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Getty Eagles WR Jalen Reagor is looking to improve on his 31-catch, 396-yard rooke season.
Andre Dillard deleted his social media accounts because he was tired of the “general negativity in the world.” He wanted to live a simpler life. His teammate, Jalen Reagor, didn’t take it to that extreme but the second-year receiver has made it a point to limit the amount of scrolling he does in his free time.
Reagor, the 21st overall pick in 2020, got into some heated battles with Philadelphia Eagles fans on Twitter last season. He slowly backed off and eventually decided to focus on the positives because there is more good in the world than bad. The haters – the negative comments and the basement trolls – are always going to be there no matter what you do.
“I don’t let things bother me at the end of the day,” Reagor told reporters on Thursday. “I look back when I was in college, it was always good talk and then there was bad talk, but I didn’t really pay attention to it because I really wasn’t into it. Being a professional, I was young, so I learned to start paying attention to everything. Which now I don’t. I really don’t care for it.”
Alabama head coach Nick Saban affectionately calls that outside noise “rat poison,” something Reagor picked up on from Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith. He’ll re-tweet a highlight-reel catch here and there, but refuses to engage with those who criticize him. It’s not worth his time. Reagor prefers to share the good things on his timeline to keep family and friends informed.
“I’m somebody’s hero, so I gotta make sure that they see those things,” Reagor said, “but I don’t look for pats on the back from nobody.”
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‘Totally Different Person’ in Year 2
Reagor knows better than most the rigors of life in the NFL. His dad, Montae Reagor, spent nine seasons in the NFL including one with the Philadelphia Eagles. Following a turbulent, injury-filled rookie campaign, Jalen decided to put his head down and get back in the lab. The 22-year-old started by looking himself in the mirror.
“I’m a totally different person,” Reagor said. “So you’re going to see a different player, different attitude, I’ll be out there having fun for sure. They’ll see something different for sure.”
What’s different?
“My mental, everything,” Reagor said. “Not necessarily dealing with everything but looking at the good in everything as well.”
Keeping in Touch with DeSean Jackson
Reagor mentioned that he has been leaning on the veterans in the locker room and reaching out to some of the older guys he knows around the league. One of the names he brought up was former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson who went to the Los Angeles Rams in the offseason. Reaagor and Jackson only spent one season together as teammates in Philly, but clearly the 34-year-old speedster made an impression. Jackson stressed the importance of conditioning.
“I’m stronger, just getting my body in great condition [this offseason],” Reagor said. “I’ve always felt good but now I’ve got a routine where I’m learning from the older players. I ask questions, I still talk to D-Jacc, I still talk to the guys I was around and get tips because there is a reason why they’ve been around for so long.”
When asked about a current teammate he looks up to, Reagor shouted out his “big bro” Greg Ward Jr. The former practice-squad standout just turned 26 years old in July, yet he outranks everyone in the Eagles’ receivers room by both age and experience.
“That’s where I get my positive attitude from,” Reagor said. “That’s somebody you want to stay closer to because he’s a genuinely good person.”
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Eagles Speedster Reveals New Mindset: ‘I’m Somebody’s Hero’