Alshon Jeffery visits 2nd-graders who wrote him letters of support

The support that Alshon Jeffery has received after his crushing drop in the divisional round has been abundant, and he paid it back in a big way Thursday.

Young Eagles fans in the Philly suburb of West Chester had the surprise of their lives Thursday when receiver Alshon Jeffery showed up at the students’ classroom.

After his crushing drop that sealed the Eagles’ fate Sunday afternoon in New Orleans, students from the 2nd-grade class sent Jeffery letters to make him feel better. One letter from 8-year-old Abigail Johnson went viral and apparently caught the attention of the Pro Bowl receiver.

Jeffery proceeded to visit the class at school to thank them for their support. The kids’ were told that a FaceTime call between themselves and Jeffery was being arranged, only to have the receiver himself walk in moments later. As expected, the students’ reactions were heartwarming.

The letter Johnson wrote is worthy of some praise itself.

Jeffery has proven to be a stand-up dude. When the fourth-quarter pass slipped through his fingertips and into the waiting arms of Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore, he could have slipped into the shadows to hide from the scrutiny.

But he stepped up in front of the cameras, took responsibility for the way things transpired and promised to be better. But what he did Thursday afternoon was a whole different kind of special.

Oh, and according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Jeffery was playing with broken ribs. He had practiced on a limited basis the week prior but decided to gut it out for the Eagles on Sunday.

And if that’s not enough, you may remember Jeffery’s Super Bowl performance last season. He made a remarkable touchdown catch to give the Eagles an early lead over New England. That postseason, he was playing with a torn rotator cuff, which is no small deal.

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Yes, Jeffery’s ill-timed blunder may have cost the Eagles a chance to repeat as Super Bowl champions. But at the end of the day, he’s the kind of player you want in your corner.