Speaking at mandatory minicamp on Wednesday, Jalen Hurts addressed an April report from ESPN that detailed internal frustration surrounding the Eagles quarterback.
The question was presented as an opportunity for Hurts to respond to the various claims within the report, which included the notion that he had recommended the failed “four verticals” final play that sealed the Eagles’ wild-card playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. But Hurts said he hasn’t looked for a chance to set the record straight.
“I’ve never really asked for an opportunity to respond to anything,” Hurts said. “So just let it live and go do my job.”
When asked directly if he asked for that play, Hurts responded, “Nah. No.”
Hurts also was asked about another detail within the report that claimed he had been resistant to change within the offensive scheme in the past and that his preferences limited the offense’s ability to expand. The 27-year-old quarterback also pushed back on those assertions while keeping his focus on the future.
“I’m always open to growth,” Hurts said. “I’m always open to improving. Think a lot of it is, what do we put our time on task? What are we exhausting? What are we repping? And so I’m looking forward to seeing how training camp goes, so we can just continue to build on the foundation that we began to lay now.”
Hurts and his teammates finished setting the foundation of the new-look offense under Sean Mannion on Wednesday, the last day of mandatory minicamp and of Phase 3 of the offseason program.
Jalen Hurts said that “I’m always open to improving,” in response to an ESPN report that suggested his resistance to change.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
But the scheme — and the personal evolution that it requires — isn’t the only change Hurts is tasked with embracing. The Eagles also traded A.J. Brown, Hurts’ top receiver for the last four seasons, to the New England Patriots on June 1.
Hurts spoke about his history with Brown during organized team activities two weeks ago with the trade looming and acknowledged that “nothing can replace all the greatness that we achieved together.” With the trade official, Hurts echoed his past comments when asked if he was disappointed in how Brown’s tenure in Philadelphia ended.
“You come into it and you have a sense of pride in how it began and definitely … what we were able to accomplish,” Hurts said. “And the same thing that I said last time, nothing can take that away. So, for the great things that we did, now it’s time to focus on achieving great things with this new iteration of the team.”
Following his trade to New England, Brown spoke with NBC’s Maria Taylor about a litany of topics, including his relationship with Hurts. The 28-year-old receiver claimed that he and Hurts are no longer as close as they were in the past, but “there’s no bad blood” and he loves “him to death.”
Hurts did not share his view of their relationship and instead chose to validate Brown’s.
“I’m not in a place to challenge anyone’s perspective on anything,” Hurts said. “Seemingly so it was. That’s who I am. I’ve always been focused on the collective. I’ve always put my energy toward that, and as a leader, I’ve always put an onus on giving maximum effort to achieve the shared mission we have in the team.”
Hurts also was asked about his current contract situation — while he is under contract through 2028, the 2026 season is the last year that is fully guaranteed.
Jalen Hurts (right) greets wide receiver Elijah Moore, who was signed this offseason by the Eagles, during minicamp on Wednesday.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
The Inquirer reported in April that the Eagles have no plans to extend Hurts’ contract this offseason, suggesting that he could be at an inflection point in his Eagles career. Franchise quarterbacks often are asked to restructure their contracts to create salary cap space in exchange for more guaranteed years. The latest example is Patrick Mahomes, who added two years onto his contract on Wednesday to keep him under contract through 2033, according to ESPN. The first four years of Mahomes’ contract are guaranteed at signing.
Still, Hurts said he isn’t focused on his contract.
“For me, I’m truly focused on being the best that I can be right now,” Hurts said. “That’s where my energy is. There’s a lot of change as is. I’m focused on this offense, I’m focused on building with Sean and being at my best.”
In Mannion, Hurts has yet another offensive play-caller entering his sixth season as the Eagles’ starting quarterback. Given the change to the offense yet again, Hurts emphasized the importance of “fluency” within the scheme, which comes with time and repetition.
The figurative repetition counter reset to zero this offseason with the introduction of the new scheme. Hurts said there will be “a lot of opportunity” to grow his game, but he also acknowledged the challenges that come with the changes he confronts on a near-annual basis.
“When you are such a focused individual and you have to focus on all the different things that are changing, that’s something that you have to manage,” Hurts said. “And so I’ve really just done that and accepted the pieces and the situations that have come, because it has truly been about winning, and everybody is dealt their own set of cards.
“Mine’s just been dealing with change, and I’ve made the most of that.”
No matter what else happens at the World Cup’s FIFA Fan Festival events Thursday and Friday on Fairmount Park’s Lemon Hill, expect hot times.
After setting four high temperature records since April, two more could fall this week in Philadelphia as a very warm June picks up steam and the mercury heads to the mid-90s on both days, while the atmosphere turns to soup.
“It’s going to be very uncomfortable,” said Bob Oravec, senior branch forecaster at the Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Md.
The National Weather Service in Mount Holly said heat indexes could reach 103 on Thursday and 105 on Friday in the city, and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health has declared a heat emergency.
With the increase in water vapor and an approaching front, thunderstorms also could pop up, and festival organizers are well aware of the potential at what will be a “rain-or-shine event,” said Philadelphia Soccer 2026 spokesperson Melissa Ferdinand.
Conditions are due to improve on the weekend, with lower humidity and just an outside chance of showers during the Sunday night match between Ecuador and Ivory Coast in South Philly.
When the fan festival gets underway at 2 p.m. Thursday, chances are excellent that Philly will be chasing a record, with a Friday encore. The all-time high for both Thursday and Friday in Philly is 95 degrees.
Thunderstorms are possible both afternoons, with about a 15% chance that they reach severe status — with wind gusts near 60 mph — according to the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla.
Soccer matches will be televised throughout the festival, including Sunday’s game in Philly, and in the event of severe weather, the screens will carry evacuation orders, along with announcements and text communications, Ferdinand said. “Our highest priority is the safety of our guests,” she said in an email.
On Saturday, conditions should improve markedly, with daytime highs several degrees lower and the mugginess backing off. On Sunday, temperatures are expected to climb back to the low and mid-90s, but the humidity should not approach the Thursday and Friday levels.
The weather outlook for Sunday’s game
Temperatures around game time are forecast to be in the upper 80s with comfortable humidity and a breeze under 10 mph.
The only caution flag would be the chance of a shower, said Mike Lee, a meteorologist at the weather service office in Mount Holly, but “it looks like it’s going to be on the hit-or-miss side of things.”
It should be comfortable for the fans, but upper 80s would not be a cool dip in the pool for the players, who can run six miles or more during a match — no home run trots in soccer. Throughout the tournament, heat and humidity certainly are going to be players, said Ryan Calsbeek, a runner and Dartmouth College biological sciences professor.
He allowed that running this week was an ordeal. Granted, it got up to only 85 degrees where he lives in New Hampshire, but it was the first warm shot of the season, and his body let him know it was not enjoying the adjustment. Acclimatization certainly will be a challenge to the World Cup participants at the venues across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, he said.
The atmospheric conditions on Sunday in Philly are not going to feel much like home to either team.
The Ecuadorians may even get a little homesick. They play in Quito, right on the equator, but their stadium is at an elevation of more than 9,000 feet — 1.7 miles. Temperatures decrease with height, and the average high in June in Quito is 70 (the same as it is in January).
Conversely, the Ivory Coast team’s home field is in Abidjan, a city of more than six million on the south-central Atlantic coast. The region gets prodigious amounts of rain as storm waves move across east to west across the continent, said Tom Kines, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc. And is it ever muggy.
Les Elephants might view South Philly as a vacation spot.
IRVINE, Calif. — It only took two words for one of the U.S. men’s soccer team’s most important players to get everyone talking.
“I’m ready,” star centerback Chris Richards said before Wednesday’s practice, and after a few days on the field, where he looked good in his recovery from torn ankle ligaments.
“It’s a World Cup, so I’ll make myself ready regardless,” he continued as he stood in front of a big pack of media, a sign of the World Cup’s arrival and his importance. “I’m feeling good. Maybe a little swollen, but nothing tape can’t help. … If there’s any time to sacrifice yourself, it’s now. I want to play Friday, but I’m not the one making the decision.”
Richards suffered the injury on May 17, playing for his club team, England’s Crystal Palace. He hasn’t featured in a game for club or country since then, which is four total: the May 24 Premier League finale, the May 27 UEFA Europa Conference League final, and the U.S.’s two World Cup warmup games.
Chris Richards running during Wednesday’s practice.Jonathan Tannenwald
“When I first came out of the injury, I was pretty devastated, and I was honestly fearing the worst,” he said, later adding: “The first time I could probably relax was when I did get the diagnosis. After the game, my ankle was huge, and I came off in a boot and crutches. When I saw the diagnosis I was like, ‘All right, cool — whatever it takes, I have to make it for this first game.’”
He made the bench for the Conference League final, and the TV cameras caught him running onto the field at the final whistle to celebrate with teammates. That was a good sign. But it’s still nothing like a live game, and that’s now the question.
“I think the first time I really realized that I would be 100% for Friday was probably last week,” Richards said. “It was a lot of massages, a lot of ice, a lot of compression, things like that. But once I was finally on the pitch, it felt good. And I think that was the main thing.”
It also helps that the U.S. will have seven days between its first and second group games, with the latter June 19 against Australia in Seattle. The Americans’ World Cup opener is Friday vs. Paraguay (9 p.m., Fox 29) in Inglewood, Calif.
Chris Richards getting up close with the ball during a drill.Jonathan Tannenwald
“We have enough time between the games where I can get some recovery in,” Richards said. “So for me, if I can start on Friday, it’s not going to put the rest of the tournament in jeopardy for me.”
Granted, that was his opinion, and he has given it to U.S. coaches when asked.
“Every time they’ve asked me, I’ve told them I’m good — even when I first got into camp, I told them I’m good,” Richards said. “I think they’ve seen the progression over the last few weeks, and they’ve definitely seen me personally. I think I look good on the pitch now. Hopefully it’s been a good sign for them … Whatever they decide on Friday, I’ll back them, but I want to be on that field on Friday.”
He added that he has not been told if he’ll be subject to a minutes limit in the game.
Chris Richards (left) hasn’t played in a live game since May 17.Jonathan Tannenwald
“I’ve done full practices the last few days, and I think y’all have seen the intensity of our practices — they’re not light,” the Alabama native said. “So I feel good, no reaction to it, and I’m confident for what’s to come.”
Richards noted the minor controversy that arose when U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino accused Crystal Palace of not being fully transparent about his status. He tried to be sympathetic to both sides.
“Palace wanted me to potentially be available for the Conference League final — which I understand, it’s a final — and it took me two days to get here [to U.S. camp] as well,” he said. “I expected it. I’ve had ankle injuries before, and there wasn’t really any setback. It was just a case of getting swelling down, then seeing what it’s like being on the pitch, and it just sometimes can take a little bit longer than expected.”
He said, “the initial diagnosis was day to day, but I think for me I was a bit more two to three weeks. We were right on schedule, and I feel good right now.”
Richards’ teammates know how much he means to the group. Fellow centerback and longtime friend Mark McKenzie spoke about that soon after Richards’ turn at the mic.
“To see that live, to see the rehab work he’s put in, whether it’s on the field and working with a lot of the performance coaches, trying to get that ankle exposed to as many different actions as possible,” the Union alumnus said, “and then off the field, you talk about recovery, you talk about every modality you could possibly think of and modalities you probably don’t even know about. Doing everything possible to get himself as fit as he could be for this game.”
As Richards spoke, former U.S. centerback Marcelo Balboa stood nearby. Now a media member, recalled his own race to make the 1994 World Cup after tearing his ACL in April 1993 — an era when recoveries could last over 12 months.
But he made it just in time to play in the tournament, started all four U.S. games, and almost scored an all-time goal when a bicycle kick attempt against Colombia went just wide.
“Never trust a player,” Balboa said with a laugh, but also some seriousness. “A player will always tell you he feels great and he’s ready to go. I think they have to evaluate how he is in training, if he’s full contact, if he’s ready to go 90 minutes, or is it better to make sure he’s ready for the rest of the tournament.”
He also emphasized that for a player, “mentally is the biggest part.” Judging by Richards’ remarks, he certainly seemed ready — even as Balboa’s words are a good reminder of the big picture.
“I wouldn’t put myself in the position if I didn’t think I could do everything 100%,” Richards said. “Part of playing this sport is you’re going to have some pain at some point, and I’m totally OK with that as long as functionally I’m good. That’s the No. 1 thing for me.”
HOUSTON — Sports leadership at Texas Tech on Wednesday defended their plans to play quarterback Brendan Sorsby next season while he treats his gambling addiction, insisting they are not trying to “engineer his eligibility” through the courts and dismissing widespread criticism that includes the president of the NCAA.
Speaking to the Houston Touchdown Club, coach Joey McGuire acknowledged the “rage” surrounding the situation, with athletic directors across college football saying that the NCAA ban on players who gamble should remain sacrosanct and a court order won this week by Sorsby crossed a line that should never be crossed.
“For some reason, as a society, we’ve been OK with other things that happen and allowing players to play, and this has been the one thing that has united people, that they were against,” McGuire said. “It’s crazy because it’s not murder, it’s not beating somebody — so there’s a lot of things that we’re working through. None of this is OK.”
Athletic director Kirby Hocutt also released a statement to “offer a few facts that seem to be getting lost in the noise” and noting the school is not part of Sorsby’s lawsuit against the NCAA.
“A young man in treatment for a clinically diagnosed addiction exercised his legal right to seek a remedy in court and a judge agreed with him,” Hocutt said. “Our role has been to support his recover, not to engineer his eligibility.”
Under the court order, Sorsby will be suspended for the first two games of the season. The NCAA plans to appeal the ruling, with President Charlie Baker telling reporters in Las Vegas that the case illustrated “a new low” in college sports.
McGuire likened Sorsby recovering from his addiction to fellow Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond’s recovery from knee surgery.
“He’s recovering,” McGuire said. “I’ve sat down with this young man multiple times and the things that he is going through and what he’s been through, it’s serious.”
“And I have a number of people in my family that were addicted to different stuff and so I’ve seen what addiction does to people,” he said. ”And so, us even saying to the point before we get to the legal part, that he could be ready in Week 3 against Houston is still a stretch because guess what, he’s still recovering.”
McGuire added that Sorsby was “back in the building” after spending some time away from the facilities while he was dealing with his issues.
Among the Delaware Valley connections are athletes, coaches, entrepreneurs, and even gamers. Here’s a look at six people with ties to the Philly area, whether that means they played here or, as is the case for several, are actually from here …
Dawn Staley
The longtime South Carolina women’s basketball coach grew up in North Philly and graduated from Dobbins Tech in 1988 before playing collegiately at Virginia. Staley split an eight-year WNBA career with the folded Charlotte Sting and Houston Comets and simultaneously served as the head coach of Temple women’s basketball. During her nine seasons on North Broad, Staley led the Owls to six NCAA Tournament appearances and four Atlantic 10 titles.
She’s found even more success since moving to the Palmetto State — her Gamecocks have won three NCAA titles in the last decade and have made eight Final Four appearances, including in each of the last six years. Staley, who has already been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, also won four Olympic gold medals, three as a player and one as a coach.
Saquon Barkley
Barkley’s signing with the Eagles in 2024 marked a full-circle moment for the running back, who grew up in the Lehigh Valley. Out of Whitehall High School, Barkley committed to Penn State as a four-star recruit. Back-to-back seasons of 18 rushing touchdowns led to Barkley being selected second overall by the New York Giants in 2018. During his six years in North Jersey, Barkley only played in two playoff games.
It almost feels as if Barkley’s inclusion is coming a year too late. In 2024, his first season in Philadelphia, Barkley became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season on his way to winning the franchise’s second Super Bowl and being named the NFL’s offensive player of the year and a first-team All-Pro. But given his overall dominance, high profile, and previous time in the Big Apple, Barkley’s influence remains.
Actor Rob Mac loves the Eagles, and was on hand for the team’s home opener last season.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Rob Mac
Many know Rob Mac (formerly McElhenney) as the creator of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which is still going strong more than two decades later as it prepares for its 18th season. But recently, the St. Joseph’s Prep grad has ventured into the sports scene. In September of 2020, McElhenney and fellow actor Ryan Reynolds purchased Welsh soccer team Wrexham AFC. The team earned a league promotion in three consecutive seasons, a feat nearly unheard of across the sport.
Leveraging his TV background, the 49-year-old launched Welcome to Wrexham in 2022, a documentary series following the team. With Wrexham one promotion from the Premier League, Mac and Reynolds’ sports interest have extended outside English soccer. The pair also purchased minority stakes in the Alpine F1 team, as well as Mexican soccer team Club Necaxa, which also got the docuseries treatment last year.
The Fanatics CEO and former Sixers limited partner grew up in Lafayette Hill. His entrepreneurial spirit was ignited at the young age of 13, when he used his Bar Mitzvah money to open up a ski store. Now 53, Rubin’s slightly larger venture, Fanatics, has become a rapidly expanding empire. The New York-based company holds exclusive merchandise and collectibles licensing rights for all of the big four professional sports and produces on-field/ice jerseys for MLB and the NHL.
In recent years, Fanatics has also taken over smaller brands, like Topps and Philly-based Mitchell & Ness, and has expanded into gambling and other sports-related businesses.
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson celebrates a three-point basket in front of actor Timothée Chalamet during Game 3 of New York’s second-round series against the Sixers.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Jalen Brunson
The central New Jersey native grew up an Eagles fan, a fact many New Yorkers are content ignoring as the 29-year-old guard looks to lead the Knicks to their first championship since 1973. Brunson certainly knows a thing or two about winning. During three seasons at Villanova, Brunson won two NCAA championships. During the 2018 season, Brunson averaged 18.9 points and was the consensus national player of the year.
Brunson’s Philly area connections run deeper, however. His father, Rick, now an assistant with the Knicks, played college basketball at Temple and spent several years as the head boys’ basketball coach at Camden High, which is likely what led Brunson to rooting for the Eagles over the Giants or Jets. When Brunson had his number retired by Villanova in 2023, he ended the ceremony with a “go Birds.”
Recognized as one of the world’s most dominant League of Legends players, Faker, “the LeBron James” of esports, is a team member and part owner of T1 Entertainment & Sports, a joint venture between Comcast Spectacor and Korea-based SK Telecom. Back in November, T1, which got its start in Philly and has some local ties in its leadership, won its third consecutive League of Legends championship.
TORONTO — Johan Rojas will not play for the Phillies in 2026 after suffering an elbow injury.
Rojas is serving an 80-game suspension without pay for testing positive for boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance. The 25-year-old outfielder was eligible to be reinstated on June 25, but while ramping up to return to baseball activities, Rojas reported discomfort in his right elbow.
Imaging revealed a torn ulnar collateral ligament, which will require surgery with an internal brace. The Phillies said Rojas’ surgery is scheduled in the coming weeks, and the plan is for him to return in time for spring training.
According to the terms of Rojas’ PED suspension, he already was ineligible to participate in the postseason.
But his injury now removes a potential outfield depth option for the remainder of the regular season. Rojas is an elite defender with speed, though he hasn’t been a consistent producer at the plate in the majors. In 71 games in 2025, Rojas hit .224 with a .569 OPS.
“Haven’t thought too much about the depth part of it, because he hasn’t been available all year,” said interim manager Don Mattingly. “We have some guys with experience in center field. But I feel bad for the kid, obviously. He’s had a rough year, as far as how everything went down, and now this. But as far as our depth, I think we’re pretty well covered.”
Rookie Justin Crawford is the Phillies’ primary center fielder this season, though he often sits against left-handed starters, including Monday in Toronto against Patrick Corbin. Brandon Marsh can slide to center, and switch-hitter Steward Berroa is another center field option on the bench.
Mattingly also pointed to Dylan Carlson as another depth center field option in triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Phillies signed Carlson in May after he was released by the Iowa Cubs, Chicago’s triple-A affiliate. Carlson has slashed .161/.261/.297 in 33 minor league games this season.
Carlson has made 12 starts in center field for the IronPigs and made 24 putouts in 25 chances.
Left-handed reliever Kyle Backhus pitched a scoreless inning for triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday in his first appearance on his rehab assignment.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Backhus began rehab assignment
Left-handed reliever Kyle Backhus (left elbow inflammation) pitched a scoreless inning for triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday in his first appearance on his rehab assignment. He allowed two hits and struck out two.
It marked Backhus’ first game action since April 25. In 10 appearances for the Phillies this year, the sidearmer posted a 4.66 ERA.
“We got him scheduled out a little bit, we got to get him built back up,” Mattingly said. “I think he missed five, six weeks, so he’s going to have a little bit of time. He threw a couple [live batting practice sessions] before he went out, so that’s his first kind of rehab and competition.”
Mattingly said Backhus is next scheduled to throw on Friday and then Sunday for Lehigh Valley.
“And then as we do that, then we start adding some one-pluses, coming into an inning,” Mattingly said. “Things like that to make sure he’s ready, possibly back to back in there somewhere, to make sure he’s ready to pitch at this level where we don’t have to protect him once he gets here.”
Extra bases
Following Thursday’s off day, right-hander Andrew Painter (1-7, 6.21 ERA) is scheduled to start the series opener in Milwaukee against Brewers’ right-hander Jacob Misiorowski (7-2, 1.50).
TORONTO — Just over a year ago, Trey Yesavage threw his first pitch in double A.
In the time since, the 22-year-old Boyertown native was called up by the Blue Jays, pitched in the American League Championship Series and the World Series, and has established himself as a key member of Toronto’s rotation.
It’s still hard for him to wrap his head around how quickly it happened. Yesavage’s double-A debut for the Toronto affiliate New Hampshire Fisher Cats was on June 12, 2025. The game happened to be in Reading, less than 20 miles away from Yesavage’s hometown, and the stands were packed with his friends and family.
“It’s been an insane journey,” Yesavage said. “I’m just so blessed to be in this clubhouse every day with these guys.”
Yesavage grew up a Phillies fan and maintains his Eagles fandom. He won’t pitch against his hometown team in this series, as Dylan Cease and Max Scherzer are both returning to Toronto’s rotation from the injured list this week.
But Yesavage has the Blue Jays’ visit to Citizens Bank Park on Aug. 7-9 circled on his calendar, and he hopes that things will work out so that he can pitch there.
“Being a Philly fan is different,” Yesavage said. “I’m still an Eagles fan, so I embrace the Philly energy and toxicity. So I kind of get it. But I’m just excited to play in front of those people.”
Blue Jays’ pitcher Trey Yesavage, who pitched in the World Series last year, grew up attending minor league games in Reading as a kid, since it’s so close to Boyertown.David J. Phillip
Yesavage said he grew up attending minor-league games in Reading, since it’s so close to Boyertown. Even though he’s never been a member of the Phillies organization, the Fightin’ Phils are honoring him on July 5 for Boyertown Day, distributing a bobblehead that depicts him as a Boyertown Bear.
“It’s me in my high school jersey,” Yesavage said. “It’s weird that I’m with a different organization. I played there against those guys, and it’s cool, but it’s weird.”
Yesavage graduated from Boyertown Area High School in 2021, and starred at East Carolina University before he was drafted in the first round by Toronto in 2024.
His unusually high arm angle and signature splitter helped him fast track to the majors. After his whirlwind 2025, Yesavage started this season on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement. In his eight starts since being reinstated, he has a 3.16 ERA.
Throughout it all, support back in his hometown has been constant.
“Got a lot of energy, lot of support from those people, especially in the playoffs,” Yesavage said. “Some of the elementary schools were having Blue Jays Days, and wrote letters to me, and it’s really cool to see support from ages 5 and up who can actually understand baseball. So love those people, and they’re the reason why I’m here right now.”
Extra bases
Toronto moved the scuffling Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to the leadoff spot for Tuesday’s game for the second time in his career. He was 1-for-4 through eight innings on Tuesday. “I’m sure [Toronto manager John Schneider] is trying to get something going, give Schneids a different feel for Vlad. I’m hoping it doesn’t really work — for a few days,” interim manager Don Mattingly said. … Left-handed reliever Kyle Backhus (left elbow inflammation) began a rehab assignment Tuesday with triple-A Lehigh Valley. … Jesús Luzardo (4-4, 4.56 ERA) is scheduled to start Wednesday’s series finale against Blue Jays right-hander Scherzer (1-3, 9.64). Scherzer will be making his first start since April 24, after which he was placed on the injured list with right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation.
Jameer Nelson took care to draw a distinction that was important to him and should be important to the franchise that has promoted him.
“Growing up in this area — everybody keeps saying Philly — I’m a Chester native,” he said Monday. “Philly adopted me.”
There’s a difference between the two, as anyone who has lived and followed basketball in the Philadelphia area long enough can tell you. Chester is a small, forever struggling city with its own glorious hoops history, with a high school program that has won eight PIAA boys basketball championships, with its own heroes and legends, the 76ers’ executive vice president of basketball operations among them.
When Nelson mentioned his favorite players as a kid, he name-dropped Charles Barkley and Allen Iverson. Any Chester aficionado would have chided him for leaving John Linehan and Zain Shaw off his list, and he laughed in acknowledgment of the omission.
That contrast might not seem to mean much. But it said everything about Nelson’s potential value to the Sixers, to his ability to provide at least some of the institutional memory and understanding of the market that the organization has lacked for so long. “No one more capable,” Phil Martelli, Nelson’s coach at St. Joseph’s, said in a text message Monday.
He knows Philadelphia and Chester and knows they aren’t quite the same. He knows what it was like here in 2001, when Iverson led the Sixers to the NBA Finals, and he knows what it was like in early 2004, when Nelson himself led the Hawks in that magical unbeaten regular season and that run to the Elite Eight.
Jameer Nelson Sr. was a 2,000-point scorer for St. Josephs. He ignited the Hawks to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight in 2004.George Reynolds / Staff Photographer
He knows what will play here and what won’t, who can play here and who can’t.
“Understanding the landscape and understanding what this team means to the city, I can bring that,” said Nelson, who had a 14-year playing career in the NBA. “I can help everybody in the building understand that because I understand it. Growing up, I was one of the people who are doing what people are doing now.”
Too few people among the Sixers’ previous power players have had that background, and no member of the current leadership has it. Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment president Bob Myers lives in California. Mike Gansey, the Sixers’ new president of basketball operations, reminded people at the team’s headquarters in Camden that he “just got here” after growing up in the Cleveland area and working for the Cavaliers for 15 years. And managing partner Josh Harris splits his time between Miami and his $28 million mansion in the Georgetown section of Washington, parachuting into town for home games and the latest hiring/firing news conference.
Nelson still is third in the pecking order at best within the Sixers’ basketball hierarchy, behind Myers and Gansey. But at least his new title might afford him a louder, stronger voice when it comes time to draft, sign, or trade for players the Sixers hope to have here for a while. Myers said aloud Monday what anyone who has followed this team already knew to be true: “We’ve got to find an identity. We just don’t have one.” That assertion goes beyond the Sixers’ style of play.
It gets to the character and attitude of the players, the coaches, everyone in the organization. It gets to the Sixers’ giving themselves a better chance of making better decisions. For every time they’ve recognized that Tyrese Maxey or VJ Edgecombe had the mental and emotional makeup to cut it here, they’ve failed to see that Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz didn’t, that James Harden and Paul George and mercenaries like them, stars who require a softer setting, were unlikely to thrive or to be embraced.
“Anytime you can put somebody in a leadership role who understands and embraces it and is reared here, it’s an advantage,” Myers said. “I don’t know to say it was a negative last year or in years past, but I do think most people would agree this is a uniquely spirited community, and having someone who knows that and grows up and feels that — and the responsibility that comes with it — I love that Jameer is in the place he’s in.”
The Sixers under Harris need Nelson’s instincts and experience and all the additional help they can get in that regard. A longtime NBA executive noted recently that in professional sports, you often can trace a franchise’s excellence or stability to the geographical proximity and familiarity of its owner. Does the person in charge live where the team is based? Did they grow up there? Do they truly understand the city and its fan base?
Spurs managing partner Peter Holt has deep familial ties to San Antonio. The Heat’s Micky Arison has lived most of his life in Miami. Joe Lacob was a Warriors season ticket-holder for nearly 10 years before he bought the team in 2010. Jeffrey Lurie relocated from Boston and took the time to learn what Philadelphia was all about. Ed Snider and John Middleton were already here to know.
New Sixers executive vice president of basketball operations Jameer Nelson (left) talks with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment CEO Tad Brown (right) after Mike Gansey’s introduction press conference on Monday.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
James Dolan is a surveillance-happy nepo-Boomer who, after a quarter-century of mismanaging the Knicks, finally stumbled into ecstasy thanks to Leon Rose, William “Worldwide Wes” Wesley, and Jalen Brunson. But Dolan’s also a native Long Islander who felt the heat in New York — the city where rebuilding isn’t allowed — every time one of his cockamamie attempts to quick-fix his franchise went awry.
Too often since Harris took control of them in 2011, the Sixers have acted as if they’re content to be interesting, to settle for the sugar rush of another roster shake-up and a sold-out arena instead of putting in the demanding, patient work that leads to genuine and lasting success. “You can’t buy championships,” said Myers, who won four of them as the Warriors’ general manager. “You have to go through it to get them.”
Whether it’s the pain of Sam Hinkie’s Process or the cost of exceeding the league’s luxury-tax threshold, Harris’ Sixers have shown a reluctance to make such sacrifices, and their status in the city and their performance come the second round of each year’s playoffs have sunk because of it. If nothing else, in Jameer Nelson, out of Chester and adopted by Philadelphia, they have someone who can remind them that the hard way is what this region prizes and rewards, the only way that works.
In the aftermath of his trade to the New England Patriots, A.J. Brown reportedly returned to the Eagles facility to collect a few personal items, bid farewell to a few of the staff, then left his mark on the wall under his Pro Bowl picture.
It’s reported that Brown wrote: “The best to ever play here. Always open.”
Now, before we shrug it off as preposterous, let’s put it in perspective. Brown did finish with over 5,000 receiving yards, 32 touchdowns, was picked for a pair of Pro Bowls, and was an All-Pro three times.
But the best there ever was? No. Not at least statistically, anyway.
We know because Inquirer writer Gabriela Carroll dove into data, taking a look at things like total yards, total receptions, total touchdowns, and more to see where Brown stacked up on the Eagles’ all-time list. You’d be surprised where he landed.
It’s what we’re leading off with on this Wednesday. Speaking of football, by the time you read this know that we are about 24 hours away from the kickoff of the FIFA World Cup. From where to watch to what to know, check out our latest coverage right here.
We’re looking at clouds that might send in some much-needed scattered showers across the region, with temperatures hovering in the mid-80s today.
Shane Victorino, and wife Melissa celebrate the Nicetown Boys & Girls Club in 2011. In 2026, it’s undergoing another massive update as part of MLB All-Star game.Philadelphia Daily News
Next month in conjunction with Major League Baseball’s annual All-Star Classic coming to Philadelphia, the Boys & Girls Club in Nicetown is getting a much-needed face-lift. The organization got one in 2011 after former Phillies shortstop Shane Victorino offered a generous gift, but on July 11, MLB Together, a philanthropic arm of the league, is coming in to clean up with more than 100 volunteers.
“We’ll be rolling up our sleeves and painting the teen room, putting together some new furniture, decorating, and doing some internal work, in addition to some external work,” said April Brown, MLB’s senior vice president of social responsibility. “Some planting and some weeding and taking care of the baseball field, which is literally across the street from the Boys & Girls Club.” Inquirer writer Mia Messina has more on the MLB’s plan of attack.
Lincoln Financial Field, known as “Philadelphia Stadium,” is all set ahead of the start of Sunday’s World Cup opener in Philadelphia between the Ivory Coast and Ecuador.Kerith Gabriel
Goalie wars: With days before the start of the World Cup for the U.S. men’s national team, there’s still no guarantee that Wayne native Matt Freese is the No. 1.
Bait and switch: The Iranian soccer federation claims FIFA has revoked tickets for its three group stage World Cup matches in the United States.
Soccer spirit: From city bars burning the midnight oil, to kid-friendly beer gardens, here’s a look at some of the best places to feel World Cup vibes.
Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts’ jerseys ranked inside the top 10 for the second year in a row.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
For the second year in a row, the Eagles running back Saquon Barkley boasts the No. 1 selling jersey on the team and is in the Top 10 in jersey and merchandise sales in the league, along with quarterback Jalen Hurts. Check this out for the complete list of league leaders in the selling swag department.
In more pressing news, Inquirer’s Jeff McLane offered his observations of yesterday’s minicamp practice, which revealed the offense still has some meshing to do.
Jameer Nelson (left) new Sixers executive vice president of basketball operations talks with Tad Brown (right), CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment following Mike Gansey’s introductory press conference on Monday.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Jameer Nelson wanted to remain in the Sixers front office. New president of basketball operations Mike Gansey was determined to keep him. Now, after elevating Nelson as vice president, the two are paired to reinvigorate the Sixers — together.
Nelson’s understanding of the current roster, the city’s passionate fan base, and media scrutiny is invaluable, says Bob Myers, the president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. Myers added that Nelson “has that equity with our players and the community.”
Ahead of Thursday’s opening match, join Inquirer reporter Jonathan Tannenwald and host Lisa Carlin for Soccer Extra!, our monthlong Gameday Central weekly pop-up dedicated to all things World Cup. The first episode kicks off tomorrow at 11 a.m. Watch here.
On this date
June 9, 1974: Phillies slugger Mike Schmidt hits a ball off the roof of the Houston Astrodome, hitting the public address speakers. Which is just insane.
[Donald] Trump always seeks to steal the shine from winners, and the Knicks, fueled by NCAA champs Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges, were winning like nobody’s business … He’d wanted to sit with Spike Lee and Larry David courtside, but the Secret Service (and perhaps his more sane advisers) persuaded him to retreat to a suite. There, in the shadows, he rested as the streak ended, a 115-111 downer in Game 3. — Columnist Marcus Hayes looks at the trouble Donald Trump caused as the first active president to attend an NBA playoff game.
What you’re saying about the Phillies
We asked: The Phillies have several candidates who could make the All-Star team. Who do you hope to see get picked and why?
As the host city, there are four obvious selections: Christopher Sanchez (wins, ERA), Jhoan Duran (saves), Kyle Schwarber (HRs), and Brandon Marsh (batting). Each is among the league leaders in their respective categories. An argument could be made for Bryce Harper, a fan favorite.— Bob C.
Here’s my short list: Don Mattingly as coach, Brandon Marsh, Zack Wheeler, Bryce Harper, Christopher Sanchez, Kyle Schwarber, and Jhoan Duran. Can you imagine what his introduction will look like at night when the whole world is watching? Even for one batter. One batter will be enough. — Ronald R.
[Cristopher] Sánchez, [Zack] Wheeler and [Kyle] Schwarber. — Ronald R.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Gabriela Carroll, Lochlahn March, Marcus Hayes, Jeff McLane, Jonathan Tannenwald, Gina Mizell, Lisa Carlin, Conor Smith, Mia Messina, Beatrice Forman, and Henry Savage.
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.
That’s your Wednesday. Here’s hoping we made you a little more informed or at least provided an ice breaker in your virtual meeting. Catch you soon. — Kerith
The World Cup is here. So how well do you know the players and nations descending on Philly? No studying — just put your knowledge to the test with our newest quiz.
Nine nations will play in five World Cup group stage games in Philly. How well do you know them?Julia Duarte / Staff Illustration
The World Cup is back on American soil for the first time since 1994, and Philadelphia is set to host six matches — including a round of 16 match — in the world’s largest international soccer tournament.
Brazil, France, and Croatia are among the nine teams that will take to the pitch at Lincoln Financial Field, which FIFA has renamed Philadelphia Stadium for the next month, for five group stage matches in the newly expanded 48-team World Cup tournament.
story continues after advertisement
Think you know footy? Test your knowledge with this quiz. It’s 10 questions — nine about the nations coming to Philadelphia during the group stage and one about the Stars and Stripes.
Question 1 of 10
Which Brazilian star has scored the most goals for the national team?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Some of the sport’s most iconic players have suited up for the Seleçao, but none have scored more than Neymar, who has 79 goals in 128 international appearances.
Question 2 of 10
Ivory Coast is returning to the World Cup for the fourth time in its history. When did Les Éléphants most recently compete in the tournament?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Ivory Coast qualified for three consecutive tournaments in 2006, 2010 and 2014. The African nation has never advanced out of the group stage, claiming a third-place finish in all three World Cup tournaments it has participated in.
Question 3 of 10
Which nation did Curaçao tie on the final day of Concacaf qualifying to secure its first trip to the World Cup?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Curaçao secured a 0-0 draw against Jamaica in November that set it atop its qualifying group. Curaçao, a Caribbean island with a population of 155,000, will be the least populous nation represented at this year’s tournament.
story continues after advertisement
Question 4 of 10
Which team will come to Philly featuring the reigning FIFA Ballon d'Or winner, given to the player of the year in world soccer?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
When Les Bleus take on Haiti in a Group C matchup on June 19 (9 p.m., Fox 29), they will do so with midfielder-forward Ousmane Dembélé in tow, winner of the 2025 FIFA Ballon d'Or.
Question 5 of 10
Which nation did Ecuador play in the opening match of the 2022 World Cup?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Ecuador kicked off the 2022 edition of the tournament by beating host nation Qatar, 2-0. Ecuador finished third in Group A, with a 2-1 loss to Senegal keeping La Tri out of the knockout rounds.
Question 6 of 10
Which Croatian player earned the Golden Ball award, given to the World Cup’s best player, in 2018?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The former Tottenham and Real Madrid midfielder led Croatia to a second-place finish in Russia. Despite suffering a fractured cheekbone in April, Modrić was named to the Croatian squad and will make his fifth World Cup appearance this summer.
More on the World Cup
Everything you need to know about the World Cup in Philly
The Inquirer's comprehensive guide on the nine nations headed to Philadelphia this summer, their footprint on our city, and what those fans need to know about Philly.
Question 7 of 10
Ghana’s best World Cup result came in 2010, when it reached the quarterfinal round for the first time in its history. Which team did Ghana beat in the round of 16 to secure its place in the quarterfinal?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Ghana secured a 2-1 victory over the U.S. on a dramatic 93rd minute goal from Asamoah Gyan. Ghana went on to lose its quarterfinal match to Uruguay on penalties.
Question 8 of 10
Which French player joined Pele as one of two teenagers to score in a World Cup final during France’s 4-2 defeat of Croatia in 2018?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
At 19, Mbappé became the youngest goalscorer at the World Cup in French history, scoring four goals in France’s run to the 2018 trophy. Mbappé needs two more goals to surpass Olivier Giroud as France’s all-time leading goalscorer.
Question 9 of 10
Haiti will return to the World Cup stage for the second time in its history this summer, breaking a 52-year drought. Which Haitian player starred in the Union’s MLS Supporters’ Shield-winning campaign last season?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Danley started 14 times across all competitions this season for the Union, logging two goals. He also scored two goals for Haiti in its 2026 qualifying campaign.
More on the World Cup
Philly’s path to the World Cup was paved at Newt’s, where playing on cinder was a ‘badge of honor’
The growth of the region’s soccer scene will be celebrated when Philadelphia hosts the World Cup. But for years, the sport seemed to only exist locally in the neighborhoods around the cinder fields.
Question 10 of 10
The United States — the team has a slim chance of playing in Philly in the round of 16 — finished third in the first World Cup, but has advanced past the round of 16 just one time since 1930. In which year did the U.S. men make it to a tournament quarterfinal?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The U.S. downed Mexico, 2-0, in South Korea to advance to the quarterfinals for the first and only time in a 32-team tournament. A 1-0 loss to eventual runner-up Germany ended the Americans’ best post-war run at the World Cup.
Your Results
You have skipped .
You scored XX out of 10.
The average reader scored XX out of 10
Don't worry, this is the first World Cup in Philly. Did you really expect to be an expert already?
Nice job. There's still room for improvement, but someone clearly follows soccer. If you're still interested, we've got plenty soccer coverage for you to read.
Wow! Let us guess, you only refer to soccer as football and spend weekend mornings at a local bar watching your favorite Premier League team?
A perfect score? Now that's impressive. Let's hope the USMNT has similar success in its run through the group stage this month.
The first group stage game in Philly is scheduled for Sunday, June 14, and will feature Ivory Coast and Ecuador. Ivory Coast will play two of its three group games in the city. For more World Cup coverage — whether you’re going to the games, watching the U.S. team from home, or just curious about what all the fuss is about — be sure to check out our comprehensive guide. And get the latest headlines here.
