A few years ago, Pat Shurmur was the offensive coordinator for the Eagles and was coaching the team through a two-minute drill in practice. It was late in the workout and it was hot, Shurmur recalled, and no one wanted to be there any longer than absolutely necessary.
That’s when DeSean Jackson, one of his receivers, approached him.
“He said, ‘Pat, just call a nine ball so we can end this thing,’ ” Shurmur said of Jackson’s request for a deep go route. “Our defense was playing back and he just ran by everybody and caught it, ending the drill.