiped out entirely due to injury, and at 29 years old, there are legitimate concerns about his explosiveness and long-term durability. Perhaps most telling is the financial structure of Dillon's contract. With only $165,000 guaranteed of his $1.3 million deal, the Eagles face minimal financial consequences if they decide to move on from the veteran before the season begins. Advertisement The Eagles' roster construction adds another layer of complexity to this battle. With the team expected to keep return specialist Avery Williams, who can contribute at both wide receiver and running back, plus fullback Ben VanSumeren locked into his role, the math becomes challenging for carrying four traditional running backs. Philadelphia has historically preferred to allocate roster spots toward skill position depth at wide receiver and tight end, making Dillon's path to the 53-man roster even more treacherous. If the coaching staff believes Shipley can adequately fill the change-of-pace role while also contributing on special teams – something Dillon has rarely done throughout his career – the veteran becomes expendable. The next six weeks will prove crucial for both players' futures. Dillon must demonstrate that his power running style and pass protection skills are valuable enough to warrant a roster spot despite his limitations. For Shipley, the goal is simple: continue the trajectory established during spring workouts. If you combine Shipley's regular season and postseason rushing stats, he had 34 carries for 180 yards (5.3 YPC) and two touchdowns – efficiency that suggests he's ready for an expanded role. The Eagles seem confident that Will Shipley can take over as Saquon Barkley's backup running back, and early indicators suggest this confidence is well-founded. With minimal guaranteed money and limited special teams value, Dillon faces an uphill battle to justify his roster spot. Training camp will provide the final verdict, but the writing may already be on the wall. Advertisement Related: Adoree Jackson Embraces Old-School Coaching Style in Eagles Secondary Related: Eagles' Jalen Carter Reveals Plan to Join NFL's Elite This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
Fox News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Eagles' AJ Dillon reflects on 'cool experience' attending Trump rally, meeting president
Philadelphia Eagles running back AJ Dillon attended an October rally in Wisconsin for Donald Trump when Trump was the Republican nominee for president. Dillon, with the Green Bay Packers at the time, received a special shutout from Trump, who described Dillon as a "Green Bay football phenom." "You may know that name Quadzilla, the Quad Father – AJ Dillon. I got to meet him backstage. Get healthy soon AJ, get healthy," Trump told Dillon, who missed the 2024 season with a neck injury. Dillon reflected on the "cool experience" in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. "It was cool. I had never met a president before. Cool experience. I never even met Brett Favre before that," Dillon said. "It was a cool experience. If you're getting called out by a president, regardless who you voted for, whoever it may be, that's just a cool experience in itself. "Happy to have been there, been able to meet him, take pictures, stuff like that. I had never been to a rally and got that full experience, but definitely cool, for sure." Dillon's comments echoed those of new teammate Saquon Barkley. Barkley played a round of golf with Trump in April, shortly before the Eagles visited Trump at the White House, and took those who were disappointed in him to task. "lol some people are really upset cause I played golfed and flew to the White House with the PRESIDENT," Barkley posted to X shortly after the round. "Maybe I just respect the office, not a hard concept to understand. Just golfed with Obama not too long ago… and look forward to finishing my round with Trump ! Now ya get out my mentions with all this politics and have amazing day." Hulk Hogan and Danica Patrick also attended that October rally in Wisconsin, one of the seven swing states Trump had won to become president a second time. Hall of Fame quarterback and Packers legend Brett Favre spoke at the rally, where he likened Trump to his former team as a "winner." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Fox News
6 days ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Eagles' AJ Dillon explains why Caitlin Clark's teammate, Sophie Cunningham, is his 'new favorite player'
Like many sports fans these days, A.J. Dillon is locked into the WNBA, but not exactly because of Caitlin Clark. It is actually one of her teammates -- Sophie Cunningham – who has the new Philadelphia Eagles running back glued to the television. In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Dillon said he was "like all the fans who became fans a week ago" when Cunningham came to the defense of Clark, who was fouled earlier in the game, by committing a flagrant foul of her own, which resulted in a huge scrum on the court and ejections. Dillon said he was discussing the matter on his podcast with his brother-in-law and said after recording that he would buy Cunningham's jersey. Reports surfaced that Cunningham's jersey was out of stock, and while those were never confirmed, Dillon posted his purchase on social media. Dillon said she earned a newfound respect for Cunningham, who he dubbed his "new favorite player," for protecting her team's best player. "Caitlin Clark's obviously the best player on that team, arguably the best player in the WNBA, if not the best. You got your star player, they're drawing a little bit, but think about it like the quarterback. That's our quarterback, we're gonna make sure she's protected. If somebody pushes Jalen Hurts, everybody's gonna be in there. I respected that, being there for the team." Dillon told Fox News Digital. Dillon added that he plans on debuting the jersey on the 4th of July on a boat. "I'm a fan, I like that approach to the game, and just being a tough player for the team, not letting anybody push your teammates around, I like that." The whole ordeal occurred when Connecticut Sun guard Jacy Sheldon poked Clark in the eye last week. She was also pushed to the floor by Marina Mabrey. Cunningham wrapped up Sheldon under the basket on a hard foul in the fourth quarter, and the two were ejected. "During that, it was just part of the game. I think the refs had a lot to do with that. It was a build-up for a couple years now of them just not protecting the star player of the WNBA," Cunningham told reporters days after the team lost to the Golden State Valkyries. "At the end of the day, I'm going to protect my teammates. That's what I do." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Fox News
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Eagles running back AJ Dillon embraces mental challenges of chess to prepare for 'perfect' opportunity
A.J. Dillon wants to make a good impression when he takes the field with the reigning Super Bowl champions on Sept. 4. The running back spent his first five years in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers, sharing touches with Aaron Jones for most of his tenure. Dillon missed the 2024 season with a neck injury, but the Philadelphia Eagles signed him in free agency - and it is obvious to see why he joined the Birds. "Coming off a Super Bowl, best offensive line in football, Saquon [Barkley]'s a guy I've known for a long time, so it really worked out perfect," Dillon told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "I'm loving my role there, getting to know my teammates, Philly's a great city, they got awesome fans, food's great, football's great, and it's a great city. It's awesome to be out there, and I'm looking forward to the season." However, earlier this month, in an effort to fire up his mind before heading to training camp, Dillon joined several other NFL stars, including Justin Herbert, Kyler Murray and eventual winner Justin Reid in the BlitzChamps tournament. Reid also won the tournament last year. Dillon's results were not what he was hoping for, saying, "there's some chess sharks in the league," but he added the game of chess is an ideal mental warm-up for football. "I think the mental piece in football is such a big thing. I think when you talk about what sets people apart, because obviously, everybody's talented at the college level, and at the NFL, everyone's big and strong, but it's that mental piece," Dillon continued. "How quickly can you gather information? How can you think back into the scouting report, and so forth? "You can only do so much football, so still trying to challenge your mind, but also get your mind off of football. Chess is a great way, and trying to stimulate the mind in different ways, chess does that in a way where you're really thinking strategically, and there's a lot of correlations between chess and football, I think." Dillon was also able to raise money for his charity, which he started last year. "Being able to not only play chess and have fun, but also be able to have extra money to donate to a great cause like everybody else will be able to do for whatever they represent this is a huge blessing in itself," he added. The competitive nature in Dillon will not let him phone it in after one subpar tournament appearance, either. "Next time, I'll be a lot better. It definitely made me hungry. I'm a competitor," Dillon said. "It's OK, my first time. I know what the competition is like, so I gotta step it up. I got the app downloaded on the phone, so when I got some down time, definitely will play some exhibition matches and things like that. Definitely looking at shake up the tables next year." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Eagles Signing New RB Leads To 'Tush Push' Controversy Update
The Tush Push debate has been a hotly contested controversy for the last few seasons. The play, a variation of the quarterback sneak first run by the Philadelphia Eagles, reached it's apex in 2024 with it's usage by the team's win in Super Bowl LIX. Now, the rest of the league - or almost enough of the NFL's owners as a vote awaits - wants to see it banned. Advertisement And it has former adversaries turned teammates speaking out in defense of the play. One clear example is former Green Bay Packers running back A.J. Dillon. The bruising 247-pound runner - nicknamed "Quadzilla'' for due to his massive power-weapon thighs - made it clear that while his former team was the group that submitted the ban of the Tush Push request onto the list of possible rule changes, he was on his new team's side. "Funny enough, I do a podcast with my brother-in-law and he's here in Green Bay where we started it and I was giving him a lot of flak for that," said Dillon, who signed a one-year deal to come to Philly. "You ban a play just because it works really well? How about you come up with a play to stop it? "Week 10 (Packers vs. Eagles) will be interesting. That will be a lot of fun and a lot of smack talking going on for sure." Advertisement It's easy to see Dillon's point of view here. It seems as though the Eagles are being punished over creating a virtually unstoppable play ... so rather than have defenses shut it down ... The NFL commissioner is arranging to do so. Philadelphia will be OK without the play as well. They remain a Super Bowl contender with, or without one of the better goal line plays to work with. And Dillon - who sat out last season because of a neck injury but who had 16 touchdowns in his first four seasons with Green Bay - may be a big help for the team as a muscular backup to superstar Saquon Barkley. Related: Eagles Ex Standout Linked As Right Fit For Rival Related: Eagles New Podcast Duo Offers Hilarious Gorilla Fight Take
