The Philadelphia Eagles introduced newly acquired wide receiver Alshon Jeffery during a press conference on Friday afternoon.
Jeffery, regarded by many as the NFL’s top free agent wide receiver, agreed to a one-year, $14 million contract with the Eagles on Thursday.
Jeffery, as well as fellow free agent signees Torrey Smith and Chance Warmack, appeared for the first time since signing respective deals with Philadelphia.
NJ.com Eagles reporter Eliot Shorr-Parks shared several live tweets from the press conference.
Jeffery: “This city needs a championship. Wants a championship. That’s a must” #Eagles
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) March 10, 2017
Jeffery on the red zone strategy: “Just throw it up” #Eagles
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) March 10, 2017
Jeffery won’t really say he def wants to be in Philadelphia beyond this year. Just keeps saying they’ll figure it next offseason #Eagles
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) March 10, 2017
The additions of both Jeffery and Smith moves were crucial in giving second-year quarterback Carson Wentz more options at wide receiver. Jeffery admitted that the idea of playing alongside Wentz was a key factor in his decision.
“He had a lot to do with my decision,” Jeffery said of Wentz to CSN Chicago .
“He’s a great quarterback. He’s going to be a future MVP.”
The wide receiver also gushed of his new quarterback in a piece entitled “Moving On” for The Player’s Tribune regarding his decision to leave the Bears for the Eagles.
“As the season went on and he kept playing better, I thought that someday he was gonna be a legit MVP contender. I think he has that kind of talent.”
“I actually told him that the other day. He and I were texting back and forth after the news broke that I was coming to Philly. I told him that I felt like he was good enough to win an MVP someday, and that it was going to be my job to help him win it.”
“He straight up said he didn’t care about being MVP.”
“He wanted to win a championship.”
Jeffery also shared his gratitude for the Bears organization, who drafted him in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft, as well as the city of Chicago.
“Thank you for welcoming me with open arms,” Jeffery wrote.
“But my biggest thank you has to go to the Bears’ fans. I’ll never forget the first home game of my rookie season, running out of the tunnel at Soldier Field and a sold-out stadium going absolutely crazy. It was intense. There were times playing in that stadium when I felt like I was back in college because the atmosphere was so electric — and that’s saying a lot because I played in the SEC, and nobody in college football turns up like the SEC. But Bears fans could turn up right there with them.”
“Honestly, thank you for welcoming me, and for making me feel at home. Because of you, Chicago will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Jeffery enjoyed fast success during his tenure with the Bears. He recorded a career-best 1,421 yards and seven touchdowns on 89 receptions and made the Pro Bowl during his second season (2013). He added 1,133 yards and 10 touchdowns on 85 receptions the following year, before seeing his numbers decline over the past two seasons due to injuries and a suspension.
Still, Jeffery was one of the most productive wideouts in Bears history with 13 career 100-yard receiving games.
Following Jeffery’s decision, former teammate Jordan Howard tweeted an animated image of himself shaking his head and later congratulated the receiver on his new deal.
— Jordan Howard (@JHoward205) March 9, 2017
S/o to big bro @TheWorldof_AJ though on the new deal, wish you much success ??
— Jordan Howard (@JHoward205) March 9, 2017
[Featured Image by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images]