The New York Giants have acquired quarterback J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings for a 2027 fifth-round pick.
The Vikings announced the trade Monday pending McCarthy passing a physical.
The Giants made the aggressive move days after Jaxson Dart had surgery on his left knee that will sideline him for at least the rest of the regular season.
J.J. McCarthy was drafted in the first round of the 2024 draft by Minnesota.Bailey Hillesheim
Jameis Winston started and beat Tennessee on Sunday, despite not scoring a touchdown and having just 238 yards of offense. Coach John Harbaugh said afterward that Winston would get the nod again this Sunday against Arizona.
It’s unclear what New York’s QB situation will be moving forward after adding McCarthy, the 10th pick in the 2024 draft who lost the starting job in Minnesota to Kyler Murray and fell behind Carson Wentz on the depth chart.
The Sixers’ first preseason game is Oct. 5 against the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Philly will kick off the regular season Oct. 20 against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
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LeBron James’ goal in Philly is clear: ‘I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round’
LeBron James donned a Sixers jersey for the first time Monday. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
LeBron James grabbed and glanced at the name tag perched on a table, then quipped, “You guys know who I am, right?”
Those assembled inside the 76ers’ practice facility did, of course. James, one of the NBA’s all-time greats and a mainstream international celebrity, generally commands such hubbub. But the blue No. 23 jersey that James wore Monday amped that attention up even more. New teammate Tyrese Maxey even called seeing his friend and summer workout buddy’s new professional attire “really just weird.”
In James’ long-anticipated first day inside these walls — and first time speaking publicly since he chose the Sixers in a stunning free-agency move in July — the future Hall of Famer touched on needing to learn new streets and new people. The Northeast Ohio native mentioned getting reacclimated to weather in this part of the country, on the tail end of the weekend’s nor’easter storm. James acknowledged the outside noise surrounding the Sixers will be “doubled and tripped and quadrupled now that I’m here.”
Yet James reemphasized that his goal, in perhaps his last destination in a storied NBA career, is to seize the Sixers’ newfound super team status. The four-time champion hopes to provide the “blueprint” for the “collective sacrifice” and consistent work habits required to reach the NBA mountaintop, a feat the Sixers have not accomplished in more than four decades.
“Everyone wants, like, instant oatmeal,” James said at the Sixers’ media day ahead of the start of training camp. “You just put the oatmeal in the bowl, you put water in it, throw it in the microwave, and in a minute-and-a-half, you’ve got something to eat. You’re ready to go.
“If you want to do something special, it takes time. And it takes, every single day, doing things that you may not want to do. Because it’s the same thing, over and over and over and over and over, repetition after repetition after repetition. …
“That is the best way to expedite being great: You have to fall in love with doing things [that are] uncomfortable. And if we can do that, we can be a great team. If we don’t do that, then we’ll be like, ‘Oh, man, that was a great team on paper and we had a lot of great talent, and we lost in the second round.’”
Joel Embiid looks light, sounds optimistic about his new teammates and Sixers’ chances
Joel Embiid poses for a portrait during Sixers media day Monday. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
At the end of last season, Joel Embiid was optimistic about what a summer without a major injury could do for the Sixers heading into next year.
So, what did he spend his summer doing?
“Nothing,” he said with a smirk. “Gained a lot of weight.”
Embiid looked up toward the ceiling and debated whether he wanted to keep trolling when asked for further clarification about his summer.
“I feel good,” Embiid said Monday. “I won’t get into all the details of what I did, but I felt like I did the right things to put myself and the team in a position to succeed.”
Contrary to his jokes, he looked visibly lighter and said he wants to play “as much as possible” this season after struggling with injuries on and off through his entire NBA career. He said his knee issues were “behind him.”
“Jo is one of the most talented guys we have in the world,” LeBron James said. “For him, it’s just about health.”
LeBron James at media day at the Sixers Training Complex in Camden, N.J. Monday.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer(Left to Right) Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey during a photo session. Jessica Griffin / Staff PhotographerAdem Bona with Franklin during Sixers media day. Jessica Griffin / Staff PhotographerLeBron James during an interview at Sixers media day. Jessica Griffin / Staff PhotographerTyrese Maxey poses during Sixers media day.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
// Timestamp 09/28/26 2:52pm
LeBron focused on ‘living in the moment’
Video: LeBron James is focused on ‘living in the moment’ with the Sixers
LeBron James ultimately picked Philly, but he was close to joining the Knicks. Gabriela Carroll /
During LeBron James’ free-agency process, his agent, Klutch CEO Rich Paul, hinted that the hall of famer would’ve seriously considered joining the New York Knicks if they didn’t win the 2026 NBA title.
“I had visions of playing in [Madison Square] Garden and finishing my career in the Garden,” James told ESPN. “One of the best places I’ve ever played. I think it’s the No. 1 arena in the world, as far as for a basketball player. But after they beat San Antonio, I was like, ‘Hey, I can’t.’ I couldn’t do it.”
So that’s one big question answered. Another that has percolated since James joined the Sixers is where he plans to live. There were rumors that he would live in New York City and commute to Philly and even discussions about him taking a helicopter to practices and games.
Asked where he will keep a residence, James didn’t commit to one city.
During Jaylen Brown’s first press conference in Philadelphia in July, he mentioned the Sixers’ group chat was already up and active as the new teammates got to know one another. VJ Edgecombe wanted to make sure everyone knew it was his idea.
“You know who really initiated the group chat? I did,” Edgecombe said.
When the Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown, Edgecombe told Tyrese Maxey that the two of them, plus Brown and Joel Embiid, should be in a group chat together.
“Then LeBron came, and obviously I don’t got LeBron James’ number,” Edgecombe said. “I can’t say, ‘go add Bron to the group chat?’ Besides, even if I had his number, why would I randomly add LeBron to a group chat? You get what I’m saying? So I told Tyrese to do it.”
Maxey, of course, has a close relationship with James, and played a key role in recruiting him to Philadelphia. The two frequently train together in LA over the summer.
“‘Rese did it, but it was my idea,” Edgecombe said. “Anyone who tells you it was their idea, they’re lying.”
VJ Edgecombe was getting a pedicure during the Jaylen Brown trade
VJ Edgecombe was getting a pedicure when he heard about the Jaylen Brown trade. "He don't answer the phone when I call, but I've got to get there. Sometimes you've got to earn the privilege," Edgecombe joked about his relationship with Brown.
When Jaylen Brown threw a goodbye “block party” in Boston this summer, the mayor and other elected officials came out to thank Brown for his service to the community.
When he came to the Sixers in a surprise trade this summer, he intentionally held his press conference at a Boys and Girls Club in Philadelphia, a signal of his intent to become active in the community, something that has been a passion for Brown throughout his career and something he touched in his comments at media day.
“What I value is the human connection, to be able to bring people together, uplift your community, and inspire people,” Brown said. “What I always preach is athletes are more than line items or stats on a sheet. I preach the human connection, how you uplift the community and bring people together. … I think we’re getting away from that.”
His media day comments were a mix of questions about on- and off-the-court activities this summer. When asked a question that touched on who might be the “alpha” of the Sixers, or if that even mattered on a team like this, Brown just responded, “Next question.”
In other answers, he emphasized the importance of defense while saying he wasn’t sure if his championship experience in Boston would carry over to Philadelphia.
“I’m not so sure if that’s true. It’s a new group,” Brown said. “I’m approaching this with an empty slate. Coming in every single day and trying to maximize every opportunity. Not taking anything for granted. I don’t have, I wouldn’t say expectations. You just got to come in and get ready to work. Create a winning environment and see where that takes you. I’m not sure if things in the past will help you. They may.”
Tyrese Maxey’s recruitment of LeBron James started years ago.
Maxey spent time in the gym with James prior to his rookie season and admitted that he shot a text to James a few years ago even though it was clear the 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.”
Those moments paid off this summer. When the Sixers added Jaylen Brown and James made it clear he wouldn’t return to Los Angeles, things turned a bit 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.
“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.
Kidding or not, that answer was in line with a summer in which Embiid said he purposefully maintained a low profile and worked on his body. Continuing his trend of potentially trolling answers, Embiid said he “gained” a lot of weight, even as he looks noticeably trimmer.
“Just want to stay out of the way, focus on what I need to be focused on, which is basketball,” Embiid said. “And I got my family, and especially since I became a father and got married, just be me. Stay out of the way, enjoy my family, and take care of what I need to be taking care of on a daily basis, that’s what I did this summer.”
Embiid is healthy coming into the season, and his health will be a constant point of conversation throughout the season if the Sixers are going to be true title contenders. He mentioned the team and he “got a plan and we gonna execute it.”
When asked about adding Jaylen Brown, Embiid said: “I was excited because you’re getting a guy — First Team All-NBA. The job he did, especially when [Jayson Tatum] was hurt, was huge. Obviously we played against him, but what he brings on the defensive, offensive end … to be able to add that, combining that with everything he does on and off the court, I think he’s going to be good for the city of Philadelphia.”
LeBron: Tyrese Maxey was ‘one of the main deciding factors’ in coming to Philly
LeBron James speaks to reporters at Sixers media day Monday.Ariel Simpson / staff
When LeBron James was choosing among what he said was five teams in free agency, a primary factor in his decision to choose was his relationship with guard Tyrese Maxey.
The two have worked out together and became close through their association with James’ agency, Klutch Sports.
“Great relationship with Tyrese and we talked a lot,” James said. “I picked his brain a lot about not only where he sees his career going, where he sees the franchise going and how much he believes in the franchise and if I were to come here, how would I fit in, would it be a plus or a negative.”
James mentioned that it wasn’t just one conversation he had with Maxey about where he fits on the team and in the locker room, and in terms of his personality.
“I was just asking all the questions I could ask him and it wasn’t just one conversation,” James said. “… When I broke all the teams down that I could possibly play for, he was one of the main deciding factors.”
LeBron on Philly fans: "We respect you, but we hate you. I love that. I thrive in that… We're going to be on the same side now. I need a little hate, so I hope we get a few people who aren't real Philly fans so I can get that tension."
LeBron on Philly fans: "They know sports, they know ball, if you're not doing what you're supposed to do, they're going to let you hear it. They're going to hold you accountable."
He realizes that by coming to Philadelphia and joining a roster as talent-rich as the Sixers, there’s going to be a lot of “noise.”
And that was going to be “doubled, tripled and quadrupled” with him in town. So when the team goes through predictable tough stretches of the season, he’s ready to deal with that attention. But as James stated in his opening news conference, “the noise is just the noise.”
Among the things James said that has impressed him so far is that “everybody is on the same page.” That he thinks the team will be able to have the kind of communication needed to bring together a team that hasn’t played together previously.
When asked how his game may fit in with this team, James wasn’t shy.
“The luxury of my game is I can do everything. Literally, I can do everything.”
Howdy from Sixers media day, where the parking lot at the practice facility was more crowded than I’ve ever seen it more than an hour before press conferences begin. pic.twitter.com/DRb5Rgm5ob
Sixers media day to feature LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, and more
The Sixers will hold their annual media day Monday morning at 11 a.m., which has just a bit more juice this year thanks to the addition of LeBron James.
Monday will also be the first time Philly fans hear from Jaylen Brown, who the team landed in an offseason trade with the Boston Celtics. And Joel Embiid will speak to reporters for the first time since his team has been transformed into a top Eastern Conference contender.
Bloom Energy patch on a Sixers jerseyCourtesy of the 76ers
The Sixers announced a new jersey patch partnership with Bloom Energy.
In a release, the Sixers said the deal will be “one of the most comprehensive and impactful patch partnership deals in the NBA.” One of Bloom Energy’s largest manufacturing hubs is located in Newark, Del., and as part of the partnership, the company will sponsor the Delaware Blue Coats’ jerseys.
The Sixers partnered with Crypto.com for six seasons beginning in 2021. No terms were ever officially announced, but reports at the time suggested the deal ran for six years, which would bring the deal to the end of 2026-27.
The Sixers also announced their full slate of jerseys, which included the return of their black uniforms and a new look with stars and the word “Sixers” in small print across the top of the chest.
the Sixers unveil their new jersey patch partner Bloom Energy and their slate of 2026-27 jerseys: pic.twitter.com/7zmynKyf1S
LeBron’s move to Philly caused some sticker shock for Sixers fans seeking tickets
Sixers fans shown during a playoff game in May at Xfinity Mobile ArenaMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer
It should come as no surprise that 76ers tickets will be significantly more expensive this season after the massive additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown.
But Thursday’s single-game ticket drop and the earlier presale for season-ticket holders still caused a bit of sticker shock for fans.
Single-game ticket prices started at $75 before fees for upper-deck seating, which bumped the final tally up to $88 with fees.
However, that base-level price was only available for six of the Sixers’ 41 home games at point-of-sale. Those include games against the Bulls (Nov. 2), Raptors (Nov. 12), Grizzlies (Dec. 1), Wizards (Jan. 12), Clippers (Jan. 25), and Hawks (April 4).
For marquee games, including games against the Knicks and the home opener against Cleveland on Oct. 22, primary ticket prices started at $320.
For years, the Sixers searched for a solution to Knicks fans taking over Xfinity Mobile Arena. In the playoffs in 2024 and 2026, everyone from Joel Embiid to Sixers ownership to Fanatics owner Michael Rubin pitched in to fill the arena with Sixers fans, to no avail.
At Madison Square Garden, faced with similar fan complaints of price gouging (opening-night Knicks vs. Sixers tickets were running fans upward of $1,000 just to get in the building), Knicks ownership paused single-game ticket sales, apologized, and said that “mistakes” had been made in pricing the tickets.
“We are rolling back to last year’s prices plus an average increase of 12 percent,” the team said in a release.
LeBron James (left) said his relationship with Tyrese Maxey is much bigger than basketball.Chris Szagola / AP
LeBron James got his first taste of Philadelphia in his senior year of high school when he played at the Palestra.
James spoke about his decision to join Philadelphia on the first episode of season four of his Mind the Game podcast with Hall of Famer Steve Nash released on Friday, including a big recruiting role played by Tyrese Maxey.
“When I became a free agent and we decided to let the Lakers know that I wouldn’t be returning, he was one of the first people that was on my line,” James said. “Calling me, ‘Yo, what we doing? Yo, what’s up OG? Come on down here, we could use you down here.’”
James said he and Maxey have a relationship that extends beyond the basketball court, which played a big role in his decision to join the Sixers. Maxey even used to play video games with James’ sons, Bronny and Bryce, when he was 19.
“I just love everything about Tyrese Maxey,” James said. “Every day you get the same person, and that is very rare in sports and obviously super rare in life. And obviously we know what he brings to the basketball court.”
The Sixers’ trade for Jaylen Brown also caught James’ attention, but the final piece for James was Joel Embiid, who he said was “one of the most important” parts of his decision.
“He’s done everything in our league, and the only thing he has not done is win a championship,” James said. “I want to try to help him get that first one. He has the city on his back. I hope I can be that final little piece that can help him get over the hump.”
The logo of Bloom Energy, maker of mini-power plants, is replacing Crypto.comon theSixers’ uniform advertising patch this season.
Bloom Energy is hiring and trying to raise its local profile, said vice president Barry Sharpe, who runs the company’s plant in Newark, Del. Bloom has stepped up recruiting in nearby Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland.
So what exactly is Bloom Energy, and why are they supporting the Sixers?
Bloomis based in San Jose, but its biggest employee center is the Newark factory, which has languished for years butsuddenly became profitable in 2025. That’s when Bloom began selling its modular, off-grid electric plants to power-starved high-speed artificial intelligence data centers.
The Newark plant, where 1,200 of Bloom’s 2,200 employees work, makes fuel cells, an update of 1800s technology that presses natural gas or other hydrogen-based fuels through battery-like metal plates at superhot temperatures to generate electricity — at temperatures of around 800 degrees Celsius (about 1470 degrees Fahrenheit).
Fuel cells run independent of electric-power grids, which can take years to grantapproval for new plants to power data centers.
AI data centers built for Oracle, Microsoft, Intel, and other giants, including the DataOne center in Vineland, have been placing orders with Bloom. That’shelped pack the Newark plant with a production backlog, new hires, and new robots.
Bloom offers “reliable, clean power that can be quickly deployed andeasily scaled,” Oracle Cloud Infrastructure executive vice president Mahesh Thiagarajan said in a statement.
Bloom joined the S&P 500 list of the most-valuable U.S. companies last week.
The Newark plant is located among labs and offices that have sprung up between I-95 and the University of Delaware. A warehouse, a repair center, and other Bloom structures line a nearby road.
Besides data centers, Bloom says its boxes help power Urban Outfitters’ headquarters at the Navy Yard, as well asCoherent Corp.’s data center and telecom-equipment factories in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Bloom also sells power to PSE&G in New Jersey and to Delmarva Power in Delaware — whose customers continue to paymonthly surcharges that cover certain Bloom costs, as part ofthe deal that brought the factory to Newark.
A sudden boom
Though the company opened the Newark plant in 2012 with state aid and went public in 2018, Bloom Energy lost money and its stock price languished below its original offering price.
The new ordershave boosted Bloom’s share price from under $20 to around $300. As of Friday, the company was worth $85 billion on the stock market, more than Comcast or General Motors.
Short-sellers and subsidy critics have warned that Bloom’s data-center orders may not come in on schedule, or at all; that fuel cells aren’t always as efficient as claimed; and that the company’s proprietary metal-and-ceramic fuel-cell cores depend on specialized materials that are hard to find from U.S. sources.
But even as Oracle and other data-center boom stocks falter, Bloom shares have stayed close to their bullish high. On Friday, Bloom closed at $288.70.
Bloom has a smaller plant near its Silicon Valley headquarters. “We like to say that California builds the [fuel cell] engines; Delaware builds the cars,” Sharpe said, referring tothe 30-foot-long, 8-foot-high, 4-foot-wide modular boxes installed on-site at users’ locations. Sharpe, a former Ford and Toyota executive, has run the Newark plant since 2012.
Each 325-kilowatt, 13-ton cell group is housed in one of the metal boxes made in Delaware. As local power sources, they enable data centers to open without tapping the strained U.S. electric grid. As they wear down, the cylindrical fuel cells in these Bloom boxes are swapped out for easy replacement without shutting the system.
The Newark plant was built in anticipation of rapid growth that took more than a decade to materialize. Sharpe said the plant has only recently reached its limit, with the addition of an automated welding line that will enable a single controller to join plates, instead of the three-worker welding crews.
The company is making plans for a 125,000-square-foot addition.
How it started
Bloom was founded in 2001 by University of Arizona rocket scientist KR Shridhar, who remains the CEO. Early investors included Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm. Kleiner Perkins helped secure government funding from the Barack Obama administration and state governments for energy projects that offered less-polluting alternatives than burning coal, oil, or gas.
Then-Delaware Gov. Jack Markell was eager to replace lost Chrysler, GM, and DuPont Co. factory jobs in the state.Delaware power users have contributed over $200 million to their power company to cover certain Bloom costs — more than Bloom’s total profits to date — under a 21-year contract critics have failed to end in legal and regulatory challenges.
The first wave of Bloom Energy customers included Walmart, JPMorgan, and other image-conscious companies that wanted credit for burning less carbon. Delmarva Power, the local utility, also uses some Bloom cells.
The assembly plant stood partly empty for its first decade, with a fraction of the projected workforce. In 2019, Bloom had to return a slice of its subsidy because it employed just 300 in Delaware, a third of its targeted 900.
The company has now passed that target and won’t have to repay more, Bloom officials say.
Entering the game Monday Night in Chicago, the good news for the Eagles’ defense is that veteran linebacker Zack Baun remains elite.
The bad news: Newly extended tackle Jalen Carter, as well as soon-to-be-extended defensive backs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, have not played to their elite standard. They have forced zero turnovers, have one sack combined, and remain, as a group, unremarkable through two games.
Mitchell, among the best cover corners since he was drafted in 2024, suddenly is mediocre, if you consider the grades from Pro Football Focus relevant. Most folks pointed to PFF rankings the past two seasons, when Mitchell was blowing folks away with grades that hovered around 80, which was top-six. Mitchell’s at 62.3 entering MNF, which ranks 48th among corners with about as many snaps as he has, and Mitchell remains without an interception in his 34 regular season games.
Carter, who got a $152 million extension just before training camp, disappears for large spans of the game, just like he did as a rookie three years ago. Carter has a wrist injury, but still.
And DeJean — he’s just been awful. He was ranked No. 1 by PFF among all corners as a rookie in 2024 and No. 2 among nickel corners last season. But since DeJean moved to safety part-time this season, he’s been a liability. Like Carter, DeJean is not 100% (calf, abdomen), but, again … still.
Asked if he would consider simplifying DeJean’s life by moving him to safety full-time instead of shuttling him between there and nickel corner, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said, “No.”
Fangio’s defense is one of three in the NFL without a takeaway.
Deshaun Watson’s (4) competent play creates some tension both for the Browns and the league. David Richard
Deshaun Watson’s resurrection
Three weeks into the season, the league’s least likable quarterback has resurrected hope in football-crazed Cleveland.
Understand that calling Deshaun Watson the least likable quarterback in the NFL is saying something, considering the NFL still suffers the presence of Aaron Rodgers and, tangentially, the top in-game analyst is the insufferable G.O.A.T., Tom Brady.
However, between accusations of Watson’s serial sexual misconduct with massage therapists (he has settled or resolved 24 lawsuits), the smarminess with which he has comported himself since the accusations were made in 2021, the astonishing decision of the Browns in 2022 to mortgage their future on Watson by trading for him and guaranteeing him $230 million despite pending litigation, and his generally poor play, Watson, who often is booed in his own stadium, has few friends and fewer allies.
Injuries to his shoulder and his right Achilles tendon cost him most of the past three seasons, but the Browns failed to acquire competent replacements. Watson outplayed Shedeur Sanders in training camp and he has been the Browns’ starter this season.
For better or worse, since Game 1, Watson has played well. His play was key to wins in Games 2 and 3, in which he compiled a 106.4 passer rating with no interceptions and ran for 67 yards on 18 carries. He looks a lot like the player who went to Pro Bowls from 2018 to 2020.
The Browns were expected to founder this season after they traded superstar defensive lineman Myles Garrett to the Rams in June, hired rookie coach Todd Monken, and had no clear starter at QB. Instead, after beating the Panthers on Sunday, they’re 2-1, they have winnable games on deck against the Steelers and Jets, and they have a clear leader in Watson.
The NFL suspended Watson for 11 games and fined him $5 million in 2022 in connection with the misconduct. If he continues to lead the Browns to wins, it will be fascinating to see how the NFL, its in-house media wing, and its national broadcast partners deal with this unique tale of … redemption?
Matthew Stafford and the Rams will come to Philly next week as a 1-2 team. Jack Dempsey
Extra Points
The Rams, who visit Philly on Sunday, fell to 1-2 when the Broncos completed a touchdown drive in the last minute, then intercepted reigning MVP Matthew Stafford for a second time in the fourth quarter, this one at the buzzer. The first interception was a 66-yard pick-six with 4:49 to play. … The Ravens stunned the Cowboys (1-2) in Rio de Janeiro with a last-second field goal set up by the Cowboys’ decision, with the game tied, to kick off for a touchback, which gave the Ravens the ball at their own 35, then played man coverage and surrendered a 27-yard completion and called a timeout with 1 second to play. Tyler Loop then kicked a 56-yard field goal. … The Super Bowl champion Seahawks had won 12 in a row and they got Sam Darnold and his strained rear end back in time to visit D.C., but, with Jayden Daniels sidelined for a third time in two seasons with a dislocated left elbow, former Eagles backup Marcus Mariota led the Commanders to a 33-31 win. … Retread quarterback Kirk Cousins, 38, and first-time head coach Klint Kubiak, 39, have the Raiders at 3-0, as the Saints committed four fourth-quarter turnovers, including a game-clinching fumble forced by former Eagles star linebacker Nakobe Dean. … The battered Niners also moved to 3-0 with a win in Arizona, but they lost two more players: receiver Mike Evans (rib) and left tackle Trent Williams (stinger).
Buck has had a lot stacked against him in Philly during much of his broadcasting career. Eagles fans have hated Buck because of his association with Hall of Famer Troy Aikman, who led the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories. Phillies fans felt like he was rooting against their team because they were used to hearing fan-friendly announcers like Harry Kalas and Tom McCarthy.
“Philly fans are at times hard to please, and that’s what makes them great,” Buck said. “They demand effort and excellence.”
A good example of the divide was 2008, when Buck was broadcasting the Phillies’ World Series victory on Fox while Kalas provided the radio call.
Kalas’ passionate call of the final out, a strikeout by closer Brad Lidge, still gives goose bumps to Philly sports fans: “Swing and a miss! Struck him ooooooooout! The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 world champions of basebaaaaaaaall!”
Buck’s call, by contrast, was dry and direct: “Phillies are world champions.”
“I was raised in a house where I was taught to dislike Joe Buck,” Kylie Kelce said last year on her husband’s short-lived ESPN late-night now. “It seemed as though he was always cheering for the other team,”
Buck’s voice is one of the few in the sports world that signal a big game, and fans have come to view him and Aikman as one of the best broadcasting duos in the league. This year, the two will be back calling the Super Bowl, their first together since 2020 at Fox.
Joe Buck (left) and Troy Aikman have been calling games together since 2002. ESPN Images
Buck isn’t sure what to attribute his newfound respect from Philly sports fans to. Likely it has something to do with Aikman being far removed from his playing days with the Cowboys, but the more likely culprit is that he no longer calls national baseball games.
“Everyone is listening to every tone that comes out of your mouth and assigning some rooting interest that just doesn’t exist,” Buck said. “There would just be no reason why I would root against Philly. It’s just silly stuff.”
“I think people have come around on Joe over the past five to 10 years,” Cataldi said. “He’s always accused of rooting for the opposite team, but if you listen to his broadcast, it’s right down the middle.”
In his fifth season on ESPN’s Monday Night Football, Buck won’t have a rooting interest when the Eagles take on the Chicago Bears. But his stat guy in the booth will.
Ed Sfida, a Villanova grad, has worked with Buck and Aikman since 2003, dating back to their days at Fox Sports. They’ve become so close Buck invited Sfida to his wedding when he married Michelle Beisner, who now works alongside her husband at ESPN.
“Back at Fox, if the Eagles were playing the same time we were doing another game and scored a touchdown, we’d look down in the corner of the booth where Sfida stands and he’s doing the Eagles’ wing flapping thing,” Buck said. “He’s the best.”
Buck doesn’t see himself following in Merrill Reese’s footsteps
Merrill Reese is in his 50th season as the radio voice of the Eagles. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Buck is in his 33rd year calling NFL games in a career that dates back to Fox acquiring TV rights to the league in 1994.
That’s a long time, but he has a ways to go to match Eagles radio announcer Merrill Reese, who is in his 50th season calling the Birds, easily the most-tenured announcer in the league.
If Buck were to make it to 50 years, he’d be 74. So does he seem himself lasting in the booth that long?
“The answer to your question is no,” Buck said. “It’s just amazing to me, whether it’s Merrill or Al Michaels, the mental clarity and strength it takes to find your way through these games and not say something ridiculously stupid.”
“I’m just blown away by Merrill and how smart and clear and energetic is he,” Buck said.
A future without Troy Aikman at ESPN?
Troy Aikman’s ESPN contract expires at the end of the season. Jayne Kamin-Oncea
Buck recently signed a contract extension reportedly worth more than $100 million that will keep him at ESPN through the 2032 season. But Aikman hasn’t and reportedly won’t until after the season ends, after he and Buck call the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium in February.
There’s been uncertainly about the longtime duo before. When Aikman signed with ESPN in 2022, Buck had a year remaining on his deal with Fox, but executives let him out of his contract early so he could move to ESPN with Aikman.
Buck hasn’t spoken with Aikman about his plans, but he hopes the two will remain together at ESPN and keep the NFL’s longest-running TV booth going.
As for Aikman, there could be plenty of options. With uncertainty at CBS due to Tony Romo’s arrest and subsequent suspension, Aikman could solidify their No. 1 booth ahead of their Super Bowl next season. There’s also Amazon Prime, where Thursday Night Football announcers Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit have contracts that expire at the end of the season.
“I’ve been in this business long enough to know nothing is a guarantee,” Buck said. “So my only answer to any of that is we’ll see.”
The Sixers announced a new jersey patch partnership with Bloom Energy.
In a release, the Sixers said the deal will be “one of the most comprehensive and impactful patch partnership deals in the NBA.” One of Bloom Energy’s largest manufacturing hubs is located in Newark, Del., and as part of the partnership, the company will sponsor the Delaware Blue Coats’ jerseys.
The deal also includes a seven-figure charitable investment in the greater Philadelphia area, participating in several Sixers community initiatives like the court resurfacing and the Jr. Sixers Summer Hoops tour.
The Bloom Energy logo will feature on all of the Sixers’ jerseys.
The Sixers partnered with Crypto.com for six seasons beginning in 2021. No terms were ever officially announced, but reports at the time suggested that the deal ran for six years, which would bring the deal to the end of 2026-27.
The Sixers also announced their full slate of jerseys, which included the return of their black uniforms and a new look with stars and the word “Sixers” in small print across the top of the chest.
the Sixers unveil their new jersey patch partner Bloom Energy and their slate of 2026-27 jerseys: pic.twitter.com/7zmynKyf1S
Former Philly radio host John Kincade posted on X in February 2025: “I say @flyers offer a slew of those draft picks and we get Brady Tkachuk back to the states. 🇺🇸“
This past February, Crossing Broad posted: “the Flyers need a Tkachuk, either one will do.”
And in April, when there was an uptick in trade rumors after it became apparent the then-Ottawa Senators captain wanted out, FlyersJohnny wrote, “Brady Tkachuk would be a perfect Philadelphia Flyers player.”
I say @flyers offer a slew of those draft picks and we get Brady Tkachuk back to the states. 🇺🇸
Brady Tkachuk — and Matthew, his brother and new linemate on the Florida Panthers after June’s trade — has the blend of skill and grit that has long been a hallmark of the Flyers. The two sons of longtime NHL power forward Keith Tkachuk, who will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November, can rack up points — especially on the power play — and equally get under opponents’ skin.
The younger Tkachuk brother, Brady, has put up big point and penalty minute totals throughout his eight-year career. He’s averaged 31 goals, 66 points, and 118 penalty minutes per 82 games, including posting 35 goals, a career-high 83 points, and 126 PIMs in 2022-23.
Matthew, who is 21 months older, has been even more impactful — and as much of a nuisance — with 82-game career averages of 31 goals, 82 points, and 90 penalty minutes. The pair’s exploits have earned them a whopping 1,559 career penalty minutes — with Brady (second) and Matthew (seventh) each ranking in the top 10 in penalty minutes per game since the former entered the league in 2018-19.
“Always the bridesmaid, eh, Leon? Always the bridesmaid, never the bride,” Matthew Tkachuk was famously heard saying via a hot mic to Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl during February’s Olympics.
Flyers fans have long dreamed of landing Matthew or Brady Tkachuk. They might have the next best thing in Porter Martone.Charles Krupa
Google “Brady Tkachuk chirping” and you’ll find plenty, none suitable for print.
Matthew has won two Stanley Cups with Florida, and the brothers — who famously dropped the gloves on the opening shift with J.T. Miller against Canada at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off — just helped Team USA win gold at the Olympics for the first time since 1980.
It’s why every NHL general manager seems hungry to add a true power forward of Brady and Matthew’s agitating ilk to their lineup. The Flyers are no different. Skill. Grit. Getting under opponents’ skin. Those attributes fit with the franchise’s archetype of hard-nosed, blue-collar players dating back to the Broad Street Bullies. There was Gary Dornhoefer in the 1970s, Tim Kerr and Rick Tocchet in the ’80s, Eric Lindros and John LeClair in the ’90s, and Keith Primeau and Wayne Simmonds since the turn of the millennium.
Next up: Porter Martone?
‘A star in the making’
Martone came out like gangbusters.
In nine games with the Flyers last spring, after wrapping up a dominant freshman season at Michigan State, the teenager notched four goals and 10 points. The sixth overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft’s first career goal was a monster one: an overtime winner against the Boston Bruins that kept the Orange and Black’s playoff dreams alive. He met the moment of the postseason, too, adding two goals and five points in 10 playoff contests.
“He has just that ‘it factor,’ and you know he’s going to be a good hockey player for a really long time. So maybe how quickly he did [it] I was a little surprised. But you know he was going to get to it eventually,” forward Noah Cates told The Inquirer on Thursday about Martone’s fast start.
“ … He’s a star in the making.”
Cates and his teammates are excited to see what the 19-year-old can bring in his first full pro season. And expectations are high. The Canadian is the betting favorite to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie.
That’s the key word: rookie.
Although he has Hockey Canada pedigree, serving as captain at multiple age groups, Martone was drafted only 15 months ago. Given his impressive run in last year’s playoffs and 6-foot-3, 214-pound frame, it’s easy to forget he’s still a teenager.
Flyers right wing Porter Martone did not look fazed by the pressure of the NHL playoffs, despite being just 19 years old.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
But Martone, who, in addition to the Tkachuk brothers, grew up modeling his game after “The Worm,” Corey Perry, does not play like a wide-eyed kid. He has the skill and confidence to fill the net and the size, snarl, and tongue to crawl under his opponents’ skin.
In 19 games, including playoffs, he racked up six penalties — and drew six more.
“I think it’s great to have a little bit of size up front, have some physicality. The last few years, that’s one area we wanted to get a little bigger, be a little tougher to play against, and you add a guy like him doing that. … He has the size, the physicality, and then the under-your-skin kind of approach,” Flyers general manager Danny Brière told The Inquirer recently.
“I think it’s exciting. Our fans have had the chance to see him down the stretch in the playoffs last year, but they’re going to get to appreciate him even more as he gets more and more comfortable. It’s not easy for a young guy to come in this league and to play that way right away. It takes a little bit of time, which we understand, and we’re going to give him the time that he needs for that.”
Brière doesn’t think it’s fair to compare Martone to the Tkachuks just yet, as the brothers have been doing it for years. But Martone is building his own reputation as an agitator, notably stirring the pot at World Juniors against Czechia and frequenting the middle of scrums against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs. The Flyers GM wants him to “find his own style,” but acknowledged the youngster’s game is “definitely a combination of abrasiveness and skill at the same time.”
Martone will get his first extended opportunity to showcase that in-your-face brand of hockey in the NHL this season.
Based on preseason line combinations, it looks like he is penciled in to play on a line with creative center Trevor Zegras and high-flying winger Owen Tippett. The plan is also to deploy Martone in the bumper on the first power-play unit with forwards like Zegras, Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster — a guy Cates says Martone is similar to in stature, release, and reach — and defenseman Jamie Drysdale.
Porter Martone might say he tries to stay out of things, but his actions tell a different story.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Tocchet, a beloved Flyers power forward himself and now the team’s head coach, sees the comparison to the Tkachuk brothers, particularly with the man advantage.
“Well, I think part of his talent is the Matthew Tkachuk, Brady, inside game,” said Tocchet, who had four 30-goal seasons with the Flyers and is the franchise’s all-time leader in penalty minutes (1,815).
“I don’t want to compare, but I remember Tim Kerr; people could be all over him [and] he could still score,” Tocchet said of his old teammate.
Kerr notched 650 points in 601 games as a Flyer before injuries took a toll, and he remains the franchise’s all-time leader in power-play goals (144).
“Porter’s got that — we talked the other day — like he wants the puck, even though he’s covered, especially on the power play,” Tocchet said. “Like he’s got that; he can somehow protect it and get that shot off. A lot of guys don’t have that in the tool bag. I was talking to [Michkov] and Zegras: If you see him around the net with people on him with another guy, throw it there.
“ … So hopefully, we’ll start to throw pucks in Porter’s way, where he can kind of redirect or outmuscle a guy in front to get those goals. Those are the [things] that I think that he can be really elite at as his career goes on.”
Rich Tocchet knows all about Philadelphia’s appreciation for power forwards who can score goals and also mix it up.Bill Janscha / AP
Face of the franchise
It will be interesting to see how things progress as Martone’s career rolls on. He quickly drew acclaim with his play last season, even catching the eye of Matthew Tkachuk before they ever met on the ice. “Martone, he looks unreal,” he said in April on his show, Wingmen with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, before adding, “That Martone, he’s solid.”
The ceiling is high for Martone, and the accolades and accomplishments should continue to flow for a kid who, at 18, was skating alongside Sidney Crosby, Travis Konecny, Foerster, and Travis Sanheim at the 2025 World Championships.
Philly has been clamoring for the next Flyers superstar since Claude Giroux left. And now it may have two. Michkov’s game appears to be back on track, and the fan base, with many already donning Martone jerseys, looks ready to embrace a player who not only grew up a Flyers fan but embodies the spirit of the city.
And it makes sense that the Tkachuk brothers are also fans of Martone’s game. Brady, during his time at Boston University, said his favorite player was none other than former Flyer Wayne Simmonds, someone renowned for his skill, snarl, and willingness to battle in front of the net. Those traits are all present with Martone, too.
Back on his 2018 draft night, Brady Tkachuk had “Trust the Process” silk-screened on the inside of his suit. He scored his first two NHL goals and three points against the Flyers on Oct. 10, 2018.
Flyers players Denver Barkey, (left) and Porter Martone ring the bell at a Sixers game last season. Martone, 19, has already become a fan favorite in the city.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Maybe it was a message to the Flyers. Maybe it was a message that they should have moved up to get him. Maybe the Flyers at long last have that type of player in Martone.
When asked Thursday about his style and how he balances having so much skill and playing with an edge, the 19-year-old Martone showed his maturity.
“Yeah, I think honestly, just get in the forecheck hard, try to cause turnovers, and get in front of the net. I think that’s where I’m at my best. You know, I think I can make those plays when I need to.
“So just try to, honestly, not get too much into the kind of out-of-play stuff and chirping because that’s when I get off my game. But just kind of continue to keep on playing with the skill and [be a] hard-nosed player.”
Before Sunday, the last time the Phillies won a baseball game, Zack Wheeler started. He dominated early and they beat the first-place Brewers.
The Phillies didn’t win again until Sunday, a game the Phillies had to win to ensure a fifth straight postseason berth. Wheeler started again. He dominated through his six innings.
Wheeler’s legend grew.
He helped avert the greatest collapse in Philadelphia sports history, and carried the rest of the franchise-record $330 million payroll with him. Most of that money pays Wheeler and four cornerstones of the lineup: two-time MVP Bryce Harper, three-time home run champion Kyle Scwharber, two-time batting champion Trea Turner, and two-time Silver Slugger catcher J.T. Realmuto.
Sunday, after a four-game slide recalled the horrors of the 1964 Phillies, all of the big names finally earned their money.
“We know who we are. You know who’s got to step up in big moments,” Wheeler said. “I mean, that’s why they gave us the contracts that they did. We got to play like it.”
After three straight years of dead bats in the playoffs, can they do this postseason what they did Sunday? We don’t know about the hitters.
We know about Wheeler.
Kyle Schwarber led the National League with 45 home runs and tied Pete Crow-Armstrong for the major league lead.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
It was Wheeler, more than anyone else, who earned the Phillies the third wild-card slot with a 7-3 win in the season finale over the visiting Rays. Surprise cleanup hitter Bryson Stott went 3-for-3 with a walk, but Wheels dealt six innings of one-run, five-hit, five-strikeout ball in the biggest game of the season.
“You see a game that he has like or today — he goes out there, he knows what the task is at hand, and he was able to rise to that,” Schwarber said.
The win earned the Phillies the No. 6 seed, lowest in the playoffs, which means a three-game, first-round series, all at No. 3 Atlanta. That begins Tuesday, with the winner headed to idle No. 2 seed Los Angeles over the weekend.
The Phillies have lost 11 of their last 17 games against playoff-caliber teams. That’s the main reason why, after holding a five-game lead for the final wild-card spot with eight games to go, they needed a win in Game No. 162 to guarantee a playoff spot.
Is there any real hope they make it to L.A.?
“We got a chip and a chair,” said Realmuto, a poker enthusiast.
Interim manager Don Mattingly was both more succinct and more vulgar:
“It doesn’t matter how you get in. You just gotta get in,” he told his team during their long-delayed, champagne-drenched clubhouse celebration. “And we’re [bleeping] in!”
"It doesn't matter how you get in, you just got to get in. And we're f*cking in." -Don Mattingly pic.twitter.com/CuBayi23gk
There’s recent reason for optimism. With largely the same roster, the Phillies were the No. 6 seed in 2022, when they beat Atlanta in the playoffs and won the National League pennant. Wheeler was magnificent during that run.
He was just as magnificent Sunday.
Wheeler long ago locked up Comeback Player of the Year after missing the end of last season and the beginning of this season recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome. Sunday was his final argument, ending a season in which he allowed two runs or fewer in 20 of his 28 starts.
Wheeler is the highest-paid player in Phillies history, at $42 million per season. He earned his money Sunday, and has done so pretty much all season, especially down the stretch. Wheeler is 4-0 with a 1.67 ERA in his last six starts.
In the four straight losses that made Sunday so excruciating, Harper, Schwarber, Turner, and Realmuto were 10-for-59 with no home runs and two RBIs. None was great but Realmuto was brutal: 0-for-12 in those four games, part of an 0-for-33 stretch in his last 10 games.
On Sunday, that quartet went 6-for-18 with a home run, two doubles, and four RBIs.
Harper’s $330 million contract is the richest in franchise history. His homer Sunday, the 29th of his borderline elite season, stretched the lead to 5-1. Turner’s $300 million deal is No. 2. He batted leadoff and got two hits. Schwarber’s $30 million salary is second-highest in team history, and he singled, scored, and drove in two more runs with a double. Realmuto doubled and scored.
Bryce Harper hit his 29th home run of the season in the fifth inning on Sunday.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
In the biggest of moments, this is what the top end of a $330 million payroll is supposed to do, said the man who signs the paychecks.
“I think the best competitors, the best players, are great competitors. If you’re a great competitor, you have the ability to rise to the occasion,” Phillies owner John Middleton said. “You have the confidence, but you know you’ve done it before, so you know you can do it again.”
Video: Phillies celebrate clinching a fifth-consecutive postseason berth
Middleton is right. For all of the failure that has marred the Phillies’ last three playoff runs, many of the current principals have produced in big moments, most recently Game 3 of the NLDS last year against the Dodgers.
They did it again Sunday, and so now, for at least three more days and for two more games, the Phillies’ season will continue.
Harper doesn’t much care.
Simply making the playoffs has never been his goal. No, Harper wants to win a World Series. It is the only achievement lacking in his Hall of Fame career. It is the only accomplishment for this group that justifies the $1.4 billion Middleton has spent in the past five seasons.
That's Bryce Harper's first home run since Sept. 12, and his second since Aug. 26. It's the Phillies first homer since Brandon Marsh's on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/vqnR8OEztc
It took until the final game of the regular season, but the Phillies officially clinched the final NL wild-card spot on Sunday with a 7-3 win over the Rays.
As the nor’easter came howling through the Philadelphia region, Zack Wheeler threw six strong innings, and the big bats woke to lead the Phillies to their fifth straight postseason berth.
Now what? Game 1 of the best-of-three wild card series begins at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Atlanta. The Phillies essentially have a clean slate, though there’s still a pitching toll to pay for the late-season swoon.
But anything can happen in the playoffs. Think back only to 2022, when they didn’t get in until the third-to-last game of the season and went on a run to the World Series.
However, after four days being filled with boos, the Phillies merely postponed a disaster.
That’s a good thing — much better than the alternative, writes columnist David Murphy, but in the end, they need to win two more games in order to fully erase the disaster they’ve been over the last week-plus.
Jalen Hurts should have a chance to build on winning performances in the first two weeks against a Bears defense with some holes.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
The 2-0 Eagles still are in search of an identity, but the Bears are something of a mystery because of injuries at quarterback. Caleb Williams was officially ruled out, and the Bears are expected to start veteran Case Keenum, the third-string QB.
As for the Eagles, DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley were full participants in Saturday’s practice and will play on Monday. Jonathan Greenard was listed as questionable.
Jeff McLane tells us what we need to know — on both sides of the ball — about Monday night’s matchup.
What we’re…
🤔 Wondering: How the national media is predicting the Eagles vs. Bears game. Can the Birds improve to 3-0?
📖 Reading: Our writers are leaning in favor of a Birds win — and maybe even in blowout fashion.
👂Hearing: How a phone call with Tyrese Maxey helped LeBron James’ decision to choose the Sixers.
👏 Applauding: Cavan Sullivanmaking his USMNT debut and Mauricio Pochettino praising Sullivan’s game.
Flyers general manager Danny Brière says goalie Dan Vladař “should be ready for Game 1.”Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
The puck drops on the Flyers season on Wednesday, and general manager Danny Brière offered some insight, starting with injuries: Goalie Dan Vladař should be good to go for the season opener. He was a full participant at practice on Sunday.
Brière also shared his thoughts on Matvei Michkov, who came to camp slimmer and spent the summer working on his skating, among other thoughts about the rising youngsters.
Quarterback Ajani Sheppard after Temple’s 21-17 loss to Army on Friday.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
It was a bleak weekend for college football.
Penn State gave up a 10-point second-half lead to lose to Wisconsin, which moved the Nittany Lions out of the AP Top 25 rankings after being ranked No. 13.
And during a Friday matchup with Army at the Linc, Temple “needed to make one more play” to came out on top, but couldn’t get the job done. However, there could be some clarity at quarterback.
Mary Kate Morrissey went from performing on Broadway as Elphaba in “Wicked” to the fairway.Joan Marcus Photography, Andrew Hertherington / The Photo Caddie.
Downingtown’s Mary Kate Morrissey spent most of her life trying to excel at one thing: musical theater. She eventually ended up on Broadway and played Elphaba in Wicked.
Morrissey was always expected “to be the very best of the best” on stage, which led her wanting to learn something that she could just be bad at. And that’s how golf entered her life.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Lochlahn March, Scott Lauber, David Murphy, Jeff McLane, Jeff Neiburg, Ryan Novozinsky, Jackie Spiegel, Olivia Reiner, Jonathan Tannenwald, Lauren Jones, Lexie Linderman, Mike Livingston, and Hannah Chang.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
Thanks for getting your morning started with me. Hope you were able to stay dry this weekend. I’ll be back in your inbox with tomorrow’s newsletter. — Bella
ORLANDO — Everyone knew who the man of the hour was Saturday night, especially the two guys who know him best.
And if it wasn’t enough that Frankie Westfield and Neil Pierre are Cavan Sullivan’s Union teammates, they walked right by him in the postgame interview area as a pack of reporters stood by the 16-year-old.
Of course Sullivan was the big story, having started and played well in his senior U.S. men’s soccer team debut. (And for the record, he might not be a 16-year-old anymore by the time you read this. His 17th birthday is Monday.)
He wasn’t the only story, though. Westfield and Pierre also made their debuts, part of a total of 11 players who earned their first caps in the 4-1 win over Peru. Both entered as late-game substitutes.
Neil Pierre (center) and Frankie Westfield (right) got to celebrate on the field with Cavan Sullivan after the game.Alex Menendez
They all deserve a share of the spotlight, and U.S. Soccer made sure they got them. Each received a commemorative game ball in the locker room.
“This is a moment we’ve both been working for, for our whole lives,” said Westfield, a 20-year-old right back from Morrell Park in Northeast Philadelphia. “Truly an honor and a blessing to go out there and support the team, and help the team in any way possible. And I’m very thankful that we got the win today — just made it even better.”
Pierre, an 18-year-old centerback from Blue Bell and originally Harrisburg, was equally thrilled.
“You dream of this as a kid,” he said. “Coming out to the field and then also finishing the game off and winning it, obviously it was a great feeling, and a great moment for us and the team.”
Frankie Westfield at work during a U.S. practice last week.Jonathan Tannenwald
Pierre said he had some family in the stands. Westfield didn’t have any, but they are expected at later games in this window.
The duo didn’t get to play with Sullivan in the game, since he exited just after the hour mark and they entered later: Westfield in the 77th minute and Pierre in the 88th. But they enjoyed what they saw from the bench.
“I was happy for him to be able to start and make a great performance, and [he was] just living it up in the moment and enjoying it,” Pierre said.
While the players spoke, the Union were in the midst of their 4-2 win over Orlando City back at Subaru Park — up 2-0 right then, late in the first half. MLS played a round of league games during the FIFA window because of the summer World Cup break, going back to an old bad habit. This could be the last time, with the big calendar flip coming next year.
“We were checking” in the locker room, Westfield said. “Five starters [missing], the whole right side being gone, that says a lot about the fight in the team, and the hunger. … Hopefully they can hold [the lead], and I know they will hold it.”
As the U.S. team headed off into the night, bound for a flight back to the national training center, his hunch was proven true.
