In just a few days, Lincoln Financial Field will be filled with screaming fans. But on Thursday morning, Kylie Kelce brought some casual fun to the stadium with an on-site taping of her podcast, Not Gonna Lie.
The episode featured Eagles offensive linemen Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, and Landon Dickerson — aka her husband, Jason’s, former teammates — as well as their wives, Kelsey, Niki, and Brooke. The roughly hourlong episode ran the gamut in topics from game day superstitions, first impressions, and Jason Kelce crash outs to a low-stakes version of The Newlywed Game. Mailata, Jason Kelce, and Johnson’s Philly Specials Christmas albums also came up, and Johnson said those “are on standby.”
As the Kelces and Eagles prepare for Week 1, Kylie and the O-linemen shared some of their good-luck practices. Kylie even brought a wooden spoon to the field, just in case she needed to knock on wood to ward off any bad Eagles luck.
“Game day rituals usually include a very specific T-shirt,” Kelce said. “It means whatever T-shirt I take out that has a new Eagle — which is not the old-school Eagle, that one has not worked out for me in the past. … I’ve tracked it.”
And pro tip: She says not to tag her in social media posts or send her messages, especially pregame. On game days, “Life is not happening. The Eagles are happening, and that’s what we’re focused on,” she said. That’ll include Sunday, when she plans to be at the Linc for the season opener vs. the Washington Commanders.
Some other rituals included eating the same meals before games, though Mailata now says he’s “tired of being a prisoner of superstition.”
“I’d have the same pasta order for like seven years,” said Mailata, who was drafted in 2018 but is entering his seventh NFL season. “Even breakfast, the same breakfast. I wasn’t even hungry, but I’d force down eight eggs and four pancakes. Now, just four pancakes because I just prioritize the carbs.”
Johnson was less devoted to his rituals, but he admitted that he sometimes looks away when a game isn’t going the Eagles’ way. Kelce has gone as far as rotating a full 180 degrees in her seat at the Linc rather than watching.
Even as a veteran entering his 14th season, there’s still an element of unknown entering the season opener for Johnson.
“The first game is always weird because nobody’s playing in preseason,” Johnson said. “Like, you have some things you see, but it’s really like you’re going to learn it in the first couple drives, series, what their cards are.”
Jason Kelce and his fellow offensive linemen help Jalen Hurts sneak for a first down.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
The players discussed their feelings about longstanding rivalries, like the Cowboys (and their thoughts on the “America’s Team” branding), as well as other contenders like the San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Los Angeles Rams.
“My husband is on record saying that Aaron Donald is the guy he least looked forward to playing up against,” Kylie Kelce said, receiving a chorus of agreement about the Rams star.
“Yeah, him and his teammate Myles [Garrett],” Johnson added.
The wives appeared later in the episode and shared similar sentiments about their nerves watching the games and being immersed into NFL life.
“When I think of my ‘welcome to the NFL’ moment,” Niki Ikahihifo-Bender Mailata said, “Jordan got injured early on, and I remember being like, ‘Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!’ And then they’re like, ‘No, it’s OK, it’s OK. It’s only bad if the cart comes out,’ and then the cart came out.”
Temple’s leading scorer from last season, Derrian Ford, has been practicing with the team and is on track to play for the Owls in the 2026-27 men’s basketball season after a recent court ruling in Louisiana paved the way for a fifth season of eligibility, sources told The Inquirer.
Ford, a guard who transferred to Temple from Arkansas State prior to the 2025-26 season, averaged 18.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in 35.6 minutes last season with the Owls.
The Arkansas native was among a group of athletes who challenged in a Louisiana court the NCAA’s newly adopted rule that will grant five full years of eligibility to college athletes moving forward but did not include the high school class of 2022 who had already completed four seasons. The court ruled in their favor, granting them a temporary restraining order against the NCAA.
Derrian Ford is a key returner for the Owls in the 2026-27 season.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Ford did not sign a professional contract, unlike football players Zxavian Harris and Dae’Quan Wright, a tight end who spent part of training camp with the Eagles. Harris and Wright’s attempts to join the roster at LSU have been at the center of the latest legal and ethical issues in college athletics. A Louisiana judge issued a preliminary injunction last week that appeared to make the players eligible to join the LSU football team, but the school is proceeding without adding them, a move that came after LSU’s conference, the SEC, threatened to hold a vote to expel the school from the conference.
Ford is unlikely to face the same type of legal hurdles in order to play in 2026-27. Other members of the Louisiana case have already made their first appearances after the ruling. Jazmin Ferguson and Jocelyn Ollivierre, two LSU soccer players, have made three appearances with their team so far this season. Ferguson, according to the Business Journal, testified in court recently that she was paid $4,500 by a USL team but returned the money when playing again at LSU became a possibility.
Ford had interest from professional teams, according to sources, but did not sign a contract.
He is not the only Big 5 men’s basketball player who successfully challenged in court for an additional season. Villanova center Duke Brennan was part of a lawsuit in California that ended with him and others receiving additional eligibility. Brennan will play his final college season at Oklahoma.
As of Thursday afternoon, Ford was not one of the 14 players listed on Temple’s official roster on the school’s athletics website. The Owls return a few players from the 2025-26 season, most notably Gavin Griffiths, who averaged 10.1 points. Coach Adam Fisher retooled the roster in the transfer portal, and while the Owls made some key additions, none of them may have the impact that Ford’s return will.
Temple has not yet announced its 2026-27 schedule, but the college basketball season begins in early November.
After a record-setting debut at Xfinity Mobile Arena in 2026, Unrivaled will return to South Philadelphia on Feb. 15, 2027.
The South Florida-based three-on-three women’s basketball league hit the road for the first time in 2026, bringing four of its eight teams to Philadelphia for its inaugural tour stop.
“It was our first tour stop ever, and because we broke every attendance record, it was a no-brainer to come back to Philly,” Unrivaled commissioner Micky Lawler said. “It felt like Philly was part of our family, and we’d worked hard to get there and to do what we did there. So it was like Thanksgiving coming back.”
Celebrities like Dawn Staley, Kylie and Jason Kelce, Kyle Lowry, Robin Roberts, and Leslie Jones were in the building, and big names like Paige Bueckers, Marina Mabrey, and locals Natasha Cloud and Kahleah Copper were on the court for the 2026 doubleheader.
The Unrivaled doubleheader that included the Breeze and Phantom set attendance records at Xfinity Mobile Arena.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
“It was unbelievable,” cofounder Napheesa Collier said. “You could feel the love tonight. I’m so glad we came here. I just can’t explain it more than I was just so filled up with joy. It was amazing.”
Lawler could not confirm which of Unrivaled’s teams or players would play in the 2027 tour stop. The four clubs will be finalized later in December.
Ashley Lunkenheimer, vice president of the Philadelphia Sisters, an organization dedicated to bringing professional women’s sports to Philadelphia, said attendees from last year’s event already are inquiring about purchasing suites, and there’s increased sponsorship interest. Tickets go on sale at 3 p.m. for Unrivaled newsletter subscribers and 4 p.m. for the general public.
The Sisters played a critical role in attracting Unrivaled to Philly, which provided proof of concept that women’s sports can be successful in the city. Lunkenheimer hopes Unrivaled’s continued presence in the city helps to lay the foundation for Philadelphia’s WNBA team, which is set to begin play in 2030.
“For Philadelphia specifically, it’s the makings, I hope, of a season ticket list, right?” Lunkenheimer said. “… We need to build back the awareness for the broader crowds, so they all know when the WNBA comes.”
Unrivaled was the first major pro women’s basketball event in Philly since 1998. Philly’s embrace of it ensured it won’t be the last.
“It was a mutual opportunity to showcase that we believed in our city and in Unrivaled,” Lunkenheimer said. “I’d like to believe that’s why New York and Barclays said, ‘Let’s jump on that.’ Now they’re going to all these other cities because every other city is saying, ‘We want it.’ They could have said, ‘Well, we’re going to skip Philly. We already did that.’ But they didn’t. They value that partnership.”
The spotlight coming into Wednesday’s Union game was on Cavan Sullivan, as the 16-year-old continues to seize headlines across American soccer.
At kickoff, Cavan shared it with Quinn Sullivan, since the brothers were starting a regular-season game together for the first time. It was a big game, too, the Union’s first in a while against a big-time Eastern Conference opponent.
The stakes rose a little more when interim Union manager Ryan Richter chose to start Ezekiel Alladoh at striker with Bruno Damiani. It was a gamble to rest Milan Iloski, even if it was helpful in a three-game week.
That setup meant the Sullivans had to be the Union’s playmaking engine, and then they’d hope that the duo in front of them could finish the chances they created.
They delivered with style in a 5-0 rout of FC Cincinnati. Cavan had team highs of five chances created and 15 touches in the opponent’s 18-yard box, and his 73 touches were the most of any player in the front six. He completed 42 of 55 passes, sent six passes into the attacking third, and took two shots.
Union’s Quinn Sullivan takes a selfie with young fans after the Union vs. FC Cincinnati soccer match at Subaru Park in Chester on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerCincinnati’s # 24 Kyle Smith and Union’s Quinn Sullivan pursue the ball during the Union vs. FC Cincinnati soccer match at Subaru Park in Chester on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerCincinnati’s # 10 Evander and Union’s # 21 Danley Jean Jacques run towards the ball during the Union vs. FC Cincinnati soccer match at Subaru Park in Chester on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerUnion’s Bruno Damiani celebrates his first half goal during the Union vs. FC Cincinnati soccer match at Subaru Park in Chester on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerUnion’s Quinn Sullivan and Cincinnati’s # 20 Pavel Bucha fight for position during the Union vs. FC Cincinnati soccer match at Subaru Park in Chester on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerUnion’s Bruno Damiani and Cavan Sullivan high five teammates after coming out of the game in the second half of the Union vs. FC Cincinnati soccer match at Subaru Park in Chester on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerUnion’s Milan Iloski after scoring in the second half of the Union vs. FC Cincinnati soccer match at Subaru Park in Chester on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerUnion’s Quinn Sullivan celebrates his first half goal during the Union vs. FC Cincinnati soccer match at Subaru Park in Chester on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerUnion’s # 9 Bruno Damiani surrounded by teammates after scoring in the second half of the Union vs. FC Cincinnati soccer match at Subaru Park in Chester on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerUnion’s Cavan (left) and Quinn Sullivan celebrate Quinn’s goal that put the Union up 1-0 in the first half of the Union vs. FC Cincinnati soccer match at Subaru Park in Chester on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Quinn had 54 touches, including eight in the 18-yard box. He created two chances, took two shots, and had six defensive recoveries and one tackle.
You may have noticed that none of those stat lines included their assists. That’s because they wouldn’t have been recorded if someone else hadn’t scored the chances.
His hat trick, scored with his mother and brother in the stands at Subaru Park, was what mattered most — not just for this game, but for the rest of the season.
They were all different goals, too: a sliding charge at the goal line in first-half stoppage time, a first-touch hit from the middle of the 18-yard box in the 49th minute, and a cut and smash from the top of the box in the 61st.
It could even have been four had Kai Wagner not trapped a pass with an arm before crossing for Damiani’s finish in the 73rd. A video review took that off the board.
“I’m sure he feels a weight off his shoulders in some ways, but also he should be proud of the work that he put in, and he deserves the goals he scored tonight,” Richter said. “And for the team, when your striker leads the line like this, then he’s doing his job in the best way possible.”
Nothing has held this team back more this year than a lack of goals from Damiani and Alladoh. Coming into Saturday, the two most expensive signings in team history had combined for just eight goals in all competitions across 3,028 minutes in 30 games.
Bruno Damiani’s reaction to a big miss against CF Montréal last saturday.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Even worse, Damiani’s six goals in all competitions came from 52 shots, many of which resulted in awful misses. Union fans need no reminding of the wide-open chances he fluffed in last Saturday’s 2-0 win over CF Montréal.
Alladoh, meanwhile, had just two goals from 19 shots. That’s a reflection of his having under-delivered so badly that he spends most of his time on the bench. Wednesday’s game was his first regular-season start since May 9, a span of 13 contests.
Consider this, too: Before Wednesday, Damiani ranked fifth on the Union’s season scoring chart. Iloski was at the top with 12 (now 13) in all competitions, Cavan Sullivan has seven, then Danley Jean Jacques and Neil Pierre have four each.
That’s an attacking midfielder (a very good one, for sure), a defensive midfielder, and a centerback, all with more goals than a striker.
¡GOOOL de Bruno Damiani 🇺🇾!
El uruguayo anota al cierre del primer tiempo ante Cincinnati tras un pase de Sullivan.
“A game like tonight, scoring that hat trick is big for him, and hopefully it’s a snowball,” Iloski said. “If me and him are both firing, that’s so big for the team going down the stretch.”
Iloski also praised his frontline partner’s other contributions, as Richter has also done repeatedly.
“Bruno does a lot for us, and he does a lot for me,” he said. “He battles with guys constantly, and lets me kind of run a bit more free. And he does so much work defensively.”
But Iloski knows what matters most, because it’s what he’s also paid to do.
¡Doblete de Bruno Damiani 🇺🇾!
El uruguayo anota su segundo gol del partido a favor de @PhilaUnion.
When Damiani scored twice at New York City FC just under a month ago, there was hope he was finally unlocked, having also tallied in a Leagues Cup game a week earlier. At that point, he had just one goal in 19 regular-season outings.
Then he went scoreless in the next four, with especially ugly misses against Inter Miami and Montréal.
Everyone saw Damiani’s frustrated reactions. It was clear that the burden weighed on his shoulders, as it did earlier in the year and in prior droughts.
“I’m an emotional person, an emotional player — and yeah, of course when things don’t go my way, like the team didn’t perform really well in the first half of the season, I wasn’t happy,” he said. “I’m happy now that things are working, game-to-game we’re improving, keeping the clean sheet and winning the games. I’m also happy for my personal moment, too, that I scored a hat trick this time.”
¡Hat-trick uruguayo!
Bruno Damiani anota su tercer gol del partido a favor de @PhilaUnion.
Richter has backed Damiani all along, and did so again Wednesday.
“Of course, the goal didn’t come [until now], but assists, affecting plays that lead to goals, his hold-up play [has been] outstanding, his work against the ball top,” he said. “What he can control is, he’ll do all these things every game, and we know that, and we know that it makes the team better. And then, yeah, his main job is to score goals, and when he starts chipping in and doing the job that he did tonight, then it’s a complete striker.”
Wednesday’s win nudged the Union up to eighth place (8-10-6, 30 points) heading into Sunday’s game at San Diego FC (9 p.m., Apple TV), their longest road trip of the season. The standings remain a logjam, with four points separating sixth-place Orlando City from 12th-place Red Bull New York.
“Yeah, we are in the playoff [places]. It feels good,” Damiani said. “We have the [standings] table in the gym, and we can see our club in the playoff spots. We should be there all the time. So, it’s good, but let’s stay game-after-game.”
Bruno Damiani (center) gets congratulations from teammates on the bench after coming out of the game.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
He channeled his manager in saying that, and when he called it “the hard thing to do now, and the best thing to do. … That mentality is what brings us here.”
And will that mentality now deliver more goals? Or will this game become another mirage, rooted in the Union’s man advantage from the 16th minute on thanks to Obinna Nwobodo’s red card?
The answer will be one of the biggest factors in how this season ends up.
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The San Francisco 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams Thursday night in the first-ever NFL game in Australia (8:35 p.m., Netflix), and the streamer is bringing an Eagles legend along for the time-bending ride.
Nick Foles, the Super Bowl MVP whose statue sits outside Lincoln Financial Field, will be part of Netflix’s NFL studio show this season, which includes Thursday night’s game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Thanksgiving eve, two Christmas Day games, and a Week 18 matchup.
“These are primetime games. These are important games. And Netflix is obviously a huge company,” Foles said. “It’ll challenge me.”
Alongside Foles for pregame, postgame, and halftime coverage will be host Elle Duncan, Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, and former Green Bay Packers defender Clay Matthews III. Calling the game will be Noah Eagle and Hall of Famer Luke Kuechly, the former Carolina Panthers linebacker who also landed a color analyst role this season with CBS.
NBC is helping Netflix produce its five-NFL-game slate, and brought Foles and his new colleagues to their studios in Connecticut last month for something akin to a broadcast training camp. That included Foles and Matthews — the two TV newcomers — practicing situations without any preparation, including a mock kickoff.
“They wanted to see if we could even handle going to transition, having a producer in our ear,” Foles said. “We understand we’re rookies at it, and we’re just hungry to learn. … They want us to be ourselves and have fun.”
It’s a big jump for the Super Bowl champ, who is in his second season co-hosting The SZN podcast with his brother-in-law, former NFL tight end Evan Moore. But it’s also an ideal gig, allowing Foles to offer analysis to millions of viewers while only committing to a few extra days during the season.
“It was really just the right time, right situation,” Foles said.
It also offers him a chance to show off his nerdy side. While the game will kick off 8:35 p.m. Philly time Thursday, it will take place locally in Melbourne at 10:35 a.m. Friday, which could have an impact on the players. There’s also the long flight down, the longest Foles has ever taken.
“I got my compression tights. … I’m literally geeking out on the science,” Foles said.
If it feels like you haven’t heard much from Foles since he retired from football in 2024, that’s by design. He spent a year away from football to clear his head, spend time with his family, and coach his three children.
He began to receive media offers, but opted instead to focus on building the podcast with Moore. That gave him a comfortable spot to find his voice talking about football, which drew the attention of producers at Netflix.
Thankfully, Foles has plenty of broadcasters to turn to for advice, including Moore and former teammates like Jason Kelce and Brandon Graham. He also attends the same church as longtime Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt, and squeezed some sage advice about the need to be quick.
“On a podcast, you can be long-winded and get your point our there at the end,” Foles said. “He said ‘No, start with the main point and then have a meaningful explanation …’ That’s simplistic, but it makes a world of difference.”
Unlike Kelce and Graham, Foles takes a quieter and more analytical approach to breaking down the game, which was on display last season when the Eagles offense struggled. He drew attention for comments he made about former offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, but rather than just pile on, Foles tried to offer suggestions to help the team.
“I’m not going to be one of those guys that just crushes someone,” Foles said. “Maybe the Cowboys.”
Foles has one big concern about the Eagles
Nick Foles is most interested to see how well new offensive line coach Chris Kuper helps the Eagles. David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
While the Eagles aren’t slated to appear on Netflix this season, unless they land in their Week 18 game, Foles will spend plenty of time talking about the Birds on his podcast, which will air weekly on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Heading into the season, Foles expects Vic Fangio’s defense to be solid and the offense to rebound after last year’s struggles.
It’s the offensive line he’s worried about. Specifically, how the loss of former offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland and his availability to develop players could impact the team.
“If you look at the Eagles the last couple of years, when has their season fallen apart? When the offensive line gets banged up,” Foles said.
While he has concerns, Foles said he’s heard nothing but good things about new offensive line coach Chris Kuper, who played eight seasons with the Denver Broncos and most recently served as offensive line coach with the Minnesota Vikings.
He’s part of a big overhaul under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion that includes a different run blocking scheme and a new approach at the line. Kuper told reporters the squad has “come a long way” as the Birds prepare for their season opener against the Washington Commanders Sunday, but only time will tell how the team performs.
“There’s a lot of pressure on this guy. He played the position well. … [Kelce] said good things about him,” Foles said. “But I’m circling that.”
It had been six days since Dillon Minacci waited at school for his parents to finally pick him up. National Park rangers told the Minaccis to stay inside their Queen Village home — which sits on the grounds of the Gloria Dei Old Swedes Episcopal Church — as a precaution following the terrorist attacks that morning in New York.
Could the old church where Betsy Ross was once married be next? So Dillon was one of the last kids to leave St. Mary School in the shadow of Independence Hall. No one knew what to think that day, Paula Minacci said of Sept. 11, 2001. And everyone seemed to struggle to find normalcy in the days that followed.
Finally, the Phillies were back at Veterans Stadium. Their game against the Braves on Sept. 17 was the first major league game after the season was paused. Jim Minacci told his son they were going. Then he went to the church basement — where he still works with his wife as the sextons — and grabbed a big American flag on a wooden pole.
“It was embarrassing, right?” said Dillon, who was then in the fourth grade and just old enough to roll his eyes at his parents. “I was like, ‘What are you doing? Why are you bringing a flag to the park? What are we doing?’”
Paula Minacci dropped them off at the stadium and then waited to make sure they’d let them in with the big flag. The Vet was filled that night with American flags. People waved them in the stands and the players had them stitched on their uniforms. Phillies manager Larry Bowa cried during the anthem and Harry Kalas opened the telecast with an emotional monologue about how sports can be a diversion and a unifier.
No one questioned Minacci’s flag.
Jim Minacci carries his large American flag as he walks around Veterans Stadium on Sept. 23, 2001.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
He sat with the pole for a few innings in the upper deck before telling his son he wanted to take a lap around the stadium, which had a rung in front of the seating bowl. His son was embarrassed, but he told his dad he’d come with him. And then the cheers started. The fans chanted U-S-A and shouted for Minacci as he marched around a half-filled stadium with the flag over his shoulder like a patriot. Embarrassed? Not anymore, his son said.
“For us, we were like, ‘Hell yeah. This is awesome,’” Dillon, 35, said. “We got back to our seats and he said, ‘We’re going again.’ OK. I didn’t expect this to be happening. Let’s go.”
The Minaccis attended every game the rest of the season as the late-30s dad became Flag Man, a symbol of patriotism when everyone seemed to rally around the flag. They started their night marching around the upper deck before heading to the lower bowl where the chants were just as loud.
A cast of kids would leave their seats every night to walk behind Flag Man, whom Pat Burrell called “the pied piper” when Minacci was featured in the team’s highlight video.
Phillies general manager Ed Wade presented Flag Man with a custom jersey and a security guard started letting the Minaccis in without tickets. Flag Man’s hands were so sore from carrying the wooden pole that he started to wear fingerless gloves. He loved it.
Jim Minacci, aka Flag Man, is trailed by a line of kids as he walks around the upper deck over the outfield at Veterans Stadium on Sept. 23, 2001.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
The Vet already had the Wolf Pack and other fan groups that injected character to a concrete goliath. Flag Man fit right in. Minacci became part of the scene.
All these years later, the 64-year-old Minacci is still not sure why he brought the flag that first night. He remembers watching the news and seeing people at Ground Zero, volunteering to dig through the rubble of the World Trade Center. Minacci wanted to be in Manhattan but had two jobs in Philly and a son. So he grabbed his flag and went to the game.
“I probably brought the flag so it could represent all those people doing all that good work,” he said. “People were doing extraordinary things against the backdrop of this terrible disaster that in our lifetime was unprecedented. I felt a real sense of wanting to go to the game to enjoy myself and be free of all the struggle and strife but also be part of a community and be with my son in a moment that meant something.”
“It was just being present and showing support for these people who were doing extraordinary things.”
Flag Man grew up near Binghamton, N.Y., in a small town he said had more cows than people. His father Paul was a Yankees fan but he often took his family in the early 1970s to Philly — where he graduated from Penn — to see games at the Vet when tickets were easy to get.
Minacci chased down players for autographs and can still remember how it felt to sit in the stands with his dad. He moved to Philly in the 1980s and soon found himself sitting in the same seats with his son.
Jim Minacci looks back on his Flag Man days as “a unifying visual. Something everyone could agree to. Back then, it was an agreeable moment.”Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
“I just always loved baseball and doing it with my dad just like he did it with his dad,” Dillon said. “Baseball is so unique in that you don’t really have to pay attention to it. That’s kind of the beauty of it. It’s an atmosphere that’s open to whatever you make it. Other sports, you’re kind of locked in on the time limit or the net you have to hit it into. Baseball is very much, ‘Are you paying attention or not? Can I take advantage of that?’ For a father and son, you get to spend time whether you’re talking or not.”
The Vet was their place before 9/11 so it was where the Minaccis needed to be after that dark Tuesday. The Minaccis — just like the rest of the 27,910 fans — longed for an escape. They didn’t know their night would be the dawn of Flag Man.
“We got home and he said, ‘We have to go again tomorrow,’” Dillon said. “I was like, ‘I’ll go to baseball every night of the week if that’s what this is.’ I was totally in. If you get a couple drinks in me, then I pull down the old video yearbook. Damn, that was cool. I can’t believe I was a part of that and my dad had the idea to do that.”
He took a trip with his parents last month to a minor-league game in upstate New York and told his dad how impactful those nights at the Vet were. His parents were always “locally minded,” Dillon said, as their work at Old Swedes made them a fabric of the neighborhood. Flag Man was an extension of that. His dad always seemed to bring people together. Everyone just got to see it this time.
“I know my son is a better person today for it. His awareness of being a part of a community,” Minacci said. “As a father, as a human being, that’s the reward.”
Dillon now lives in Austin, Texas, and will often ask another Philly transplant if they remember Flag Man. Of course, they remember that guy who used to carry a flag around the Vet. That’s my dad, the proud son tells them. No way, he hears. Flag Man is a memory.
Jim Minacci and his wife Paula at Gloria Dei Old Swedes Episcopal Church, where they work and live as sextons/caretakers.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
“There’s the baseball game, the baseball team, the baseball staff, and then the crowd who fills the stadium,” Minacci said. “We got to be a part of that community.”
Minacci brought his flag back to the Vet in 2002 and 2003 as he continued to march before the Vet closed. Citizens Bank Park opened in April 2004 and Minacci was there with his flag for the first game. The guy at the gate apologized. Minacci couldn’t bring the long wooden pole into the new park. Flag Man was finished.
“I think what bummed him out the most was him not being able to end it in a way that he wanted to,” Dillon said. “He wanted the chance to say ‘Thank you.’ It really meant a lot to him and it meant a lot to me. We met a lot of people at the ballpark and became a part of the Phillies community. So it goes.”
Dillon (front) and Jim Minacci at the Rush concert earlier this month.Dillon Minacci
Minacci stood outside the stadium that day before deciding to go home. It was over. He’s another fan now when he goes to the ballpark except that he still wears his Flag Man jersey — with No. 47 as a nod to Larry Andersen — when he sits in the seats. Kids who used to trail him at the Vet will stop him and tell him about those days. Now those kids have kids of their own. Minacci helped people come together that September. It was a time and place he’ll never forget.
“It was a unifying visual,” Minacci said. “Something everyone could agree to. Back then, it was an agreeable moment. It would be hard to find that agreeable moment today. We’re all so segmented. It’s awful. It’s really hard.”
Barb Hertline didn’t have any coaching experience in flag football prior to 2025.
Jim McHugh, the Camden Catholic High School athletic director, told her there was a grant available to start a girls’ flag football program at the school and asked Hertline if she would be willing to be the first head coach of the program.
“Without a doubt, I said yes because it was an opportunity for our girls,” said Hertline, the executive assistant & special projects manager at Camden Catholic. “I didn’t know anything about flag football or the rules or really anything that it would entail. I just knew I wanted to be a part of it to give these girls a chance to experience it.”
The decision gave Camden Catholic’s girls an opportunity to play the sport that was quickly gaining popularity in South Jersey.
“They wanted this opportunity and we were able to give that to them, and it has opened so many doors,” Hertline said.
In May, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association sanctioned girls’ flag football as a high school varsity sport with the first official season starting in the spring of 2027.
The sport initially began as a club activity at several South Jersey high schools in 2023. June Cioffi, director of athletics at Kingsway and president of the West Jersey Football League, said the first two years served as a “pilot stage” for coaches, athletic directors, and league officials.
“It was an easy sell, and everyone was on board,” Cioffi said.
The Eagles and New York Giants played a significant role in helping girls’ flag become sanctioned in New Jersey.
The Eagles launched a girls’ flag football league in 2022 with the intention of reducing barriers of entry. The league began with 16 teams, but has now expanded to 100 teams from Pennsylvania and 30 from South Jersey.
Kingsway celebrates after winning the Eagles’ New Jersey flag football championship in 2024.Charles Fox / Staff Photographer
“They were very helpful in offering all of that for those first couple years and to try to bring on new schools and make it more of an easy sell to the superintendents,” Cioffi said.
The Eagles offered each team funds to get programs started and provided uniforms, footballs, coaching seminars and equipment. Clinics were also hosted for players and coaches, and the Eagles partnered with Operation Warm, a non-profit organization that manufactures sports bras to provide gear for girls in sports. According to their website, by the age of 14, girls are dropping out of sports at two times the rate of boys because of a lack of access to basic gear.
“A barrier to participation was the lack of equipment and so working with Operation Warm, we can now give sports bras to every participant,” Eagles president Don Smolenski said.
The Eagles support was intended to represent who they are as an organization.
“We’ve opened up our facilities; fields and indoor practice facilities,” Smolenski said. “That’s us sort of embracing the community around us, and you see the impact when you see how excited the athletes are when they come to a practice or run onto the field for the very first time — it’s incredibly gratifying and motivates us to continue to explore how we can further support it.”
The Eagles hosted more than 100 girls’ flag football coaches and players from the tri-state area at training camp on Aug. 24. It was an experience, some coaches and players say, they never thought they would have.
“It’s really nice to know that a male-dominated sport is very supportive of women coming in and just kind of making it their own,” Kingsway Regional High School senior Jade Matthew said. “I feel like all the opportunities that we get, even something like this, and the fact that they host our championship and playoff games, it’s just nice to be a part of.”
Matthew and teammate Jayda Romagnoli grew up playing co-ed flag football with their siblings.
“It was a bit hard competing with boys even. … when I was little, normally the boy would never really pass to us, and we kind of always got ignored,” Matthew said. “But it’s nice to see that we’re kind of growing out of our little shy phase and actually embracing that this is ours and we can make it what we want.”
When they first heard girls’ flag was going to be a high school varsity sport, they thought it was going to be co-ed.
“They’re really taking this serious and they were actually growing it,” Romagnoli said. “I want to go to college for it, so it’s nice to hear that more people are going to start getting the love for this sport that I had before.”
Interest in flag football has “exploded”, Cioffi said, with more college programs including flag as a varsity sport at all levels.
Several South Jersey high school coaches said the Eagles’ backing their teams helped speed up the process to sanction the sport.
“We want the sport of football to be embraced by everyone — men, women, boys, girls,” Smolenski said. “We don’t want it to just be thought of as, ‘Oh, that’s a boy sport, only boys can play,’ and flag football is a sport that can be played by everyone.”
Harper Carney of Williamstown celebrates a touchdown during the Eagles’ New Jersey flag football championship on May 18.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Last year, Hertline knew very little about flag football during her first season as coach at Camden Catholic, but the growth of the game is a testament to the increased opportunities and the determination of the girls.
“Girls get such a bad reputation sometimes, with the ‘play like a girl,’” Hertline said. “Yeah, play like a girl because if you see the way our girls play, they are second to none against any boys’ team. They really raise the bar and because there has been so much excitement surrounding the announcement of all of this and the NFL is backing it, everyone wants to be a part of this.”
For the last 48 hours, the sports news cycle in Philly has revolved around Brandon Graham’s decision to retire (again) from the game of football.
Rightfully so, when you look back at his remarkable 16-year NFL career that included a pair of Super Bowl titles. On Wednesday, he sat down with Inquirer journalist Rob Tornoe to talk his ride and why he jumped the gun on his own news a day earlier.
Later in the day, he went even a bit deeper on his weekly podcast, Brandon Graham Unblocked, to discuss what’s next when it comes to a transition into media and spending more time with family.
It’s possible that for the first time in a regular season Eagles game, quarterback Jalen Hurts will be taking his play-call instructions from the booth.
Yes, summer is winding down, but not today. Expect a carbon copy of yesterday, as sunny skies are expected with temps in the mid-80s.
West Chester University football players tap a statue honoring former quarterback Michael Horrocks before practice earlier this year. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
On West Chester University’s campus, there’s a statue of a quarterback looking to throw a ball into the heavens. Which is ironic when you realize who the player is and the lengths a pair of his former Golden Rams teammates went to make sure he’d be immortalized.
The man was Michael Horrocks, Class of 1985. He and teammate Tom Schafer overlapped on the football team for just twoseasons, but it was long enough to recall Horrocks’ infectious personality.
So when Schafer discovered that Horrocks was the copilot for Flight 175, the plane that hit the South Tower on that fateful morning of Sept. 11, 2001, he and a few others knew something needed to be done to honor their teammate, and it’s how the statue was born. And as Inquirer writer Alex Coffey explains, it’s become a symbol within the program.
Aidan Miller is back playing at double-A Reading this week. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
A back injury derailed Aidan Miller’s 2026 season before it even got started. But he returned to the playing field at single-A Clearwater exactly 352 days after his last game on Sept. 18, 2025.
“It’s all I’ve really known. Growing up playing baseball every day, I never had that long of a break,” Miller said Wednesday. “Early on, I think it was a big mental battle, and then learning how to deal with the day-to-day, trying to take a positive wave from every single day and take it day by day and go from there.”
Edmundo Sosa took ownership of the base-running mistake he made in the ninth inning of a loss to the Astros on Tuesday. He called it “a lack of focus.”
And if you missed the Phillies’ beat down of the Astros, here’s two words and three syllables: Kyle Schwarber.
Next: The Phillies wrap up their series against Houston at 1:05 p.m. today (NBCSP).
The Flyers enter 2026-27 with their highest expectations in years.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
While the Eagles kick off their season on Sunday, in just over a week, the Flyers will return to the ice for training camp in Voorhees.
Fresh off a surprising run to the second round of the playoffs last spring, the Flyers enter 2026-27 with their highest expectations in years. Here’s a look at the team’s full training camp schedule and which players will be participating in the lead-up to the season opener on Sept. 30.
Can you find the football that we’ve removed from Eagles photos? Test your skills with our “Spot the Ball” game.Charmaine Runes and Sam Morris / Staff Illustration
Rejoice, the Eagles return this weekend to fill that football-sized void in your life. But that’s not the only place where the sport — or in this case, a literal football — is missing. We went back through Eagles training camp and the preseason, and removed the actual football from several photos. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find where the footballs belong … and be more accurate than other Inquirer readers. Sounds easy, right? It’s harder than you think.
On this date
Sept. 10, 2024: Kyle Schwarber smashed the MLB record for leadoff home runs in a season with 14 that fueled a 9-4 Phillies win against Tampa Bay inside Citizens Bank Park.
Jalen Hurts’ running ability could loom large for the Eagles offense in 2026 under Sean Mannion.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The natural trajectory of a dual-threat quarterback is to see a year-to-year decline in rushing production. It has happened to virtually every quarterback who has done the things Hurts did early in his career. The league adjusts quickly. — In his latest column, David Murphy looks at the numbers that stand out as the Eagles are just days away from the start of the 2026-27 season.
A rendering of the proposed arena for the 76ers, Flyers, and Philly’s WNBA team in South Philadelphia, scheduled to open in 2030.Courtesy of the Philadelphia 76ers and Flyers
“To build our future where Ed Snider and the Spectrum made history makes this project truly special.”— Comcast chairman Brian Roberts said in a statement after unveiling the plans for the new arena home for the Sixers, Flyers, and the city’s new WNBA team, set to open in 2030.
What you’re saying about sports broadcasters
We asked: Who is your favorite sports voice, and why?
While he is an announcer, John Kruk is the most enjoyable to listen to. However, Scott Franzke is the faceless radio announcer who adds much value to listeners. His calling of the game and his enthusiasm are electrifying to those who cannot be there. — Nick S.
Former Phillies announcer Harry the K [Kalas] was the greatest sports announcer ever. He put his heart and soul into every call. When he passed on, it was like losing a family member. Harry is buried at a local Philadelphia suburban cemetery. — Ronald R.
Over my 78 years as a Phillies & Eagles fan, I have enjoyed all the announcers, starting with Gene Kelly and then so many more, including Bill Campbell, Andy Musser, Merrill Reese, and the Phillies team of the great Harry Kalas, By Saam, and Richie Ashburn. But Vin Scully, who lived across the street from my boss in Pacific Palisades, was the best. He was also the first to take the time to correctly pronounce the names of all the Hispanic players. — Everett S.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Rob Tornoe, Conor Smith, Ariel Simpson, Alex Coffey, Olivia Reiner, Devin Jackson, Jonathan Tannenwald, Charmaine Runes, Garland Fordice, Becca O’Reilly, Jackie Spiegel, David Murphy, Lochlahn March, and Mia Messina.
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 Thursday. Have a great day; we’ll catch you all tomorrow, Philly. — Kerith
These are the most compelling conversations surrounding the Eagles’ coming season. Crazy, maybe, considering the success of each and their success in tandem, but here we are.
Hurts is under contract for three more seasons, but 2026 is his last season with substantial guaranteed money. Most teams with a $255 million franchise quarterback one season removed from winning a Super Bowl and its MVP award would have discussed an extension that would lock in that QB before the QB market inflates further, but the Eagles have not done that, according to a source. Why? Because Hurts regressed in 2025 and the Eagles are installing a new offense in 2026 and they want to see how he handles it.
Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni both have the equity that comes with a title and will be given a learning curve with a new offense. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Sirianni, of course, also is one season removed from winning a Super Bowl, a win that, according to an NFL source, earned him a four-year extension that pays him a $15 million salary through 2029. However, for the second time, Sirianni also lost the offensive coordinator that got him to the Super Bowl. Shane Steichen became the Colts’ head coach after 2022. Kellen Moore became the Saints’ head coach after 2024. Each time, Sirianni failed to replace them with a competent hire of his choosing, and owner Jeffrey Lurie and GM Howie Roseman got involved in pursuing the next coordinators. That’s why Moore got hired in 2024, and it’s why new coordinator Sean Mannion, a disciple of Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, is installing that new offense in 2026.
So, while they might be overblown, there are issues with both the quarterback and the coach. Any post-2026 divorce would mean that the Eagles would eat either salary-cap money or Sirianni’s paychecks, but Lurie has never been shy to move off a bad investment.
In the NFL, it’s always easier to replace a coach than a quarterback. After all, Doug Pederson and Sirianni won Super Bowls.
Ominous, no? Apparently, no.
Relax
An offseason of communications with various NFL sources indicated two things:
The Eagles do not consider 2026 to be a make-or-break season for either Hurts or Sirianni. That’s because …
Installing an offense that is so philosophically different than what’s come before it is not a 17-game undertaking. It’s a two-season project.
This makes perfect sense.
It is the proper way to view the matter.
I’ll admit, it’s not the way I viewed the matter this spring. I thought Hurts’ limitations as a passer and decision-maker should imperil his status past 2026. I thought Sirianni’s inability to mature and his lack of offensive innovation should imperil his status as well.
I came around.
Jeffrey Lurie and Howie Roseman both understand that Sean Mannion’s (right) offensive installation will be a work in progress. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Several NFL insiders said that this season should not be crucial for either the coach or the QB. Why?
Because, as long as the 2026 season doesn’t deteriorate into disaster, and as long as there is promise in December that the Birds can win big as soon as next season, the Eagles will have a better foundation than ever. They could be building something that lasts for the next decade. Mannion likely won’t be here for that long, since top offensive coordinators usually get hired as head coaches as soon as they show any aptitude. But Hurts is only 28. Sirianni can become a legend in Philly. That’s what the Eagles‘ brain trust wants.
My guys
Lurie is proud of acquiring both Hurts and Sirianni while the rest of the league laughed. As such, he is as invested in them as he was invested in Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb.
Also, Lurie is 74. He’s groomed his son, Julian, to replace him at the top. What better gift to give your princeling than a stable kingdom? As such, stability through change takes time.
Lurie and Roseman realize there will be speed bumps. The offense won’t work smoothly immediately. Mannion will virtually have carte blanche in regard to concepts, Sirianni will have final say over who is asked to do what, and Hurts won’t be asked to do things he’s uncomfortable doing.
However, as long as Hurts shows improvement as the season progresses, his future in Philly will be secure.
And as long as Sirianni commits to the concepts Mannion installs, and displays a willingness to adhere to them when Mannion moves on, his future in Philly also will be locked down.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni with owner Jeffrey Lurie before a joint practice with the New England Patriots last month. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
I’ve known Lurie for 30 years, Roseman for 25. They don’t always tell whole truths, but they seemed particularly comfortable and, frankly, honest when, this offseason, they were asked about the futures of Hurts and Sirianni.
Asked last Wednesday on 94-WIP if this was a make-or-break season for Hurts, Roseman replied, “No, I don’t agree with that.”
Asked by reporters in April to review Sirianni’s five-year tenure, Lurie replied, “His performance has been nothing short of outstanding.”
All of this sounds pleasant now, before the first whistle blows. All of this could change drastically. The Eagles’ battered offensive line is being held together by athletic tape and stem cells. The team traded malcontent franchise receiver A.J. Brown, and his replacement, rookie Makai Lemon, doesn’t look ready for the NFL. There’s no proof that superstar running back Saquon Barkley, who carried the club in 2024 when he was 27, didn’t lose a step in 2025 when he was 28; now, he’s 29.
They host a desperate Commanders defense to start the season Sunday, travel to Chicago — where the Bears won a playoff game last season — for Game 3, then host Aaron Donald, Myles Garrett, and the fearsome Rams in Game 4.
There’s a very real chance that the Eagles’ new offense sputters in the first month of the season. There’s a very real chance that Lurie and Roseman become impatient and change their current long-range views regarding the head coach and the quarterback.
For now, though, they seem willing to give them every best chance.
The spotlight on Uar Bernard and Joshua Weru has mostly faded for now. They each had a decent preseason as football novices, but as Vic Fangio said in August, they’re both “light years away.”
And yet, here they still are.
After being waived in general manager Howie Roseman’s final roster cuts last week, Bernard and Weru cleared waivers and landed back on the team’s practice squad.
How did the two International Player Pathway program (IPP) players react to the news?
“When I came in and talked to Howie, Nick [Sirianni] and my coaches, they told me that I made the decision harder for them,” Weru said. “So the reviews had been positive. I’m just so happy to still be here.”
“It’s a great move for us because we never knew we could even make the practice squad,” said Bernard. “All glory to God, we made it. And from there, who knows what could happen if we keep working hard?”
Joshua Weru says his play in preseason made the Eagles’ decision harder to waive the novice football player during roster cutdown day.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
There was some concern that at least one of them would be claimed. Teams love project players and Bernard — a 6-foot-4, 306-pound super athlete from Nigeria whom the Eagles drafted in the seventh round — and Weru — who looked like he could be a legitimate rotational edge rusher — certainly fit that mold.
They backed it up with some glimpses in the preseason too, with Bernard recording two solo tackles and Weru posting five tackles and a sack. But landing back with the Eagles — a team that benefited from the IPP in a huge way when they developed All-Pro tackle Jordan Mailata — was their preferred outcome.
“Before I came here, I knew Philadelphia was like the biggest when it came to fans, like the most dedicated fans sports wise,” said Weru. ”I’ve seen that and I’ve heard from Eagles fans and I love it.”
It’s still going to be a steep climb for the pair. Defensive ends coach Jeremiah Washburn and defensive linecoach Clint Hurtt are being patient while teaching them the fundamentals of football, so don’t expect to see them making an impact any time soon (if ever).
Roseman emphasized that point last week, cautioning fans and pundits when comparing anyone to Mailata — who is widely considered the greatest player in the history of the IPP.
“I think if we’re just judging everyone through the lens of Jordan Mailata, it’s going to be hard to give these guys a fair chance,” said Roseman. “Still very excited about them, really glad that they did get through. Certainly wasn’t certain about that, but I’m glad they’re back here.”
