Interview: The life of JJ Arcega-Whiteside
Maybe it was the only way.
The first steps of
José Joaquín Arcega-Whiteside
, JJ (Zaragoza, 1996), son of former basketball players Joaquín Arcega and Valerie Whiteside, are not taking place as the young receiver of the
Philadelphia Eagles
dreamed of.
Almost three seasons ago, during his stay at
Stanford University
, where he broke scoring records and triumphed until he was
chosen in the first round of the NFL draft
, JJ imagined what his life would be like in five years in an interview with this newspaper: "I would love to be in the NFL, but I can also be working on something related to international relations. I just want to have fun while I play," he reflected.
At that time, he had not yet made the leap to a professional league, he had not yet been selected by the Philadelphia Eagles, champions in 2018, with his first draft pick, he had not yet made his debut or had his first touchdown in the NFL ...
Now all that is already a "yes".
And, despite everything,
it is not being easy
.
The
second touchdown
of JJ Arcega-Whiteside in the NFL came casually.
Neither his quarterback nor the team wanted it to be that way.
The play was not for him.
Running back
Miles Sanders was
running toward the touchdown
when the
Baltimore Ravens
defense
intercepted him.
The ball was loose a few inches from the line and there appeared the Spanish, ready to make the second six points of his professional life.
The young man spread his arms, smiling for him and for the situation, in a photo that we would all like to see much more: the teammates lifting the former Stanford off the ground while he lifts the ball to celebrate.
They were the Eagles' first goals in a game they lost 17-0 midway through the third quarter.
A disaster
.
They fought to come back and with 30-20 against and three minutes into the game, Carson Wentz found JJ Arcega open for a
two-point conversion
that made up the result somewhat.
Eight so many
to the Spaniard's credit that will not count too much for his statistics, the one in which he only adds
a 37-yard reception this season
in three of the plays that his quarterback has created for him.
And it is that little remains of that team that was champion in February 2018. Little remains of their defense, their offensive line and, especially, little remains of that
Carson Wentz
.
The level of the Philadelphia quarterback is raising a lot of criticism in the city and there is even talk of taking away the starting job.
He already has
seven interceptions
, the same ones he added all of last season, and the Eagles
have lost four of the six games
they have played, with another draw and a loss.
The
lack of solutions from the attacking team
is alarming.
His receiving line is battered by injuries, with
Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson
struggling.
And
neither does he grow, nor trust, JJ Arcega-Whiteside
.
They speak well of the Spanish training, and even in the
preseason there was some interest and hope for his second year in the league
- "JJ is shining, showing much better than last year" - but they have been to start the official meetings and spend totally
unnoticed
: he is on the field for a long time, but he does not manage to be an important part of his team's plays.
A priori, the Spanish appeared in the supposed healthy rotation of the Eagles as the
receiver number 3 and 4
.
And with the first two injured, JJ should be one of the first options, but he is not.
In Philadelphia,
his little connection with Wentz
is widely commented
, who creates almost no play for him, and experts believe that, except for an explosion, he will end up
transferred or cut
.
And maybe it's the best for him.
"
JJ Arcega-Whiteside is a second-plan thought for Carson Wentz
", they relate in
Sports Ilustrated
.
During the summer and after a season finale in which Arcega accumulated more than
100 receiving yards in the last games
, Wentz assured that he had spoken a lot with him and that he was hopeful for the new Spanish season.
"I'm excited about him. His work ethic is incredible and I'm very interested in seeing how he improves and what he can do."
That is the theory
.
Now the Eagles, Wentz and Arcega himself lack practice.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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