ATLANTA — The beleaguered Phillies bullpen got a reinforcement on Sunday.
The club activated lefty Tanner Banks from the 60-day injured list, reinstating him from his rehab assignment. In a corresponding move, they optioned right-hander Grant Holman to triple-A Lehigh Valley. Minor league outfielder Christian Cairo was designated for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Banks.
Banks has not appeared in a major league game since July 8, after which he was shut down with a left forearm strain. He made five rehab appearances for the IronPigs, allowing three hits and one earned run over nine innings. Banks recorded 14 strikeouts and one walk.
Prior to the injury, he had been inconsistent. Banks had worked his way into higher-leverage opportunities in a career year in 2025, but slipped down the depth chart and was even optioned at one point after extended struggles this season. Banks has a 7.14 ERA in the majors in 2026.
When Banks first landed on the injured list in July, interim manager Don Mattingly said the forearm had been bothering him for a while and theorized it could have been a contributor to his struggles.
Now that he’s back, the Phillies plan to use him in a different role. Mattingly said that Banks is stretched out to 45 pitches and is expected to be a multi-inning option. In the first half of the 2026 season, he rarely pitched more than one inning.
Adding a bulk arm could be helpful for a relief unit that has been taxed yet again this week. The Phillies used five bullpen arms in the series opener against Atlanta, an 11-inning loss, and then were forced to go with a bullpen game on Saturday after Jesús Luzardo was scratched from his start with shoulder stiffness.
Tanner Banks is expected to be used in a different role, where he’s stretched out to 45 pitches and expected to be a multi-inning option.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The lopsided 12-2 final score did help save an arm or two as backup catcher Garrett Stubbs wound up securing the final four outs. But the Phillies still used five other pitchers.
That included Holman, who Banks replaced on the 28-man roster. The right-hander needed 34 pitches to record one out after an error from Bryson Stott extended the fourth inning and snowballed into five unearned runs.
Cortes update
Nestor Cortes pitched one inning for triple-A Lehigh Valley on Monday, allowing one earned run on a bunt single followed by two groundouts. Cortes’ fastball topped out at 91.6 mph.
It marked Cortes’ second outing since the Phillies signed him to a major league deal as pitching depth on Aug. 19, and his first at the triple-A level. The 31-year-old missed most of the 2026 season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn tendon in his left bicep in October.
“Still progressing, and sounds like he’s doing OK,” Mattingly said.
He added that there are no expectations necessarily for Cortes to join the major league club before the end of the season. It would hinge on whether Cortes is able to get ready and the needs of the team.
Extra bases
Luzardo is not throwing on Sunday or Monday after skipping his scheduled start on Saturday for extra rest. The Phillies will reevaluate him Tuesday. … After Monday’s off day, the Phillies play a two-game set in Washington. Cristopher Sánchez (17-5, 2.79 ERA) will start the series opener against Nationals left-hander Jackson Kent (1-4, 6.59).
Matt Campbell preached all offseason that he’d know the true identity of this Penn State team when it first faces adversity.
That moment came against Temple at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday. The Nittany Lions failed to score on their first two red zone opportunities, missed a 33-yard field goal, and were tied 3-3 with the Owls deep into the second quarter.
But Penn State responded in a big way with 27 unanswered points en route to a 27-9 win over Temple.
“I felt like nobody flinched, nobody wavered,” Campbell said. “There was no complaining.”
Quarterback Rocco Becht said he was glad to face some difficulties. Now Penn State knows it’s capable of overcoming them and what it needs to work on moving forward.
“I thought it was a good game for us to have,” Becht said. “I think to be humbled coming off of a good win, coming out here and playing Temple, a good team, and we just started off a little slow. I think we needed this early before we got into conference play.”
Ben Brahmer steps up
Tight end Ben Brahmer said Tuesday his position is the “heartbeat” of offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser’s offense, but he and his fellow tight ends were relatively quiet in the passing game against Marshall last weekend.
Saturday against Temple, Brahmer flipped the script and showed why he was a John Mackey Award semifinalist last year. The senior led Penn State with 79 receiving yards and two touchdowns, both of which were 23-yard scores.
“It’s been great,” Brahmer said. “Just kind of keeping my head down and working. I know the ball will come to me when it happens, and I just got to be ready for that. Just got lucky today and got open a couple times.”
Brahmer’s first touchdown Saturday was arguably the most important. With just seconds on the clock before halftime, Campbell decided not to call a timeout.
Becht found Brahmer wide open over the middle of the end zone to put Penn State up, 10-3, as it headed into the locker room.
“Just setting the tone for the rest of the game going into half,” Brahmer said. “It’s huge, winning the middle eight, kind of just staying on the same page, keeping our head down. [Mouser] was making a lot of good calls. We just had to execute those.”
Penn State’s defensive end room
Campbell announced postgame that redshirt sophomore defensive end Max Granville is out for the season after injuring himself at practice this week.
Granville, who missed all of 2025 with an undisclosed injury, was expected to play a big role this season as a young edge rusher with loads of potential. He initially joined the Nittany Lions in 2024 after reclassifying and appeared in seven games.
“Obviously, a really tough blow for our football team, and most importantly, a really tough blow for Max,” Campbell said. “The thing I love about Max is he’s kind of been a pillar of glue for the unity of our football team over the last nine months. Who he is, what his character is, and I think that’s why we’re all really convinced that he’ll come back better than ever.”
The depth in Penn State’s defensive end room was already thin, with sophomore LaVar Arrington II out for four to six weeks, so Granville’s injury stings.
The Nittany Lions will have to lean on redshirt senior Ikenna Ezeogu, sophomores Yvan Kemajou and Alex McPherson, and redshirt senior Caleb Bacon, who recently switched positions from linebacker to defensive end.
Penn State linebacker Tony Rojas (13) reacts with the team after an interception during the first quarter against Temple on Saturday.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
Penn State has three sacks through two nonconference games. Freshman Jackson Ford, a Malvern Prep graduate who recovered a fumble against Marshall, could see more playing time moving forward.
“Max is like a rock to us, and he will be for the future,” said linebacker Tony Rojas. “Just having him along with us on away games is going to be awesome for us and something we need.”
After a long offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles are finally back in action Sunday, taking on the Washington Commanders to kick off a season filled with “Super Bowl or bust”-level expectations.
“There’s no way this team should lose more than three games, four at the most,” writes Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes. “They’ve got a Pro Bowl quarterback, a superstar running back, a franchise receiver, and a genius running a defense with more talent than any defense in team history that didn’t include Reggie White.”
Calling the Birds’ season opener on Fox is a familiar figure — former Super Bowl villain turned top broadcaster Tom Brady, who is entering his third season as the network’s top NFL analyst.
To Brady’s credit, he made steady improvement in the booth last year, developing into one of the best analysts currently calling games. The future Hall of Famer worked six Birds games last season and is in line to call at least four this year, including the Eagles’ Thanksgiving Day matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.
Despite his other commitments outside the booth, which include being a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, Brady expects to fulfill the 10-year,$375 million deal he signed with Fox in 2024.
“I have a lot to prove to myself, to my teammates. I have a lot to prove to the executives,” Brady told the Sports Business Journal. “I want to go earn it and I don’t want anything given to me. I hope they’ll have me through the end of this contract.”
Here’s everything you need to know to watch or stream the Eagles’ season opener against the Commanders.
How to watch and stream Eagles vs. Commanders
Tom Brady (left) and Kevin Burkhardt will call Eagles-Commanders on Fox Sunday.Fox Sports
Sunday’s Week 1 game between the Eagles and Commanders is scheduled to start at 4:25 p.m. Philadelphia time on Fox.
Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi will report from the sidelines at Lincoln Financial Field.
The game will stream on Fox One, the network’s subscription streaming service. It’s also available on any so-called skinny bundle that carries Fox, including fuboTV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and DirecTV Stream. Most offer a free trial.
If you live in Philadelphia or any other TV market where the game is airing, you can also stream the game on NFL+, the league’s subscription streaming service, which runs $6.99 a month.
If you’re looking to stream the game for free and you live in or around Philadelphia, your best option is to use a digital antenna, since the game will air on broadcast television on Fox 29.
Merrill Reese and Mike Quick back together on radio
Video: How Merrill Reese, the voice of the Eagles, prepares to go on air
Another familiar voice returning this year is Merrill Reese, who is back for his 50th season calling Eagles games on 94.1 WIP.
Reese began his long career as the team’s pre- and postgame radio host before being promoted to color analyst in 1975. He became the voice of the Eagles suddenly in December 1977 after his partner Charlie Swift died by suicide, and has remained in the booth ever since.
While Reese, 84, is by far the longest-tenured announcer in the league, he has no intention of this being his last season in the booth.
“I always kiddingly say they’re going to have to remove me with a crane,” Reese told The Inquirer’s Matt Breen in a lengthy interview. “My greatest pleasure is to sit there and broadcast an Eagles game. There’s nothing I love more. I even enjoy doing the preseason games. … I have no intention of stopping.”
Merrill Reese (left) and Mike Quick promoting their own beer in 2022. ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer
Back alongside Reese is former Eagles wide receiver Mike Quick, who joined the booth in 1998. Reese has had a number of broadcast partners over the years — Jim Barniak, Bill Bergey, Stan Walters — but none had the staying power of Quick.
“I believe we’ve become like members of the family,” Reese said. “We’re like their old friends who’ve been with them for many, many years. … They can identify with us. They feel comfortable with us.”
Ron Jaworski not returning to NBC Sports Philadelphia
Ron Jaworski, seen here speaking with Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie before an Eagles game. NBC Sports Philadelphia
Ron Jaworski, the former Eagles quarterback known to most fans simply as “Jaws,” won’t be part of NBC Sports Philadelphia’s pre- and postgame coverage this season.
The former Eagles quarterback and longtime NFL analyst made the decision to pull back on his broadcasting duties last week after four years with the network.
Michael Barkann, who has hosted Eagles pre- and postgame since the Comcast SportsNet days, is back for his 30th NFL season. He’ll be joined by Reuben Frank and two former Birds players — offensive lineman Barrett Brooks and wide receiver Jason Avant.
ATLANTA — Bryson Stott had a brief moment of hesitation.
As the ground ball bounced into his glove at third base, he paused to take a peek over at second. But Braves infielder Austin Riley was already sliding in, and it was clear Stott’s only play would be across the diamond.
After he double-clutched, Stott’s throw to first was low, and Alec Bohm couldn’t come up with it off the hop. Instead of ending the inning, yet another run scored for Atlanta.
And that’s about when the inning spiraled completely out of control.
The Braves exploded for eight runs in the fourth on Saturday, en route to a 12-2 rout of the Phillies that all but dashed their hopes of catching the National League East leaders. Seven of those runs came with two outs in the inning.
“Obviously, that’s a really good team over there,” Bryce Harper said. “They’re pitching the ball really well right now, hitting in timely situations. But also, we got baseball to play, so we can’t get down. We can’t wonder what’s going to happen or what-ifs. We just got to keep playing.”
Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. (13) flips his bat after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning.Erik S. Lesser
Scratching Jesús Luzardo, one of the NL’s most dominant pitchers, the night before and replacing him with a bullpen game was always going to make securing a win on Saturday a tall task. But the Phillies were hardly even competitive.
The Braves’ lead on the division has grown to six games over the Phillies, with 13 games remaining in the regular season for both teams. With the Cubs’ victory over the Pirates earlier on Saturday, the Phillies have now fallen behind Chicago into the second wild-card spot.
“You always set out the year, you want to win your division,” said interim manager Don Mattingly. “And you’d like to set yourself up with a bye if you can. But none of that guarantees anything, even if you do that. So now, the focus is really to win every day. We got to get ourselves in, and then if you’re good enough, you win.”
The fourth-inning meltdown completely erased the work done by Tim Mayza, who was billed as an opener but was efficient enough to complete three scoreless innings for the first time this season. Mayza used 31 pitches to face the minimum, as the infield turned two double plays to erase the only two hits he allowed.
Harper even gave him a lead to work with, responding to the resounding boos from the Braves fans with a first-inning homer off Tyler Mahle, 426 feet to straightaway center.
Harper took his time rounding the bases, just like Ronald Acuña Jr. had after his game-tying blast earlier this week in Philadelphia. The Braves star also popped out on the top step of the visitors’ dugout at Citizens Bank Park for a curtain call to further taunt Phillies fans. Harper didn’t go quite that far, but still relished the villain role in Atlanta.
“They’re going to boo me when I come in here. They love their players. They love their team,” Harper said. “… We’ve had a heated rivalry for 15 years now, me and them.”
But Acuña had the last laugh this time. Once Brooks Raley took over for Mayza in the fourth, he matched Harper with a homer of his own, right into the visitors’ bullpen in left field.
Raley had been one of three Phillies pitchers charged with a blown save in Friday’s 11-inning game, and the veteran left-hander also took the loss when Drake Baldwin walked him off. Raley didn’t fare much better Saturday.
“Not the success I would want, especially how last night finished and today,” Raley said. “But all you can do is execute pitches and go about your day and put your head down the next day and go back again.”
Phillies pitcher Brooks Raley reacts after getting relieved by interim manager Don Mattingly during Saturday’s fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves.Erik S. Lesser
He managed to secure two outs, but still left runners on the corners for Grant Holman, the next man up in the bullpen.
Holman had been added to the Phillies roster after it expanded on Sept. 1, taking the extra pitcher slot. But since then, he had waited in the bullpen for 11 days to be called on.
He allowed both inherited runs to score right away, on a single from Mauricio Dubón through the left side of the infield.
“It seems like every ground ball they hit found a hole tonight,” Mattingly said.
Riley hit another single, before Sean Murphy sent the grounder to Stott for what could have been the third out. If Stott had made a higher throw, or if Bohm had been able to pick it, the Phillies would have kept Atlanta’s lead to a manageable 3-1. But instead, Murphy was safe at first and the tailspin continued.
Stott has been the Phillies’ most reliable infielder this season, even after switching positions to third after the trade deadline to open second base for new acquisition Luis Arraez. The error was his fourth of the season.
Phillies third baseman Bryson Stott, seen here with an error in the Sept. 2 game against the Arizona Diamondbacks captured his fourth error of the season in the loss to the Braves on Saturday.Ross D. Franklin
“To me it just looks he just didn’t set his feet,” Mattingly said. “He still had time with Murphy running, just kind of threw it quick, obviously. Anytime he makes an error, really, it surprises me because he’s been really, really good over there.”
A walk, a wild pitch, and two more hits later, and the Braves had run up the score to 8-1 before Holman finally stopped the bleeding with a fly out.
Because of the error, none of the runs he allowed were earned.
Orion Kerkering made his first appearance since Sept. 4 in the fifth. He loaded the bases in the fifth on a single and two walks, but managed to end it without further damage with a lineout from Ha-Seong Kim.
Kerkering wasn’t so fortunate after returning for the sixth. A walk and another error, this time from Bohm, put runners on the corners and Atlanta tacked on another run with a sacrifice fly. With the bullpen already thin after Saturday’s extra-innings loss, Mattingly had had no choice but to push Kerkering for 1 ⅓ innings, even after a long layoff for the right-hander.
“We were definitely right on the edge of everything tonight,” Mattingly said. “If something went bad, like it did, then we were stuck.”
Don Mattingly said the Phillies felt “stuck” in Saturday’s loss to the BravesYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Justin Crawford hit his third homer of the year in the eighth inning, but by then the Phillies had already functionally conceded the game. They had put catcher Garrett Stubbs on the mound with two outs in the seventh to finish it off. Stubbs surrendered a three-run shot to Michael Harris II.
Now that the division has all but slipped away, the wild-card race comes to the forefront as the season enters its final two weeks. According to Harper, though, the Phillies must focus on themselves rather than scoreboard-watching.
“You can’t worry about what other teams are doing, especially when you’re in this situation,” he said. “So we got to play better baseball. If we don’t, we’re not going to be in. So I mean, I think as a team, we just got to look in the mirror, understand what we need to do on a nightly basis, and guys got to grind. … We got to take care of business as a team, and if we don’t, then we’re not going to be there.”
ATLANTA — If Jesús Luzardo had his way, he would have pitched on Saturday.
The Phillies left-hander was scratched from his scheduled start against the Braves due to left shoulder stiffness. As the calendar flipped to September and the innings started to pile up, Luzardo said he started feeling sore, and it worsened after his two-hit shutout against Atlanta on Sept. 7.
An MRI on Friday evening revealed no structural damage, and Luzardo said if needed, he would have taken the ball and felt confident he’d be able to get outs. But with the postseason in mind, the Phillies staff chose caution and opted to give the 28-year-old pitcher extra rest.
“That was a conversation I had with them: If today was Game 7 of the World Series, I’m throwing no matter what,” Luzardo said. “But I think to get to that point, it’s probably better to be smart now than it is to throw [Saturday] and then see my body getting worse throughout the next couple weeks, so I think we’d rather get it right now.”
Luzardo reacts to the third out in the eighth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park earlier this month.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
The lefty dealt with plenty of injuries earlier in his career, undergoing Tommy John surgery before he was even drafted in 2016 and hitting the injured list several times during previous stops in Oakland and Miami. But since arriving in Philadelphia via trade in December 2024, Luzardo had never missed a start until now. He pitched a career-high 183 ⅔ innings in 2025 and already has 178 ⅔ this season.
Luzardo said he believes inflammation is the root of the issue. He has not taken any injections such as a cortisone shot, which would require him to be shut down for a few days afterward. He is taking a few anti-inflammatory medications.
The Phillies have no plans to place Luzardo on the 15-day injured list at this point. They hope that rest will resolve the stiffness and that he will be able to start next week. The Phillies also have an off day on Monday, which gives Luzardo an extra day.
Interim manager Don Mattingly said he was “really encouraged” about Luzardo’s MRI results.
“It’s kind of what we thought,” he said. “We didn’t feel like there was anything truly going on other than the inflammation, which was causing the stiffness and things like that. I do think it was the right thing to do for sure. … He would have taken the ball, but we just didn’t know if that pushes to the next one, and then we’re doing this the rest of the year. So it feels better to take care of it now, get it knocked out, and then just have Zeus be Zeus.”
Jesús Luzardo had never pitched into the 9th inning before today …
Luzardo isn’t sure the complete game, which was the first of his career and required 109 pitches, was the cause of the stiffness.
“If you ask me, I think it’s a coincidence, especially because I felt good in the moment,” he said. “Yeah, I honestly don’t know. Maybe it didn’t help, but again, it’s September, so it could have really been anything.”
Adding to the frustration is the fact that Luzardo had been hitting his stride in the second half. The shutout against Atlanta had just been the latest in a dominant stretch for the left-hander, who has a 1.84 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in 10 starts since the All-Star break.
“I would like to get back to action as fast as possible for the team, for the organization,” Luzardo said.
With Luzardo down, the Phillies instead went with a bullpen game on Saturday with Tim Mayza opening. Orion Kerkering was also expected to appear, although he has been dealing with “turf toe” since his last appearance on Sept. 4 that has kept him in a walking boot away from the field.
Orion Kerkering recently pitched a bullpen session that gave manager Don Mattingly hope that he’ll return to form soon. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
“He threw a [bullpen session] that went good, and so really since then it’s just been choosing whether to use him or not,” Mattingly said of Kerkering. “So we feel good about him. He feels good about pitching and all that stuff. He may be a little sore to run, but it’s not like something that he’s going to do any damage to it or anything like that. So the pitching part is fine.”
Extra bases
Tanner Banks (left forearm strain) joined the team in Atlanta and is expected to be activated from the 60-day injured list Sunday. … Nestor Cortes was scheduled to pitch an inning for triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday. … Andrew Painter (3-9, 5.71 ERA) is scheduled to start Sunday’s series finale opposite Atlanta right-hander Grant Holmes (9-5, 3.46).
At halftime Saturday, Temple honored the standard it has spent nearly a decade trying to reclaim.
Members of Temple’s 2016 conference championship team returned to Lincoln Financial Field during the Owls’ 27-9 loss to Penn State and gathered in an end zone for a halftime recognition.
The reunion celebrated the defining accomplishment of Temple’s modern era while recalling the toughness, resilience, and brotherhood that transformed an uneven start into a conference title.
Nearly a decade later, those qualities offer a blueprint for a program that is attempting to recapture its former success in its second season under coach K.C. Keeler.
Former Temple quarterback P.J. Walker says it’s a thrill to be honored for the successes during his time with the program.
“It means everything [being recognized],” said P.J. Walker, quarterback of the 2016 team. “I think it’s a great opportunity for the guys to get back and understand the value of the success we had while we were there playing and the appreciation we received.”
Temple entered 2016 carrying expectations created by the previous season, when the Owls started 7-0, defeated Penn State, 27-10, at Lincoln Financial Field, and reached the conference championship game. Their return trip did not follow the same path.
The Owls opened with a loss to Army and fell to 3-3 after losing at Memphis. With their hopes of an undefeated season gone, Walker said the team narrowed its focus to the goal still within reach.
“We were finally able to settle in and focus on what was important, and that was winning the conference,” Walker said. “One thing led to another and led to us being able to play in the conference championship and win it.”
Temple did not lose again during the regular season. The Owls won their final six conference games before defeating then-No. 20 Navy, 34-10, in Annapolis, Md., to complete a seven-game winning streak and capture the championship of the American Athletic Conference (now the American Conference) .
The turnaround was rooted in lessons learned before 2016. Walker arrived during coach Matt Rhule’s first season in 2013, when Temple finished 2-10, and developed alongside players who eventually formed the core of consecutive 10-win teams.
“We were battle-tested,” Walker said. “The resiliency we showed day in and day out — we were pushed by Matt Rhule at a high level. When I say pushed, we were pushed, and we respected that. We knew the work we put in was a lot, and we weren’t going to let that work not pay off when it came to Saturday.”
That standard had become embedded within the locker room by 2015. Former Temple offensive lineman Kyle Friend and defensive lineman Matt Ioannidis, leaders on the team that preceded the championship group, said players became responsible for maintaining it.
Players from Temple’s 2016 championship team say that the standard created by former Owls coach Matt Rhule (pictured) was at an all-time high.
“We pushed each other to the point where the coaches didn’t need to push us,” Ioannidis said. “We were harder on ourselves than the coaches could have been on us. We held each other accountable, and we stuck together in the tough games.”
Saturday illustrated the distance Temple still must travel and the possibility of beginning that climb. The Owls entered as considerable underdogs against Penn State but kept the game competitive throughout the first half before the Nittany Lions pulled away after halftime.
The loss on Saturday dropped Temple to 1-1, but its ability to remain within striking distance of a ranked team offered a glimpse of the toughness its predecessors considered essential.
However, doing so has become more complicated in a college football landscape reshaped by the transfer portal and name, image, and likeness compensation. Friend and Ioannidis were developed from lightly recruited prospects into NFL players, a path that defined Rhule’s Temple teams but has become increasingly difficult for subsequent Owls teams to replicate.
“It’s exciting to have a new coach who has a good track record,” Friend said. “I think it’s an interesting dynamic with NIL. That has changed the game drastically.”
Former Temple players believe that, like Rhule, Owls’ current head coach, K.C. Keeler, has the tools to bring success back to the program.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
For Walker, however, the foundation of Temple’s success was not dependent upon the era.
“I think the brotherhood meant more than anything,” Walker said. “The way we went out there and fought for one another and battled for one another made a huge difference during those 2015 and 2016 seasons.”
Walker believes Keeler can restore that culture by recruiting players willing to compete for opportunities and commit to one another. And, while the former Owls returned Saturday to celebrate their own achievement, Walker said their role now is to support the players attempting to create the program’s next successful era.
“I think Coach Keeler is a great coach,” Walker said. “I think he’s the right coach for this program. To see those guys continue building that legacy and building who they are as a unit — it’s awesome to see. I think they are doing it the right way.”
Eli Stowers won’t be making his regular-season debut any time soon.
The rookie tight end, a second-round pick out of Vanderbilt, was ruled out for Sunday’s season opener against the Washington Commanders with quadriceps and hamstring injuries. He has been placed on injured reserve, requiring him to miss at least the next four games.
Stowers had been dealing with a hamstring issue since the last week of training camp, but the quadriceps injury is a new development. After he reported discomfort in his leg, digital imaging showed that he had sustained a quadriceps strain that will sideline him for the next several weeks as he undergoes treatment and rehabilitation.
We have downgraded TE Eli Stowers to out for tomorrow’s game with quadriceps and hamstring injuries. He has been placed on the Injured Reserve List. We have also elevated WR Britain Covey for the game. pic.twitter.com/4hGlWIiBY6
On Friday, Stowers had been optimistic about his availability for Week 1. He said after practice that it was “the plan” for him to play against the Commanders. However, he was listed as questionable to play on the final injury report released later that afternoon.
Stowers had a relatively quiet training camp and preseason performances. He finished with three receptions for 12 yards in two games, as he was sidelined for the final preseason game. Still, the rookie tight end was pleased with his development in various areas throughout the summer.
“With the playbook, the route tree, the schemes, the blocking schemes, pass blocking, really every single aspect,” Stowers said Friday. “Special teams. I think training camp was a really good learning experience for me, and I was really encouraged to see me get better in every single aspect, because that’s really what my goal was.”
With Stowers sidelined, Makai Lemon could be the only Eagles rookie to contribute in a non-special-teams role on Sunday.
Eagles first-round draft pick Makai Lemon could become the only Eagles rookie to contribute in a non-special-teams role on Sunday.
Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Eagles will have three tight ends at their disposal on game day — Dallas Goedert, Johnny Mundt, and EJ Jenkins. They do not currently have a tight end on the practice squad. Stowers joins fellow tight end Grant Calcaterra on injured reserve.
Additionally, the Eagles elevated Britain Covey from the practice squad to the game-day roster. The Eagles communications department listed Lemon as their first-string punt returner on the depth chart that was released Tuesday, but could turn to Covey, 29, as he has returned punts over the last four seasons.
Last year, Covey had 11.3 yards per punt return, which was above the league average of 10.2.
“We are” chants rang throughout Lincoln Financial Field, replacing the Eagles’ chants that would take over in less than 24 hours, and the stadium that typically would be engulfed in midnight green was temporarily blanketed in white as No. 16 Penn State made the trip to Philadelphia to face Temple.
Saturday’s game was the first time the teams faced off in a decade, renewing a 95-year-old rivalry. In their last meeting in 2016, the Owls lost by seven at Beaver Stadium.
This time around, Temple suffered a similar fate — losing, 27-9, as Penn State improved its all-time record against the Owls to 41-4-1.
From a Penn State takeover to a Meek Mill appearance, here’s everything you might’ve missed on Saturday at the Linc:
Meek Mill leads Temple out of the tunnel
The familiar sounds of Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares” track was heard throughout the Linc as Temple made its way onto the field. From the Jumbotron, fans could see the Philadelphia rapper front and center, leading the Owls out of the tunnel as red smoke and pyrotechnics covered one side of the field.
This came just a few days after the North Philly native partnered with the university to welcome high school seniors and Temple students to the Dream Chasers Summit, at the Liacouras Center.
Although the record against the Owls leans heavily in Penn State’s favor, Temple did shock the world in 2015 — the teams’ last matchup at the Linc. Temple’s defense dominated a game in which Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg was sacked 10 times.
The Owls entered that game as a seven-point underdog and beat the Nittany Lions, 27-10, in front of a crowd of mostly blue and white. Temple alumnus Ron Fries attended the game, and after the upset, Fries, 55, knew he had to become a season-ticket holder.
Temple players celebrate the last time they beat Penn State, a 27-10 victory in 2015 at Lincoln Financial Field.DAVID SWANSON / Staff Photographer
“I went to that game and a couple other games that year, but being at that game and just the energy — the Penn State energy left and the Temple energy that was there, which was outnumbered a lot,” Fries said. “But the folks that stayed, it was tremendous, and that’s why I became a season-ticket holder.”
An upset wasn’t in the cards this time around, but a lot of fans were optimistic beforehand.
”I’m hopeful that they’re able to produce something positive,” Fries said. “I would be ecstatic if they won like they did 11 years ago, but if they don’t, I just want to see something positive come out of them against a big program like Penn State.”
Penn State linebacker Tony Rojas (left) reacts after a first-quarter interception against Temple on Saturday.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
Beaver Stadium East
Like the Penn State-Temple game in 2015, Temple fans were outnumbered at home.
”It looks like it’s been a pretty big whiteout here in the parking lots,” Penn State alum Joe McGoldrick, 26, said before the game.
Penn State flags were plentiful at tailgates in the sports complex parking lots, and fans in blue and white jerseys were out in droves through Lots D to M as students from State College were being bussed in. Shrines to the Nittany Lion could be seen at every turn — including at “Ernie’s Tailgate,” a tradition dating to 1977, when Tim Ernst was a freshman at Penn State.
Ernst, who graduated in 1981 and got his master’s in 1993, started the tradition from his dorm room. Since then, he said he’s attended every Penn State home game, and he isn’t thinking of stopping anytime soon.
“We’re excited for the new coach; we’re excited for our new team,” Ernst said. “Rocco Becht, our quarterback, we’re very excited to have him on board. College football is challenging with all the transfers taking place and all that, but we’re going to have a very good year this year.
“I think we’re going to make the playoffs, and we’ll see where it goes from there. And I don’t want to say any bad words about [James] Franklin but it was time to make a change. [Penn State coach Matt] Campbell has been saying all the right things. He believes in the [Joe] Paterno way where education is important, making these young boys into men is important. And that’s what Joe Paterno always emphasized.”
The Penn State takeover continued inside the stadium, as thousands of fans traveled to see Campbell improve his record to 2-0 as Penn State’s coach after a 45-0 win over Marshall in Week 1.
”Penn State isn’t coached by James Franklin anymore, thank God,” McGoldrick said. “I was there at the game last week, they looked very good against Marshall. I think they’re just going to do the same thing they did last week. I think they’ll have a home-crowd environment. So, that’ll help too.”
A neighborhood rivalry
As the ocean of blue and white jerseys swarmed the tailgating lots, one Temple fan, Michael Kiedaisch, wasn’t worried.
“The sea of red is on the way,” Kiedaisch said.
Kiedaisch, whose 18-year-old son, Brian, attends Temple, made the trip down from Newtown, Bucks County, with his family to watch the game and cheer on the Owls — but there was one issue. Kiedaisch’s neighbor, Art Krysko, also made the trip. And his family — including his 19-year-old daughter, Madelyn, and 21-year-old son, Joey, who attend Penn State — were cheering for the rival team.
“We had kids,” Krysko said. “And they went to different schools. And we’re a little [ticked] about it.”
Temple Owls quarterback Jaxon Smolik (14) runs upfield during the second quarter in Saturday’s game against Penn State at the Linc. Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
The competition between the two started as soon as they left their neighborhood.
“When we left the neighborhood, he blew the stop sign and tried to lose me on the drive down because I’m supporting Temple and he’s supporting Penn State,” Kiedaisch said. “So that’s how the day started. But we’re set up and ready to go now.”
However, if Penn State took an early lead, Michael’s brother, Carl Kiedaisch, had a backup plan.
“We have Penn State shirts at halftime to put on in case it gets ugly,” Carl said.
Penn State led, 10-3, at halftime but vibes still were high on the main concourse for Temple fans as the band performed near the student section. Fans bobbed their heads, talked to friends, and cheered along as they prepared for the second half.
And as soon as the third quarter started, “[Expletive] Penn State,” chants erupted from the crowd.
The band put on a show at halftime.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
However, it was short-lived after Penn State scored another touchdown, putting them up, 17-3. From then on, Penn State ran away with the 27-9 win — leaving many Nittany Lions fans happy.
“I thought the stat line was pretty good all around,” said 22-year-old Penn State alumnus Colin Crissey. “It didn’t look pretty on the field, necessarily, but the numbers don’t lie, and they look pretty good. I thought Penn State somewhat sleepwalked in the first half. I don’t know if that’s the travel. I don’t know if that’s your first away game with a new coach or whatnot. Scoring right there at the end of the half really changed the mood.”
Meanwhile, Temple fans started to leave the stadium in the third quarter — leaving the student section fairly empty by the end of the game.
While Steve Gerben is known for having cocreated one of the year’s most popular Netflix comedy series, his friends and the internet are attempting to crown him with a more ribbing title: The “King of West Chester Golf.”
The Berwyn-born actor, comedian, and costar of Netflix’s Tires says the nickname is just a joke created by his costar and fellow Pennsylvanian Shane Gillis after Gerben “broke 80″ for the first time, scoring 79 on 18 holes of golf last year. It’s something that fewer than 10% of golfers worldwide reportedly do in their lifetime.
“I thought I would just get my friend to start videotaping in case it happened on the 18th hole. And then I did it,” Gerben, 43, remembers with fondness. “So Shane saw that video and was making fun of it on his podcast, calling me the ‘King of West Chester Golf.’”
Gerben’s character on Tires, Will, an anxious go-getter who sees the best in those around him, is not unlike Gerben in real life. Even when receiving praise for his golf prowess or growing television career, Gerben is more comfortable sharing credit with others and not taking the spotlight. And while he downplays his claim to the West Chester golf throne, Gerben does play golf every week in the Philadelphia region — from West Chester courses to the occasional charity event at Ardmore’s Merion Golf Club.
As his profile has grown with the success of Tires, Gerben continues to live in West Chester, cultivating a life around golfing near home and creating a local television production alongside his best friends.
“I can’t see myself leaving the area. I really love it here and it’s home,” he said. “Also, just given how I feel about golf, suburbs make way more sense — it’s just scratching the right itch for me.”
It also helps that the hit show Gerben cocreated with Mechanicsburg-born Gillis and Philadelphia’s John McKeever is filmed in West Chester off East Gay Street, inside an addition to the real-life tire shop of Gerben’s father.
Tires, which had its season three premiere Aug. 13, follows two cousins, Will (Gerben) and Shane (Gillis) as they run the fictional Valley Forge Automotive Center, named after the previous real-life automotive business of Gerben’s father, which was sold in 2011.
“I remember after season one, my dad was on the boardwalk and he saw a Valley Forge Auto shirt in one of the stores, and he was just like, ‘This is insane,’ because it’s this company that he had for 20 years, and then gone, and now we brought it back in a way,” Gerben said.
With Gerben and Gillis on screen, and McKeever as the magic behind the camera, the Tires crew navigates the world of a Pennsylvania small business, rivalries with a national tire chain, and coming to terms with life and romance in your late 30s and 40s.
Tires was recently renewed for a fourth season. That renewal, along with the suburban life he’s created with his girlfriend and cat, has Gerben doubling down on the Philly region. One factor that now rules his life is golf, and how to keep enjoying the sport that eases his mind and boosts his confidence.
“Playing golf is a flow state for me. I get out of a perfect golf swing what I’m sure people that meditate get out of meditation or when people feel a piece of art really speaks to them,” Gerben said.
What started as something to do as a senior at Conestoga High School, joining the Valley Forge Golf Club for $8 after school, has grown into a passion that has seen him playing alongside Eagles players like Jason Kelce and appearing in vlog-style golfing videos with comedian Andrew Santino.
Golf feels like meeting up with an old flame for Gerben, who essentially gave up on the pastime as he attempted to make it in the East Coast stand-up comedy circuit in the 2010s. That’s where he met Gillis and McKeever, doing open mics at the now-closed Raven Lounge and Helium Comedy Club.
While Gillis would continue to rise in stand-up comedy, Gerben said he struggled to find footing. Yet, constants in his life were Gillis and McKeever, who reportedly were known to not take on certain projects unless Gerben could be involved.
But one thing that always sat in Gerben’s back pocket was a script for a show based on his experience working at his father’s Valley Forge tire shop that he initially wrote nearly 15 years before Tires would premiere on Netflix in 2024. Two years later, Tires’ third season debuted in the No. 9 spot on Netflix with 2.4 million views in its opening weekend.
The success doesn’t get to Gerben’s head, as he’s focused on enjoying life in the burbs and golfing as much as possible, he said. With golf swinging back into his life, the sport brings a chance of pace in a busy work schedule and/ allows Gerben, who has had arthritis since he was 2, to stay active.
“I feel so unbelievably healthy because I think it’s about like a five- or six-mile walk each golf session, and you’re not even paying attention to that, given you’re doing this thing that you just absolutely love doing, and is a little bit easier on the joints,” Gerben said.
Gerben also sees golf as a way to meet friends.
“Golf is just a weird addiction that some people have that cuts across generational barriers because you spend so much time with people on the course who have the same passion as you,” he said.
In the meantime, Gerben will continue flirting with the idea of starting his own golfing YouTube career, like “Bryan Bros Golf.” But until Tires is wrapped, Gerben said there would be no official online golf career on the horizon.
Besides, if Gillis finds Gerben’s golf videos, Gerben will never hear the end of it from his best friend, he said.
The Eagles begin their campaign for a third-straight NFC East title on Sunday afternoon, when they host the Washington Commanders in their season opener (4:25 p.m., Fox29).
The Eagles are coming off an 11-6 season and a busy offseason. The spotlight will be on the new offense led by first-year coordinator Sean Mannion.
Washington is looking to start strong after going 5-12 last season. Quarterback Jayden Daniels returns healthy after appearing in just seven games last season because of a left knee sprain, a right hamstring strain, and a dislocated left elbow.
What are the experts thinking about the season opener? Here’s a look at what local and national pundits are saying:
Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis waves after a stop on a Commanders’ offensive drive last season.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Inquirer predictions
It’s a clean sweep for the Eagles. All three Inquirer beat reporters — Ryan Novozinsky, Jeff Neiburg, and Olivia Reiner — agree that the Eagles will win.
Novozinsky wrote that the Mannion era will begin “with a bang.” Here’s more:
“Sure, the Commanders have a new, lauded defensive coordinator in Daronte Jones. But they didn’t exactly make any splashy moves on that side of the ball, which means they’re largely returning a unit that ranked No. 32 in total defense last season.
“Their passing defense ranked fourth-worst in the league. Their run defense was even worse, ranking 30th. Mannion’s wide-zone scheme should feast against a unit like this, especially if the run game gets going early, which would set up a play-action attack through the air.”
The national media is just as high on the Eagles entering Sunday’s opener, with few experts picking the Commanders. Here’s a look at how the biggest outlets are predicting the outcome:
NFL.com: All five NFL.com editors selected Philadelphia to win. Gennaro Filice says Washington’s offensive line concerns, especially the loss of Laremy Tunsil, could create a lopsided matchup against defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s unit.
ESPN.com: ESPN experts also are unanimously backing the Birds.
The Athletic: NFL reporter Vic Tafur is confident the Eagles will win their sixth straight season opener, writing: “Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is skipping around because they finally got rid of Brown and have a competent play caller.”
CBS Sports: The seven-person panel at CBS unanimously picked the Eagles to start the season 1-0.
USA Today: In the season-opening battle against NFC East opponents, USA Today analysts believe the winning team will be the Birds.
Sports Illustrated: Unlike many national outlets, there is a difference in predictions at Sports Illustrated. Out of the eight experts, Albert Breer and Conor Orr went with the Commanders in Week 1.
Bleacher Report: Five of the seven analysts picked the Commanders this weekend. Moe Moton said to “expect both teams to be inefficient in a game of missed opportunities, while both defenses capitalize on miscues with takeaways.”
Pro Football Talk: Mike Florio went with the Eagles for this weekend’s matchup, saying the Commanders are visiting “one of the best teams in the league to start the season.”
Sporting News: Bill Bender chose the Birds to win by eight against the Commanders.
