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| DeSean Jackson |
“Honestly man, it feels good to be back. I’ve been sitting around kind of itching, waiting just to get back out here with my teammates. The atmosphere, everything feels good. With the lockout being so long, and then with the lockout ending I’ve just been kind of sitting around waiting. I feel good to be back and I’m happy to be back out here with my teammates and everything like that.”
On the benefit of holding out of camp:
“I’m not going to get into that. I’m here now; I kind of just want to move forward. I think everything happened for a reason. You know I had to handle my business just as well. I’m just happy to be here. I want to move forward, I don’t want to talk about the past. Everything happened for a reason. I’m just really happy to be here with my teammates. I felt the greeting of the coaches and teammates accepting me with open arms. Everybody understands what’s going on. Like I said, I have an agent so that’s what their job is to talk to [General Manager] Howie [Roseman] and [President] Joe [Banner]. I’m just really here to move forward and just want the best things. I want to say positive. I don’t want to make it a negative thing.”
On whether negotiations have started for a new contract:
“Well, that’s not really for me to answer right now. I’m going to keep that private for Joe Banner and Drew [Rosenhaus]. I’m here to play football. I want to win games, man. I think so far, free-agency, and the new additions added to the new people on the team, I just feel very happy about our chances this year. As far as negotiations and all that other stuff, I really can’t answer too many questions because really there’s not been too much going on. We’re just ready to come back and play football, man.”
On the shape he’s in:
“I’m in great shape, honestly. I’ve been back home just working out every day, haven’t missed a day of working out. Been kind of just thinking and things like that to myself. I feel the plan that we have is great. The relationship I have with the team and the front office, I think everything will work out. We’re just going to keep everything positive, like I keep saying; I don’t want to turn it into anything negative. I love Philadelphia, I love the fans here; and just coming back out here on the field, you know the fans just showing me a lot of love and things like that. I just want to keep that positive theme going.”
On whether he will practice or play before a new deal is worked out:
“I’m here to play for the Philadelphia Eagles. I have a year left under my contract. Hopefully something can work out, I think everything will. With the talks and things like that, we’ll just keep that disclosed, but I think everything will happen in a positive way. I will play, I will practice, I just kind of have to ease my way back into it as [Head] Coach [Andy] Reid and myself talked about. I’m just ready to play, ready to get going.”
On whether he ever became angry throughout the last few weeks:
“I never got to really a situation. It’s really just about me wanting to step up and be a man about everything. A lot of people can say negative things, you know, but until somebody really goes through that and really are able to see how it feels. At the end of the day I have to be a professional. I can’t cry, I can’t moan about it. Being a man about the situation more than anything. I’ve been through a lot in my life, a lot of people always said different things about I was always too small, a lot of negative things. I’m still able to go out there and prove what I’m able to do on the field. I think my game speaks enough for everything. The only thing I can really control is playing in between the white lines. I can’t control contracts, I can’t control anything else. Realizing that, I just really want to go out there and let my play talk for itself. I really don’t have to do any other talking.”
On whether the Eagles free agency moves made him more anxious to get into camp:
“I always thought of it as being a good thing. Us as the Philadelphia Eagles being so close to the Super Bowl the past three years I’ve been here, our competitive nature is so close. I always did feel if we had a couple of more big-time players to come in and help out it would always be helpful. With myself and the guys that’s been here, ground up, [RB LeSean] Shady McCoy, [WR Jeremy] Maclin, [TE] Brent Celek, [QB Michael] Vick, I’ve stayed in contact with them throughout the whole time. They kind of understood my point. I never really got disappointed. It’s a good thing at the end of the day because I am a part of this team, and having additions like [CB] Nnamdi [Asomugha], [CB Dominique Rodgers-] Cromartie, these are guys that I’m real good friends with. They kind of always uplifted me when I was going through my situations. We just always kept it positive. Me sitting out, me holding out, that’s the past. It’s kind of over and done with. So now I’m presenting myself, I’m here, and I’m just ready to move forward. Like I said, hopefully everything will work out in a positive way.”
On whether he wants a new contract:
“I think that’s obvious. As far as how we go about getting it done is the biggest thing. I just really have to take advantage of what I have to do; stay out of trouble, just do all the positive things, stay away from all the negative talks of people saying whatever. All I can do is control what I can control. That’s the people around me, the things I do on an everyday basis. Just keep working hard, I think that’s the biggest thing. Me coming back and talking to Coach Reid, we just kept it all about football, you know, bettering myself and being a better football player, coming to work, working hard every day. There’s always a point where you can get better. You never feel satisfied where you’re at as a professional. I think where I’m at, my first three years, the things I’ve accomplished, it’s been off the chart, but there’s still always room for improvement. That’s one thing I realize. Being an Eagle this year is going to be something I look forward to. I always wanted to be an Eagle; because I held out for a couple days, or whatever it was, that doesn’t mean I didn’t want to be an Eagle. Like I said, I just had to handle what I needed to handle, but I’m here and I’m ready to move forward. I’m ready to play football. I’m ready to help win games. I said I love this city and everything.”
On whether he feels that he is at the front of the line in terms of priority:
“I can’t answer that. I wish I probably could answer that, but that’s not for me to answer. I know what I’ve accomplished the past three years, the games I’ve helped win, the hard work I’ve put in here at Lehigh, back at Philadelphia, the things I’ve done in the community. I know a lot of people probably wish, and hoping, or just kind of saying they can’t wait for me to mess up, but I still haven’t been that guy that everyone assumes me to be. I just need to keep doing the right things. I’m a very family oriented guy, I love my family. People probably misjudge a lot of things, but that’s not for me to talk about. I’m a family man, I love my family, and my family members are always going to be around me, so for people to misinterpret and say things the wrong way, it disappoints me. Me working so hard, and doing the things, and putting myself in the line for the Eagles, and even for myself, it’s what I’m here to do and I won’t change that.”
On whether the contract will be on his mind during practices and games:
“It won’t be tough for me at all. Like I said, I know what I’m here for, and that’s to play football. That’s my livelihood. That’s what I love to do, so at the end of the day man I’m just going to keep going out there with a smile on my face regardless of ups and downs. I know where my destination is, and my destiny is to be here and to be an Eagle. So I just want to, like I said, just keep doing the right things and working hard and hopefully everything pans out.”
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