Players do not need the ‘C’ patch on the chest of their uniform to be a leader. But if there is anybody on the Philadelphia Eagles that is deserving of being named a captain and donning the patch for the 2026 season it’s Jordan Davis.
Davis, 26, is in the middle of quite the transformation as a player and a person.
On the field, he is only getting better.
A player who rebuilt himself
After his first three seasons did not meet the expectations of a 13th overall pick, Davis took it upon himself to dig deep and change his conditioning routine, which was a consistent issue since his arrival to Philadelphia.
That started with his noticeable weight loss when he entered camp ahead of what was a crucial season for the former Georgia Bulldog. He credited his newfound love for the Peloton for his surprising new look when he arrived in South Philadelphia for workouts last summer.
“I wanted to look sexy,” Davis said last year with a smile at the then NovaCare Complex.
That type of humor and personality masked the determination the physical defensive lineman had in turning his young career around. It revealed his wherewithal and self control to make the necessary changes to not only better himself, but the team.
“I just want to be a dual threat. I don’t want to be a one-trick pony,” Davis said last summer leading up to the start of the season.
A young, high draft pick could have easily scoffed at the thought of having to make major physical changes and instead ride on the coattails of his draft pedigree.
Davis did not and it paid off. Literally.
Breakout production — and validation
He is coming off his best season with notable improvements across the board. He posted a career-high 4.5 sacks and 72 tackles last season while playing in all 17 regular season games for a fourth straight season. He improved as a pass rusher in the second half of the season which was noticed by defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
He played in 61% of the snaps in 2025 compared to 38% in 2024.
The Eagles rewarded Davis for his commitment to getting into better shape which in turn improved his on field production with a three-year, $78-million extension with $65 million guaranteed in March.
The $26 million per year on the extension places Davis tied for second in average annual salary among interior defensive linemen. Equivalent to former teammate Milton Williams and below Chris Jones of the Chiefs and Dexter Lawrence of the Bengals, per Over the Cap.
“A big passion of mine is being a premier nose guard,” Davis said during his contract extension press conference.
“A nose guard is a position that doesn’t get a lot of accolades or get a lot of premium for it. It’s a muddy position at times. Going to get two hands on you in the run, sometimes in the pass. To be able to go out here and prove to kids and to show people that nose guards aren’t meant to be overlooked, like we have a true place in defenses. I think that’s one thing that makes me really proud to be a nose guard.”
It is hard to overlook Davis at this juncture of his career.
New teammate Jonathan Greenard believes playing alongside both Davis and Jalen Carter will make his job easier off the edge.
“Having that as an advantage is going to be great as an edge guy,” Greenard said via Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia. “Every edge guy is going to tell you that. You got two guys like that inside pushing the pocket, just causing disruption, it makes our job a whole lot easier.”
A leader emerging in real time
Carter also looks to make it easier on all of his teammates off the field.
Whether that’s being a mentor to young defensive linemen new to the team or a teammate that plays on the opposite side of the ball.
His growth as a respected voice in the locker room is noticable.
He gets credited for helping Jalen Carter improve his game. Davis is also becoming the kind of teammate others gravitate toward. Someone who mentors younger players, supports guys on both sides of the ball, and brings energy to the building.
Much of that comes from the example set by his own mentor, Brandon Graham.
“When I first got here I was talking to Brandon [Graham]. We all know and love BG. The determination and grit he showed. You come here, and those who care and work to improve, the city will love you. That was something that stuck and resonated with me,” Davis said during his press conference back in March.
“BG has been here for years and he told me what type of people are in Philadelphia. [Put in] hard work and show that you are at least trying to get better, they will be there to root for you.”
The fans and city will certainly be rooting for #90 loudly when he is first introduced at Lincoln Financial Field this fall.
He is not at Graham’s stature just yet in terms of being adored by the city, but he certainly could be on his way.
“My idea of leadership is doing the right thing, doing right by people,” Davis said.”
“You don’t ever want to tell people to do something you wouldn’t do. Now that I have the experience I have the years under my belt. I have a difference in the way I play, and change the way I feel about myself. I have more of a way to connect with players. When somebody comes in and they are struggling at a time, I’ll be there for them because I’ve been through it.”
“You don’t have to have a ‘C’ on your chest to be a leader,” Davis said.
True. But this season, he may very well earn one.