PHILADELPHIA — In a way, thanks to the annual rookie ribbing that is common practice in NFL training camps, the Philadelphia Eagles have a built-in tryout process. Not to make the team. That evaluation process obviously takes place on the football field. But to be on what has become the team’s annual Christmas album, the most recent being “A Philly Special Christmas Special,” a follow-up to their “Philly Special Christmas.”
It was during camp last year the Eagles – namely offensive linemen Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata, the principal voices on the records – realized they had another crooner in the locker room in defensive tackle Jordan Davis, the 13th overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Georgia.
Convincing Davis – a 6-foot–6, 336-pound lineman who can sprint fast enough to chase Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen out of bounds – to join them in the studio proved to be a challenge. Davis declined their persistent offers to be on the first album. He continued to steer clear of the passion project during the 2023 offseason as the Eagles started laying down their tracks for album No. 2.
“Those guys wanted him involved the whole time,” producer Charlie Hall, drummer for War on Drugs, told USA TODAY Sports.
Davis wouldn’t budge, and he didn’t grace the Elm Street Studios where they recorded the bulk of the album with his presence until the “eleventh hour,” Hall said. It took lots of convincing from Connor Barwin, the Eagles’ director of player development and executive producer of the albums.
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
Even when Davis did arrive, it took even more persuading to compel him to step into the booth. The players and producers were OK with him watching at first. Finally, Barwin put his foot down.
“He was like, ‘Get on the mic,’” Davis said.
Hall wanted to approach Davis delicately.
“Man, I’m just so glad you’re here. I don’t care if you sing. So glad you could be here and see what these guys are up to,” he told Davis.
“I think he was a little nervous about it.”
What happened next has already gone viral on social media. Davis spit only one verse, the bridge for “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.” As Davis sings his lines, Mailata can be seen in the booth next to him offering mimed encouragement.
“It took us a while to get JD in there … it was exactly what we needed on that song,” Mailata said.
The clip millions have watched is all there is to what Davis did, but it doesn’t diminish the product. The faces of Mailata and Hall light up like a Christmas tree as Davis powers through in what Hall described as high in Davis’ register, which is lower than what can best be described as a baritone.
“It was incredible. I’m really happy that I have something to show for it, something to give my mom for Christmas,” said Davis, who added that his mother, Shay Allen, hadn’t seen him sing since fifth grade.
Leaving the booth, Davis felt accomplished. One day, he said, it will be something he can show his future children.
“Be like, ‘Hey, your dad was on a Christmas album. Can you believe it?’” Davis said. “And just play it for them during (Christmas) time.”
Although he’s unafraid to belt a tune in the locker room – another reason the Eagles were adamant Davis join them for their charity-funding albums – the idea of singing in front of other people doesn’t come naturally to him.
“Not a lot of people know I can sing. I don’t even think I can sing half the time,” he said.
But Mailata, Barwin and the others pulled his talent out of him and gave him confidence. And he found it within himself.
“I’m always nervous,” Davis said. “Encouragement – that’s the same thing that goes along with football. You got someone behind you, encouraging you, it just increases your potential to another level.”
Hall said the song, which features Luke Carlos O’Reilly playing the piano, is “sneaky the best song on the album.”
“Watching Luke play that piano part was one of the most chilling studio moments I’ve ever had in my life,” Hall said. “And then the guys just trading verses. Then (Davis) takes that bridge and it comes from such a tender, emotional place. Then they sing the last verse together, and it just sort of encapsulates this whole thing: individual and together.”
“To have (Davis) involved made a really cool thing that much more special.”
For Davis, it’s a story fitting for this time of year.
“Belief is a powerful thing,” he said. “And that’s not even just football, that’s life.
“If you find something that you believe in and you stay attached to that, that’s something that nobody can take away from you.”
