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  • When will the restricted free agents get signed? Who’s the 1C? These are the 5 biggest questions facing the Flyers right now.

    When will the restricted free agents get signed? Who’s the 1C? These are the 5 biggest questions facing the Flyers right now.

    With the draft over and the major free agents off the board, the Flyers are winding down into quiet season until training camp. But there are still plenty of unanswered questions heading into next year as the Flyers aim to return to the playoffs.

    Here are five of the most urgent questions facing the team this summer:

    What’s happening with restricted free agents Nikita Grebenkin and Hunter McDonald?

    Perhaps the most immediate business for the Flyers is re-signing their final restricted free agents. With the big names like Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale sorted, they can turn their attention to Grebenkin and McDonald.

    Flyers roundup: Nikita Grebenkin’s health, World Juniors Summer Showcase, NCAA hockey commitments, and more

    Grebenkin, who missed the stretch run last year with an upper-body injury, has been on the ice and is progressing to be available for camp. After a successful year on the fourth line last year, Garnet Hathaway and Luke Glendening are both gone, carving out a space for Grebenkin after he returns from injury. He is a restricted free agent, and so is the defenseman McDonald, who played one NHL game last year, the only game of his career.

    Both are likely to receive near-minimum contracts, with McDonald potentially on a two-way, and with nearly $15 million in cap space, the Flyers have plenty of room to maneuver, but it could carry into August when camp is closer.

    Pressure will be on Christian Dvorak to perform after the team missed out in its pursuit of star center Leo Carlsson. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Who’s going to play 1C?

    Probably the same people as last year: Trevor Zegras and Christian Dvorak. General manager Danny Brière made a big swing to try and acquire Leo Carlsson via offer sheet, but after Anaheim matched, the Flyers are right back where they started. Finding a top-line center outside of the draft is a challenging task. Stars are more available via trade than ever, but the type of player the Flyers want is still frustratingly out of reach.

    The only true star center to be traded this decade is Jack Eichel, whose trade market was clouded by a medical dispute. There are a few names out there on the trade market, like Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, but barring another huge, unexpected move, the top line is likely to look similar to last year down the middle. That doesn’t mean there’s no room for improvement.

    Matvei Michkov showed encouraging signs during the season but faltered in the playoffs. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Will Matvei Michkov finish the summer strong?

    Matvei Michkov was the Flyers’ best skater down the stretch as they made their improbable run to the postseason, but managed just one point in the playoffs in what was ultimately an up-and-down sophomore campaign. He came into last year’s camp out of shape, but now, Michkov should know how coach Rick Tocchet and the Flyers want him to prepare for the year. Michkov was noncommittal during postseason availability about how much of the offseason he would spend back in Philadelphia, but no matter where it happens, his offseason training is critical to the Flyers’ success.

    Will ex-Leafs goalie Joseph Woll (60) provide solid relief for Dan Vladař?Connor Hamilton

    How much will the goalie tandem improve in 2026?

    The 2025-26 season was by far the best of Dan Vladař’s career. He initially signed to be a tandem goaltender with Sam Ersson, and ended the year as the Flyers’ MVP, carrying the group into the second round of the playoffs. In the offseason, the Flyers swapped Ersson for Joseph Woll. Woll had the worst season of his career last year, with a .899 save percentage and a 3.34 goals-against average for the Toronto Maple Leafs, a lottery team. But behind better squads the year prior, Woll had a .909 save percentage and a 2.73 goals-against average, both clear upgrades from Ersson. If he can find that level of performance, and Vladař can maintain his own level, the goalies should be a team strength.

    It’s been four years since Travis Konecny (71) had 61 points in 60 games. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Will a Flyer have a point-per-game season in 2026-27?

    The Flyers snuck into the playoffs and won a series last year on the strength of their depth. Their leading playoff scorer was Zegras, with six points in 10 games. It was good enough for a Round 1 win, but in order to make the jump from a fringe playoff team to a Stanley Cup contender, the Flyers’ need one of their prospects to turn into a real star. No Flyer has put up a point-per-game season since Travis Konecny scored 61 points in 60 games in 2022-23. No Flyer has scored more than 82 points since Claude Giroux put up 85 in 2018-19.

    In his nine regular season games last year, Porter Martone managed 10 points (four goals, six assists). That scoring trailed off a bit in the playoffs, but Martone flashed skill as both a playmaker and a goal scorer, with his toughness around the net and quick release. Martone and Michkov are the two highest-ceiling players on the current squad. If both can make big leaps this year, the Flyers’ ceiling — next year and for years to come — raises significantly. Having two stars on the wing can also mask the need for a superstar center.

  • LeBron James-Michael Jordan comps can get tiresome. But here’s one that should matter to the Sixers.

    LeBron James-Michael Jordan comps can get tiresome. But here’s one that should matter to the Sixers.

    There is no perfect historical analogy for what LeBron James is attempting with the 76ers or for what the Sixers are attempting with him. He will turn 42 in late December. He has appeared in more NBA games than anyone. He will soon begin his 24th season in the league without a pause — no temporary retirements, no full seasons missed because of injury. And he has joined a team that has not won a championship since 1983, was already capable of competing for one next season, and because of his arrival will be expected to win one.

    The figure to whom James is most often compared, of course, is Michael Jordan: for records and achievements accumulated, for championships won, for the aesthetics of their styles of play. Now they have another point of relative similarity. Jordan was 38 when he ended his second break from the game and played two seasons with the Washington Wizards. If the collective stakes of his return weren’t nearly so high as James’ decision to sign with the Sixers — the 2001-03 Wizards went 74-90, missed the playoffs both years, and even with an in-his-prime Jordan wouldn’t have had a prayer of winning a title — Jordan still provided a useful precedent for how the daily drama of James’ time with the Sixers might unfold.

    Draymond Green is right about VJ Edgecombe. But he couldn’t be more wrong about LeBron James.

    The details of that story were preserved in a book, When Nothing Else Matters: Michael Jordan’s Last Comeback by Michael Leahy, that is as good as anything ever written about any topic related to basketball. Leahy was a staff writer for the Washington Post at the time he immersed himself in Jordan’s world, but he was not a sportswriter; he had nothing to lose, no sources to burn or fans to alienate, by documenting Jordan’s tenure in Washington with remarkable depth and unsparing honesty.

    Michael Leahy’s 2004 book “When Nothing Else Matters: Michael Jordan’s Last Comeback” which chronicled Jordan’s return to the NBA with the Wizards in 2001.Mike Sielski

    Published in 2004, When Nothing Else Matters has been memory-holed for more than two decades. It didn’t refresh and amplify the mythology around Jordan in the way The Jordan Rules or The Last Dance did, so it doesn’t resonate in the public consciousness much anymore. But it does serve as a cautionary tale about the nature of superstardom — the kind that only the chosen few, Jordan and James among them, enjoy — and its lessons apply just as well to the Sixers and Philadelphia as they did to the Wizards and Washington. Here are five important ones:

    Lesson 1: The Wizards’ leadership kowtowed to Jordan. The Sixers’ leadership can acquiesce to James only so much.

    One of the recurring themes of When Nothing Else Matters is the control Jordan exerted over the Wizards’ entire organization, starting with his friend and handpicked head coach, Doug Collins.

    “Whenever an issue critical to the team’s well-being arose,” Leahy wrote, “Jordan bent Collins to his will — whether it was over Jordan’s playing time, or who among his teammates deserved to start or not start, or what kind of offense or defense to deploy. Collins’s lack of power illustrated the dangers in allowing any team’s Zeus to rule over a coach and franchise.”

    Michael Jordan (left) picked Doug Collins (right), his former coach with the Bulls, to be his coach in Washington.

    Bob Myers has gravitas and four championship rings from his years with the Golden State Warriors. Mike Gansey has a good relationship with James from their time together with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Nick Nurse won a championship in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors — and with a superstar, Kawhi Leonard, who can be a challenge to manage. They have to assert and maintain their authority, or at least some semblance of it, in the face of James’s esteem and power. James won’t necessarily be as controlling and demanding as Jordan, but he can be controlling and demanding enough. He’s accustomed to getting his way all the time, and it would be a lot to expect him to be just along for the ride now.

    Among LeBron James’ challenges: Meshing with the Sixers’ existing star players, Vj Edgecombe (left), Joel Embiid (center), and Tyrese Maxey (right).Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Lesson 2: Expect tension among the players, especially the best ones.

    Jordan’s verbal abuse of rookie Kwame Brown, including calling him a “f—g flaming f—t” during practice, was among the salacious revelations in Leahy’s book. But Jordan’s relationship with Coatesville native Richard “Rip” Hamilton throughout the 2001-02 season is the more relevant one for the 2026-27 Sixers. “There was a lingering tension” between Jordan and Hamilton all season, according to Leahy, in part because Hamilton, in his third season and just emerging as one of the league’s better perimeter scorers, believed it was time for him to assert himself as the team’s centerpiece and that Jordan was holding him back.

    LeBron James and nine other stars who stunned Philly simply by coming here

    Just because Jordan and Hamilton clashed doesn’t mean James, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe won’t get along. But the Sixers have to prepare for the possibility, even the likelihood, that this team won’t be a smooth-running, ego-free machine. Brown is 29, was the MVP of the 2024 NBA Finals, and — despite the debate around whether he is an analytically efficient player — is regarded as a star. Embiid is a former league MVP. Maxey is approaching his peak years, as is Edgecombe. And James, like Jordan, hasn’t deferred often to anyone in his career.

    Lesson 3: Time will take its toll on an older player, even one as great as Jordan or James.

    Jordan, remarkably, played all 82 games in his final NBA season, but he struggled with tendinitis throughout 2001-02, missing 22 games. James hasn’t appeared in more than 71 games in any of his last eight seasons; in five of those seasons, he played 60 games or fewer. Never forget: Father Time is Rocky Marciano.

    LeBron James, who will be 42 in December, hasn’t appeared in more than 71 games in any of his last eight seasons.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Lesson 4: The honeymoon will end, and victories had better follow.

    Jordan’s two years in Washington are not remembered as a great and glorious portion of his career, for the simple reason that the Wizards still stunk with him. The Sixers aren’t likely to fall on their faces with James. But the pressure on them will be immense, and patience with a losing streak or a stretch of subpar play will be thin, if any patience exists at all.

    “Sports fans can be a cruel, monomaniacal breed,” Leahy wrote. “Only games and standings matter to the most rabid, which, depending upon how you want to look at it, evinces either an endearing, childlike intensity or a severe case of arrested development.”

    Michael Jordan averaged 21.2 points on .431 shooting in his two seasons with the Wizards. Their record? 74-90.
    MILES KENNEDY / AP

    Lesson 5: There was more to Jordan’s comeback — and more to James’ joining the Sixers — than winning.

    “The truth was this: A sporting god enjoys supreme power only as long as he plays, earns and fills seats,” Leahy wrote. “The moment he ceases to be a team’s principal revenue stream is the moment his dominion ends.”

    James said that he considered retiring, that he changed his mind because he still wants “to work … to grind … to compete,” that his desire to win another championship was the reason he came here. Here’s a safe bet: It wasn’t the only one. He will fill more seats in Philadelphia than he might have anywhere else, and you’re naive to think that intoxicating sensation wasn’t on his mind when he made this decision. LeBron James is as much a sporting god as Michael Jordan was, and to be treated as such is the most powerful drug on earth. He doesn’t want to exit the stage as anything less.

  • For months, Cheltenham football families ‘pleaded’ with administrators not to hire the coach charged in hazing scandal

    For months, Cheltenham football families ‘pleaded’ with administrators not to hire the coach charged in hazing scandal

    Cheltenham High School varsity football families repeatedly warned district officials about allegations that former head coach Terence Tolbert allowed bullying to fester in his previous coaching position at Abington Senior High School, parents say.

    Tolbert, along with three other Cheltenham coaches, was charged last week with endangering the welfare of a child and conspiracy after a 15-year-old player was allegedly assaulted in the football team’s locker room by teammates twice last year. Six players were also charged. The assaults have led to the cancellation of two football seasons.

    Both the district and a Montgomery County grand jury found that inadequate supervision played a role in the assaults. The district also found coaching staff displayed “a failure to prioritize student safety.”

    Tolbert and the other coaches are no longer with the district. Tolbert has declined to comment on the matter, and he and his lawyer did not respond to requests for comment on this story.

    ‘We protested and pleaded’

    In the two months leading up to Tolbert’s hiring in June 2025, Cheltenham football families urged district officials to reconsider Tolbert’s hiring in numerous private conversations and public meetings, parents said in interviews this week.

    “We protested and pleaded,” said Naim Ferguson, father of Cheltenham quarterback Kendall Jackson during Cheltenham’s last season. “We didn’t think the people they were putting in place were adequate to handle the kids.”

    Parents went to the principal, Benjamin Hammond, and vice principal Samuel Sheridan, who is also the athletic director, emails between the officials and football parents show.

    A then-junior on the varsity team started a petition against hiring Tolbert.

    “We … do not want this position to be arbitrary given to the district’s so-called qualified candidate,” the petition reads.

    A petition started by a Cheltenham varsity football player against the hiring of Terence Tolbert as head coach.Change.org

    Taryn Knox, then the vice president of the football parent board, shared her concerns about Tolbert’s hiring process and his record at Abington at school board meetings and in meetings between administrators and football parents until the district formally made Tolbert the coach in June.

    At a May board meeting, Knox said Tolbert had been “let go” from Abington, calling him “not appropriate or qualified” for the head coach job.

    She was not the only parent who spoke out at that meeting.

    “We asked for our children to have a solid leadership,” said Dana Burnley, whose son was on the team. Burnley said that her son had interest from seven Division I schools but that the coaching switch had disrupted the recruitment process.

    Burnley’s husband, Ralph, a volunteer coach, was among those charged alongside Tolbert last week and faces the same charges of endangering the welfare of a child and conspiracy. Ralph Burnley has not responded to calls seeking comment.

    Multiple upperclassmen also met with Hammond and Sheridan in April to voice their concerns, according to a list that Knox emailed to the principal. Included in the list of concerned players were at least two who were charged last week in connection with the assaults.

    “Every plea that we tried was ignored,” Knox said — including one at an April 22 meeting with parents where Knox asked Tolbert to voluntarily resign to reopen the hiring process. Hammond rushed to take the microphone from Tolbert before he could respond, she said.

    Cheltenham did not answer any questions this week about parent concerns ahead of Tolbert’s hiring.

    Tolbert applied for the open Cheltenham position after a brief stint at Abington that he had left an offensive coordinator role at Cheltenham to pursue. The 2023 move to Abington was a promotion to head coach, but his tenure there was short-lived.

    The Abington team won only one game that season, and Tolbert’s employment expired. Abington has acknowledged that the district opted not to renew the one-season appointment but declined to give further details.

    Parents from both schools said they believed it was a failure to address bullying and a toxic team culture that led to his departure.

    “There were kids being bullied in the locker room, the language, cussing out coaches,” Knox said this week.

    After charges against Tolbert went public last week, an Abington parent shared with The Inquirer the text of a 2023 email he said was sent to Abington officials outlining similar allegations he had heard at the time, including that Tolbert failed to intervene in persistent bullying on the team and crude language from other coaches.

    Before a Sept. 8, 2023, game, a coach used the f-slur to refer to the opposing team in a pep talk in front of Tolbert, who did not intervene, the email alleges. The complaint also describes instances when Tolbert failed to break up fights or react appropriately when he saw bullying, including a player who verbally berated a teammate with disabilities.

    “It wasn’t a secret,” said the Abington parent, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation against his child, who still attends the school. “Many parents knew why he was removed. I’m shocked that he was able to get another job.”

    Union contract gave Tolbert leg up for coach

    Knox and Ferguson said the district hired Tolbert without an interview.

    “The [same] buildup that happened here, happened at Abington,” Knox said. “It just didn’t lead to an assault.”

    Before Tolbert’s hiring, Cheltenham parents were already upset about former coach Troy Gore’s removal during an important recruitment period, Knox and Ferguson said, because it left players who anticipated scholarships from Division I schools without an advocate.

    “These are students who are trying to achieve higher education while also playing a sport that they love, and for some of them, this is their only option,” Knox said at the May 2025 school board meeting.

    But when parents questioned what they viewed as an abbreviated hiring process for Gore’s replacement, administrators pointed to a clause in the teachers union contract that gives qualified staff first pick of coaching jobs ahead of external candidates, Knox and Ferguson said.

    Tolbert briefly taught business at Cheltenham until he resigned in October 2023, board documents show. He then took a job at Abington as a long-term substitute for business education in addition to coaching.

    Cheltenham rehired Tolbert as a business teacher before announcing his 2025 appointment as head coach.

    ‘Be accountable’

    Knox returned for the June 2025 board meeting and said she had been promised a call from the superintendent after the May meeting, but did not receive one.

    “Be accountable,” Knox said at the June meeting. “If you say you’re going to follow up, please follow up.”

    Superintendent Brian Scriven replied that there was a meeting planned with football players.

    “I did say I was going to call you. I opted not to. I will own that,” the superintendent said, adding that Knox had his number and could call him.

    The board officially appointed Tolbert as coach at the meeting.

    Knox’s son did not trust Tolbert as a teacher or a coach, she said.

    “He had been a part of the team for two years prior to that and didn’t have the relationship with the boys,” Knox said.

    ‘The administration failed these kids’

    The administration erred again, Ferguson said, by not suspending students who were involved in the locker room assault recorded on video.

    Nearly 20 members of the team witnessed the locker room assault, according to the district’s investigation, and the video was widely circulated. Ferguson said his son and most of the team did not witness the attack.

    Jackson always stayed on the field after practice running extra drills, his dad said, and Ferguson would bring his younger son to hang out on the grounds while they waited for him to finish.

    By January, the superintendent had publicly acknowledged the district was aware of “several” perpetrators.

    But the lack of disciplinary action left the entire team in limbo all year — isolating Jackson from teachers and other students, who were not sure which players were involved, Ferguson said: “People can’t fathom the fact that he’s the starting quarterback and he didn’t know about it.”

    Now Jackson, who broke the school’s sophomore quarterback passing record in 2024, is struggling to find a transfer school.

    “The administration failed these kids,” Ferguson said.

    Knox transferred her son to a Philadelphia school before the incidents. He is set to play football at East Stroudsburg University, a Division II school.

    “Thank God I pulled him out,” Knox said. “Every school said, ‘We know you came from Cheltenham; we’re glad you transferred.’”

    Staff writer Maddie Hanna contributed to this article.

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • Luis Arraez drives in two runs, brings ‘new blood’ energy in his Phillies debut

    Luis Arraez drives in two runs, brings ‘new blood’ energy in his Phillies debut

    Bryce Harper jogged out to right field. He faced the bleachers, removed his cap, raised both arms over his head, and bowed like a stage actor on Broadway, not a star athlete off Broad Street.

    Then, on the first pitch, he caught a flyball.

    Just like old times.

    And when we say old times, we’re talking about 2022 — April 16, 2022, to be exact. It took 1,571 days and 752 games, but Harper turned back into an outfielder Tuesday night, part of the Phillies’ Grand Experiment to squeeze another run from a core that keeps chasing an elusive championship.

    Low on prospect capital, loaded with needs, the Phillies’ best asset at the deadline turned out to be … Bryce Harper

    “There may be some bumps and bruises with this,” said interim manager Don Mattingly, referring not to Harper specifically but a creative (read: crazy?) plan to trade for contact-hitting savant Luis Arraez at the deadline while uprooting three-quarters of the infield. “But these guys are baseball players. They’re going to be fine.”

    So far, so good.

    Batting behind Harper in the cleanup spot, Arraez drove in two runs in his first two at-bats, and the out-of-position Phillies made every play to back an eight-inning gem from Jesús Luzardo in a 5-0 laugher over the Nationals.

    “I was excited,” Arraez said following the Phillies’ fourth straight victory after losing four in a row and eight of nine. “I was happy, especially when the fans gave me the ovation. That was beautiful.”

    New Phillie Luis Arraez reacts after hitting a double in the third inning against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Indeed, most of the 38,731 paying customers stood and cheered before Arraez banged an RBI single to center field in the first inning. In the third, he fouled off a bunt to spot the Nationals a strike, then got a piece of two two-strike pitches and capped an eight-pitch at-bat by slashing a double down the first-base line.

    Say this: Arraez arrived as advertised, a three-time batting champion who may be on his way to a fourth.

    “It’s kind of what he brings,” Mattingly said. “You see he’s not afraid to take a pitch, not afraid to get down in a count, that he’s not afraid to hit with a strike. He’s not a guy that really swings and misses much at all, so it’s like, you can tell the confidence he has.”

    But there was also this: Arraez, celebrating his hits with some combination of arm-waving, pointing to “Phillies” across his jersey, and pounding his chest. It’s a spark, especially for a group of position players that has been together for four years.

    OK, press pause: It was one game. But just as the firing of manager Rob Thomson amid a 9-19 start was like a defibrillator for a clubhouse that’s used to the extreme continuity of running back the guts of the roster, could the addition of Arraez — and position changes for Harper, Bryson Stott (second base to third), and Alec Bohm (third base to first) — bring a similar effect?

    “I think bringing [Arraez’s] energy in here will change it more than anything, just the energy aspect of that from him,” Harper said in a conversation at his locker before the game. “Any time you bring new blood into the clubhouse, it’s obviously a change. I don’t think changing of positions, for me personally — it might be different for Bryson or Bohmer — but I don’t think that’ll have too much effect on that.”

    Phillies insist they’re ‘not scared of anyone’ after Dodgers make big move for Tarik Skubal

    Sure. But consider what went on before the game. Arraez and shortstop Trea Turner worked on turning double plays, while Stott long-tossed to loosen his arm for longer throws. Infield coach Bobby Dickerson drilled Stott on cutoffs and relays from third base before working with Bohm on picks at first base.

    And there was Harper, making throws from right field.

    It was all new and uncertain, maybe even exciting. And as unorthodox as it is to move all these chess pieces around the board in August, could it also be a way to combat the onset of staleness over a long season for players who are as familiar with one another as the Phillies?

    “Yeah, no, it’s definitely different,” Harper said. “But if we’re just talking about like the energy effect, all that kind of stuff, I don’t think it’s going to be any different on that part. Obviously we’re all going to be the same and play the way we do.

    “But bringing a guy like Arraez that plays with the energy and the fire that he does, I think can help us. I think a lot of us are super grateful to play in a ballpark that we play in, with the fans that we do have. We don’t take that lightly. I think having a packed house every night and stuff really helps you play well, right?”

    Mattingly debated Arraez in the leadoff or cleanup spot. He settled on cleanup. Sure enough, Arraez delivered with runners on first and second in the first and third innings after Harper drew walks.

    “I’ve known him for a long time, and that’s what he does,” said Luzardo, who gave up four hits and two walks and threw 98 pitches in his longest start of the season. “He’s going to get his knocks, but just the energy he brings in the clubhouse, in the dugout, on the field, just kind of keeps it light.”

    And because the baseball gods have a sense of humor, the first four balls put in play by the Nationals all went to right field. Harper handled them all.

    After bowing to the fans, of course.

    “A lot of them remembered,” Harper said of his pregame ritual in his previous life as a Phillies right fielder. “That was pretty cool to see.”

    And so, the Grand Experiment began.

    It’ll be fascinating to watch it play out.

  • New Phillie Luis Arraez doesn’t care where he hits in the lineup. He’s starting off as their cleanup hitter.

    New Phillie Luis Arraez doesn’t care where he hits in the lineup. He’s starting off as their cleanup hitter.

    As a kid, Luis Arraez hated striking out so much he used to cry afterward.

    As he grew up and became a professional, the tears abated. But the hatred never did. So it’s a good thing that he has just a 4.5% strikeout rate this season, the lowest in MLB. In 105 games this season, Arraez has struck out 21 times and walked 25 times.

    “I love to put the ball in play, and I hate strikeouts,” Arraez said. “So I want to go there and try to do my job.”

    Phillies’ addition of Luis Arraez means an infield shuffle: ‘What are we going to say? No, we’re not moving?’

    After Arraez — along with the Phillies’ other trade deadline acquisitions, relievers Caleb Kilian and Brooks Raley — reported to the club Tuesday, the shake-up was felt immediately. Interim manager Don Mattingly went the unconventional route with his lineup against the Nationals, placing slugger Kyle Schwarber at leadoff and contact hitter Arraez at cleanup.

    Arraez has only played 39 career games in the No. 4 spot of the order, but where he hits makes no difference to him.

    “I don’t care. If I see my name in the lineup, I’ll be happy,” Arraez said.

    Mattingly’s thought process behind the unorthodox lineup was splitting up the left-handers. With the addition of Arraez, three of the Phillies’ top four hitters in the order are left-handed. Mattingly moved the right-handed Trea Turner to No. 2, in between Schwarber and Bryce Harper at No. 3.

    The fact that Arraez has only hit four homers this year didn’t deter Mattingly from putting him at cleanup, a spot that traditionally is reserved for a team’s best power hitter. Mattingly cared more about Arraez’s .324 batting average.

    “You figure he’s coming up with men on base, and it doesn’t take a homer to drive in a run,” Mattingly said. “Base hit drives in runs from second base.”

    Dave Dombrowski’s no good, very bad year (tenure?) continues at the MLB trade deadline

    Arraez said the biggest thing he brings to the team is his energy. Mere hours after arriving, he already appeared to be at home in the Phillies clubhouse. It helped that he’s already familiar with several of his new teammates after coinciding with them on previous stops. He played with Jhoan Duran on the Twins, Jesús Luzardo and Bryan De La Cruz on the Marlins, and José Alvarado on Venezuela at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

    But Arraez is maybe most excited to join forces with Cristopher Sánchez. Arraez has struggled against the Phillies lefty, going just 1-for-18 against him in his career.

    New Phillies second baseman Luis Arraez exits the field with Trea Turner after infield practice on Tuesday.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    “Now I don’t have to face Cristopher Sánchez. He’s so nasty,” Arraez said. “Now we are teammates, so I’m really excited.”

    He has good memories at Citizens Bank Park, as well. In 2023, Arraez hit for the cycle there, becoming the first Marlins player in history to do so. He and the Marlins returned to South Philadelphia later in the season for the wild-card series, which the Phillies swept in two games.

    “I was with Miami, and the fans were so loud,” Arraez said. “I never forgot.”

    Low on prospect capital, loaded with needs, the Phillies’ best asset at the deadline turned out to be … Bryce Harper

    New infield

    In addition to a new-look batting order, Tuesday’s game brought the first test of the Phillies’ new defensive alignment. Arraez, the Phillies’ new second baseman, spent time pregame chatting and taking grounders with Turner, his new double play partner.

    To open a spot on the infield for Arraez, Harper is moving from first to right field, Alec Bohm is moving from third to first, and Bryson Stott has moved from second to third.

    Arraez was grateful that his new teammates would make these positional switches for him.

    “There’s a lot of respect, especially to Bryce Harper. MVP, and then he moved for me, and it’s a lot of respect for me,” Arraez said.

    Second baseman Luis Arraez and new double play partner Trea Turner work together for the first time during infield practice prior to Tuesday’s game.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    With three of the Phillies’ fielders playing positions they haven’t played regularly in several years, Mattingly might consider making defensive switches late in games when the Phillies have the lead. In those situations, teams typically prioritize having their best defensive alignment in the field.

    “We talked to Harp about possibly having to come back in [to first] during the course of a game,” Mattingly said. “Had no problem with that. Same with Bohmer, possibly going to third in the course of a game. So I think it does give us versatility and gives us some areas that we can do things. And knowing that we can cover spots. Maybe not what we want to do all the time, but I think in the course of trying to win a game, you make moves, you end up with a different lineup.”

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    Mattingly, a nine-time Gold Glove first baseman, had a watchful eye over Bohm as he took drills at first base on Tuesday.

    “I’m trying to just talk about some of the finer details, how we want to come off the bag here, how we want to cover different balls, playing behind a guy, how you want to play that,” Mattingly said. “It’s just really going through it and understanding where you want to be and why.”

    Extra bases

    Outfielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. and left-hander Kyle Backhus were both optioned to clear 26-man roster spots for two of the Phillies’ three deadline acquisitions. The third spot was previously vacated by Seth Johnson, who was traded to the A’s on Monday. … Andrew Painter (1-8, 6.72 ERA) is scheduled to start Wednesday opposite Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin (2-5, 5.56 ERA).

  • Eagles practice observations: Defense brings the camp fire; O-line woes; DeVonta Smith and who else?

    Eagles practice observations: Defense brings the camp fire; O-line woes; DeVonta Smith and who else?

    The Eagles held the fifth practice of their 2026 training camp on Tuesday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. Here were my observations from Day 5 (and links to Days 1, 2, 3 and 4):

    Receiving line

    The Eagles were without wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon due to hamstring injuries. Lemon left Monday’s practice early, while Smith appeared to finish the workout. The team doesn’t expect either player to be out for an extended period. Both receivers were present Tuesday, which was a positive sign.

    I wouldn’t be worried about Smith. He might have tweaked something, but the educated guess here is that the Eagles shut him down for the time being. They’ve been careful with him before, just as they were with A.J. Brown last year at camp. Smith is far and away the best receiver on the team and the Eagles can’t afford a needless injury with the drop-off relatively steep.

    Eagles’ 53-man roster projection: How the picture looks entering training camp Week 2

    Lemon is another story. The rookie needs the reps. It also doesn’t help that he suffered a hamstring strain in the spring. While it’s unclear if he hurt the same one, two soft tissue injuries in the span of six weeks isn’t likely how he wants to start his career. Lemon has been quiet in the early going. He’s yet to make a play that screams “first round draft pick,” but it’s also very early.

    Lane Johnson speaks with reporters during the first day of training camp on July 29. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Paving the Lane

    Lane Johnson missed a third straight practice for an excused non-injury-related reason. The Eagles have declined to offer more detail on their right tackle’s absence. Johnson’s only other extended absences that didn’t involve injury came in 2014 and 2016 when he was suspended for performance-enhancing drug use and in 2021 when the team granted him a leave to address his mental health.

    The following Eagles remained injured and out: outside linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle), guard Micah Morris (shoulder), guard Jaeden Roberts (calf contusion) and safety Cole Wisniewski (hamstring). Tackle Cameron Williams (knee contusion) was back to full participation. Receiver Britain Covey walked off the field with trainers late in the workout.

    Sean Mannion (center) did not oversee a sharp day from his offensive unit. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Offensive offense

    It was a tough day for Sean Mannion’s offense after it appeared to make strides in the bubble on a rainy Monday. The Eagles were in full pads for a second straight day and the outside environment and intensity seemed to benefit the defense. It’s long been understood that NFL defenses are typically ahead in the early portion of camp. Coordinator Vic Fangio’s seasoned unit is also facing an offense that is still learning a new system.

    As I’ve written here since the spring, there are going to be growing pains. It’s better to fail now rather than later. It also didn’t help that Smith was out. But I don’t think there was an offensive position group that could be happy about its performance on Tuesday, especially the O-line. Chris Kuper was without Johnson again, and the O-line coach juggled his units some, but there was too much sloppiness up front.

    We also had our first few skirmishes of camp. Guard Tyler Steen and defensive tackle Ty Robinson got into a brief skirmish after several plays of facing each other. Safety Andrew Mukuba and receiver Dontayvion Wicks mixed it up after the former didn’t appreciate the latter’s downfield run blocking. There’s nothing wrong with a little extra fire between teammates, as long as no one gets burnt.

    Landon Dickerson is among the offensive linemen trying to adjust to a new blocking scheme. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Blocking it out

    The new wide-zone run blocking scheme will require an adjustment period for a starting group that had done it a different way under former O-line coach Jeff Stoutland. Johnson and left tackle Jordan Mailata shouldn’t be that affected. They could thrive in any system. Center Cam Jurgens and Steen should, theoretically, benefit because of their athleticism.

    Left guard Landon Dickerson, though, could struggle the most. He’s not as nimble as the others and has had well-documented series of injuries that have put his future in question. Whenever he’s been asked to work to the perimeter on outside zone runs, it’s apparent he just doesn’t have the motor he once did.

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    That doesn’t mean he can’t get by or even flourish if healthy. But staying healthy has been an obvious issue, and he admitted earlier this week that he’s had to reconsider how he’s previously played through injury. That could place a greater emphasis on the backup guard spot. Drew Kendall appears to be the leading candidate right now. He took some first-team reps at left guard on Tuesday.

    The Eagles know Kendall can play center. He’s Jurgens’ likely backup. But can he hold up in the interior at 308 pounds? He seemed to hold his ground against defensive tackle Moro Ojomo when he was with the starters. And he did well to pick up a Jeremiah Trotter Jr. blitz later with the second unit. But the tests will keep coming.

    Jalen Hurts (1) did not have his best day of camp. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    Hurting for certain

    Objectively, Jalen Hurts was sharp on Monday. The opposite could be written a day later. The O-line problems didn’t help, and neither did occasionally poor pass catching. I thought Hurts threw a catchable deep ball to Quez Watkins, but the route wasn’t crisp and the receiver’s dive came up short. Hurts then floated a dime to Will Shipley after he was schemed wide-open on a wheel route. But the running back stone-cold dropped a would-be explosive play.

    Hurts made some head-scratching decisions on throws downfield, though, some of them vs. the second defense. There was a heave to a double-covered Hollywood Brown that safety Michael Carter II intercepted after surviving a collision with the ground and a slight bobble. There was a tight-window toss to Wicks on the next play that cornerback Jakorian Bennett got his hands on.

    Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee are in a competition for QB2 duties. And they’re trying to embrace it.

    Hurts later chucked another one up for grabs to Wicks that was only slightly overthrown past a few pursuing defenders. In the red zone, he hitched off play-action and still threw to a covered Wicks. Mukuba was in Wicks’ pocket, but cornerback Quinyon Mitchell came over and got a hand on the ball.

    There were some good moments, too. Hurts had Brown alone in the end zone after a scissor route concept caught cornerback Jonathan Jones sleeping. Wicks shook cornerback Riq Woolen on an outside release and the ball arrived in time. Hurts had excellent ball placement on a pass to Wicks that required he throw it away from the lurking Mitchell.

    But there just wasn’t much rhythm to the passing offense — not to mention the run game. Hurts, on several occasions, had no one open and had to either eat the ball or throw it away. During one pass play, after he went through his reads and the pocket collapsed, he simply dropped the ball to the ground.

    Moro Ojomo (97) was among those who excelled on defense Tuesday. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    D-light

    The good news is that the defense could be dominant this season, barring significant injuries. Cornerback Cooper DeJean briefly ran off the field after dinging his left hand — a reminder that the game can take anyone — but he appeared fine after getting checked out by trainers.

    Fangio has new faces on his side of the ball, but the biggest upgrade to last season’s very-good-but-not-great defense could be a 100% Jalen Carter. He seems to make a few eye-popping plays every practice. He bested Steen on back-to-back reps. Carter gave him the finger wag after stopping a Saquon Barkley run near the line, and then clubbed him to the helmet on the way to a would-be sack.

    Moro Ojomo watched fellow defensive tackles Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis get paid. He’s using it as motivation.

    Moro Ojomo was a menace at defensive tackle as well. He jetted past Dickerson and might have caused Barkley to bobble a pitch that resulted in little gain. The Eagles’ depth at D-tackle allows Ojomo to face the second unit at times, and it can be unfair. He made quick work of tackle John Ojukwu and notched a run stop near the line.

    And then there were missed blocks that gifted the front four. Carter was mind-bogglingly granted a free pass to Shipley on one rush. Defensive end Jalyx Hunt notched a unblocked sack when left tackle Fred Johnson appeared to have his eyes in the wrong spot.

    Jihaad Campbell is making his presence felt at linebacker. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Back off

    The off-ball linebacker group is pretty good, too. Jihaad Campbell still has lots to prove, but his talent is evident. He jacked running back Tank Bigsby onto his back and blew up a Barkley inside zone run near the goal line. Zack Baun lined up on the edge at one point and beat Ojukwu with an outside rush to record a sack. He also broke up a pass to tight end Dallas Goedert.

    Trotter blitzed once and steamrolled Shipley. Smael Mondon had maybe his best practice of camp and made multiple tackles, including a run stop after he shook the pulling to Williams.

    Dallas Goedert (88) and the tight ends have not been much of a factor in the passing game thus far in camp. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Tight lies

    I mentioned recently here that the tight ends haven’t been featured as much as the receivers and that trend continued. I recall past years when Goedert would be Hurts’ favorite target, but that has yet to happen. It could certainly change. But tight ends have more blocking responsibilities in the Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay scheme.

    New guy Johnny Mundt will be key, with more need to block defensive ends at the point of attack. Goedert isn’t the blocker he once was, but he has the wherewithal, even as he enters his ninth season. Cameron Latu may have a roster spot based on his special teams capabilities. He trucked receiver Darius Cooper during kick return drills. But he’s a physical blocker and displayed as much when he wham blocked Hunt out of a run play.

    Neither Tanner McKee (16) nor Andy Dalton (14) got much of a leg up on Tuesday. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    Under center

    In the backup quarterback competition, it was a relative draw in which neither Andy Dalton nor Tanner McKee was very consistent. As with Hurts, they were hardly all to blame for the offensive inefficiency.

    Dalton did find tight end Grant Calcaterra for a nice pickup after a naked bootleg fooled the first unit defense. And Cooper made a splendid one-handed grab on one of Dalton’s red zone throws. But the receiver was unable to get both feet in the back of the end zone. Later on, Cooper ran an in-breaking route when Dalton’s ball went outside to an empty space.

    McKee had a couple hookups with receiver Samori Toure. But like Hurts, he took sacks or simply ate the ball when the clock ran out on a fruitless play.

    Jake Elliott (4) was perfect on Tuesday. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Extra points

    I’ve written a fair amount about rookie defensive tackle Uar Bernard’s trials and tribulations as he tries to make it in the NFL. But there’s another neophyte from Africa in camp: undrafted edge Joshua Weru. He plays a different position than Bernard, but he’s looked more fluid. He still has a ways to go, but there’s some potential there. He had a pressure during the developmental period. … Jake Elliott was a perfect 6-for-6 during the kicking period. He was good from 33, 38, 42, 44, 50 and 52 yards. He also split the uprights from 44 yards out later during team drills. … The Eagles practice again on Wednesday and have a closed walkthrough on Thursday.

  • For Larry Berg, a life in soccer became ‘a calling’ in quest to be MLS commissioner

    For Larry Berg, a life in soccer became ‘a calling’ in quest to be MLS commissioner

    NEW YORK — There are plenty of fun stories to tell about Larry Berg’s Cherry Hill roots, from his lifelong Eagles fandom to playing in New Jersey’s state high school soccer tournament against Peter Vermes’ Delran High in the 1980s.

    But Berg’s introduction as Major League Soccer’s next commissioner on Tuesday wasn’t just a time to tell them. There were other priorities.

    The biggest was finding out his vision for how the league will capitalize on the World Cup — especially when it comes to slashing the phone book’s worth of roster rules.

    As part of Los Angeles FC’s ownership group, Berg has recently been a co-chair of the league’s powerful sporting and competition committee, which means he knows that rule book inside and out. Now he knows which of those rules need to go to make MLS more competitive on the global stage, and thus more attractive to global soccer fans who look down on it.

    From left, longtime MLS commissioner Don Garber, new commissioner Larry Berg, Columbus Crew principal owner Jimmy Haslam, and Los Angeles FC part-owner Bennett Rosenthal at Tuesday’s event.Major League Soccer

    “We’ve accomplished an extraordinary amount over the last three decades, but success can never become an excuse for standing still,” Berg said, still with hints of a Cherry Hill accent after his years out west. “Status quo is not an option.”

    Current comissioner Don Garber said that when he appointed Berg to that committee in 2019, Berg “brought to that role an entirely modern and forward-thinking perspective as to where the product could be on the field.”

    MLS’s new commissioner will be Cherry Hill native Larry Berg, a LAFC part-owner

    The league has long discussed an overhaul that will free teams to not just spend more money, but have more freedom in how they spend it. The latter is as important as the former, with rosters chopped into so many classifications: Designated Players, Targeted Allocation Money, Under-22 signings, and so on.

    “I didn’t accept this role to protect what we’ve already accomplished — I accepted it because I believe this league is ready for its next chapter,” Berg said. “We’ve come an incredibly long way in a remarkably short period of time, and everyone who has helped build Major League Soccer should be proud of that. But I also believe the opportunity in front of us is even greater than what we’ve accomplished so far.”

    Larry Berg has helped bring Gareth Bale (left) and other superstars to Los Angeles FC over the years.Marcio Jose Sanchez

    There is proof that overhaul is on the way. At Monday’s vote of team owners that elected Berg, Inter Miami’s powerful leader Jorge Mas was seen walking out of the lobby holding a printout of a presentation titled “MLS 3.0.” He was gone before reporters could ask him what was in it, but fans would like to know.

    “The platform is in place, the infrastructure is in place, the opportunity is in front of us,” Berg said. “Now it’s time to pull the right levers, make the right decisions, and build on everything that’s been created. Together, we’ll make the right decisions to elevate our competition, strengthen our clubs, develop more world-class players, and inspire the next generation of supporters.”

    MLS knows it needs to loosen its roster rules to get better. But how far is it willing to go?

    One of Berg’s fellow co-owners at LAFC, Bennett Rosenthal, was a co-chair of the committee that vetted commissioner candidates. He said choosing Berg “puts us in a position, and puts Larry in a position most importantly, to succeed and get consensus to make those changes.”

    Another major headline is that Berg is the first MLS commissioner to have a major soccer background before taking the job. It needs to be said that he’s only the third commissioner in league history: Doug Logan had the job first, from 1996-99, and Garber has had it since. He will stay in the job through the end of this year, then spend 2027 with the new title of chairman.

    Larry Berg (right) with Don Garber at MLS headquarters.Major League Soccer

    Logan worked in sports marketing, in particular around basketball and hockey. Garber came from the NFL, where he had spent 16 years in a variety of roles — the last leading the league’s international business.

    “In Larry, our league has found exactly the leader we need at this time,” Garber said, coincidentally speaking 27 years to the day since his hiring was announced.

    This summer created World Cup fans, but that’s not the same as soccer fans. MLS must bridge the gap.

    “He understands it because he helped build it,” Garber continued. “He knows our clubs and knows our league because he’s experienced it full time, and understands the opportunities and the challenges ahead. … I think your integrity, your ambition, your thoughtfulness, your smarts, your respect that you have for the game, is going to help take this league to where we all want it to go.”

    Berg, 60, has been around soccer since his childhood. He was a fan of the old Philadelphia Atoms back in the day, and has been a devoted traveler to U.S. national team games for decades.

    “I want to take you back to 1974: I was eight years old when my father saw a flyer taped to a telephone pole announcing a brand new youth soccer league in our hometown,” he recalled. “He didn’t know anything about soccer, to be clear, but he thought it looked interesting and signed me up anyway — there were only two teams, so we played the same opponent every weekend. I don’t think either of us could have imagined that one decision would eventually lead me here today.”

    Rosenthal said his committee believed from the start that “we needed somebody who had a passion for the game, and there was nobody who had a bigger passion than Larry. And when we say the word passion, Larry described this role as something he had ‘a calling’ to do.”

    This summer’s World Cup served as the ultimate proof of how big global soccer stars have become in America

    It remains to be seen how much of an impact that actually has. But there surely will be some impact, directly and subtly.

    “I’ve experienced this sport as a player, a fan, an owner, and now with tremendous humility as next commissioner,” Berg said. “The foundation has been built. Now it’s our responsibility to build on it, and that’s what excites me most.”

    Larry Berg with his wife Allison (right), a Philadelphia native.FilmMagic

    Berg specifically noted how important it is for the league to capture the afterglow of this summer’s World Cup, and ensure all the new soccer fans it created come to MLS specifically.

    “Millions of people across North America experienced that passion firsthand: they fell in love with the drama, the atmosphere, the supporter culture, and the emotion that makes soccer unlike anything else,” he said. “That creates an extraordinary opportunity for all of us. The question isn’t whether people are paying attention to soccer — they are. The question is what we do with this moment.”

    Union president Tim McDermott discusses signing ‘bigger name players,’ a Philly stadium, and much more after a World Cup reset
  • U.S. Soccer still isn’t saying much about the ongoing Gianni Infantino FIFA scandal

    U.S. Soccer still isn’t saying much about the ongoing Gianni Infantino FIFA scandal

    NEW YORK — U.S. Soccer Federation CEO JT Batson was among the VIPs at Larry Berg’s introduction as Major League Soccer’s next commissioner on Tuesday. After the event, Batson took questions from the media. But that didn’t mean he offered detailed answers to all of them.

    That was particularly true when questions about FIFA president Gianni Infantino came up.

    “As we shared publicly, we supported Concacaf’s statement on Friday with regards to FIFA Forward Enterprises,” Batson said, referring to Infantino’s plan to sell shares in a new FIFA private company — including to Josh Kushner, whose brother’s father-in-law is U.S. President Donald Trump.

    That “support” was a mere one-sentence post on X: “U.S. Soccer stands with Concacaf and its members.” It was attached to Concacaf’s post with its statement that formally “rejected” Infantino’s plan.

    Batson said nothing about Concacaf’s latest statement on Sunday, which said “a comprehensive reckoning with this presidency is imperative.” Those words hit hard in the soccer world.

    “We have a board meeting in September where, among many topics, one of [them] is thinking about what the best future is for global soccer,” Batson said. “There’s so much more opportunity to grow soccer in more communities around the world, and to do it in a way where those communities are healthier, where they’re more sustainable, and everyone around the world is more connected. We’re looking forward to that discussion, and I don’t anticipate a whole lot of communication ahead of that.”

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    What happens if the issue is forced with Infantino before then? Europe’s soccer governing body UEFA could call for an extraordinary FIFA Congress to try to overthrow FIFA, and might get Concacaf’s help in doing so.

    The Guardian reported Tuesday morning that all 41 of Concacaf’s member nations sent letters endorsing Infantino’s reelection before the World Cup, but “many are now giving serious con­sideration to withdrawing them.”

    Concacaf president and FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani (top) with FIFA president Gianni Infantino at the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, British Columbia, in April.Darryl Dyck

    The report further said U.S. Soccer specifically “is understood to be deeply unhappy with Infantino,” with the backlash over President Trump’s intervention on Folarin Balogun’s red card a key point. But “given the political sensitivities,” the report added, U.S. Soccer “may not feel able to take him on.”

    When Batson was asked if U.S. Soccer wrote such a letter and might withdraw it, he answered: “I haven’t seen that story, so it’s hard for me to comment on it.”

    FIFA president Gianni Infantino abandons plans to sell World Cup profits to private equity

    He was also asked whether U.S. Soccer would back Concacaf president Victor Montagliani if he runs against Infantino, which looks increasingly possible. Batson didn’t answer that question directly.

    Current MLS commissioner Don Garber was asked his opinion of it all, not just as the MLS’ leader but as a member of U.S. Soccer’s board.

    MLS commissioner Don Garber at last year’s Club World Cup final.Pamela Smith

    “I’m going to wait for JT and Cindy [Cone, U.S. Soccer’s president], who I have a lot of faith in, and see what they want or don’t want to do,” he said. “But I haven’t spent any time thinking about it. I’m still reveling in the beauty and joy of the World Cup, disappointed that there’s negativity, but this is an issue that’s going to have to be addressed — but it’s going to be addressed by others.”

    Garber spent plenty of time in Infantino’s orbit leading up to this summer, including when three MLS teams played in last summer’s Club World Cup. But he claimed he had no inside knowledge of Infantino’s privatization plan.

    Former U.S. Soccer president quits role as top adviser to FIFA boss amid World Cup scandal

    “I found out when everybody else did by reading it on social media,” he said. “And I’ve been focused on today, and our Leagues Cup which starts [this week]. I have no information, and probably no more or no less than anybody else in the world.”

    Batson on Pochettino’s return

    The mood was different when it came to Mauricio Pochettino’s new deal for a second term as the U.S. men’s soccer team’s manager.

    Mauricio Pochettino (left) with JT Batson during the U.S. men’s team’s pre-World Cup training camp.Jonathan Tannenwald

    Contract talks started well before the World Cup, as Batson acknowledged when the U.S. team’s World Cup training camp kicked off in late May. An extension offer was put on the table back then, but both sides agreed to wait to see how the tournament played out.

    After the Americans were eliminated in the quarterfinals on July 6, both sides took a breather for a bit. But once they started talking again, it didn’t take long for a deal to get done.

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    “We’re super excited that Mauricio and his staff are joining us for this next project,” Batson said. “We signed the contract Sunday, we announced it Monday, and at 7 a.m. this morning Eastern time, I was on with Mauricio, and Jesús [Pérez, Pochettino’s top assistant], and Dan [Helfrich, U.S. Soccer’s chief operating officer], about all the planning and everything around the next steps. They’re pumped, we’re excited, and we’re ready to get going.”

    Batson confirmed an ESPN report that there are “mutual protections” in Pochettino’s deal, which runs through the 2030 World Cup, in case he doesn’t see it all the way out.

    Mauricio Pochettino (center) has agreed a new deal to stay on as the U.S. men’s soccer team’s manager through the 2030 World Cup.Jonathan Tannenwald

    That is an unusual phrase, certainly not as simple as “a buyout.” But it feels like an implicit acknowledgment that European clubs might pursue Pochettino, and that the summer of 2028 might be a natural separation point if the circumstances are right — especially if the U.S. plays in the 2028 Copa América with South American teams.

    “Of course there are protections for both sides in this,” Batson said. “They were incredibly thoughtful, it was very straightforward, and we’re excited for the next four years.”

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    Asked to put a dollar figure on it, Batson only said “it’s material.”

    If Pochettino does leave in the summer of ‘28, Steve Cherundolo would have an easy move over from the Olympic squad — mostly an under-23 age group — to the senior team.

    Steve Cherundolo played for the U.S. national team for many years, and was Los Angeles FC’s manager from 2022-25.Michael Wyke / AP

    But Batson believes Pochettino might stay for the whole term.

    “I know from the moment we announced Mauricio, there were lots of folks skeptical that they actually were committed, and that they cared about soccer in this country, and they wanted to do all the things necessary to make us successful as a men’s national team, but more broadly as U.S. Soccer,” Batson said. “I’m incredibly excited that folks now are getting — obviously this summer, they got to see — the Mauricio and staff that we all knew, and of course now we’re seeing with their very long-term commitment to U.S. Soccer.”

  • Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee are in a competition for QB2 duties. And they’re trying to embrace it.

    Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee are in a competition for QB2 duties. And they’re trying to embrace it.

    Sixteen years into his NFL career, Andy Dalton has seen just about everything. But this training camp — his first with the Eagles — is unlike any Dalton has participated in before.

    Dalton, 38, is competing with incumbent Tanner McKee to back up Jalen Hurts. That isn’t a new phenomenon for Dalton. He hasn’t been a full-time starter since 2019, his ninth and final year with the Cincinnati Bengals, the team that drafted him 35th overall in 2011.

    What is unfamiliar, however, is that Dalton doesn’t know when it’s his turn to take reps with the second-string offense in team drills. Neither does McKee. Both quarterbacks wait for orders from their coaches before one or the other joins the huddle.

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    At first, Dalton had questions about how they would split reps. Now, he’s accepted the surprise element of their current situation, which is reminiscent of game days for the backup quarterback.

    “I was joking with Tanner, I was like, ‘This is just real life right here,’” Dalton said Tuesday. “‘You don’t know when you’re going to be going in.’”

    It’s been an offseason of surprises for Dalton, who was traded to the Eagles after spending the last three seasons with the Carolina Panthers. He had never been traded before. He only had experience choosing to sign with teams in free agency, including the Dallas Cowboys (2020), Chicago Bears (2021), New Orleans Saints (2022), and Panthers.

    Still, Dalton said he is “excited” to be in Philadelphia and to play in the new Sean Mannion-led offense. But the scheme isn’t entirely new to him. Dalton has experience in similar offenses that were also offshoots of the Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay coaching tree, namely Zac Taylor’s first year with the Bengals in 2019 and the past two seasons with Dave Canales and the Panthers.

    Andy Dalton (right) knows some of the principles of the Sean Mannion offense from his time working alongside Zac Taylor (left) in Cincinnati. Wilfredo Lee

    There are some similarities among the three systems. Dalton pointed out their shared emphasis on quick decision-making and pure-progression passing. He also noted that Mannion’s offense requires its quarterbacks to use a cadence that Dalton has learned in the past.

    “Everybody’s got their own little variation of it,” Dalton said of the broader offensive scheme. “But for me, I feel very comfortable in this offense.”

    The trade may have come as a surprise to Dalton, but McKee expressed an understanding of Howie Roseman’s rationale behind the move.

    Yes, McKee was the primary backup last season, a role that was hardly threatened in camp by Dorian Thompson-Robinson (who is now playing in the UFL) or Kyle McCord (who is in camp with the Green Bay Packers). McKee has generally fared well in his handful of preseason and regular-season outings over the last two years, save for his lone start in 2025 — a 24-17 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 18 — in which he primarily played with backups.

    Moro Ojomo watched fellow defensive tackles Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis get paid. He’s using it as motivation.

    However, McKee acknowledged Roseman’s objective to strengthen the roster every season.

    “I don’t think you can be surprised whenever they bring in somebody or there’s competition, because in the NFL, there’s always going to be competition,” McKee said Tuesday. “They’re trying to improve the roster every year, and so anybody that they can bring in to make you compete or make you earn your spot, that’s definitely what everybody wants.

    “And for a player, it’s great. It is great to have somebody to push you and to make you better. The stakes in practice are a little bit higher, and so it makes it fun.”

    Tanner McKee has been focused on trying to learn things from the veteran Andy Dalton, even as both vie for the same job. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    McKee is embracing Dalton’s presence, especially his knowledge of the offense. In practice on Tuesday, for example, the 26-year-old quarterback was on the field for a play that broke down. Later on, McKee said he went to Dalton for insight on how he would’ve read the play given the defensive coverage.

    “It is great having that overall wisdom, I guess you could say, of just the experience that he’s had to talk through things,” McKee said. “It really does make each other better, and that’s exactly what everybody wants when we have competition, is to make the Eagles organization better.”

    The lessons McKee has learned aren’t limited to firsthand experiences on the field. Because he is splitting second-string reps, unlike last year’s training camp, McKee is forced to take more mental reps from the sideline while Dalton is on the field.

    Eagles’ 53-man roster projection: How the picture looks entering training camp Week 2

    McKee likened that experience to practices during the season, when Hurts is commanding the majority of the snaps. Those mental reps can be valuable, too, he explained.

    “Sometimes, you learn from mistakes, but a lot of times you have to learn from mistakes of other people as well,” McKee said. “And so paying attention on the sideline, watching film, all those things are just a little bit more important when you’re not getting as many.”

    The two depth quarterbacks will soon take their competition to the next level when preseason begins. The Eagles open their exhibition slate against the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 15.

    Each player will make his case for the backup role. Dalton may not have the starting job he once held down at the outset of his career, but he has approached his role as a backup with the same level of preparation and attention to detail.

    Most importantly, he hasn’t lost his love for the game and all of the surprises that come with it.

    “There’s nothing else like this,” Dalton said. “So I’m trying to soak it all in as much as I can. Trying to get the most out of the game because obviously once you’re done, you’re done.”

  • Penn State ranked No. 17 in Top 25 preseason coaches poll

    Penn State ranked No. 17 in Top 25 preseason coaches poll

    The annual preseason college football coaches poll was released, and Penn State was included despite a disastrous 2025 season.

    On Tuesday, Penn State was ranked No. 17. Eight Big Ten schools were included in the Top 25 poll, with Ohio State atop the list.

    Last season, the Nittany Lions were ranked third overall in the same preseason poll, which was not indicative of the season the team had. The Nittany Lions finished 7-6 overall and 3-6 in conference play. Longtime head coach James Franklin was dismissed in the middle of the season. Former Iowa State coach Matt Campbell was hired in December to take over the program.

    Big Ten media day: Matt Campbell explains why Penn State was the right fit, keeping Terry Smith on staff, and more

    “Over the past six months, we’ve been reminded every day why Penn State was the right fit,” said Campbell during Big Ten media day last week. “The history is special. The tradition is special. But what really resonated with me is how Penn State has always valued integrity, character, and class at its best.”

    It seems Campbell’s peers believe he can help the program bounce back. To do so, he will lean on some familiar faces, as 24 Iowa State players followed Campbell to Penn State through the transfer portal, including starting quarterback Rocco Becht.

    In 12 games last season, playing with a torn labrum on his nonthrowing shoulder, Becht threw for 2,584 yards and 16 touchdowns. He is the winningest returning quarterback in college football.

    Quarterback Rocco Becht followed Matt Campbell to Penn State.Carolyn Kaster

    “We have our goals in mind, and that’s to win a Big Ten championship and ultimately get to the College Football Playoff to have a chance to win a national championship,” Becht previously told the Inquirer. “With the team that we have now, I think we’re fully capable of doing that. Everybody just has to buy in, be consistent with the standards, and I think we’ll be in good hands.”

    Here are the full coaches poll rankings:

    1. Ohio State
    2. Oregon
    3. Georgia
    4. Texas
    5. Notre Dame
    6. Indiana
    7. Miami
    8. Texas A&M
    9. Oklahoma
    10. Ole Miss
    11. Alabama
    12. Texas Tech
    13. LSU
    14. USC
    15. BYU
    16. Michigan
    17. Penn State
    18. Tennessee
    19. Washington
    20. SMU
    21. Utah
    22. Iowa
    23. Clemson
    24. Houston
    25. Missouri