Eagles' Michael Clay Isn't Looking To Collect On Any IOUs: 'That's The Life We Choose'

PHILADELPHIA — During the initial cut to 53, the Eagles waived several promising young players hoping to get them back on the practice squad.

For a league-high four of those players — including special-teams standout Cam Latu, who was claimed by the New England Patriots — the plan failed.

Latu had become a key piece of Michael Clay’s special teams units, recording 11 tackles and a blocked punt in 2025. His loss stung general manager Howie Roseman, who admitted to reporters, “I told Coach Clay I owed him one.”

Clay isn’t keeping score.

“I don’t think anything really stings for me,” Clay said of losing Latu. “That’s the life we choose when you become a special teams coach. You may not know who you have until Saturday night before the game, but that’s my job: to be ready for anything that happens.

“We lost a whole bunch of good players to unfortunate scenarios because we have a good team. You lose good players when you have a really good roster, and that’s nothing to dwell on or be sad about.”

That's A Win

Cam Latu — Sep 21, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles tight end Cameron Latu (36) in a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Football coaches have to stay optimistic. Part of that, Clay said, is refusing a woe-is-me mindset.

“That may even be an issue in the world today. Something bad happens to you and you take your ball and go home,” Clay said. “You prime yourself: ‘All right, next man up. Let’s find a way to get it done and put the best 11 out there.’ I’m more proud of Cam Latu being able to get picked up, play, and have a big role.”

For Clay, Latu’s landing spot is a win.

“Everybody talks about the bad. Let’s talk about the good, the positive,” he said. “Cam had the ability to go to another team, get put on a 53-man roster, and he made a huge play on that first kickoff [in the Patriots’ loss to Seattle on Wednesday night]. … I just try to help them out as much as I can.”

Clay also isn’t knocking on Roseman’s door.

“I’ve known Howie now for eight years, and I’m not worried about an IOU or anything like that,” Clay said. “He does a great job with the roster. So I’m going to put the best 11 out there, and we’re going to go up against a good Washington Commanders special teams unit [on Sunday]. It’s going to be a dogfight, but we’re ready for it.”

One of those core-four players who will benefit from Latu’s exit is second-year tight end E.J. Jenkins.

“When you get a guy that’s that big and that can run and that’s physical, it’s always great from a special teams standpoint,” Clay said of the 6-foot-6, 245-pound Jenkins. “We try to keep it as simple as possible so they just have one idea, then they get to go. I think it gets lost in translation a little bit. E.J. started three of the four special teams units for us in the Super Bowl, and he was the opposite wing of Jordan Davis in the Super Bowl, so it’s not his first rodeo.

“He played on the biggest stage for us and did a really good job. Now he’s one of the veteran guys in the tight end room who has seen a lot of football, and we’re going to rely on him a lot to be a core-four player for us and help in any way possible. A guy that big and that strong is always going to bring value from a special teams standpoint.”

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