What’s In A (nick)Name?

PHILADELPHIA — Paging through the Eagles’ media guide can be educational and resourceful, as there’s a wealth of information at your fingertips.

But what can sometimes get lost in the statistical breakdowns and rankings are the interesting nuggets included with each player profile, where you’ll learn interesting factoids about the 2025 team. For this piece, I focused on nicknames; one was gleaned from perusing the media guide and the other from hearing in passing, piquing my interest to hear the backstory.

This week, I caught up with Eagles cornerback Adoree’ Jackson and linebacker Jihaad Campbell to learn the story behind the origins behind their nicknames.

Eagles CB Adoree’ Jackson’s nickname “Deuce” has followed him from college to the pros.

‘Deuce’

Amid a celebratory postgame Eagles’ locker room after defeating the Lions 16-9 on Sunday Night Football, one of the locker stalls generating the most media traffic belonged to cornerback Adoree’ Jackson.

The attention was for good reason, as the nine-year veteran was key in befuddling a high-powered Lions passing attack. A savvy veteran, Jackson used the back of the end zone as an extra defender to squeeze the intended receiver on a 4th-and-3, his coverage aiding in an incompletion to wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. He would later blanket St. Brown on a 3rd-and-10, collecting a pass breakup and forcing a punt.

For Jackson, who’s been viewed under the microscope for much of the season, his play validated what the organization – and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio – has seen in him. It also, at least temporarily, quieted the outside noise.

Jackson, based off of observation and reaction, is a popular and respected presence in the Eagles’ locker room. He’s taken all of the criticism hurled his way in stride, never fixating on it or allowing it to define him. And in the midst of his postgame availability, the reaction from teammates paints the picture of the togetherness forged over time.

“Yeah, Deuce!” was echoed multiple times by teammates within ear shot, piquing my curiosity enough to ask Jackson about the origin of the nickname.

“When I got to USC, because I wore No. 2,” he explained. “It’s just something that stuck with me, and everybody just called me that. I never had a nickname, but I did love the name ‘Deuce,’  because it was something that was given to me. And I went out to [U]SC and made a couple plays, shit, and they just started calling me ‘Deuce.'”

Jackson expanded on his answer, revealing that the nickname holds even greater significance because of the legacy left before him by a couple program standouts during his era of USC football.

“And then it was cool, because all the guys wore No. 2 from my school, of like [wide receivers] Robert Woods, Marqise Lee. So, to have that tradition … and then I’m following them and I get to be called that. That’s what I think about; it’s cool to have that full-circle moment for me.

“Like, not trying to be them, but it just so happened that they gave me the number because they saw that I could be like them. Shout out to [USC wide receivers coach] Tee Martin and everybody just calling me ‘Deuce’ instead of Adoree’. So, it ended up working out.”

Eagles LB Jihaad Campbell’s (left) freakish athleticism as an offensive player when he was younger earned him a familiar nickname.

‘Megatron’

Often times, nicknames are self-explanatory and befitting, eliminating the need for follow-ups. Others spark curiosity, which was the case of rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell, who boasts the same nickname of a 2021 Hall of Fame inductee that played on the other side of the ball.

“It was in little league,” Campbell began after chuckling. “I was scoring hella touchdowns and the name just popped up. It was when I was playing offense, so just gave me a little grace right there. That’s when I got it, when I was in little league and I was just scoring touchdowns. It was Coach Fred and a lot of other coaches, they just came out of nowhere and started calling me ‘Megatron.’ And just took it and ran with it.”

Megatron, of course, was the moniker of former Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson, for his imposing frame and freakish ability to soar over defensive backs. While Campbell rose to prominence as a do-it-all defender for the Alabama Crimson Tide and began the season as a starter opposite Zack Baun, the 21-year-old said he was on some radars as a potential receiver or tight end, recalling Syracuse and Boston College among those who expressed that interest.

Campbell’s job description doesn’t allow him to showcase those abilities these days, but looking back, he stills agrees with the assessment.

“I would kind of look at it in that way,” he said. “Because big, tall, a little flexible, a little rangy. Not too much wiggle, but more so like a catch-and-run person and stiff-arm people, get ’em out my way. And yes, I did have a little speed.”

But after all these years, does Campbell still have it in him? While the nickname wouldn’t appear to be befitting on the surface, the answer to that question from the confident first-year pro most certainly was.

“Hell, yeah,” he said, grinning. “Definitely. For sure.”

— Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com