Inquirer.com – Zurich DR

Category: Eagles/NFL

  • ‘A rough day’: ESPN, NFL Network layoffs reportedly include Karl Ravech, Tom Pelissero

    ‘A rough day’: ESPN, NFL Network layoffs reportedly include Karl Ravech, Tom Pelissero

    ESPN went through another round of layoffs Tuesday, this time stemming from its purchase of the NFL Network.

    The cuts targeted both on-air talent and behind-the-scenes employees, according to sources not authorized to speak publicly. The layoffs are part of wider cutbacks at Disney previewed in April by CEO Josh D’Amaro and a consolidation of employees at ESPN and the NFL Network.

    In a note to staff Tuesday morning, ESPN chair Jimmy Pitaro said the company was forced to “make some difficult decisions about job impacts” stemming from the merger, and that the moves were intended to “best position us for the future.” Employees were being notified Tuesday, Pitaro said.

    “While most of the job impacts are tied to the acquisition, we will also notify colleagues in other parts of the company today that their positions have been impacted,” Pitaro added.

    ESPN declined to comment.

    Longtime ESPN announcer Karl Ravech is among those reportedly being let go. Brett Davis, Brett Davis-Imagn I

    Karl Ravech, a veteran ESPNer who called the Phillies’ win over the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday night, was among those let go, first reported by The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand.

    Ravech had been with ESPN since 1993, covering baseball for more than three decades in a variety of roles, including as the voice of Sunday Night Baseball for four seasons. He had been slated to call the Little League World Series for ESPN next month.

    NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero was also reportedly among the cuts. He’s been with the network since 2017 and is one of the network’s top insiders, along with Ian Rapoport and Philly native Mike Garafolo.

    Rapoport signed a multiyear contract with ESPN in April.

    ESPN also parted ways with former Carolina Panthers quarterback and NFL MVP Cam Newton, as first reported by Outkick’s Bobby Burack. Newton has been a frequent guest on First Take with Stephen A. Smith during the NFL season.

    Longtime NFL Network analyst Charles Davis, best known for calling NFL games on Fox and CBS, was also let go, according to The Athletic. This fall he’ll replace Gary Danielson as CBS’s lead college football analyst on Big Ten games alongside Brad Nessler.

    Other ESPN staffers reportedly let go were veteran SportsCenter anchor David Lloyd, sports injury analyst Stephania Bell, and ex-NFL linebacker Bart Scott, who cohosted an ESPN radio show in New York City with one-time 94.1 WIP host Chris Carlin.

    Boxing and MMA reporter Andreas Hale and staff writer Dan Hajducky both announced their own layoffs on social media.

    “I’ve been here before. Change is constant, but the outcomes are uncertain,” Hale wrote.

    Ryan Clark pulled from live show

    Ryan Clark was pulled off NFL Live Monday and informed he was being let go. Jay Biggerstaff, Jay Biggerstaff

    Layoffs arrived early for Ryan Clark, the former NFL defender turned TV analyst who has been a star at ESPN for the past decade.

    As first reported by The Athletic, Clark was taken off the air midway through NFL Live on Monday and informed he was being let go after reporters began inquiring about his status with the network.

    In an Instagram post Tuesday morning, Clark described the incident as “madness.”

    “My peace is with God, and my humility comes from within,” Clark wrote. “I’ll continue to build myself so the world can never strip me of what’s real.”

    Clark joined ESPN in 2015 and has been a prominent personality across the network’s NFL programming and daytime shows, including Monday Night Countdown with former Eagles star Jason Kelce.

    In 2024, Clark signed a three-year contract extension after going public with his dissatisfaction with the network

    Stephen A. Smith reacts to cuts

    Longtime ESPN host Stephen A. Smith was particular upset by Ryan Clark’s ouster. Jerome Miron/Imagn

    Longtime ESPN personality and First Take host Stephen A. Smith called it a “rough day” at the network.

    While several regulars from his show were among the cuts, the one-time Inquirer columnist and reporter was particularly irked by Clark’s ouster. Smith described him as “arguably the best NFL analyst in America.”

    “The bosses know I’m not happy about this decision. I’ve made that very, very clear,” Smith said Tuesday afternoon on his SiriusXM show Straight Shooter, adding later in the show, “Was I asked what I thought, what my feeling were? Yes, I was. And of course I said we have to keep him.”

    Smith also spent time outlining all the cutbacks ESPN has gone through dating back to May 2013. A lot of familiar names were forced out the door in the past decade-plus, including Jeff Van Gundy, Jayson Stark, Todd McShay, Zach Lowe, and Ed Werder.

    “This ain’t the days when ESPN could just hire and hire and hire some more without ever having to let go or lay off anybody,” Smith said. “Those days are long gone.”

    ESPN purchased NFL Network and NFL Media in February in a deal valued between $2.5 billion and $3 billion. As part of the deal, all NFL Network staffers and personalities became ESPN employees, and the league took a 10% stake in the network.

    NFL Network isn’t going anywhere, and will still have original programming, including Good Morning Football, and will broadcast a handful of NFL games.

    It’s the second round of layoffs at ESPN in recent months. In the spring, about 30 behind-the-scenes staffers were let go as part of companywide layoffs that reportedly impacted around 1,000 employees.

  • Eagles newcomers ‘26: Can cornerback Riq Woolen parlay a big season into a rich, long-term contract?

    Eagles newcomers ‘26: Can cornerback Riq Woolen parlay a big season into a rich, long-term contract?

    With Eagles training camp drawing nearer, The Inquirer is taking a closer look at the more than three dozen new faces who are expected to report along with the rest of the team on July 28.

    Player: Riq Woolen

    Position: Cornerback

    Age: 27

    Previous experience: Vic Fangio said in May that he was surprised Woolen didn’t “get a lot of action” for a long-term contract during free agency, which speaks to how highly the straight-shooting Eagles defensive coordinator thinks of his new outside corner.

    Woolen, who is on a one-year contract worth $12 million guaranteed, is an interesting player. He is big for a corner at 6-foot-4. He probably was the best man defender in the NFL last season. But he wasn’t as effective in zone coverage, and he gained a reputation as a taunter. He ceded playing time to Josh Jobe during Seattle’s Super Bowl run.

    Woolen, a fifth-round pick out of Texas-San Antonio, played 78% of Seattle’s defensive snaps last season, down from 90% in 2024 and 98% during his 2022 rookie season. He has been fairly reliable through four NFL seasons. He joins the Eagles having accumulated 12 interceptions so far in his NFL career while allowing a completion rate of 54.2%, according to Pro Football Reference.

    Path to a roster spot: Woolen’s spot on the Eagles is secure. He was one of the biggest standouts during the offseason program. They will be deploying him as the outside corner on the opposite side of Quinyon Mitchell and seem to want him on the field at all times. When the Eagles are in their base defense, Cooper DeJean will slide from nickel to safety instead of bumping Woolen off the field to play outside corner.

    The Eagles have high expectations for Woolen. Fangio deployed man defense at a higher rate than Seattle — 24.5% vs. 15.2%, according to Sharp Analytics — and may want to dial that number up a bit to play more to Woolen’s strengths.

    Fun fact: Woolen was a top-150 wide receiver coming out of Arlington Heights High School in Texas. He had one big-conference scholarship offer, from Matt Rhule at Baylor. The offer came after he committed to UTSA, but Woolen stuck with his original choice. It wasn’t until the final month of his redshirt-sophomore season that the coaching staff there convinced him to switch to corner.

    Quotable: “When you’ve got confidence in yourself and you put in a great body of work, you feel like you deserve some type of fruit for your labor,” Woolen said when asked if he was surprised about his free agency market. “Sometimes things don’t go your way, but there’s always a better plan. God’s plan was to put me here with a great team and give me another chance to win a Super Bowl and be successful here.”

    Erik Ezukanma, pictured here in 2022 with the Miami Dolphins, is a long shot to make the team.David Santiago / AP

    Player: Erik Ezukanma

    Position: Wide receiver

    Age: 26

    Previous experience: Ezukanma, a fourth-round pick by the Miami Dolphins out of Texas Tech in 2022, has played his best football over the last year … in the United Football League. He had just one catch for three yards on four career NFL targets from 2022 to 2024 as he failed to get into the mix in Miami when he was healthy. He also dealt with a lingering neck injury.

    With the DC Defenders, Ezukanma had 15 catches for 227 yards and a touchdown in 10 regular-season games and then four catches for 37 yards in two postseason contests. He was an effective returner, taking 18 kick returns for 459 yards (25.5 per) during the regular season and six for 165 yards (27.5 per) during the playoffs.

    At Texas Tech, Ezukanma had 136 catches for 2,117 yards and 14 touchdowns during his three seasons as a starter.

    Path to a roster spot: The Eagles don’t have a lot of room at wide receiver. There are four locks: DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks, Makai Lemon, and Hollywood Brown. Then there’s a real competition to fill out the bottom of the depth chart. Ahead of Ezukanma at the start of camp will be Elijah Moore, Darius Cooper, Johnny Wilson, and maybe a few others. The Eagles could keep as few as five and as many as six receivers on the initial 53-man roster. Perhaps Ezukanma flashes as a returner and gives the Eagles something to think about. He was impactful in coverage on special teams in the UFL, too.

    Fun fact: Ezukanma’s best highlight in the UFL this past season might have come on special teams as a tackler. Check out the hit here:

    Quotable: “I feel like my body has been holding up and I’m still young,” Ezukanma said during a podcast appearance earlier this year. “I’m 26 and still have a lot of ball left in me.”

  • Nick Sirianni’s ability to adapt again will be put to the test in year six with the Eagles

    Nick Sirianni’s ability to adapt again will be put to the test in year six with the Eagles

    A mid-March snowstorm dumped more than 26 inches of snow in Green Bay, the second-largest snowfall on record — according to the National Weather Service — in the city that houses a football stadium nicknamed “The Frozen Tundra.”

    Flights were canceled, which meant new Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, a few weeks into the job and prior to his family making its move east, was facing a delay returning to the office. It was a few days into free agency, and NFL draft prep was in full swing.

    Mannion could have picked up the phone and called his new boss, Nick Sirianni, to tell him his return trip to Philadelphia would be delayed. Instead, he got in the car and started driving the 900-plus mile route to his new home. Sirianni called his new offensive coordinator to check in and was surprised to learn that Mannion was five hours away.

    “This dude loves football and he loves to work,” Sirianni said last month during an extended interview session with Eagles beat reporters. “I’ve really enjoyed being around him.

    Jordan Mailata has high praise for new Eagles offensive coordinator and ‘evil genius’ Sean Mannion: ‘You’re in for a show’

    “I think we think — about everybody — ‘Man, he’s just got it.’ But it doesn’t happen — whether it’s a player, whether it’s Sean — without this obsession to get better. Sean has this obsession to get better, this obsession with his craft, which is why he’s excelled in this profession and I’m really looking forward to continuing to work with him.”

    Mannion is the fourth Eagles offensive coordinator in four years, and the Eagles hired him to revamp an offense that took a step back in 2025 for a variety of reasons. The team didn’t come close to defending its Super Bowl title in part because its offense wasn’t capable. The offensive line was too banged up. Jalen Hurts was inconsistent at times. Saquon Barkley, behind a battered line, wasn’t the Barkley that dominated in 2024. A.J. Brown wasn’t happy. And Kevin Patullo, the first-year offensive coordinator, appeared not up for the job.

    Mannion, 34, is another first-year coordinator, but he brings a sense of freshness to the Eagles and Sirianni having worked under a different coaching tree that surely will lead to scheme changes with the Eagles in 2026 and beyond.

    Sean Mannion’s new scheme will receive a great deal of attention throughout camp and into the 2026 season. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    Sirianni is entering his sixth season with the Eagles. It is the longest stretch of time the 45-year-old head coach has spent in one place since becoming a coach. It is not unfair to say his future in Philadelphia could rest on how Sirianni helps the Eagles adapt to another new voice leading the offense and moves the franchise into its next stage.

    Show and tell

    Just five head coaches remain in the league who have been in their position longer than Sirianni has been with the Eagles. Five years at one place isn’t a long time in the grand scheme of a normal working career. In the NFL, it has become a rarity.

    The Eagles under Sirianni have done a lot of winning. Only the Buffalo Bills, who just fired Sean McDermott this offseason, have a better winning percentage since the start of the 2021 season than the Eagles’ 69.4% win rate with Sirianni in charge.

    A handful of key Eagles have been around for the entire Sirianni experience, which means they’ve had the same voice leading team meetings for quite a while.

    How does Sirianni try to keep it fresh?

    “I think it’s constant growth,” he said. “Show and tell is one thing. I always tell these guys, me showing you what it looks like and telling you what it is in this aspect, that’s the easy part. Being relentless with the monotony of it and consistent every single day, that’s the hard part. You do that through film and you do that through practice and their actions and our habits. But then you also try to find stories that paint your picture out there.”

    Sirianni has done his best to not repeat often. Lately, he has found himself going to ChatGPT for inspiration. One day during the offseason program, Sirianni typed a prompt into the artificial intelligence assistant. He wanted to find a “true” — yes, he knows that AI isn’t perfect yet — sports story that exemplified the three-word motto Lane Johnson and DeVonta Smith probably find themselves reciting in their dreams: Tough. Detailed. Together.

    Arizona State’s Anthony Robles, once the nation’s top-rated 125-pound wrestler, is a source of inspiration for Nick Sirianni.

    The chatbot spit out the story of Arizona State wrestler Anthony Robles, who, despite being born with one leg, went undefeated as a senior and won the 2011 national championship at 125 pounds in Philadelphia. Sirianni did some more research on Robles and had his next story for a team meeting.

    Extended time in one place, though, means he’s been able to personalize some of these stories and connect them to his own roster. Sirianni brought up a story former NFL coach Tony Dungy once told about the Immaculate Reception. Sure, there was some luck involved in Franco Harris catching the deflected pass, but Harris had a habit of being around the ball, being in the right place at the right time.

    “Now I’m thinking about that and I’m like, well, that’s Tank Bigsby,” Sirianni said, mentioning the backup Eagles running back. “He is constantly running to the football. He is constantly doing everything he’s supposed to do. And I was able to hit back the story.

    Eagles first-round wide receiver Makai Lemon says he’s ’100 percent’ for camp after missing final OTAs

    “I guess what I’m saying is … we’ve created stories. We’ve created things that people are looking up on [ChatGPT].”

    ‘You have to adapt’

    The post-Shane Steichen years have been a roller coaster at the offensive coordinator spot. Brian Johnson, an internal hire, lasted less than one full calendar year in the role after the 2023 Eagles collapsed at the end of the season. Kellen Moore, an external hire, helped the Eagles win the Super Bowl before becoming the head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Then came Patullo, another internal hire and Sirianni’s close friend.

    How things work out with Mannion and the new scheme remain to be seen. He is the Eagles’ third coordinator since 2023 who will be calling NFL plays for the first time.

    Football, Sirianni said, is about adapting.

    “You have to adapt in-game, you have to adapt in-season, you have to adapt to all different styles of how you coach different people,” he said. “What’s great about this world is no two people are perfectly alike. We may have similarities and similar traits but everyone is different.”

    Nick Sirianni (left) is attempting to guide his team following significant offseason changes. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Mannion, who Sirianni said tends to beat the head coach to the building, has only been a coach for two seasons. He was on a league roster as recently as 2023. The Eagles have had inexperienced coordinators before, but none quite like Mannion. So Sirianni said he has adapted his approach in some ways. In the past, he might have warned Steichen or Moore about a certain scenario he planned to throw at them in practice. But a third-and-12 from the 3-yard line might be a pop quiz for Mannion this time around.

    “My job is to make sure that I put him in as many scenarios as I possibly can to help him go through that,” Sirianni said.

    That part of Sirianni’s job hasn’t changed, but failures of the past may have informed how he views his role.

    But the more things change, the more they stay the same, as the saying goes.

    Jalen Hurts says he’s off to a good start with new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion: ‘You can definitely see the vision’

    Sirianni said he noticed something when watching the NBA and NHL playoffs this year. The Knicks and the Spurs, the Hurricanes and the Golden Knights, they all said the same things, the same messages he’s been repeating her for more than five years.

    “There’s a common denominator of these good teams that they just want to play for each other,” Sirianni said. “We’ve talked a lot about that and tried to live that. That’s tricky and that’s hard. How do you come together as a football team? You come together through shared hardships. You get that through the offseason. You come together through building trust, consistently doing what you’re supposed to do. And you come together through the time that you put in with each other. That time, sometimes it feels like it’s invisible progress.

    “Our best teams since I’ve been here have been the closest teams. We believe in that very much.”

    How close will this team become? How will Mannion bring the offense to the next level? How will Sirianni help the Eagles navigate the changes and reach the high expectations in the building?

    The answers to those key questions won’t be known for a few months. The Eagles begin camp next week, and a key season in Sirianni’s career trajectory is about to get underway.

    “It’s a blessing to be at a place for so long in the NFL,” Sirianni said, “and I look forward to continuing that for years to come.”

  • Eagles newcomers ‘26: Will Hollywood Brown give the Birds a much-needed, reliable vertical threat?

    Eagles newcomers ‘26: Will Hollywood Brown give the Birds a much-needed, reliable vertical threat?

    With Eagles training camp drawing nearer, The Inquirer is taking a closer look at the more than three dozen new faces who are expected to report along with the rest of the team on July 28.

    Player: Marquise “Hollywood” Brown

    Position: Wide receiver

    Age: 29

    Previous experience: Brown is a seven-year NFL veteran who was the first receiver taken in the 2019 draft (No. 25 overall out of Oklahoma by the Baltimore Ravens). He spent the first three years of his career with the Ravens, including a standout 2021 season in which he racked up a career-high 1,008 yards and six touchdowns on 91 receptions.

    But Brown said that he wasn’t fond of the Ravens’ offensive system, leading to his trade request following his third season in Baltimore. The Ravens shipped him to the Arizona Cardinals on the first day of the 2022 draft.

    Hollywood Brown’s best seasons came as a member of the Baltimore Ravens. Kenneth K. Lam / MCT

    The Cardinals picked up his fifth-year option. He played the final two years of his rookie deal in Arizona, ranking second on the team in receiving yards in both seasons (709 in 2022 and 574 in 2023).

    Brown signed consecutive one-year deals over the last two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. He missed the majority of the 2024 season with a shoulder injury. In 2025, he started six games (16 games total), finishing the year with 587 yards (second-most on the team) and five touchdowns (tied for the team high) on 49 receptions.

    Early in his career, Brown established himself as a speedy deep threat. He didn’t run the 40-yard dash at the combine or Oklahoma’s pro day due to a foot injury, but he reportedly ran a 4.3 40 in 2018. While Brown may have lost a step since then, he can still stretch the field vertically.

    Path to a roster spot: Brown figures to slot in as the Eagles’ third or fourth receiver behind DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon. He’ll also vie for targets against Dontayvion Wicks, the 25-year-old receiver whom the Eagles acquired from the Green Bay Packers this offseason.

    Hollywood Brown is a former first-rounder and 1,000-yard receiver. The Eagles are giving him another chance at NFL relevance.

    But Brown could carve out a singular role for himself in the offense as a deep threat, reminiscent of the job that Quez Watkins sought to fulfill early in Nick Sirianni’s tenure. Brown has the potential to open up opportunities for players underneath, so long as defenses respect him downfield.

    Fun fact: Before he went to Oklahoma, Brown started his collegiate career at College of the Canyons, a community college in Santa Clarita, Calif. He wasn’t on a scholarship, so Brown made money by working as a ride operator at a nearby Six Flags, according to Sports Illustrated.

    Quotable: “I think when you talk about Hollywood, there have been times [in] our offense we’ve had, really, that vertical skill set, but also a guy who can separate at the top of his routes. We had that a little. I always look at our teams in ’17, I thought Nelson [Agholor] did a great job of that, bringing that to the team. I think you look [at] ’22 and Quez did a good job of that. I think the ’24 team was constructed a little bit differently, but I think that really fits the skill set of our quarterback.” — Howie Roseman in March

    Player: Zion Wilson

    Position: Defensive tackle

    Age: 23

    Previous experience: Wilson spent the last five years at East Carolina. He joined the team as a walk-on in 2021 as an offensive lineman. He did not see game action until 2023, when he mostly began to serve in a special-teams capacity (11 games, 51 snaps on special teams). That role continued in 2024 — he played in all 13 games (70 snaps) on special teams.

    Wilson, 6-foot-3, 316 pounds, also switched to the defensive line in 2024. The following season, he had a breakout performance, finishing with 42 tackles (including 10 for a loss) and seven sacks (which ranked second in the American Conference).

    He reportedly spent the spring of 2026 at Virginia, where he planned to play in the fall. But the NCAA denied his sixth-year waiver, forcing him to go pro. Wilson signed a three-year deal with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent in June. His contract includes $225,000 in guaranteed money, according to Over The Cap.

    Path to a roster spot: Wilson is an intriguing rookie, but he would have to beat out the likes of Byron Young, Uar Bernard, and Ty Robinson for one of the last couple of active roster spots among the defensive tackle corps. He is most likely a contender for the practice squad in 2026. His special teams experience would make him a valuable, versatile addition, too.

    Fun fact: Wilson comes from a football family. His uncles, Willie Smith and C.J. Wilson, both played at East Carolina and had NFL careers. Smith, an offensive tackle, played a total of four seasons (2011-14) for Washington, the Oakland Raiders, and San Diego Chargers. The elder Wilson, a defensive end, played a total of seven years (2010-16) for the Green Bay Packers, the Raiders, the Detroit Lions, and the Chicago Bears.

    Quotable: “Dude knows a lot about football. A lot. And just seeing his mind just [transfer] over [from] O-line straight to D-line. Just taking off from there. I kind of look up to him. Dude’s been wanting to do this his entire career here. Now, he’s got to finish it out here at ECU his senior year doing it. That dude is balling out. I could not be more happy and proud of him.” — East Carolina defensive lineman Preston Carr on Wilson in November, via The Holton Ahlers Show on Pirate Radio

  • Why Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata ‘absolutely loves’ the new offensive scheme

    Why Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata ‘absolutely loves’ the new offensive scheme

    Jordan Mailata knows all too well that this Eagles season is going to look very different.

    The team’s left tackle is experiencing firsthand the sweeping changes that were made this offseason — like moving on from its offensive coordinator, longtime offensive line coach, and No. 1 wide receiver — and he knows it’ll take time for them to sink in.

    So, with training camp just over a week away, the sixth-year veteran said he and his teammates are focused on just one thing.

    Eagles first-round wide receiver Makai Lemon says he’s ’100 percent’ for camp after missing final OTAs

    “It’s just learning the playbook,” Mailata said, speaking at Art History 101 Clothing Co. in Mayfair to celebrate the launch of the store’s T-shirt made in his honor. “There’s no, like, pressure to come in any sort of way. The season’s long, training camp’s long, so the mindset of the team has never changed. I mean, daily deposits. Yeah, it’s good to even have the same vets that carry over.

    “Just because we’re in a new system doesn’t mean that the daily grind changes.”

    The new playbook in question is the brainchild of new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, who is expected to implement a wide zone scheme with concepts that look similar to those of Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan. If executed properly, the wide zone blocking concepts will stretch opposing defenses horizontally. Mailata said he is excited about the potential of this new scheme.

    Jordan Mailata said of Sean Mannion implementing a wide zone run scheme: “It’s going to stress defenses and it’s going to be fun.”Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    “I absolutely love it,” he said. “It’s a new challenge. Very easy to follow along, but hard to remember, just because there’s so much to setting up the plays. But so far it’s been fun. You’re having a great time just learning this new offense because it’s something that we’re not familiar with. It’s a whole new direction, going into an outside direction.

    “It’s going to stress defenses and it’s going to be fun.”

    Teaching Mailata and Co. these concepts is offensive line coach Chris Kuper, who replaced 13-year line coach Jeff Stoutland in February. Getting used to a new face has been an adjustment — especially for Mailata, a former Australian rugby player who learned to play the sport from Stoutland — but the early reviews of Kuper, who played eight years in the NFL, have been positive.

    “He brings a lot to the table, especially for me, who’s had the same coach for the last eight years,” said Mailata, who added that Kuper’s experience has been a “tremendous boost“ with Mannion’s new scheme. “Having someone new coming to the table with a new technique, new things to offer me, it’s refreshing. It’s nice because I’m not one to always say, ‘I know everything, I’m the best.’ That’s not me. So if you have something to offer me, I’m always going to sit down and say, ‘Yes, sir.’ And he has a lot to offer.”

    The offensive line will need to play much better than in its injury-riddled 2025 season, when Lane Johnson missed half the season, and Cam Jurgens and Landon Dickerson played through injury. Mailata played well, allowing just two sacks and 28 pressures on 566 pass protection reps, but the unit will need more cohesion (and better injury luck) if it is to return to its dominant 2024 form.

    As a transformative offseason winds down, Mailata is taking in his last few days by giving back. At the meet-and-greet event in Mayfair on Saturday, Eagles fans lined up for hours just to speak to and take photos with the 6-foot-8 lineman. He greeted every fan as if he knew them for years.

    “Everybody needs some positivity right now,” said Brian Fritz, who helped organize the event at Art History 101. “There’s no better representative of Philly than Jordan Mailata. He’s not from here, but it feels like he is.”

  • Eagles first-round wide receiver Makai Lemon says he’s ’100 percent’ for camp after missing final OTAs

    Eagles first-round wide receiver Makai Lemon says he’s ’100 percent’ for camp after missing final OTAs

    After sitting out part of the offseason program due to injury, Makai Lemon said Friday that he’s “feeling great” ahead of training camp.

    Lemon, speaking at his FlexWork Sports youth camp in Aston, added that he will be “100%” ready to go when the Eagles hold their first practice of the summer on July 29.

    This spring, Lemon participated in rookie minicamp and the first practice open to the media during organized team activities in May. He was sidelined for the second OTA practice open to the media and the entirety of the two-day mandatory minicamp in June with what teammate Quinyon Mitchell said was a hamstring injury.

    Still, Lemon said he’s had a productive offseason, as he prepares to report to camp on July 28.

    “Just working on my craft, just trying to get the playbook down,” Lemon said. “Just making sure I’m ready so when I go out there, it’s lights out.”

    Makai Lemon (9) was sidelined for portions of the offseason program. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    Lemon, the Eagles’ first-round pick out of USC, is one crucial piece of the new-look receiving corps. Howie Roseman retooled the group this offseason, trading A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots and adding wideouts such as Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, and Hollywood Brown and rookie tight end Eli Stowers.

    The Eagles have notable returners among the group, too, in DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert. Come the start of training camp, offensive coordinator Sean Mannion will have the opportunity to show how each of those pieces will fit in the Eagles’ revamped offensive scheme.

    Eagles newcomers ‘26: Can Makai Lemon be the next key weapon after A.J. Brown?

    Lemon didn’t get extensive work alongside each of those players during the offseason program due to his injury. But the 5-foot-11, 192-pound rookie receiver said he has already gleaned useful information from the veteran group.

    “Just how to take care of your body,” Lemon said. “Just how to attack your preparation. Every little thing that them guys do, I’m watching closely. I feel like I can learn so much from them boys.”

    Lemon, who hails from Los Alamitos, Calif., had previously never played on a football team outside of his home state. However, he expressed that he already feels at home in the Eagles locker room.

    “I was walking in there, they had open arms for me,” Lemon said. “A lot of veteran guys in my room. I’m just there to learn from them. Soak up any information I can. I’m ready for the season to ride out with them boys, man.”

    Lemon said he has felt the love outside of the facility, too.

    “It’s a great feeling to get in front of the community,” Lemon said. “The people that show me support, show the Eagles so much love. So I’m just out here just reciprocating that love to the youth.”

  • Eagles newcomers ‘26: J.T. Gray brings All-Pro pedigree to the special teams unit

    Eagles newcomers ‘26: J.T. Gray brings All-Pro pedigree to the special teams unit

    With Eagles training camp drawing nearer, The Inquirer is taking a closer look at the more than three dozen new faces who are expected to report along with the rest of the team on July 28.

    Player: J.T. Gray

    Position: Safety

    Age: 30

    Previous experience: Gray is a veteran safety with eight years of NFL experience. His primary position is safety, but he cut his teeth as a special teamer, even earning a first-team All-Pro nod there with the Saints in 2021. He spent his first seven years in the league with the Saints before bouncing around to the Ravens, Broncos, and Buccaneers. The Eagles signed him to a one-year contract in March.

    Path to a roster spot: Gray’s chances of making the final 53 are decent. He’s just two years removed from being a second-team All-Pro special teamer, so he’d bring much-needed experience to that unit. He also has some safety experience, which projects as the Eagles’ weakest position group at present.

    Fun fact: Gray’s nickname in New Orleans was “kingpin” because he’s an avid bowler. His best score was a 285.

    Quotable: “I’m certainly a little biased, I coach him every day, but I don’t know if there’s a core special teams player in the league that I would trade J.T. Gray for,” said former Saints coach Darren Rizzi. “He’s an outstanding gunner. That’s where he probably gets most of his recognition, but at the same time, here’s a guy who’s really good in the return game as a blocker.”

    Tight end Dae’Quan Wright (8) was part of a College Football Playoff team at Ole Miss last year. Petre Thomas, Petre Thomas-Imagn

    Player: Dae’Quan Wright

    Position: Tight end

    Age: 22

    Previous experience: The Eagles signed Wright as an undrafted free agent in May. He played four years of college football at Virginia Tech (2022-23) and Ole Miss (2024-25). The Athletic’s Dane Brugler described him as a “joker” tight end “whose snap count should increase with every game.”

    Path to a roster spot: It won’t be an easy road for Wright to make the final roster. His college resumé wasn’t stellar, and he’ll have to beat out a crowded tight end room that features Dallas Goedert, rookie Eli Stowers, Johnny Mundt, Grant Calcaterra, Stone Smartt, and E.J. Jenkins, among others.

    Fun fact: Wright’s first position at Perry High School in Georgia was quarterback. He once threw an 85-yard touchdown and claims he can “still do that.”

    Quotable: “It’s a big opportunity that I’ve been dreaming of since I was a kid,” Wright said, when asked about his path to the NFL by CBS News. “So it’s definitely been on my mind a lot.”

  • Eagles newcomers ’26: Cole Payton could bring interesting new dimension to quarterback room

    Eagles newcomers ’26: Cole Payton could bring interesting new dimension to quarterback room

    With Eagles training camp drawing nearer, The Inquirer is taking a closer look at the more than three dozen new faces who are expected to report along with the rest of the team on July 28.

    Player: Cole Payton

    Position: Quarterback

    Age: 23

    Previous experience: Before the Eagles selected him in the fifth round this year, Payton spent the last five seasons at North Dakota State. He started 13 games in 2025, his lone season as the starting quarterback, completing 161 passes for 2,719 yards and 16 touchdowns. His passer rating (193.8) and yards per pass attempt (12.1) set single-season school records.

    But the 6-foot-3, 232-pound Payton wasn’t just a passer. He was also lauded for his rushing ability, racking up 1,918 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns on 287 carries over his five seasons in Fargo. Payton set single-season school records in total offensive yards per game (268.9) and yards per play (9.71) in his redshirt senior season.

    Payton hails from Omaha, Neb., where he played at Westside High School. He earned 2020-21 Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year honors while throwing for 1,704 yards and 22 touchdowns on 113 passes that season. He also rushed for 1,029 yards and 17 touchdowns on 124 carries.

    Path to a roster spot: Payton is a fifth-round pick at the most important position on the field, so it seems unlikely that the Eagles would try to sneak him through waivers to the practice squad at the end of training camp. Perhaps the Eagles could move Tanner McKee before the cutdown deadline, or they could keep all four quarterbacks including Andy Dalton on the roster, a departure from their trend of carrying three.

    Regardless, barring a disastrous training camp and preseason, Payton is likely to make the initial 53-man roster. He won’t be the primary backup to Jalen Hurts this season, but he could contend for the role in the future. In the short term, could Payton find a role as a Taysom Hill-esque gadget player? Nick Sirianni said after the draft that “we’ll see how that goes” once he gets acclimated to the playbook.

    Fun fact: Payton made his first start at North Dakota State in the home opener against Tennessee State in 2024 … as a running back. He had three carries for 6 yards and two receptions for 5 yards in that game, but he also completed three passes for 29 yards and a touchdown at quarterback.

    Additionally, Payton is left-handed, which is a rarity in the NFL. He joins Atlanta’s Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. and Cleveland’s Dillon Gabriel among the handful of active left-handed quarterbacks in the league.

    Quotable: “Really, really athletic. Really good with the ball in his hands in the quarterback run game. Made great decisions with the football. Accurate passer. As you know, 72% [completion] last year as a starter. And you can’t be that unless you’re making good, accurate throws and going to the right place with the ball. But there’s some wild plays on his tape that are really impressive. I think I charted four times he jumped over somebody or [I] wrote down a bunch of times that he’s the best athlete on the field.” — Sirianni on Payton after the draft

    Tucker Large (1) was a standout for one of the nation’s elite FCS programs at South Dakota State before following his coach to Washington State. Richard W. Rodriguez

    Player: Tucker Large

    Position: Safety

    Age: 23

    Previous experience: Large, 5-11, 185 pounds, was a preferred walk-on at FCS school South Dakota State in 2021, with most of his college offers coming from Division II teams, according to the Spokesman-Review. He began playing football relatively late at Roosevelt High School in Sioux Falls, S.D., earning meaningful snaps by his junior season.

    He had a breakout year at South Dakota State in 2023, his redshirt sophomore season, on defense and as a return specialist. Large led the FCS national championship team with nine pass breakups and ranked second with four interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown). He also set a single-season school record with 149 punt-return yards on four attempts against Drake.

    Large transferred to Washington State for his redshirt senior season in 2025 after WSU hired coach Jimmy Rogers away from SDSU. He started all 13 games at safety, registering 71 tackles (three for losses) and eight pass breakups. Large sustained an apparent right knee injury in the Idaho Potato Bowl victory over Utah State in late December.

    Large signed with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent after his five-year college career, but he was waived with an injury designation and placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list in May.

    Path to a roster spot: Safety depth on the practice squad. His experience as a return specialist could help him carve out a role, too. But Large faces an uphill battle to stick with the Eagles in any capacity given his injury and his lack of practice time with the team. If he is cleared to return and participate in training camp, he could have a chance to vie for a spot on the practice squad with players such as Cole Wisniewski, Andre’ Sam, and Kapena Gushiken.

    Fun fact: Large was a standout basketball player in high school. He set a single-season school record at Roosevelt when he notched 61 steals in 2021.

    Quotable: “I’ve always loved his confidence. ‘Coach, just give me the ball,’ or ‘Put me in a position. I’ll make a play for you. They’re not gonna throw it over my head. I hope they throw it my way.’ That kind of thing. When you have that confidence, then I think you’re not afraid to make some plays and gamble a little bit. He’s never had any fear about doing that.” — Roosevelt football coach Kim Nelson on Large, via the Spokesman-Review

  • Eagles newcomers ’26: Where does former Buffalo Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa fit into the pass rushing picture?

    Eagles newcomers ’26: Where does former Buffalo Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa fit into the pass rushing picture?

    With Eagles training camp drawing nearer, The Inquirer is taking a closer look at the more than three dozen new faces who are expected to report along with the rest of the team on July 28.

    Player: A.J. Epenesa

    Position: Defensive end

    Age: 27

    Previous experience: Epenesa is a veteran defensive end who spent the first six years of his NFL career with the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo selected him in the second round (54th overall) of the 2020 NFL draft. A five-star prospect out of high school, Epenesa played college ball at Iowa. He was the highest-rated recruit to play under head coach Kirk Ferentz.

    The 27-year-old was mostly a rotational piece on Buffalo’s defensive line, but he made the most of his role. His best season came in 2022, when he logged a career-best 6½ sacks, 10 quarterback hits, 14 quarterback pressures and 16 tackles. He initially signed with the Browns this offseason, though Cleveland eventually called off the deal because of a failed physical. The Eagles signed him on June 10.

    Path to a roster spot: Boasting a decent NFL resumé as a situational pass rusher, Epenesa has a strong chance to make the 53-man roster if he stays healthy. He likely won’t start a game this season — which is a testament to Philadelphia’s loaded edge rusher corps, made up of Jonathan Greenard, Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt and Arnold Ebiketie — but don’t be surprised if he turns into a key cog on Vic Fangio’s defensive line.

    Fun fact: Epenesa’s father, who also played at Iowa, is named “Epenesa Epensa.” His nickname is “Eppy.”

    Quotable: “We had some battles,” five-time Pro Bowl tackle Tristan Wirfs, Epensa’s teammate at Iowa, said of the defensive end. “When I met with the Broncos, they said a scout was there [at Iowa’s practice] and I didn’t lose to A.J. So I said, ‘I’m glad you were there on that day.’”

    Guard Micah Morris is another in a long line of Georgia draft picks for the Eagles. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    Player: Micah Morris

    Position: Guard

    Age: 22

    Previous experience: The Eagles selected Morris in the sixth round (207th overall) of the 2026 NFL draft. He played collegiately at Georgia, where he initially struggled to climb the depth chart until morphing into the starting left guard. At Georgia, he was teammates with current Eagles defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter.

    Path to a roster spot: The Eagles drafted Morris because they needed interior offensive line depth. Landon Dickerson is a guaranteed starter, but he’s battled multiple injuries in recent years. Fellow starting guard Tyler Steen has just one year of starting experience on his resumé. The depth pieces behind them are green. Morris will likely make the roster — and he might even see some action, if Philadelphia’s injury woes persist.

    Fun fact: Morris, who stands at 6-foot-4, 330 pounds, earned a spot on The Athletic’s “Freaks” list last season for his weightlifting prowess. According to The Athletic, Morris has done two reps on the bench of 420 pounds and squatted 505 for a double.

    Quotable: “The first time I tried to sit down a Jordan Davis bull rush, that’s when I realized this was not high school ball,” Morris said before the Eagles’ two-day rookie camp. “My feet were planted, but I was sliding backward.”

  • Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie honored at ESPN’s Sports Humanitarian Awards: ‘Hopefully we’ll have a global impact’

    Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie honored at ESPN’s Sports Humanitarian Awards: ‘Hopefully we’ll have a global impact’

    NEW YORK — When Jeffrey Lurie purchased the Eagles in 1994, he had two goals.

    Goal one, as any owner will say, was to win. Goal two was to make the franchise synonymous with a “global health cause.”

    Lurie’s accomplished the former, winning two Super Bowls in the past decade. On Tuesday, he was celebrated for the latter.

    At ESPN’s Sports Humanitarian Awards at Gotham Hall in Manhattan, the Eagles owner was presented the Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award for his work with the Eagles Autism Foundation and the Lurie Autism Institute. The two initiatives have collectively donated more than $100 million toward Autism research and clinical care programs. The award is given annually to someone who uses their position in sports to help disadvantaged groups.

    The Eagles Autism Foundation raised more than $10 million last year. It’s needed ‘now more than ever,’ Jeffrey Lurie says.

    “You know, [winning] was sort of unexpected,” Lurie told The Inquirer. “[We] devote so much time to what we’re trying to do off the field with autism research and spend so much time trying to assure the Eagles are great … It’s a wonderful award. You know, I’ve sort of followed it over the years, and it’s nice to be recognized for humanitarian things.”

    The Eagles Autism Foundation was founded in 2019 following the first Eagles Autism Challenge — an annual 5K bike ride to raise research funds for the neurological condition. The latest Eagles Autism Challenge had 6,500 participants and raised $16 million.

    The Lurie Autism Institute is a center for autism research at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine. It opened last June after Lurie and his family donated $50 million to the two institutes. It is the largest center for autism-specific research.

    Jeffrey Lurie (center) shown with Kylie (left) and Jason Kelce after winning the named Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award. Jason and Kylie presented Lurie with his award.Courtesy of ESPN

    “Autism was natural for me, my family, and millions of others around the world,” said Lurie, whose brother Peter is on the spectrum. “We’re getting there. We want the Eagles to be synonymous with trying to do everything possible that’s innovative with autism research and serving that community. And we’re certainly getting there. And it’s nice to be recognized on a national basis, and hopefully we’ll have a global impact.”

    Lurie was supported by his Eagles family at the event. Jason Kelce — who raised $1.26 million for the Eagles Autism Foundation at his “Team 62” event in Sea Isle City earlier this month — presented Lurie’s award along with his wife and Not Gonna Lie podcast host Kylie Kelce.

    Other notable figures present at Tuesday’s award show included Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and his wife, Ayesha Curry; former NBA player Jarron Collins; New York Giants co-owner Laurie Tisch; Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin; and former MLB pitcher Jim Abbott.

    Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and family donate $50 million to CHOP and Penn for autism institute

    Moments from the Sports Humanitarian Awards are scheduled to appear during the ESPYs, ESPN’s annual sports awards, on Wednesday (ABC, 8 p.m.).

    ‘Boo-Yah’

    The namesake for the ENSPIRE award belongs to longtime SportsCenter anchor Stuart Scott, who died from appendiceal cancer in 2015. After being diagnosed in 2007, Scott stayed at ESPN while undergoing chemotherapy. Months before his death, Scott delivered a now-famous speech at the ESPYs in which he told the audience to “fight like hell.”

    Sydni Scott, one of Stuart’s two daughters, was 14 at the time of her father’s famed speech. She attended Tuesday’s award show.

    Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and Jason Kelce embrace after Lurie was honored for his humanitarian efforts with the Eagles Austim Foundation and Lurie Autism Institute.Ben Solomon

    “This is one of my favorite nights of the entire summer,” said Sydni Scott. “I really think of my dad’s ENSPIRE Award as an award for people that are breaking barriers to bring more people into sports. You think back to the 90s, early 2000s, that was my dad. He was bringing Black culture, hip-hop, rap — all of those types of things into a very straight-laced kind of sports journalism and sports broadcasting environment.”

    “In the past years you see that there are people who are working to make sure that deaf people are able to enjoy sports and Indigenous people are able to enjoy sports,” she added. “Every year, there is a community that I didn’t even realize.”

    While posing on the red carpet on Tuesday, Lurie mouthed “Boo-Yah” — Scott’s famous SportsCenter catchphrase.

    “It means a lot to have the award that Stuart Scott epitomized,” Lurie said. “I admired him. You know, he was inspirational. He was authentic, always genuine, and his battle with cancer was something we all were struck by, how he handled it. And having had family members with cancer, it was inspirational. To have the ENSPIRE Award inspired by Stuart is a something I’m proud of.”