EAST ORANGE, NJ — The city of East Orange rolled out the red carpet for one of its native sons on Monday afternoon, March 10. An unseasonably sunny, warm and bustling afternoon at City Hall Plaza in East Orange with trains running regularly back and forth from New York City and Hoboken on the busy Morris Essex Line in the background. “It is a great day today,” exclaimed Mayor Ted R. Green at the beginning of the program dedicated to honor Jahan Dotson, wide receiver and Super Bowl LIX winner with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Dotson was born into a big sports family where they boasted two high school All-Americans in men’s and women’s basketball during the late 1970s and mid 1980s, respectively. With some of them being successful at the college level. Dotson himself got his start with the East Orange’s Junior Jaguars Pop Warner football team, as he spent a year there on their flag and Mitey Mite teams. “Jahan was such a good kid growing up,” said Sharonda Bailey, who was his former Mitey Mite Head Coach with the Junior Jaguars. “He had a willingness to learn the game and be a team player. We are so proud of him and his accomplishments. Jahan, we have something for you, but first, I have to mention that I am a Giants fan, but when Jahan was drafted by the Washington Commanders, I would go on to show love to the family and his fans. So yes, I can confidently say that we had him first!!” She concluded with a presentation of Dotson’s former Junior Jaguars’ No. 20 jersey that was framed with the help of current players and cheerleaders, as well as Junior Jaguars president Fritze Dupiche.
“It’s the second time in so many years that we give this honor to one of our own,” said Green. “The first time was with Rasul Douglas, who won Super Bowl LII with the same team as a rookie.” He went on to mention Jabrill Peppers and Will Hill as well. Both Douglas and Peppers entered the NFL in the same year after stellar college careers at West Virginia and Michigan, respectively. Peppers was selected fifth overall in the 2016 Heisman candidacy. Hill last played for the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens, before playing in the Canadian and Xtreme football leagues. “We have a reputation of producing a long line of stellar athletes and gifted people,” Green said to the crowd of press, dignitaries, fans and invited guests. “On behalf of the city of East Orange, our city council, state senator Britanee Timberlake, demoractic leader Leroy Jone and state assemblyman John McKeon, I would like to present you with the key to our city,” he concluded amongst a roar of fans.
Dotson’s accomplishments were always grounded in his family. His family came to East Orange in the mid 1950s where his great-grandparents first settled on Shepard Avenue. His great-grandmother, who celebrated her 101st birthday not too long ago, has been the root for the whole family. She, along with the whole family, were right there when Dotson got the call as the 16th overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft.
When Dotson’s parents made the decision to move to the Nazareth area in Pennsylvania, Dotson was more than ready to get out there and show his classmates what he can do. In fact, he was one of few eighth-graders to start on his high school freshman football team. “It wasn’t really done before,” he said in an interview after the ceremony. He said that he would let his playing do the talking, as he was the type to lead by example. “Starting out with the Junior Jaguars prepared me to play in a competitive league when I got to high school,” said Dotson. He went on to explain that his team initially put him in right away, but was he ready when he got the call? “My high school coach put me in the second half of the game and scored four touchdowns that game.” In his freshman season, he had 59 receptions for 681 yards, averaging 11.5 yards per catch, and scored nine touchdowns in 10 games for Nazareth Area High School, which plays in the famed Eastern Penn League of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association.
By the time he was sophomore in high school, he was the top wide receiver in his class with more than 50 college offers. “I knew I can play with guys who were going D1 and eventually the pros,” said Dotson. He made it clear that he loved his recruitment experience, even when he had some challenges going into his junior season. “My sophomore season in high school was my best year during that time,” he said with a modest smile. With 66 receptions for 1,179 yards, taking an average of 17.9 yards per catch with an astonishing 98.3 yards per game and 16 touchdowns, you can see why he was so proud of his recruiting. “I didn’t want to be a knucklehead; in fact, I wanted to be the role model for those who are coming up behind me. My leadership style allows me to be honest with myself and allow those around me to be honest with me as well.” Dotson would spend his junior year at one of New Jersey’s elite schools, The Peddie School, where he was quite effective. At Peddie, he would make his debut in the second half of the Seton Hall Prep game, as well as homecoming of sorts for him. “Seeing those guys fly to the ball, I knew that I was home. He ripped off seven receptions for 224 yards, including back-to-back 63-yard bombs for two touchdowns against the Pirates that year. He played quarterback for the Falcons until the fifth game of the season, where he broke his leg during the game. “Our quarterback at the time had gotten hurt and I was called to play the position,” he explained. He completed 12 passes on 22 attempts for 263 yards. That’s 54.5% completion rating, along with 21.9 yards per completion, 52.6 yards per game, with three touchdown passes thrown. In the same five games he played in toted the ball 22 times for 251 yards, averaging 11.4 yards per carry. He averaged just over 50 yards per game, where he had two games with over 100 yards rushing, which included his longest rushing attempt, a 66-yarder for one of his four touchdowns. That was all on top of his wide-receiving duties, where he hauled in 23 catches for 503 yards and 21.9 yards per catch, 100.6 yards per game and three touchdowns. “My recruitment suffered after my broken leg,” he said after the fateful game that year. “No one really wanted to take a chance on someone who suffered what could have been a career-ending injury. I broke my ankle and tibia, which led to major surgery before my senior season in high school.” Needless to say, he owns the Nazareth Area all-time receiving record of 187 catches with 2,755 receiving yards and 40 touchdowns.
Dotson would ultimately commit to Penn State University in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania. “I chose them because they really stuck with me from the beginning. Including during my rehab after surgery,” he stated. He was able to make it through with a tight-nit bunch of teammates who were from New Jersey, including local products from the greater Essex County area. It showed when his position coaches from Penn State – Jordan Lucas, Danny O’Brien and recently added former Malcolm X. Shabazz High School head coach Naz Oliver, who led his team to back-to-back sectional titles, a recent state regional title and the NJSIAA’s Group 2 finals appearance, losing to eventual NJSIAA Group 2 state champs Rumson–Fair Haven. “I think I speak for everyone on our staff, we have guys go to the NFL regularly, but you have to take the time out and recognize the special ones who are willing to put the time in. To have them win the Super Bowl that is something we are extremely proud of,” said Lucas earlier in the ceremony.
Dotson felt his place was better at home in Pennsylvania with his parents and family, before he left for college. “My experience at Penn State definitely prepared me for what the NFL was going to be like,” said Dotson. He spoke on how he was prepared to go late in the first round as the 20th overall pick to early second round with the 40th overall pick. “I was home watching videos on my phone in the basement of my home,” he said. His family came to get him, as they were taking all the top wide receivers consecutively in the 2022 NFL Draft. “So I turned it on when Kenyon Green was selected by Houston,” he continued. “That’s when I got the call from the Washington Commanders.” He said when he got to Washington, D.C., he had the pleasure of meeting the Commanders’ ownership team, which included legendary NBA Hall-of-Famer Ervin “Magic” Johnson. “That was a great experience and I didn’t know what to expect on my first day in the facility.” Dotson would go on to set records as a Commanders rookie, nearly leading the team to the playoffs in 2022 and again in 2023. He was ultimately traded to Philadephia in 2024, where they made it to the wild card round. “Our mindset in the Super Bowl was we wanted to finish what we started. They beat us in the Super Bowl two years ago and we wanted to make sure that we finished this year,” Dotson said. He had a 27-yard reception in the first quarter for was thought to be a touchdown, but it was overruled by the NFL replay committee, deeming it just short of the end zone, setting up a 1-yard punch by Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts. The Eagles would eventually win the game, 40-22.
“This is tantamount to our city that we have the green space for our kids to play in,” Green said after the ceremony. He was extremely proud of the progress that all five parks in the city are getting the much-needed overhauls and updates that were needed. “Take Oval Park for example. That was where Naughty By Nature all played basketball and football growing up,” he said of Keir Gist, aka DJ Kay Gee; Anthony Criss, aka Treach; and Vincent Brown, aka Vin Rock. DJ Kay Gee and Uncle Vin Rock both were in attendance for the event. “We don’t do this too often, where we give keys to the city. It is a high regard, especially when you have someone who has achieved something at a young age,” said Green, referring to Douglas, who was the first athlete from East Orange to receive the honor by winning Super Bowl LII as a rookie in Philadelphia. Douglas, a product of the East Orange Rams Pop Warner football team and 2012 graduate of East Orange Campus High School, has since moved on to a couple teams, including Green Bay, and is now currently playing with the Buffalo Bills. “We are proud to say that we have actors, producers, artists, singers and hip hop moguls coming from our city,” said Green, “and we want them to continue to strive for the best in what they do, so we can continue to honor them,”
Dotson was gracious to sign autographs and take pictures with everyone. When asked what he would like to do after football, he said, “All I wanted to do when I grew up is play football. But I think that I would be a sports analyst after I’m done playing.” When asked about coaching, he smiled, saying no, he hasn’t thought about it, and he would be a better sports analyst since that’s all he watches, anyway.
Photos Courtesy of Kerry E. Porter and City of East Orange
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