CHICAGO — Jalen Hurts had scrambled to his right toward the sideline, had taken a step out of bounds, had taken a hellacious hit from Bears linebacker D’Marco Jackson, and there Hurts was now, sprinting back to the Eagles’ huddle, making sure the world knew that he believed he was good to go.
The Eagles were moving, at the Bears’ 15-yard line midway through the second quarter, in striking distance of a tying touchdown. But the concussion spotter assigned to Monday night’s game at Soldier Field has a job to do, too, and it’s an important one, and he signaled to the officials that Hurts had to spend time getting his head checked in the medical tent.
What happened over the next four plays and several minutes wasn’t necessarily the turning point in the Eagles’ 27-7 loss, but it symbolized their night as perfectly as any sequence could. Throughout training camp and the preseason, the competition between Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee for the team’s No. 2 quarterback spot was nothing more than a battle between two bad choices. Then Dalton replaced Hurts and showed just how bad. After Saquon Barkley ripped off a 14-yard run to the Bears’ 1-yard-line, he was stuffed twice, and on third down from the shotgun, Dalton did the one thing he couldn’t do: He turned the ball over, throwing a horrible interception to the Bears’ Dillon Thieneman.
Maybe, even if the Eagles get in the end zone or just settle for a field goal there, nothing else changes about a game that they never looked ready to play. Maybe Ben Johnson stays one step ahead of Vic Fangio. Maybe Case Keenum — 38-year-old Case Keenum, playing in his first NFL game in nearly three years — keeps carving up the Eagles’ defense. Maybe that defense keeps missing tackles and breaking down in coverage. Maybe Sean Mannion keeps calling screen passes that don’t work, that lose yardage, and stall drives. Maybe the rest of Monday night unfolds exactly as it did, with Hurts throwing his own awful interception late in the third quarter, with Johnson showing that he doesn’t need Caleb Williams at quarterback to outclass Fangio for the second time in 10 months.
It was a disastrous night for Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
But then, that’s the twisted game that you can play with a team like the one the Eagles have been through their first three games. You can what-if just about any moment, because there are so many moments in which they are making silly, inexcusable mistakes. They committed 10 penalties Monday. They left Bears wide receiver Kalif Raymond wide-open in the middle of the field and watched him dash for a 41-yard touchdown. They’re such a long way from the smart, buttoned-up team that head coach Nick Sirianni forever insists he expects them to be.
Go back to that pivotal point when Hurts left the game, Dalton entered it, and everything went to hell. Surely thousands of Eagles fans started screaming at their television screens when they saw that the trainers and doctors were examining Hurts. Sorry, everyone: It was the right thing to do. It doesn’t matter that Hurts appeared to be fresh and fine not long after Jackson hit him and said after the game that he had suffered no ill effects. Most NFL players in the same situation would have reacted exactly the same way he did, assuming they could. They’d want to stay on the field, and they’d hide any symptoms, and concussion spotters can’t take the chance of having players fool them and try to play through head trauma.
Per NFL rules as of 2015, a spotter can stop a game when a player “displays obvious signs of disorientation or is clearly unstable” and “is attempting to remain in the game and not be attended to by the club’s medical or athletic training staff.” Watch the play again. After Jackson levels him, Hurts remains prone on the ground for two full seconds, his legs and feet kicking slightly. It would be understandable if, based on the hit’s immediate aftermath, the spotter determined that Hurts was disoriented.
Sirianni, in theory, could have called a timeout to stall, to buy time for Hurts to clear the concussion protocol, except he said he had no idea what Hurts’ condition was and when he might be ready to return, if he could return at all. “I think that’s the right way to go about it,” he said. “The health of the player is the most important thing.” Besides, the problem wasn’t that Hurts was no longer in the game. The problem was that the Eagles, Dalton specifically, screwed up without him.
Dalton is 38, in his 16th NFL season. He is supposed to be experienced and savvy enough not to force a throw to a receiver, Dontayvion Wicks, who was blanketed in the back of the end zone. A coach should be able to count on a veteran backup to be smart in that situation, and the Eagles paid dearly for Dalton’s violation of that trust.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Chicago Bears quarterback Case Keenum embrace at the end of the game at Soldier Field on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, in Chicago, Ill. Chicago won 27-7.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jalyx Hunt and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jonathan Greenard leave after the Chicago Bears game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts lies on the ground after getting sacked during the fourth quarter of the Chicago Bears game.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts watches the last two minutes of the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Chicago won 27-7.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts gets up after getting sacked in the fourth quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws long on fourth down in the fourth quarter, pass incomplete at Soldier Field on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, in Chicago, Ill.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon makes a reception in the fourth quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan reacts after a penalty is called in the fourth quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni in the fourth quarter. Chicago won 27-7.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws the ball to Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jonathan Greenard tackles Chicago Bears quarterback Case Keenum in the fourth quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears quarterback Case Keenum almost loses possession of the ball in the fourth quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell tackles Chicago Bears quarterback Case Keenum in the fourth quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards after intercepting a pass in the third quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts after throwing a third-quarter interception.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears wide receiver Kalif Raymond celebrates a touchdown during the third quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards celebrates an interception in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith is wrapped up by Chicago Bears safety Elijah Hicks in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans in the third quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun tackle Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland in the third quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon was tackled by Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson in the third quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws the ball to Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jalyx Hunt goes after Chicago Bears quarterback Case Keenum in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears fan reacts to the last-minute “tush push” score by Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts looks up after scoring on the tush push with one second left to go.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears safety Dillon Thieneman celebrates an interception in the second quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell stops Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift in the second quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz is defended by Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson in the second quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley runs by Chicago Bears safety Dillon Thieneman in the second quarter, just short of a touchdown.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell breaks up a pass intended for Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III in the second quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift gets stopped by Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (left) and Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Moro Ojomo (right) in the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerIncomplete pass to Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze in the second quarter, defended by Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nolan Smith.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III scores as the Philadelphia Eagles defense tries to stop him during the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell forces Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III out of bounds in the first quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III celebrates a touchdown during the first quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift runs with the ball against Philadelphia Eagles safety Marcus Epps in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears quarterback Case Keenum hands off to Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
“I can’t put the team in that situation,” Dalton said. “Costly decision.”
The lasting price of that incompetence, just one example of so many Monday night, remains to be seen. The Eagles are 2-1, sure, but so far they haven’t been the team anyone expected them to be. They are asking so much of Hurts, perhaps too much. Their defense hasn’t been close to the shutdown unit it was presumed to be. And the Los Angeles Rams, 1-2 and dangerous, are ahead on Sunday. The Eagles had better wise up before then, because their leader and their self-image took some major hits Monday night, and right now, everyone is wondering what kind of team they really are.
CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears took a page out of their own playbook and bullied the Eagles, again, in front of a national audience.
Just as they did in their Week 13 victory on Black Friday last year, the Bears outplayed the Eagles, this time on Monday night at Soldier Field. Even with third-string quarterback Case Keenum starting in place of the injured Caleb Williams, the Bears still handed the visitors a 27-7 loss.
The 38-year-old Keenum, who hadn’t played a regular-season game since 2023, went 24-for-34 for 247 yards and two touchdowns (110.8 quarterback rating). He also scored a touchdown on a quarterback sneak.
Jalen Hurts was evaluated for a concussion in the second quarter, but he was cleared and returned to action after backup quarterback Andy Dalton threw an interception from the 2-yard line.
The Eagles coughed up the ball three times — once on a Tank Bigsby fumble, twice on interceptions from Dalton and Hurts. They now have a minus-5 turnover differential on the season, which is tied for second-worst in the NFL.
Here’s our instant analysis from the Eagles’ first loss of the season:
Jalen Hurts’ last-second sneak was the Eagles’ only real highlight on Monday night. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Hurts evaluated for a concussion, returns to action
A nightmarish start for the Eagles got worse when Hurts paid a visit to the medical tent.
Early penalties set the Eagles back, including a Hurts intentional grounding call on the opening drive that they couldn’t overcome, leading to a punt. On the next possession, Hurts threw an incomplete pass to a wide-open Saquon Barkley on first down, Tyler Steen was called for holding on second, and Bigsby fumbled on second-and-long.
Bears defensive back Xavier Woods recovered the loose ball at the Eagles’ 15.
The Eagles’ woes continued halfway through the second quarter when Hurts took a hard hit from Bears linebacker D’Marco Jackson as he was running out of bounds to the Bears’ 13 on a play negated by offsetting penalties. Hurts was down on the grass momentarily, then popped up and returned to the field. But a concussion spotter pulled Hurts so he could be evaluated in the medical tent, thrusting Dalton into red-zone action.
Barkley ran for 14 yards to the Bears’ 1. But the Eagles rushing attack couldn’t punch the ball in on back-to-back tries, so Sean Mannion called on Dalton to complete a pass on third-and-2 with Hurts still in the medical tent.
Bears defensive back Dillon Thieneman picked off Dalton’s pass in the end zone intended for Dontayvion Wicks. Hurts was ultimately cleared to return, but not quickly enough to get back on the field during that drive. The Bears managed a field goal off Dalton’s interception to go up 10-0.
When asked after the game if he felt like he had suffered any kind of head trauma on that hit, Hurts responded with a no. He said he watched Dalton’s pick from outside of the tent, but at that point, he was still waiting to be cleared. He said he wished the concussion spotter could have “expedited things.”
“I think practically, emotionally, and competitively, I’m in the right place to go out there and compete,” Hurts said. “So it’s a situation that hopefully we can learn from.”
Hurts returned to action with 1 minute, 46 seconds remaining in the first half. He pulled off a situational feat, driving to the Bears’ 9 with 19 seconds left, in large part thanks to a 30-yard completion to DeVonta Smith down the right sideline. Hurts then connected with Smith on a first-and-goal screen, then hurried back to the line of scrimmage to get a traditional quarterback sneak off from the 1-yard-line for a touchdown before the clock hit zero.
Nick Sirianni said after the game that Hurts made the decision to go for the sneak with time dwindling, thereby eliminating the opportunity to spike the ball, and no timeouts left.
“I trust him in those situations to make the right decision, and he did, and we got our touchdown there,” Sirianni said.
Saquon Barkley and the Eagles running game had some early success but could not sustain it. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Offense falters in second half
The Eagles were only down by a 10-7 margin at halftime. But the offensive flashes of the first half disappeared in the second, as the Eagles went three-and-out on three consecutive drives. The third of those possessions, late in the third quarter, ended with the Eagles on their own 49 on fourth-and-1.
Instead of running a play (a Tush Push might not have been a possibility as the Eagles appeared to be about 1½ yards away from the first-down marker), the Eagles took a delay-of-game penalty and punted. After the game, Sirianni said he “probably should have went for it there” on fourth-and-1.
The Eagles took a different approach in a similar situation on their next possession. They sputtered just past midfield, bringing up fourth-and-5 from the Bears’ 46. This time, the Eagles opted to go for it.
Bears linebackers T.J. Edwards and Devin Bush walked up to the line of scrimmage pre-snap as if they were part of an all-out blitz, then dropped into coverage after the snap. Hurts threw a pass intended for Smith right into the arms of Edwards — who played for Philly from 2019 to 2022 — for the Eagles’ second interception of the night.
“Just was trying to get the ball to [Smith] on a spot route,” Hurts said. “Felt like we could find a void in the zone. His eyes didn’t turn the way I thought [they] were. I gave one up. I had Makai [Lemon] right there to the field on a hitch route that I could’ve taken. So, not to my standard at all.”
Hurts went 16-for-25 for 153 yards and an interception (64.2 quarterback rating). He was sacked twice.
Case Keenum, 38, celebrated a decisive win in his first NFL start since 2023.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Defense breaks down
The Bears offense began Monday night’s game with the same sense of domination that characterized their 2025 win over the Eagles.
Keenum and the Bears offense strung together an 11-play, 66-yard scoring drive, capped off by an 8-yard receiving touchdown for Luther Burden on a pitch up the middle. The Eagles failed to bring him down as he trudged through traffic. Missed tackles were a recurring theme on the drive, reminiscent of the Week 2 win over the Tennessee Titans.
The Eagles defense seemed to stabilize, forcing a punt, a turnover on downs, and back-to-back field goals on the four Bears possessions that followed. The Bears led, 13-7, early in the third quarter.
But a busted coverage later in the quarter further solidified the Bears’ lead. A breakdown in the Eagles secondary led to Bears receiver Kalif Raymond getting wide-open deep over the middle of the field. He turned a 13-yard pass from Keenum into a 41-yard touchdown as he ran unabated to the end zone with Andrew Mukuba trailing after him.
On that play, Cooper DeJean had traveled with Burden as he motioned across the formation. Both DeJean and Riq Woolen appeared to stick with Burden after the snap, while Raymond went uncovered.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Chicago Bears quarterback Case Keenum embrace at the end of the game at Soldier Field on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, in Chicago, Ill. Chicago won 27-7.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jalyx Hunt and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jonathan Greenard leave after the Chicago Bears game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts lies on the ground after getting sacked during the fourth quarter of the Chicago Bears game.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts watches the last two minutes of the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Chicago won 27-7.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts gets up after getting sacked in the fourth quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws long on fourth down in the fourth quarter, pass incomplete at Soldier Field on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, in Chicago, Ill.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon makes a reception in the fourth quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fan reacts after a penalty is called in the fourth quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni in the fourth quarter. Chicago won 27-7.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws the ball to Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon in the fourth quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jonathan Greenard tackles Chicago Bears quarterback Case Keenum in the fourth quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears quarterback Case Keenum almost loses possession of the ball in the fourth quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell tackles Chicago Bears quarterback Case Keenum in the fourth quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards after intercepting a pass in the third quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts after throwing a third-quarter interception.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears wide receiver Kalif Raymond celebrates a touchdown during the third quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards celebrates an interception in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith is wrapped up by Chicago Bears safety Elijah Hicks in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles fans in the third quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun tackle Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland in the third quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon was tackled by Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson in the third quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts throws the ball to Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jalyx Hunt goes after Chicago Bears quarterback Case Keenum in the third quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears fan reacts to the last-minute “tush push” score by Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts looks up after scoring on the tush push with one second left to go.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears safety Dillon Thieneman celebrates an interception in the second quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell stops Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift in the second quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz is defended by Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson in the second quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley runs by Chicago Bears safety Dillon Thieneman in the second quarter, just short of a touchdown.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell breaks up a pass intended for Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III in the second quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift gets stopped by Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (left) and Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Moro Ojomo (right) in the second quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerIncomplete pass to Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze in the second quarter, defended by Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nolan Smith.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III scores as the Philadelphia Eagles defense tries to stop him during the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell forces Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III out of bounds in the first quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III celebrates a touchdown during the first quarter.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift runs with the ball against Philadelphia Eagles safety Marcus Epps in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerChicago Bears quarterback Case Keenum hands off to Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift in the first quarter.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
“Miscommunication, that’s all,” DeJean said. “We just got to get on the same page.”
Raymond’s touchdown put the Bears up, 20-7, with just under six minutes left in the third quarter.
The Eagles’ sloppiness continued into the fourth. They incurred a pair of penalties on the same Bears possession — a Moro Ojomo neutral zone infraction and a Mukuba holding — that kept the drive alive. The Bears took advantage of the Eagles’ blunders with a Keenum sneak for a touchdown, going up, 27-7, halfway through the fourth quarter.
WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a sweeping bipartisan bill on Monday that would regulate college sports, an attempt to end “chaos” in an industry that has been upended by skyrocketing athlete payments and near-unrestricted transfers between schools.
The overwhelming 77-22 vote to pass the legislation is the strongest effort yet by Congress to set national regulations governing payments to college athletes for their name, image and likeness and how often they can transfer. It would give the NCAA new authority over those rules and limited antitrust protections to enforce them.
The bill is the product of years of Senate negotiations that intensified after a 2025 lawsuit settlement uprooted the college sports landscape by allowing colleges to pay their players. The legislation, which would still have to pass the House, would codify the settlement into law but also establish new guardrails around the system in an attempt to rein in the runaway costs for colleges.
“It would be nice if college sports could somehow magically fix itself, but this is a matter of law, federal law, and only Congress can fix it,” said Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who negotiated the bill with the top Democrat on the panel, Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell.
The bill’s backers — more than 70 senators from both parties — say it aims to curtail constant litigation and uncertainty across college sports for athletes, schools and fans. It would also give hundreds of thousands of student athletes new health and labor protections.
“This is a bill that essentially ensconces a system of exploitation, and it doesn’t fix the broader problems,” said Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat who has worked with labor and civil rights groups to rally opposition to the bill.
The bill’s future is still unclear.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed an interest in the legislation, and the White House formally endorsed the bill last month. But it could face an uphill battle in the House, which failed repeatedly over the last year to get a different version to the floor and is in recess until after the November elections.
Lawmakers will have to start over in the next Congress if the bill doesn’t pass both chambers by the end of the year.
Bill addresses skyrocketing spending, unlimited transfers
College sports have been reeling in the wake of the 2025 court settlement allowing colleges to directly pay players for their name, image and likeness. The fallout has reshaped the industry and led to football roster payrolls that can exceed $40 million.
The bill would codify the court settlement, including a revenue cap that allows schools to share up to $21.5 million in revenue with their players. The legislation would more than double that amount for some schools, allowing up to an additional $27.5 million in payments through a retention fund — a change that helped win the support of the two largest conferences, the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference.
To help schools raise more revenue, the bill would give schools and conferences the option of pooling their TV media rights.
The legislation also aims to stabilize the NCAA transfer portal that has led to players constantly switching teams. It would restrict player transfers to one “free” move over five years without sitting out a year, with some exceptions, and also would restrict players to five years of total eligibility.
The proposed eligibility limit comes amid backlash to schools that have increasingly pushed boundaries, including LSU’s now-canceled plans to place players on the roster who had participated in NFL training camps.
“That was probably like a big lamp for some people who saw it and said, ‘Oh my God, this is so out of control,’” Cantwell said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.
The bill also would restrict coaches from leaving their schools during the season, force schools that want to switch conferences to spend three years as an independent and prevent conferences from growing larger than 20 programs — an effort to prevent so-called “superleagues” from taking over sports. A last-minute amendment proposed by Florida Sen. Ashley Moody raised that cap from 19 in the original legislation.
The vote was delayed several hours on Monday as senators negotiated Moody’s amendment and others that were eventually adopted, including provisions to make it easier for athletes to sue over sexual assault and a requirement to disclose foreign financing.
The Senate rejected an amendment by Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., that would have put limits on ticket prices for fans and two by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., that would have capped coaches’ salaries at $5 million a year and increased compensation for athletes who have catastrophic injuries.
Critics say it wouldn’t do enough to help athletes
The legislation includes new protections for athletes, including caps on agent fees and guarantees for health insurance and scholarships. It would also require schools to maintain a minimum number of sports and roster spots — an effort to ensure that women’s and Olympic sports are not cut in favor of football, basketball and other sports that generate more revenue.
Still, some Democrats say it wouldn’t do enough to limit the big money in college sports.
The legislation “places a cap on the students’ cut of the revenues, but there are no caps on coaches’ salaries or on the size of donations to athletic programs,” Murphy said last week.
Groups like the NAACP, Congressional Black Caucus and AFL-CIO have also opposed the bill, in part, because it leaves unresolved whether athletes should be considered employees with the ability to collectively bargain.
All four Black Democrats in the Senate — Booker, Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland — have opposed the bill.
Booker, who played football at Stanford in the late 1980s on a scholarship, noted the “outsized role” that Black athletes play in college sports. He said it wasn’t until college athletes were able to begin to win cases in court that the power started to shift, “and now the NCAA is coming here to the United States Senate, asking for sweeping powers” to exempt antitrust laws.
“We know who this bill is protecting,” Booker said.
House passage is uncertain
Despite strong bipartisan support in the Senate, the bill faces a murky path in the House.
House lawmakers won’t return to Washington until mid-November, after the elections. And it’s unclear what will be on Republican leaders’ agenda in the chaotic last few weeks of the session.
Pressure from Trump could help push the bill to passage. But some House Republicans have insisted on language explicitly stating that athletes are not employees, which the Senate bill does not have — a key concession to Cantwell to win enough Democratic support.
ATLANTA — In 2023, the Phillies came here for a playoff series with their best two pitchers unavailable to start Game 1 against a record-setting offense.
So, they got creative.
It was difficult not to feel a twinge of déjà vu Monday, when Don Mattingly announced that Jesús Luzardowill start — “I should say open,” he clarified — Game 1 of a best-of-three wild-card series against the Braves.
Luzardo should get down-ballot Cy Young votes for a 2.86 ERA and 221 strikeouts in 179⅔ innings. But he has thrown four pitches in a game over the last three weeks because of an inflamed left shoulder. And while catcher J.T. Realmuto said the Phillies “don’t think 10 days off is necessarily long enough to throw him out of whack,” the truth is … well, let’s let Mattingly tell it.
Maybe Luzardo will tap into postseason adrenaline and last six innings. Maybe he’ll go once through the Braves’ order. He threw four fastballs to get three outs in the eighth inning of a four-run game in the rain Sunday against the Rays, who had nothing to play for.
It didn’t reveal much.
Jesus Luzardo (right) threw a 109-pitch complete game against the Braves on Sept. 7. He hasn’t started a game since because of an inflamed left shoulder.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
“Once the third hitter came up, I wanted to call an 0-0 sweeper just to get one in there and see how it looked,” Realmuto said. “But I was like, ‘There’s no way this guy gets out in one pitch, too, so we’ll get ahead with a sinker and go ahead with the sweeper.’ And we ended up not needing the sweeper, which was unfortunate that he didn’t get to throw that pitch.”
There’s always Tuesday against leadoff-hitting Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr.
Video: Three things to watch in Phillies’ wild-card series vs. Braves
Three years ago, the Phillies’ pitching conundrum was less about the options behind Wheeler and Nola than the matchup. The Braves tied the single-season major-league record with 307 homers, but were susceptible to high velocity, according to the Phillies’ scouting report.
The plan called for finesse lefty Ranger Suárez to go through the order 1½ times before attacking the Braves with a parade of hard-throwing relievers. It worked in a series-opening 3-0 victory.
Just as the Phillies came up with that Game 1 script, they will have one this time, too, although they surely will take as many outs as Luzardo can get. Andrew Painter is available out of the bullpen. If they could use only Luzardo, Painter, and rookie reliever Alex McFarlane to get to closer Jhoan Duran, they would be ecstatic.
But while the Phillies’ pitching plan begins with Luzardo and crossed fingers, there’s immense pressure on Sale to deliver for the Braves, especially with fellow Cy Young candidate Sánchez looming for the Phillies in Game 2.
Game 1 is important in any postseason series. In a best-of-three, it’s imperative. Since the wild-card miniseries was instituted in 2022, 11 of the 16 series ended in sweeps. Only one team has overcome a Game 1 loss to win the series, and the 2025 Yankees were playing at home against the Red Sox.
A few other thoughts heading into the series:
Righty-hitting outfielders Derek Hill (right) and Bryan De La Cruz will have a big role for the Phillies in the wild-card series against the Braves.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Getting it right vs. left
Mattingly is expected to stack the lineup with right-handed hitters, notably outfielders Derek Hill and Bryan De La Cruz. Maybe it won’t matter because Sale allowed only six runs on 15 hits in 26 innings in four starts against the Phillies.
But Hill and De La Cruz will be factors beyond Game 1.
Atlanta’s bullpen may feature as many as four lefties (Dylan Lee, Dylan Dodd, Ray Kerr, and Brent Suter), which could create opportunities for Hill and De La Cruz to stay in the game after Sale exits and come off the bench in Games 2 and 3.
Hill, acquired in an early June trade with the White Sox, batted .261 with seven homers and a .783 OPS and played stellar defense in a center-field platoon with rookie Justin Crawford. De La Cruz, a veteran who came up from triple A in August, hit .280 with two homers and a .762 OPS.
“D-Hill has been an incredible asset for us in the outfield and at the plate against lefties,” Bryce Harper said. “De La Cruz, same thing. These guys, making the moves that we have, can change a postseason for you. Big hit here, big hit there. It’s funny to look back on a lot of postseasons in baseball history. Not many of the superstar players play to their ability. It’s always that hush-hush guy down the lineup that just makes an impact and you win the game.”
Said Mattingly: “We struggled with lefties earlier in the year, and they at least give us some options to put a better crew out there.”
Phillies shortstop Trea Turner is seeking to rebound in the playoffs after the worst season of his career.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Turning the page
Nobody will be happier to see his stats wiped from the scoreboard than Trea Turner.
Turner endured the worst season of his career. One year after winning his second batting title and finishing fifth in the NL MVP race, the $300 million shortstop batted .242, reached base at a .297 clip, and had a .675 OPS, well below his career levels (.292, .343, .810).
“I feel like when you’re going through the season, you’re looking up at the scoreboard, you see your numbers all the time, and now they kind of reset,” Turner said. “From that mentality standpoint, it’s kind of refreshing a little bit. But it doesn’t matter what the numbers look like. Even now, it’s just whether you win or lose.”
Especially now. Turner returned to the leadoff spot over the weekend and had two hits in each of the last two games. He finished on a 10-for-33 (.303) roll with four walks and only seven strikeouts.
Keeping it going is the best way to make everyone forget about the last six months.
“In New York [two weeks ago], I feel like I swung the bat better a little bit,” Turner said. “I feel like I’m in a good position to see the ball better, make good decisions, and just feel good at the plate.”
Kyle Schwarber (middle) said the Phillies are confident being on the road.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Hit the road
Most teams prefer to open the playoffs at home. But after a week from hell, in which they lost four games in a row amid a chorus of boos and only narrowly avoided an epic collapse, maybe it’s best for the Phillies to get away.
“I mean, we’re not afraid,” Kyle Schwarber said. “That’s the biggest thing is that we’re not fazed by where we’re playing.”
In fact, the Phillies had a better record on the road (45-36) than at home (43-38). They’ve also lost five of their last six postseason games at home dating to Game 6 of the 2023 NL Championship Series.
The Flyers released their opening night roster a little before Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline, and the injury news was mixed.
The good news? Starting goaltender and last year’s team MVP Dan Vladař is good to go after suffering an upper-body injury on Sept. 22.
The bad? The Flyers will be without young forward Denver Barkey to start the season. Barkey, who is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury, will go on injured reserve and is required to miss at least seven days.
Barkey, who had five goals and 17 points in 43 games last season as a rookie, first sustained the injury in the Flyers’ preseason opener against Washington on Sept. 21. The 21-year-old left the game 15 seconds into the second period after taking a big hit from Capitals defenseman Martin Fehérváry earlier in the game. Barkey tried to give it a go twice more but pulled up on both occasions after trying to generate speed. Since suffering the injury, Barkey has skated twice, once by himself and once with a group — he left the latter session early.
While Barkey won’t start the season for the Flyers, he seems to be progressing.
“They’re both kind of day to day,” Rick Tocchet said Sunday when asked about Barkey and fellow forward Nikita Grebenkin. “Barks is getting a little bit better every day, and Grebby, a little banged up after last game, is working on a couple of little things.”
Grebenkin was named to the team’s initial roster on Monday with no injury designation. Tocchet confirmed that the injury is not related to the upper-body injury that cost him the second half of last season.
Despite a preseason injury scare, it looks like Dan Vladař will be ready for the opener.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
While the Flyers have not yet confirmed that Vladař will start opening night on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins (7:30 p.m., TNT/HBO Max/TruTV), all signs point to that being the case.
“It looks very promising. [Vladař] should be ready for Game 1,” said general manager Danny Brière during Saturday’s preseason finale. “Probably could have played if we had played a regular-season [game] tonight, but we just want to play it safe and let him get as close to 100% for the start of the regular season.”
Vladař’s injury occurred in the Flyers’ second preseason game when he left 13 minutes, 31 seconds into the first period after allowing a deflection goal against Boston.
In the lead-up to the goal, Vladař mishandled a dump-in and was spread down with his arms extended on the ice when Tanner Jeannot crashed the net for the rebound. While it didn’t look like there was significant contact between Jeannot’s leg and Vladař on the play, the netminder let go of his stick immediately and appeared to be holding his right arm awkwardly in the sequence that led to Michael Eyssimont’s goal.
In other injury news, the Flyers listed Helge Grans as “Injured nonroster” in Monday’s release. The 24-year-old defenseman left Thursday’s game with a lower-body injury and did not return. He was expected to be sent down to the American Hockey League but is not eligible to do so while injured.
Zach Ertz has received plenty of introductions during his NFL career. His latest came from a slightly smaller announcer.
Madden Ertz, the Ertzes’ oldest son, took center stage in a video posted by Julie Ertz, Zach’s wife, on Monday, introducing his dad ahead of his potential return to the Eagles against the Chicago Bears.
“I believe I’d like to introduce my favorite person,” he said. “My dad, Zach Ertz.”
He continued with his dad’s resumé — “Super Bowl champion” and “three-time Pro Bowler” — before turning from Ertz the football player to Ertz the father.
“Our family can’t wait to cheer the team on,” he said. “He has been working really hard. … Don’t worry, I gave him a lot of hugs. My brothers help too. They’re little, but they’re funny.”
The message carries a little more meaning after Ertz’s return to Philadelphia. Ertz said last week that his three sons, Madden and twins Kace and Kyren, helped motivate him through his recovery from the torn ACL in his right knee that ended his 2025 season with the Washington Commanders — he wanted them to see what it looked like to work through adversity.
Zach and Julie, a former U.S. women’s national team star, left Philadelphia without children when the Eagles traded Zach to Arizona in 2021. Five years later, they returned to the organization as parents of three.
Madden ended Monday’s video with one more message.
“I’m so proud of you,” he told Zach.
“What?” Zach responded.
“I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you, boy.”
Ertz could now get the chance to complete that comeback in front of his family Monday night after being activated ahead of the Eagles’ game against the Bears (8:15 p.m., 6abc, ESPN).
Few NBA players ever go through an offseason like Jaylen Brown just had.
After Brown had the best individual season of his career, the Celtics reportedly considered trading him to the Milwaukee Bucks in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. As the summer progressed, the Celtics ultimately decided now was the time to move off Brown, who had won a championship as a Finals MVP in his 10-year run with Boston.
There was all kinds of dialogue about Brown, about his value as a player when it came to advanced statistics, or that the league might perceive him as too smart for his own good.
At media day Monday, Brown said he had an issue with all the anonymously sourced reports about his play or his character, and he singled out one that still irked him from national radio voice and Fox host Colin Cowherd.
“What’s the word I want to use? I would say concerning, maybe a little bizarre, definitely some undertones there,” Brown said of some of the things being said about him. “Colin Cowherd said I had a disease, or his source said I had a disease. I don’t know what that was about.”
Video: LeBron James on how much Tyrese Maxey played a factor in his decision to choose Philly
The 76ers, of course, were the prime benefactors of this drama, with Brown coming to Philadelphia in a July trade. That move tipped the scales in their favor in the pursuit of LeBron James, even if it may take some adjusting for his rivals-turned-teammates seeing him in these new threads.
“Seeing [Brown] in Philly’s uniform in red, white, and blue is awkward,” Tyrese Maxey said. “But it’s good. He’s a good guy and he’s going to adapt quickly.”
From left to right: Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey shown at Sixers media day on Monday.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
Brown sounded as if he was still adjusting to this change of scenery. Last month, he threw a block party for the city of Boston, with thousands showing up to the event, which was a capstone for his Boston tenure and all he did in the city off the court.
“It’s phases for sure,” Brown said. “It’s a mental side. It’s an emotional side. It’s a physical side. It’s a bunch of phases to just getting comfortable and getting set up. It’s an adjustment, it’s new. Every day is a day forward.”
Video: LeBron James on Philly sports fans: ‘They know ball’
As Brown gets acclimated to his new surroundings, he said he will be focused on boosting the team defensively. That end of the floor is where “we should hang our hats as a team.”
“Offensively, we’ve got a lot of firepower, but we’ve got to all hold each other accountable on defense,” Brown said. “So I’m looking forward to that. I’m looking forward to that challenge, but you know it’s going to take time. It’s going to take familiarity, getting used to the defensive systems and calls.”
That’s what practice is for, with Brown and his teammates all emphasizing that acclimating to each other would take time. Throughout media day and in their comments running up to it, the Sixers also said the season would require a lot of “sacrifice.” Brown’s teammate in Boston, Anfernee Simons, saying sacrifice was going to be the “word of the year.”
To that end, Brown wasn’t feeling a question that centered on who was the team’s alpha, or if that was something that even mattered to this group of players. He responded with, “next question.”
One question he did take time to answer was one that involved his championship pedigree, and if he can use that experience to infuse the Sixers.
Jaylen Brown was introduced by the Sixers last month.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
“I’m not so sure if that’s true,” Brown said. “It’s a new group. I’m approaching this with an empty slate. Just coming in every single day and just trying to maximize every opportunity. Not taking anything for granted. I don’t have any, I wouldn’t say, expectation. …
“I’m not so sure if things in the past will help you. They may. But there may be some stuff you have to figure out and do differently as well. I’m ready for either.”
After less than two weeks on the ice under the watchful gaze of coach Rick Tocchet and his staff, the Flyers will lift the lid on the season Wednesday (7 p.m., TNT, truTV) when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Aiming to build on last year’s run to the second round of the playoffs, much of the same personnel is back, with some in new roles, plus a few newcomers. Ten players on last year’s start-of-season roster are gone — reminder: Rasmus Ristolainen and Cam York started on injured reserve — with only Jett Luchanko, now in the American Hockey League, still with the organization.
One of several Flyers who had a career year but also dealt with injury, Cates posted 18 goals and 47 points in 82 regular-season games before missing the last two playoff games with a foot injury. Based on his training camp, he is back to form and ready to go, and it doesn’t hurt that, at five-on-five, Tocchet has reunited him with his longtime winger Tyson Foerster. Last season he earned Selke Trophy votes for the second time in his career, putting him in the conversation of the game’s top defensive forwards. Is this the year he breaks out?
Flyers center Noah Cates is coming off a career-best season. Can he raise his game another level in 2026-27?Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Flyers captain showed the kind of leader he can be when he was dropped to the fourth line and flourished late in the season. Couturier became a physical force, skating with Luke Glendening — who he would rotate between center and wing with — and Garnet Hathaway. Both headed south, so while Couturier has new wingers — Noel Acciari will now be the guy he flips back and forth with and there’s likely to be a rotation on the left — his assignment remains the same: playing a tenacious, physical, and defensively sound game. And, like always, Couturier will be a key penalty killer, now in tandem with Acciari.
Christian Dvorak, 30
2026 stats: 18 goals and 51 points in 80 games
In his first year in Philly, Dvorak showed what kind of versatile cog he can be in Tocchet’s lineup. The Illinois native, who can play wing, centered the top line, chipped in on the power play, and was a force on the penalty kill. Last season he blew his career highs out of the water, racking up 33 assists, 51 points, a plus-11 rating, and playing an average of 18 minutes, 28 seconds a night. He tied his career high in goals (18), and the hope is he’ll finally crack the 20-goal mark.
The forward came to the Flyers excited to return to his natural position, but despite posting career highs across the board, it didn’t go exactly to plan. Although they interchanged during shifts, Zegras was lined up on Dvorak’s wing for most of the season, but by the end and into the playoffs, he got a chance down the middle. He played well there — yes, he acknowledges he needs to work on his faceoffs — and this season will get another chance to prove he can be that creative, high-energy center the Flyers think he can be after signing him to a four-year, $36.5 million contract extension in July.
Flyers center Trevor Zegras celebrates his game winning overtime goal over the Dallas Stars on Sunday, March 29, 2026 in Philadelphia.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Right wings (4)
Noel Acciari, 34 (Free-agent signing)
2026 stats: 13 goals and 25 points in 67 games (with PIT)
There’s an adage: “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.” A free-agent signee, Acciari played last season for the Pittsburgh Penguins, whom the Flyers ousted from the Stanley Cup playoffs. But Acciari was actually beating the Flyers in that series; he had a 61% winning percentage in the faceoff circle and was a menace to deal with. Now he’s across the state filling a hole left when Hathaway was traded to the Florida Panthers. Acciari slots into his spot, working with Couturier, and the lefty Couturier and the righty Acciari will flip-flop between wing and center depending on the faceoff situation.
The winger has led the Flyers in scoring for six of the past seven seasons and doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon. He’s spent time in training camp with Cates and Foerster — Tocchet said the trio could be the best third line in the NHL — and with Dvorak and Alex Bump. Regardless of where he is slotted, he’ll be relied on to put the puck in the net and set up his teammates, whether at five-on-five, on the penalty kill, or on the power play.
Porter Martone, 19 (Rookie)
2026 stats: 4 goals and 10 points in 9 games
The teenager hit the ground running when he turned pro in March, compiling six goals and 15 points in 19 games, including the playoffs. Martone was a sparkplug with his offense, defensive smarts, and ability to get under every opponent’s skin. The universal expectation is that he will only get better this season and, no pressure, but he’s the odds-on favorite to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie.
Two components of the youth movement, Porter Martone (right) and Matvei Michkov are projected to have big seasons for the Flyers.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
The Russian winger potted 20 goals and 51 points last season, a drop-off from his impressive rookie season (26 goals, 63 points). But what a difference a summer makes. A trimmer and more motivated Michkov came to camp ready to take the NHL by storm. He worked on getting his body in shape for the grueling 84-game schedule — reminder: two more games this season — and his skating. Already known for his high hockey IQ and creative vision, he has shown a stronger stride, better speed, and increased strength with his puck protection. Much to Tocchet’s delight, Michkov looks more focused on driving to the net.
Left wings (6)
Alex Bump, 22 (Rookie)
2026 stats: 5 goals and 9 points in 17 games
After a disappointing camp last season that led to him being sent down to Lehigh Valley, Bump was called up following the trade deadline to show what he learned in the minors. Known for his shot and goal scoring, the Minnesotan displayed an upgraded all-around game and potted seven goals and four assists in 23 contests (including playoffs). He had a better camp this season and will now get every opportunity to build on an already strong start to his NHL career.
Foerster dealt with an elbow injury last summer before suffering what everyone thought was a season-ending upper-body injury in December. Instead, the Canadian rehabbed hard, returning in April as the Flyers were grinding toward a playoff spot. Now fully healthy, the sharpshooter, who is also one of the Flyers’ best defensive forwards, is poised for a breakout season. The question is, can he finally reach the 30-goal milestone?
Flyers winger Tyson Foerster’s promising start to the 2025-26 season was derailed by an upper-body injury that cost him 49 games.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Nikita Grebenkin, 23
2026 stats: 4 goals and 14 points in 55 games
A feisty, physical winger who loves to irritate the opposition and stand up for his teammates, Grebenkin’s status is a little up in the air. He got banged up in the Flyers’ third preseason game, but according to Tocchet, it is unrelated to the upper-body injury he suffered in March that kept him on the shelf the rest of the season. A big personality who just wrapped up his first full NHL season, the Flyers would certainly love to get his edgy game back into the lineup soon.
Carl Grundström, 28
2026 stats: 9 goals and 13 points in 47 games
Acquired in exchange for Ryan Ellis’ contract last October, the Swede carved out a regular NHL role in December. He came out strong, posting seven goals and eight points in his first 12 games with the Flyers and showed the value to his game: speed, some grit, reliability, and versatility.
Things started to really click for the Canadian in the second half of the season as he found the right balance between offense and physicality. Throwing monster hits against the Penguins, his momentum got derailed due to an internal bleeding issue and an unrelated sports hernia that kept him out of the second round of the playoffs. Fully healthy and ready to go again, the speedster is focused on consistently being the power forward he unearthed last season.
Garrett Wilson, 35
2026 stats: 0 goals and 0 points in 3 games
In a slightly surprising move, the Flyers inked Wilson to a one-year, two-way deal on Sunday. Why was it surprising? The Phantoms captain was already under an AHL deal. Why was it not surprising? He had a strong camp, is a valued mentor to younger players — which this roster is filled with — and he showed he can fill the enforcer role opened up by the trade of Nic Deslauriers last season.
Defensemen (7)
Simon Benoit, 28 (Trade acquisition)
2026 stats: 0 goals and 6 points in 73 games (with TOR)
Acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs with Joseph Woll, Benoit is a depth defenseman who should fill the role left open by Noah Juulsen’s departure. He didn’t have the best analytics last year, but he has certainly passed the eye test in the preseason — and it doesn’t hurt that the rugged blueliner dropped the gloves against the Boston Bruins.
What a year it was for the blueliner. Long known for his offensive game, Drysdale not only set a career high in goals (eight) and tied his career high in points (32), but he also dramatically elevated his defensive game. One of the largest turnarounds year-over-year on the team — he went from minus-32 to minus-3 — he teamed up with his good buddy Cam York and, while it is only the preseason, according to Natural Stat Trick, the duo is trending upward from last season in several analytical categories, posting puck possession numbers above 50%. The Flyers believe Drysdale has yet another level to reach and rewarded him with a $26 million contract extension this summer.
David Jiříček, 22
2026 stats:0 goals and 0 points in 26 games (with MIN and PHI)
The Flyers love projects and the Czech defender is proving to be that. There is no denying he has a strong offensive tools, but his defensive play leaves a lot to be desired. On Saturday, Flyers general manager Danny Brière called Jiříček’s preseason “OK.” Jiříček was then on the ice for two goals against, including one where he turned the puck over to the goal scorer. Less than 24 hours later, the guy praised for his shot didn’t take power-play reps in practice, and his status for Game 1 — reminder: he is no longer waiver-exempt if they send him down — is less concrete. Take note: a defenseman with a strong offensive foundation but questions defensively sounds awfully familiar, and Drysdale is now relied on in big defensive moments. The hope is the Flyers can build up Jiříček’s game at that end of the ice too.
This season marks the defenseman’s sixth season in Philly — final year of his contract! — but just the second time he will suit up on opening night. Finally, the Big Finn is healthy and raring to go after dealing with countless injuries over the past few years. Getting a taste of the playoffs for the first time in his 13-year career this past spring, Ristolainen showed why his game is perfect for the game’s biggest stage. The only question, and the one heard over and over again, is: how much longer will he be wearing orange and black?
Like fine wine, Sanheim only keeps getting better with age. This past season, he posted career highs in goals (11), shooting percentage (11.6%), and plus-minus (plus-12), marking his first positive plus-minus rating since 2019-20. Like then, the Flyers made the playoffs, and the 6-foot-4, 222-pound blueliner showed off impressive footwork and confidence with two goals in the opening round. Paired with Ristolainen, the top duo will shoulder heavy minutes and seem to shine best when counted on not only to shut down the opposition but to set the tone.
Flyers blueliner Travis Sanheim has quietly elevated himself into one of the league’s best defensemen.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Nick Seeler, 33
2026 stats: 4 goals and 10 points in 80 games
It’ll be interesting to see how Seeler is deployed this season. A steady, effective hand on the third pairing, there is a good chance he will be asked to skate with Jiříček, who, as mentioned, needs to build up his defensive acumen. But this is a familiar spot for Seeler, who was once paired with Drysdale. A tough, rugged defensive defenseman who can bang and drop the gloves, the Minnesotan is also sneakily skilled at the other end of the ice.
At this juncture last season, we mentioned a lightness to York’s game. This season, add in an uptick in confidence too. After a career-high in assists (22), his first positive plus-minus in the NHL (plus-5), and averaging 22:32 of ice time, York is now focused on upping his offensive production. “I want to have five shots a game, if possible,” he recently told The Inquirer. Tocchet loves hearing that and can see how much time the Californian spent in the offseason to strengthen his footwork and hands. York is “in the mix” for the power play, which should not only boost his confidence even more but also help him reach that lofty shot total.
Goaltenders (2)
Dan Vladař, 29
2026 stats: 29-14-7 record, .906 save percentage, and 2.42 goals-against average in 52 games
The Czechia native came to Philly to prove that he’s not just a backup, but a solid No. 1 goalie. He did that and more. The Flyers’ MVP finished third in goals-against average (2.42), and tied for eighth in save percentage (.906) and wins (29), among NHL goalies who played at least 40 games. And he did it without posting a shutout until the playoffs, where he upped his game with a 2.18 GAA and .922 save percentage despite suffering an injury in the first round. There were some nervous folks in town when Vladař left his first, and only, preseason start with an upper-body injury, but he looks back on track, and expectations are that he’ll be good to go on Wednesday.
Joseph Woll, 28 (Trade acquisition)
2026 stats: 15-16-7 record, .899 save percentage, and 3.34 goals-against average in 39 games (with TOR)
If Vladař cannot tend the twine, the Flyers will look to Woll, who is considered an upgrade at the backup spot after years of questionable goaltending. His numbers were not great last season, but neither was the rest of the team, as the Maple Leafs ended up picking first in June’s draft. The Missourian boasts talent, a .906 career save percentage, and has played on hockey’s biggest and most pressurized stage in Toronto. He’ll take some of the load off Vladař to keep him healthy as the Flyers hope to, like Toronto, end a longstanding Stanley Cup drought.
The Flyers acquired Joseph Woll from Toronto in June to provide a much-needed upgrade to the backup goalie position. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Injured reserve (1)
Denver Barkey, 21
2026 stats: 5 goals and 17 points in 43 games
The forward, who was primed to get time at center after a strong postseason, suffered a lower-body injury in the Flyers’ first preseason game. He’s skated once by himself and once with a group since the injury but left the latter session early. Listed as day-to-day, the Flyers would love to have him back in the lineup quickly due to his high motor and hockey IQ.
Injured non-roster (1)
Helge Grans, 24 (Rookie)
2026 stats: 0 goals and 1 assist in 6 games
The defenseman was injured in the Flyers’ preseason game on Thursday. Although he was not projected to play in the NHL to start the year, he cannot be sent down to the AHL just yet due to his injury status. Unlike Barkey, who is on regular injured reserve, he is designated as an injured non-roster. A major difference between IR and an injured non-roster is that a player on injured reserve is out for a mandatory seven days, and an injured non-roster can be activated and return to play as soon as they are ready to go.
ATLANTA — While celebrating with his team in the clubhouse postgame on Sunday, Luis Arraez was wearing a walking boot, protected by a plastic bag wrapped around it.
The Phillies second baseman continues to get positive updates on his sprained left ankle, according to interim manager Don Mattingly, but not positive enough to be included on the wild-card roster. The full list, which is expected be released ahead of Tuesday’s Game 1, will include Otto Kemp in Arraez’s place.
“We still get improvement every day,” Mattingly said of Arraez. “He was going to try to hit [Monday] and wasn’t able to do it, so we kind of crossed that bridge today.”
Kemp struggled with limited major league playing time early this year and has been with triple-A Lehigh Valley since getting optioned on May 28. In 108 games with the IronPigs this year, Kemp had a .227 batting average and .736 OPS.
The Phillies will also continue to carry three catchers — J.T. Realmuto, Garrett Stubbs, and Rafael Marchán — on the postseason roster, like they have for most of the year. Mattingly said due to a slew of injuries to the Phillies’ triple-A depth, there weren’t any other options for another position player on the roster.
As the IronPigs’ season wound down two weeks ago, they were forced to put pitcher Mitchell Neunborn at second base after running out of players.
Phillies reliever Jonathan Bowlan, who has not appeared in a game since suffering a groin strain on Sept. 17, will be on the wild-card roster.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
“They’ve had a lot of health issues down below. That’s kind of where it’s taken us,” Mattingly said. “But actually the third catcher is not terrible for us, because [Stubbs] is pretty versatile. We use him as a pinch runner. We use him at first. We can play him at third. We can play him in the outfield. So he is a guy that gives us a lot of versatility, and not a true, true base stealer but a guy that you really trust on the bases, that can get a bag if you don’t pay attention.”
Right-handed reliever Jonathan Bowlan will also be on the Phillies’ wild-card roster. Bowlan has not appeared in a game since suffering a groin strain on Sept. 17. He was also available on Sunday, but Mattingly opted against using him, concerned that the wet, slippery mound could lead to Bowlan reinjuring himself.
Braves ace Chris Sale was 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA in four starts against the Phillies this season.Erik S. Lesser
Familiar foe
The Phillies will have a tough task on Tuesday with left-hander Chris Sale taking the mound for Atlanta. The left-hander is amid a career renaissance at 37 years old, and even figures to once again be a Cy Young Award finalist with a 2.16 ERA. He started four times against the Phillies this year, and the Phillies lost all four games.
The Phillies have a .167 batting average against Sale this season. For their fifth meeting of the year, they will also be without Arraez, who has a .318 career average against the veteran lefty.
But even for the hitters who have historically struggled against Sale’s velocity and unique arm slot, there’s some advantage to facing a pitcher so many times. The more looks one gets at Sale’s four-seam and slider, the easier they can be to pick up.
“I think the more you see a pitcher it’s always beneficial, but he’s so good, he’s probably going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” said Trea Turner, who is 7-for-25 in his career against Sale. “The year he’s had has been unbelievable. He’s had another great season, and he’s one of those guys that’s always going to be there and give you a hard time.
“We know it’s not going to be easy. We’re looking forward to it. He seems like a really good competitor. I think we’ve got a lot of those in our clubhouse as well. Just going to battle and find a way to beat them.”
The familiarity extends both ways, though. Just as Realmuto and the Phillies pitching staff will be trying to find ways to give Braves hitters different looks, Atlanta catcher Drake Baldwin and Sale will do the same on Tuesday.
Video: Phillies celebrate clinching a fifth-consecutive postseason berth
“Their hitters have a lot of at-bats off of our arms, as do we against their guys,” Realmuto said. “It feels like there’s a little more of the cat-and-mouse game of we can’t do the same things we’ve done all season. Even if they’ve worked, there’s times you’ve got to go away from things.
“Obviously I’m not going to dive too much into that, but there’s definitely more of a cat-and-mouse game when you’ve played teams this much, and had this many at-bats against guys.”
The long wait to see LeBron James in a Sixers jersey ended. Joel Embiid got back to his Troll Embiid roots. And Tyrese Maxey’s role in the Sixers’ offseason became even more amplified.
Here are five takeaways from Monday’s media day.
LeBron doesn’t commit to a ‘final decision’
James signed a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option to join the Sixers in July. And when he described his move to the Sixers in his initial announcement, James called it his “final decision.” But when asked if this would indeed be his final contract, James said: “We’ll see what happens.”
James acknowledged that he’s entering his 24th season and said he needs to give himself grace.
Video: LeBron James is focused on ‘living in the moment’ with the Sixers
“Honestly, I’m just looking at it, every single day, on how I can be the best version of myself for this franchise while I’m here,” he said. “I don’t want to speak into the future right now. I would be doing a disservice to myself on just living in the moment, especially knowing that I am where I am in my career.”
Embiid followed James on media day, and their handling of the dais couldn’t have been more different. James’ first public address was fairly serious, with the discussion centering on his legacy, his deep relationship with Maxey, and where he sees himself in the future.
Embiid was similarly asked serious questions. He handled them differently. At one point, he paused before flashing a smile and blurted, “I’m trying to figure out if I want to troll or not.”
When he wasn’t having a little fun and pretending that he didn’t help recruit James, Embiid was honest about his health and how refreshing it was to finally have a surgery-free offseason.
Video: LeBron James on how much Tyrese Maxey played a factor in his decision to choose Philly
Maxey’s role in landing LeBron can’t be overstated
Maxey’s recruitment of James started years ago.
Maxey spent time in the gym with James before his rookie season and admitted that he shot a text to James a few years ago even though it was clear the future NBA Hall of Famer was set to return to the Lakers in free agency. Maxey joked that he knew it was a long shot but still asked James if he was interested in “coming back to the Northeast.”
Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey receive information from the photographer during media day.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
Those moments paid off this summer. When the Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown and James made it clear he wouldn’t return to Los Angeles, things became more serious. Those conversations took a different shape and happened more often, according to James, who said he didn’t have just one conversation about Philly with Maxey.
James was clear that his relationship with Maxey played a pivotal role in his decision to join the Sixers. So did the presence of Brown and conversations with Joel Embiid, a former Team USA teammate of James who joked at media day that they didn’t speak this summer.
“Our relationship, when I broke a lot of the teams and franchises down I could possibly play for, he was one of the main deciding factors.”
Maxey’s role in adding James was lauded all summer. Yet he was still surprised it happened.
Video: LeBron James on Philly sports fans: ‘They know ball’
“I see him in the summertime every year,” Maxey said, “but to see him here in Camden, New Jersey, in the facility with a Sixers jersey on, it’s a cool experience.”
After hearing James speak, Maxey’s part in making that happen can’t be overstated.
Sixers stressing camaraderie
The Sixers are bringing together a lot of new players, with James, Brown, Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope all joining the franchise this summer. Unsurprisingly, it was common for players to mention off-court camaraderie and the importance of team building.
James, Brown and KCP, who have all won NBA titles, spoke about the issue at length. And while Maxey hasn’t won the big one yet, he played a particularly outsized role in gathering teammates even before the season started. He recruited James, worked out with Simons in Texas, spent time with VJ Edgecombe, among other activities this summer.
The Sixers have referred to their starting lineup as the Big Five, yet the common refrain has been that second-year star Edgecombe will need to sacrifice.
Several Sixers players dispelled that notion on Monday, starting with James. He asked why Edgecombe would need to sacrifice and recognized that the word can carry a negative connotation.
VJ Edgecombe during a photo shoot at Sixers media day at the Penn Medicine Training Complex in Camden on Monday.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
Maxey said similarly that the Sixers might need different things from Edgecombe on different nights, but admitted that will apply to several players.
“I’ve been hearing that things are going to change for him,” James said. “I don’t understand why things would change for him … I don’t think his role should change.
“With the group of guys we have, no one mentioned that everyone’s role will probably be different. And that’s for the greater good, if we want to accomplish something that’s really, really important. If we say that we want to do something special, there will be a collective sacrifice.”
