The culinary scene is constantly changing, and it’s James Hennessey’s job to “keep up with the Joneses.”
Hennessey has been the senior executive chef for Aramark at Lincoln Financial Field for the last 18 seasons. In his role, he oversees the game day culinary experience — creating in-house dishes and giving fans more “Instagrammable” food moments at Eagles games.
“We want to make sure that we’re not falling behind,” Hennessey said. “With the amount of quality food throughout the city and all across different stadiums, we wanted to make sure that we were implementing some new, creative, fun ideas that could get the fans interest, and engage them and make some Instagrammable moments.”
Hennessey works with a team of 20-25 people on new recipes. Through trial and error — and lots of taste testing — it could take up to three months to perfect a new menu item.
“A lot of innovation that comes into play is involved with talking to each other,” Hennessey said. “Seeing what other trends are going on around the country as well as also in our local area, the culinary scene, as well as other buildings in the area. We always try to push the limit and test each other. Who can go further and further and further but still not miss the mark?”
Ahead of the 2026-27 season, the chef revealed some of the venue’s latest items — and The Inquirer had the chance to try it. Here are all the new Philly bites at Lincoln Financial Field:
Broad Street Beast
The “Broad Street Beast” features braised Wagyu beef shank, pico de gallo, cilantro, Oaxaca cheese sauce, salsa verde, jalapeño poppers, and crispy shallots wrapped in a 18-inch green chalupa shell.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
One of the most eye-catching items on the menu is an 18-inch chalupa shell loaded with braised wagyu beef, known as the Broad Street Beast. Inside the green shell is fried jalapeño poppers, tomatillo avocado salsa, Oaxaca queso, crispy shallots, and cilantro.
The Broad Street Beast, Hennessey’s personal favorite item on the menu, took three months to perfect.
“From the development and conceptualizing everything and even the dough and how finicky it can be with regards to humidity in the kitchen and also with the deep fryer, a lot of those aspects, we put a lot of time and effort into,” Hennessey said.
The jalapeño popper definitely gives the beast a little kick, and it’ll be available in Section 113.
The “Tush Push Tater” includes a fried baked potato, breaded chicken cutlets with pimento mac & cheese, and hot honey bacon jam.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
The Tush Push Tater is made for the ’gram — but be warned, the item certainly lives up to its name, featuring a deep-fried potato topped with a fried chicken cutlet, pimento mac and cheese, bacon hot honey jam, scallions, and 215 sauce, which includes craft ranch and roasted long hot peppers.
The item is available at the East and West markets on the club level.
South Philly Special cheesesteak
The South Philly Special Cheesesteak is shown alongside cheesesteak egg rolls on Wednesday.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
A cheesesteak isn’t anything new at the Linc — but the recipe has been revamped with local flair. The cheesesteak features shaved rib eye, caramelized diced onions, shredded Cooper Sharp cheese, and an Amoroso seeded roll.
The smoked chicken nachos include roasted poblano cheese sauce, black bean and charred corn relish, pico de gallo, Mexican crema, scallions, and caramelized honey BBQ sauceIsaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
The Inquirer’s personal favorite was the smoked BBQ chicken nachos. The dish featured tortilla chips topped with smoked chicken tossed in caramelized honey BBQ sauce, roasted poblano queso, black beans, charred corn relish, mango pico, Mexican crema, and scallions.
The item is available in Sections 120 and 216.
Kool-Aid glazed wings
Kool-Aid chicken wings are brined before being fried and tossed in Heinz 57 sauce and a Kool-Aid sauce.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
The Kool-Aid glazed chicken wings are in partnership with Kraft Heinz. They have been pickle-brined for four to six hours before being fried and mixed with a tropical punch Kool-Aid sauce and Heinz 57 sauce. They are served with a side of Heinz blue cheese and buttermilk ranch.
Small bites and dipping sauce
A full set of new food for Eagles game days at Lincoln Financial Field.Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
There also are plenty of new finger foods with dipping sauces — including the Philadelphia Pretzel Factory rivets, which are served with a bacon jalapeno popper dipping sauce; mozzarella nuggets paired with a side of marinara sauce; or the venue’s cheesesteak spring rolls, which are served with a banana pepper ketchup.
In retirement, Brandon Graham will have to be “a rookie again” to learn about life after football.
A day after announcing — for a second time — that he is calling it quits, Graham talked about his decision to retire on his podcast Brandon Graham Unblocked. Graham, who played 16 NFL seasons, said he met with a sports psychiatrist to make the decision — which he repeatedly emphasized is final.
“Everything is going to be like being a rookie again,” Graham said. “And for me, I started [playing golf], then being at [my] kids’ games, taking care of myself — not feeling guilty of the free time that I do get. [Not] thinking that I got to fill it up because I’m so used to filling my schedule.”
“It’s OK to go take a nap,” he added with a laugh. “I mean I never really took naps.”
Brandon Graham played 16 seasons after being drafted by the Eagles from Michigan in 2010.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Graham explained that his sports psychiatrist challenged him to get “uncomfortable” to understand what retirement would look like. Unlike last offseason, when Graham stuck around the Eagles training facility despite announcing his retirement, the franchise’s all-time leader in games played purposely stayed out of the Jefferson Health Training Complex this summer.
Along with conversations with his psychiatrist and his family, Graham also reached out to former teammates. One was former Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, who Graham had not seen “for a while.”
“[Cox] had somebody that he talked with and helped him have a different perspective on where we are right now as athletes,” Graham said. “We had this one thing that we identified with for so long, and trying to make sure that we find the right identity with each other. [We are] really helping each other in this together. That’s been my locker mate, right next to my locker for so long, and it’s like, ‘Why can’t we talk outside of this?’”
“You got the first taste of it because you’ve been out longer than me,” he added. “Tell me what to look for and some stuff that you’ve been through. And that’s the vulnerability that we’re trying to have. That normally you don’t have all the time because us as men, it’s more about ‘be tough, be hard.’ [I am] trying to teach my son, it’s OK to cry.”
Graham explained that when a player retires from the NFL, it’s like the “lights just shut off.” He noted that, “nobody [is] looking for you, ain’t nobody calling [you]” in retirement.
Like he did with Cox, Graham has made an effort to keep former teammates in his life. He mentioned longtime NFL defensive end Robert Quinn, who played six games with the Eagles in 2022, as someone he keeps in touch with. Graham knows Quinn is “struggling too” despite acting like he is not.
“Even like a guy like Linval Joseph, somebody like that,” Graham said. “He a funny boy anyway, like he’s going to be alright, but he go through stuff too. And we all lean on each other, and we all talk with each other.”
Brandon Graham on an episode of his “Unblocked” podcast for PHLY.PHLY
‘On my Jalen Hurts’
Early in the podcast, Graham’s co-host and PHLY contributor Bo Wulf joked that Graham should have saved his retirement announcement for the podcast.
“I couldn’t save it man, I had to get everybody ready for what we had to talk about today,” Graham responded.
Wulf was not the only one surprised by Graham’s announcement — which came on stage at a “Breakfast with the Birds” event hosted by Jefferson Health. Graham’s wife, Carlyne, was also not expecting the news to drop on Tuesday.
“I heard from my wife, I got an earful on that one,” Graham joked. “Like, ‘boy, you always talking and you doing this?’ I should have been on my Jalen Hurts, not giving too much. And that’s where I say, ‘we all learn, we all make mistakes.’ But I think that was a good mistake.”
The Eagles open their season against the Washington Commanders this Sunday. Will star edge rusher Jonathan Greenard — who missed all of camp with a pectoral injury — be ready for it?
Coach Nick Sirianni, speaking in a news conference Wednesday, said “We’ll see” when asked about his status.
“We’ll see where that is by the end of the week,” Sirianni said.
Greenard later appeared in full practice gear for the stretching period and at the start of individual drills open to the media. Greenard was listed as limited on Wednesday’s injury report, and was not available to speak to reporters.
#Eagles EDGE Jonathan Greenard (pec) is practicing today.
Team wants to see how he feels as the week progresses before deciding if he can play on Sunday, from what I understand. https://t.co/wwAmsQ7WSN
Greenard, 29, was not on the Physically Unable to Perform list when general manager Howie Roseman finalized the 53-man roster last week — a positive sign given that PUP status would have forced Greenard to miss at least the first four games of the season. On Aug. 31, Roseman offered a positive update on Greenard, who suffered the pectoral strain during a workout ahead of camp.
“Us not having him on PUP and missing time here shows that we anticipate him playing sooner rather than later,” Roseman said. “What that timetable is, again, we’ll keep close to the vest. The guy’s a tremendous football player. He’s got a tremendous ability to affect the quarterback. He’s going to come back in tremendous shape. I think that you saw the D-line’s obviously a position of emphasis for us always.
“The guy fits what we do. Yeah, there’ll be some things that will be a little bit different and we’ll get him up to speed, but we expect him to have a high impact on this team this season for all accounts of what he’s done and how he works and how he leads, he’s as advertised. We’re excited to have him.”
The Eagles traded third-round picks in 2026 and 2027 for Greenard on April 24. He then signed a four-year, $100 million contract that includes $50 million guaranteed. They acquired him to fill the void left by Jaelan Phillips, who signed with the Carolina Panthers in free agency.
Greenard was limited to 12 games with the Minnesota Vikings last season due to a left shoulder injury. He had surgery this past offseason.
Look for Jalyx Hunt — who arguably had the best training camp of any Eagles player — to fill Greenard’s role atop the depth chart if he doesn’t play. Nolan Smith Jr., Arnold Ebiketie, and A.J. Epenesa round out the Eagles’ deep edge rusher room.
Football is officially back, and few seem more prepared than the Kelce brothers, who shared a collection of opinions on the 200th episode of New Heights before Week 1 of the NFL season.
The duo discussed Travis Kelce’s upcoming 14th season with the Kansas City Chiefs, expectations for the Eagles’ opener Sunday against the Washington Commanders, and even brought on Eagles assistant general manager Jon Ferrari to help with nuances of NFL rules.
Retired Eagles center Jason Kelce is taking on an expanded role at ESPN and will call four games, including the Birds’ London game against the Jaguars in Week 5. Like many Eagles fans, he’s curious about what to expect from new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion.
The NFL is back, and we somehow made it to 200 episodes without being cancelled.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing what the new offense is going to look like,” he said. “They have not shown what this offense is going to look like yet in the preseason. We know what this looks like in the McVay-Shanahan tree. … Very much looking forward to seeing what these guys look like this Sunday.”
The brothers discussed how the Commanders are “already banged up” entering Week 1. Meanwhile, Travis Kelce was excited to be back with a healthy team ahead of Week 1. Both brothers sang the praises of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who’s back following a late-season ACL injury, ahead of Monday night’s opener against the Denver Broncos.
“We are going to see the best quarterback in the NFL play this Monday,” Jason Kelce said.
"We are gonna see the best quarterback in the NFL play." – Jason and Travis on being hype to see Pat Mahomes + Kenneth Walker play for the Chiefs in Week 1 🚨 NEW HEIGHTS' 200TH EPISODE IS NOW LIVE EVERYWHERE 🚨 @reesespic.twitter.com/wDZyN38SR7
Ferrari brought perspective to NFL rules, like holding. He defended the rule — which makes it illegal to grab the inside of the collar by the pads — more calmly than self-proclaimed ’90s football lover Jason Kelce.
“A couple years ago, the competition committee looked at it and said, ‘You know, that leverage that collar grab gives you is an unfair advantage to the offensive linemen,’” Ferrari said. “The sustained collar grab … they want that for holding if they can see it.”
As they continued to discuss the nitty-gritty of blocking and all the potential penalty pitfalls it entails, Jason responded, “What are we … playing patty cake? Why … can’t I just clean this dude’s clock? I thought we were playing football, Jon.
Former Eagles center Jason Kelce (right) blocks Tampa Bay defensive tackle Greg Gaines in a 2024 game against the Buccaneers. David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
“To be fair, I also liked watching receivers get their heads knocked off,” Jason said with a laugh. “I just like watching people get destroyed. It’s like deep in my bones of ’90s football hasn’t gone away.”
However, even with ever-fluctuating rules, it is clear that football fans are ready to see their teams back on the field.
“There’s nothing better, man, than the feeling you get going into Week 1,” Travis said. “You get a fresh start, especially if you got a sour taste in your mouth from last year.
“There is nothing better than prime-time football. The magic is in the air.”
If Jalen Brunson, who just won the NBA championship for the New York Knicks, and Shane Gillis, who broke two Guinness World Records for a one-night-only comedy show at Lincoln Financial Field, weren’t already having a good year — they’re now gracing the stage of Saturday Night Live’s 52nd season.
Brunson, who is known to many locals as the Villanova superstar who brought home two NCAA national championships to the Philadelphia-adjacent school, will host the season premiere on Sept. 26 with girl pop group Katseye as musical guest.
Gillis, a comedian from Mechanicsburg, Pa., who got his start in Philadelphia, will host episode three on Oct. 10 alongside Spanish singer-songwriter Rosalía. Gillis cocreated the West Chester-filmed Netflix series Tires, and was at one point hired and fired from SNL.
SNL is charging forward after more than a half century in the American cultural zeitgeist, bringing celebs into 30 Rockefeller to flub, break, and laugh through the jokes.
Pennsylvania showed up in a big way last season, too, with Quakertown’s Sabrina Carpenter, Downingtown’s Miles Teller, and West Philadelphia’s Colman Domingo (the latter of whom was honored by Mayor Cherelle L. Parker on July 4).
Joining the first slate of episodes, announced on Wednesday, are actress Dakota Johnson with Baltimore rockers Turnstile on Oct. 3. Inde Navarrette, a breakout star from indie horror film Obsession, will host on Halloween, with Gracie Abrams as musical guest.
SNL’s 52nd season will premiere Sept. 26 at 11:30 p.m. Philadelphia time on NBC. Stream episodes the day after they air on Peacock.
NBC Sports Philadelphia is losing an Eagles legend.
Ron Jaworski, the former Eagles quarterback known to most fans simply as “Jaws,” announced on social media he is cutting back his broadcast work and leaving the network’s Eagles pre- and postgame coverage after four seasons.
“It’s been a great run!” Jaworski wrote. “Thank you all, and Go Birds!”
NBC Sports Philadelphia isn’t planning on filling Jaworski’s empty seat. Michael Barkann will return as host of the network’s pre- and postgame coverage, joined by Barrett Brooks, Reuben Frank, and former Eagles wide receiver Jason Avant.
“There are certain people in this businesses who are irreplaceable, and Jaws is one of those people,” said Alexandra Matcham, the vice president of content for NBC Sports Philadelphia. “You don’t replace a person who was a pioneer in the NFL broadcast world, and we have no intention of doing so.”
Jaworski was hired by NBC Sports Philadelphia in 2022 to help fill the void left by Ray Didinger’s retirement and the departure of former Eagles defender Seth Joyner. Prior to that, Jaworski spent 27 years at ESPN as an announcer and analyst, including a five-year stint on Monday Night Football.
It was also Jaworski who helped lead the Eagles to the franchise’s first Super Bowl appearance in 1980 under Hall of Fame head coach Dick Vermeil. Jaworski spent 15 years as a quarterback in the NFL, 10 with the Birds, and his 99-yard touchdown pass to Mike Quick during the 1985 season remains tied for the longest in NFL history.
Outside of the NFL, Jaworski was the owner of the Philadelphia Soul, the city’s Arena Football League franchise, until the league shuttered in 2019. He also manages golf courses in South Jersey and northeast Pennsylvania.
He chose the latter, a decision he initially regretted before leaning on the media savviness he picked up during his16-year career with the Birds.
“I actually wanted to wait, but man, I was so tired of that question being asked all the time, so that just got me,” Graham said. But he landed on the announcement helping him, because it got fans interested to “tune in” and hear him explain why.
So begins Graham’s transition from Eagles legend and two-time Super Bowl champ to a budding media career talking about football.
After being injured during the 2024 season, Graham, 38, still felt like he had a little gas in the tank. So when the Eagles called him up last season, he was ready to unretire and get back on the field to “finish the season clean.”
Graham went into this offseason hopeful he might jump back into football. He stayed in contact with Eagles general manager Howie Roseman and was even prepared to participate in training camp to be properly prepared if the Birds needed him. But the stars didn’t align.
“It didn’t work out like that because [Roseman] got the team he needed,” Graham said. “So in my mind, I was like, ‘Yeah, I think I’m going to be done.’”
In hindsight, it’s been something of a relief. Now Graham can focus his efforts on a budding media career that will start off with the second season of his Unblocked podcast and joining PHLY for postgame coverage of Eagles games.
“Last year, I was one foot in, one foot out, because I thought there was an opportunity for me to go back and play,” Graham said. “This year I didn’t want that feeling so I can work in the media space how I worked in football. Otherwise I’m doing myself a disservice.”
Learning on WIP and late-night 6abc hits
Brandon Graham hosted a weekly show on 94.1 WIP for nine seasons alongside former host Howard Eskin. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Graham’s interest in the media began during his playing days, where he’d listen back and critique interviews he gave with reporters. It didn’t take long for his engaging personality to win over the press, who began offering him more opportunities to jump on the air.
An early break was with 94.1 WIP, a gig that transformed from him calling in on Tuesdays to hosting his own weekly show during the season at Chickie’s & Pete’s alongside former host Howard Eskin.
Learning on the job also meant sometimes wading in controversy. He was forced to walk back comments he made about then-teammates Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown in 2024. Graham was injured at the time and based his remarks on a video of Brown speaking, something he’s since learned to approach with caution.
“It was an emotional time and I should have been patient,” Graham said. “But I felt like it helped us a little bit, too, because we ended up winning the Super Bowl that year.”
Graham also got some early reps on 6abc during the 2015 season. After Sunday Eagles games, Graham would drive to the station’s studios on City Avenue to join the 11 p.m. edition of Action News and talk Birds with Ducis Rodgers.
“Boy, that was a grind,” Graham said.
In 2024, Graham participated in the NFL’s broadcast boot camp, which allows players to experience what it’s like working on a studio show or calling games. Graham said the experience was enlightening, and helped him land appearances on ESPN and the NFL Network.
“At ESPN, I went through what they call the car wash, when you appear on all the different shows,” Graham said. “They ended up liking me, and I got put on Good Morning Football before I went back to play … I expect I’ll do more of that.”
Joining PHLY and learning to criticize his former teammates
Brandon Graham is entering his second season hosting the “Unblocked” podcast for PHLY.PHLY
Graham is entering his second NFL season with PHLY, the digital start up that began in Denver in 2015 and expanded to Philly in 2023 as part of the ALLCITY Network.
The network took notice of Graham’s abilities during a July 2025 interview on the Exciting Mics podcast, hosted by Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean and former Birds safety Reed Blankenship (who signed with the Houston Texans in March). Graham said parent companyALLCITY made him a strong proposal, and within a few weeks he launched his Unblocked podcast, co-hosted by Bo Wulf.
“BG brings an incredible depth of knowledge and an understanding of the game, but what truly sets him apart is his authenticity and infectious energy,” said Todd Berman, PHLY’s general manager.
This year Graham is expanding his duties beyond Unblocked to include co-hosting PHLY’s crowded postgame coverage alongside Wulf, Fran Duffy, Brandon Lee Gowton, and former Inquirer reporter EJ Smith.
Graham won’t appear after every Eagles game — he’ll rotate with former Eagles defender and Super Bowl champ Vinny Curry. But his appearances will place Graham in the potentially awkward position of having to criticize his former teammates.
ButGraham isn’t too concerned. As a player, he understood the media had their own job to do, even during his first few seasons with the Eagles when “Philly people were really bashing me.”
“Everybody’s takes are different. Some people do it for clickbait just to get people to click on your show,” Graham said. “I’m going to be honest and tell viewers the truth … It will be challenging, because sometimes there’s certain stuff you can’t just beat around.”
While he’s entering the season hopeful about a future in the sports media machine, he’s open to different paths, including public speaking. For now, Graham’s happy to have a manageable schedule where he works a few days a week, spends time with his family, and has the freedom to explore different interests.
“Who knows what the media stuff will do,” Graham said, “But I’m trying to get this golf game right, too.”
Cathy Engelbert was hired as WNBA commissioner in 2019, and upon her retirement in December, Engelbert will have overseen the most critical years in league history, shepherding the WNBA through a period of uncertainty into a period of exponential growth.
The WNBA is one of the fastest-growing leagues in sports, and under Engelbert’s watch, six expansion franchises have tipped off or been announced — including here in Philadelphia — while a new media rights deal and CBA have been signed.
“Over the years, it has been amazing to watch WNBA players thrive and lead the massive cultural surge around women’s sports,” Engelbert said in a statement. “I retire knowing we have built something bigger, stronger and more enduring than we could have imagined. I am grateful to the WNBA and NBA team owners and staff, players, investors, fans and the powerhouse league office staff, who believed in what this league could become. I retire with immense gratitude and tremendous optimism for the future of the WNBA, with the best yet to come.”
Here’s a look at her most consequential moves, and where the league goes next:
2022: Funding round
Engelbert sold a 16% stake in the WNBA to a group of outside investors for $75 million in cash flow, to be used to fund marketing and infrastructure. Instead of the 50/50 ownership split between NBA and WNBA owners, the split is now 42/42/16.
At the time, the deal was the largest funding round ever for women’s sports, and Engelbert valued the league at approximately $450 million. The average franchise is now worth approximately $460 million just four years later.
Sixers managing partner Josh Harris (left), Detroit Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, and Cleveland Cavaliers CEO Nic Barlage at a news conference announcing expansion teams for Philly, Detroit, and Cleveland.Jonathan Tannenwald
September 2023: Expansion
Starting in 2023 with the Golden State Valkyries, Engelbert began the process of expanding the WNBA for the first time since 2008. It was the first of six successful expansion bids under Engelbert’s tenure, and Golden State now is the league’s most valuable franchise, with an $850 million valuation, according to Sportico. In 2024, two additional expansion teams, in Toronto and Portland, were announced.
In June 2025, the WNBA announced the addition of three more franchises, to bring the total up to 18: Cleveland to begin play in 2028, Detroit in 2029, and Philly in 2030. All teams were purchased by the corresponding city’s NBA team owner. Cleveland and Detroit were both home to previous, now defunct, WNBA franchises, while Philadelphia will be a WNBA city for the first time.
“The demand for women’s basketball has never been higher,” Engelbert said in a statement.
Coming to Philly was personal for Engelbert. She hails from Collingswood, and her parents were Northeast Philly natives. Her dad, Kurt, was a men’s basketball star at St. Joseph’s and is in the school’s hall of fame.
The WNBA last year also announced the sale and relocation of the Connecticut Sun to Houston. The franchise was purchased by Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, despite competing bids from Hartford, Conn., and Boston to buy and keep the franchise in New England.
Caitlin Clark (left) and Angel Reese ushered in a new wave of WNBA fans.Tony Gutierrez
2024: The Caitlin Clark Effect
The exponential growth of the WNBA began in earnest with the 2024 WNBA draft, which brought college stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese into the league. Other young stars like Paige Bueckers soon followed.
Clark, now a standout for the Indiana Fever, raised the bar for college basketball ratings, setting viewership records in 2023 with 9.9 million viewers for the national championship game, in which her Iowa squad lost to Reese and LSU, and the 2024 national title game, with 18.9 million viewers, was the first women’s national title game to outperform the men’s.
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July 24, 2024: Media rights deal
Engelbert took advantage of spiking ratings with the expiration of the WNBA’s media rights deal in 2024, signing a new contract worth $3.1 billion, expanding partnerships with ESPN, Prime Video, and NBC.
“Partnering with Disney, Amazon and NBCU marks a monumental chapter in WNBA history and clearly demonstrates the significant rise in value and the historic level of interest in women’s basketball,” Engelbert said at the time. “These agreements allow the league to continue to build a long-term and sustainable growth model for the future of women’s basketball and sports which will benefit WNBA players, teams and fans.”
The WNBA set viewership records in 2024, with a record 22 regular-season games attracting at least 1 million viewers. Fever games were the most-watched on ABC, ESPN2, CBS, and NBATV.
March 24, 2026: CBA
After a tense negotiation, the new collective bargaining agreement was ratified by players and by the league, increasing player salaries, providing player housing, and adding an expanded benefits package.
Amid the negotiations, Napheesa Collier described Engelbert as “negligent” and said the WNBA has “the worst leadership in the world” in her exit interviews last season after officiating controversies.
“This past February, I sat across from [Engelbert] and asked how she planned to address the officiating issues in our league,” Collier said. “Her response was, ‘Well, only the losers complain about the refs.’ I also asked how she planned to fix the fact that players like [Clark, Reese, and Bueckers], who are clearly driving massive revenue for the league and are making so little for their first four years.
“Her response was, ‘[Clark] should be grateful. She makes $16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.’ And in that same conversation, she told me, ‘Players should be on their knees, thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them.’”
Engelbert has also faced player backlash for a perceived lack of attention to threats from toxic fans and sports bettors.
“I think as one of the main faces of our league, too, it creates a dialogue that needs to be had. It puts pressure on Cathy, who we’ve been begging to step up for us in these spaces,” said Natasha Cloud, a Broomall native and former St. Joe’s star.
The league recently has run into conflict with former NBA players like Enes Kanter Freedom and figures like Riley Gaines for lacking a policy restricting trans athletes from competing in the league. There are no active trans women in the WNBA, nor are there any serious prospects to be drafted in the near future.
But that hasn’t stopped figures like Freedom from coming to games and getting into altercations with players on the court, including Cloud. Engelbert said the league is being used as a “political football” by media members who do not watch or cover the league normally, in order to “sow divisiveness.”
Now that the NFL preseason has been consigned to memory — that is, if anyone actually remembers it — it’s time for the big moment. It’s time to reveal the outcome of every Eagles game during the 2026 regular season.
Week 1: After an offseason of speculation about his scheme and system, new Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion shocks everyone on the first play from scrimmage against Washington by having Jalen Hurts line up under center, take the snap, and do The Macarena. “I am not trying to seduce you,” Hurts says after the game. “I am trying to win football games.” Saquon Barkley rushes for 221 yards and two touchdowns, compelling President Trump to issue an executive order changing the franchise’s name from the Washington Commanders to the Washington Ontario. Eagles 24, Commanders 7.
Week 2: Before arriving in Nashville to face the Titans, the Eagles’ players and coaches spend Friday in East Tennessee — at Dollywood for a team-bonding retreat. Following a team dinner at Granny Ogle’s Ham ‘n’ Beans, Jordan Davis persuades Vic Fangio to ride the Wild Eagle roller coaster with him. Both of them throw up. Two days later, Jalyx Hunt sacks Titans quarterback Cam Ward three times. “I set out to get him with a fine tooth comb,” Hunt says. Eagles 20, Titans 6.
Week 3: On Fox NFL Sunday, Bears head coach Ben Johnson tells Jay Glazer, “Yeah, we want to win the game, but we want more than that. We want to hang 50 on ’em. We’re the best around, and nothing’s gonna ever keep us down.” Quinyon Mitchell intercepts Caleb Williams’s first pass and returns it 37 yards for the game’s only touchdown. Eagles 7, Bears 3.
Week 4: Less than 24 hours before their matchup against the Eagles, the Rams announce that they have acquired Joey Bosa, Bobby Wagner, Haason Reddick, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Elliott Gould, and Julia Roberts. DeVonta Smith catches six passes for 66 yards. The Eagles’ other wide receivers combine for six catches for minus-six yards. Rams 27, Eagles 13.
Week 5: In London, Hurts throws two interceptions and loses a fumble against the Jaguars. Asked after the game if he has any plans to go back to an offensive system with which his quarterback is more comfortable, head coach Nick Sirianni says, “Relax. I need some information first. Just the basic facts. Can you show me where it’s Hurts?” Jaguars 21, Eagles 7.
Week 6: The Eagles bounce back against the Panthers, but their manner of victory causes controversy. Barkley carries the ball 45 times for 233 yards and three touchdowns, but Hurts does not attempt a pass. At his locker after the game, Smith is asked how he feels about the offense. “You gotta go shipping up to Boston — or Foxborough — for that answer,” he says. Eagles 30, Panthers 17.
Week 7: On Monday Night Football against the Cowboys, Hurts delivers his finest performance of the season: 349 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and a career-high seven aphorisms during his postgame press conference. His team off to a 3-4 start, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says after the game that he has benched quarterback Dak Prescott and asks Troy Aikman if he’d be willing to play again. “Old man,” Aikman responds, “look at my life. Hell. No.” Eagles 34, Cowboys 28.
Jalen Hurts and the Eagles will face the Cowboys in Week 7.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Week 8: It’s the second Eagles-Washington matchup of the season, this time on Sunday Night Football. Josh Harris hosts LeBron James and Jaylen Brown in his Northwest Stadium suite, where the amenities include a catering tray of undercooked hot dogs and guest appearances by former Washington greats Rock Cartwright, Gus Frerotte, and Donovan McNabb. Eagles 31, Whatever Their Name Is 10.
Week 9: Despite the Giants’ 4-6 record entering this game at Lincoln Financial Field, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani releases 12 social-media videos declaring that Dec. 25 will “be known from this day forth as ‘John Harbaugh Day in the Big Apple.’” The New York Post runs a poll revealing that 57% of the media who cover the Giants believe Harbaugh is a better coach than Bill Parcells, Tom Coughlin, or Vince Lombardi. Jaxson Dart doesn’t complete a pass until late in the fourth quarter. Eagles 23, Giants 0.
Week 10: Through nine games, the Eagles have committed 15 turnovers. So during the bye week, Sirianni announces he will become the full-time play-caller. “The nearer we are to our destination, the more the ball is slip-slidin’ away,” he says. “I wear my passion for protecting the football like a thorny crown.” Asked if he will bench Hurts for any of the other 17 quarterbacks on the Eagles’ roster, Sirianni declines to comment.
Week 11: The Eagles pound the Steelers at the Linc. The next morning, Aaron Rodgers appears on The Pat McAfee Show, claiming that the real reason he and his teammates lost was that Anthony Fauci, The Illuminati, and the game’s replay officials conspired against them. Eagles 28, Steelers 3.
Week 12: On Thanksgiving, the Cowboys rally from a 14-point halftime deficit to beat the Eagles. Asked after the crushing loss why Hurts did not throw a pass over the game’s final three quarters, Sirianni responds, “Jalen was on a vacation far away. So many things I want to say. You know I like my leads a little bit bigger, but I don’t want to lose that ball tonight.” Cowboys 21, Eagles 17.
Week 13: A 10-day layoff leads to sloppiness and frustration on offense against the Cardinals; only a dominant performance from the Eagles’ defense saves them. Standing at his locker, Smith holds out his smartphone to show that he has received a text message from A.J. Brown: “yo bro i told u also don’t 4get book club tues nite.” Eagles 16, Cardinals 3.
Former Eagles OC Shane Steichen (left) and his Colts squad will come to the Linc on Dec. 13.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Week 14: The Colts’ Daniel Jones tosses three touchdown passes as former Eagles OC Shane Steichen spends all day scheming receivers open against Fangio’s defense. On WIP, PHLY Sports, and Jeff McLane’s podcast, Brandon Graham announces that he is considering coming out of retirement. Colts 27, Eagles 21.
Week 15: A matchup of the last two Super Bowl champions shows the Eagles where they really stand in the NFC. Hurts throws three interceptions, including two in the red zone, against the Seahawks. “You win. You learn,” Hurts says. “You laugh. You learn. You cry. You learn. You miss Dallas Goedert wide-open in the end zone. You learn.” Still, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky says that Hurts is in the discussion for the top five quarterbacks in the NFL if you consider that every quarterback in the NFL is really under discussion to be one of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL because every quarterback in the NFL is amazing. Seahawks 24, Eagles 6.
Week 16: On Christmas Eve, the Eagles and Texans combine for seven turnovers and remain scoreless into overtime before C.J. Stroud throws his fourth interception, all to Riq Woolen, and Jake Elliott kicks a 30-yard field goal. Smith shows reporters another text from Brown: ‘haha u missed xmas story marathon on tbs 4 this.’ Eagles 3, Texans 0.
Week 17: When 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan doesn’t appear at one of his midweek press conferences, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the 49ers have allowed him to report that Shanahan has actually been in cryogenic stasis since early October. Eagles 35, 49ers 20.
Week 18: At MetLife Stadium, with Mannion calling plays again, Hurts goes 7-of-21 for 79 yards in an ugly victory over the Giants. New York media members give Harbaugh a standing ovation for going 6-11, talking to them nicely and even using their first names. The Eagles finish 12-5 and clinch their third straight NFC East title. Sirianni announces that, in the following week’s wild-card game, backup quarterback Troy Aikman will start. Eagles 11, Giants 7.
The 2026 NFL season kicks off this week, with the Eagles’ Week 1 meeting against the Commanders highlighting a slate that also includes Seahawks/Patriots on Wednesday and a 49ers/Rams showdown in Australia on Thursday.
With that in mind, The Inquirer’s NFL reporting team of Jeff McLane, Olivia Reiner, Jeff Neiburg, and Ryan Novozinsky offered their predictions not only for the Eagles season but also how they see the entire league shaking out, including playoff brackets and major awards.
Eagles game-by-game predictions
Week
Opponent
McLane
Reiner
Neiburg
Novozinsky
1
Commanders
W
W
W
W
2
@ Titans
W
W
W
W
3
@ Bears (MNF)
L
L
W
W
4
Rams
L
L
L
L
5
Jaguars (London)
L
W
W
W
6
Panthers
W
W
W
W
7
Cowboys (MNF)
W
W
W
L
8
@ Commanders (SNF)
W
W
L
W
9
Giants
W
W
W
W
11
Steelers
W
W
W
W
12
@ Cowboys (T-giving)
L
L
L
W
13
@ Cardinals
W
W
W
W
14
Colts
W
W
W
W
15
Seahawks (Sat.)
L
L
L
W
16
Texans (Thur.)
L
L
W
L
17
@ 49ers (SNF)
L
W
L
L
18
@ Giants
W
L
W
W
10-7
11-6
12-5
13-4
Inside our picks
Which pick were you most on the fence about?
McLane: London game vs. the Jaguars (loss). I was at the Eagles’ last trip over the Atlantic when they beat a then-good Jacksonville team in 2018. Only a couple of players remain from the squad — tackle Lane Johnson and kicker Jake Elliott — but traveling to other countries has become the norm for every team in the NFL. So it’s not like the Jaguars, who play in London the most, have a distinct advantage.
The Jaguars will be a much tougher opponent than the Jacksonville team the Eagles faced in 2024. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
But coach Liam Cohen returns a squad that won the AFC South with a 13-4 record as he enters his second season in charge. There will likely be regression with a first-place schedule. I see a lot of prognosticators picking them to fall to the middle of the pack. But I like their roster. And I think the Eagles are going to hit a rough patch from Weeks 3-5 after opposing defenses get film on Sean Mannion’s new offense. Still, it’s difficult to see Vic Fangio’s defense allowing a three-game losing steak. So I was divided about this pick. Ultimately, I just felt the Jags matched up well against the Birds.
Reiner: The 49ers road game (win). There should be plenty of juice going into that game, as the Eagles fell to the 49ers in the wild-card round. Looking back, it seemed like a lot of the Eagles’ shortcomings in that game were self-inflicted. The following week, the 49ers were exposed by the Super Bowl champion Seahawks in their 41-6 divisional-round drubbing. That late-season three-game stretch against the Seahawks, Texans, and 49ers should be tricky, but it seems unlikely that the Eagles will lose three straight games. I think the 49ers could be the lesser team of that trio, especially if their poor injury luck persists into 2026. Given they have one of the oldest rosters in the league, perhaps that isn’t too far-fetched.
Neiburg: The Texans game on Christmas Eve (win). I think 12-5 is the right record, and because it’s impossible to know what’s going to go on later in the season, guessing the spots for the losses is tough. On my first spin through I had them losing three straight to Seattle, Houston, and San Francisco. I can’t see this team losing three consecutive games. I also don’t see them losing to Washington, but 13-4 seems a bit off, and I needed a fifth loss, so I went with the NFC East opponent on the road rather than a random loss at home to a team like Pittsburgh. You see? This is an exact science. Houston is really good. That three-game stretch could be a turning point.
Novozinsky: The Seahawks game (win). Yes, they’re the defending champs. Yes, their defense is great. Yes, Sam Darnold just completed a masterful career 180. But after watching the Eagles defense all summer, I just think the Birds have the deeper unit — which will be the clear difference maker in this game. This’ll be a true rock fight, but I say the Eagles come out on top thanks to their secondary clamping down Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Rookie Carson Beck could be the Cardinals QB by the time the Eagles face them in December. David Richard
Which game do you most consider a lock?
McLane: The opener vs. the Commanders. If there was one non-quarterback Washington couldn’t afford to lose to injury, it was Laremy Tunsil. The left tackle’s season ended when he tore his triceps early in training camp. Not only was Tunsil arguably the most established player on the team, but he was the No. 1 piece standing between Jayden Daniels and more injuries.
But there are a host of other reasons to think Dan Quinn’s unit will be just as bad as it was last season. The offensive skill position group is lacking in top-end talent. The defensive front seven will look significantly different than it did during last season’s wretched campaign. But it’s young and will have to carry the load if the secondary continues to be porous. The Eagles may have some early hiccups with a first-time play caller in Mannion, but the offense should benefit from the early element of surprise. The defense, meanwhile, could dominate.
Reiner: The game against the Cardinals. Congratulations – you have the chance to start for the Cardinals at quarterback this season! The Jacoby Brissett-Gardner Minshew-Carson Beck quarterback depth chart isn’t exactly fear-inducing for defensive coordinators. Rookie running back Jeremiyah Love, who is already injured, could be challenged to reach his potential behind an average offensive line. If things aren’t going well for the Cardinals by Week 13, Josh Sweat might sneak back to Philadelphia on the team plane after the game.
Neiburg: Dec. 6 in Arizona. The Cardinals are dreadful. There’s a real chance they go winless. They could be touchdown underdogs in every one of their divisional contests and they’re also matched up with an AFC West division that could produce three playoff teams. Eagles fans always travel well, but an early December trip to the southwest is enticing, and this one might feel like a home game.
Novozinsky: Week 2 at the Titans. The Titans will probably be marginally better in 2026, but let’s face it: If your team is picking up the scraps from the Giants/Jets of the past five years, you’re probably not going to be a very good team. They’re a true dumpster fire franchise — and I’m still not sold on quarterback Cam Ward. The Eagles will win this game and Broadway will be flooded with chants of “Go Birds!”
Another Eagles-Rams classic could be in store when Nick Sirianni and the Birds host Sean McVay and L.A. David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Which contest screams “statement game” to you
McLane: Dec. 19 vs. the Seahawks. After a shaky start to the season, I can see the Eagles settling into a groove, especially with some expected easier opponents in the middle portion of the season. I have them 9-4 by the time they host the defending-champion Seahawks on Dec. 19. It’s difficult to repeat, of course, and while Mike Macdonald returns one of the best defenses in the league, and has elite players like Smith-Njigba on offense, I could see Seattle falling back to earth in a tough NFC West. Does anyone really think that Darnold will be as good as he was during a sun-kissed 2025? But a win here for the Eagles would be impressive and maybe catapult them into a stretch run and another NFC East crown.
Reiner: The Seahawks game in Week 15, especially if both teams are competing for playoff spots at that point in the season. Seattle is defending its Super Bowl title and the Eagles are looking to contend once again. If they can come up with a win against the league’s leading defense in 2025 and the Offensive Player of the Year in Smith-Njigba, they should feel good about themselves heading into the final stretch of the season. If not, a loss could be a sign of bad things to come for the Eagles in the postseason.
Neiburg: Well, the Rams game could be a preview of the NFC title game, so, for better or worse, that is kind of a measuring stick game. The Eagles will match up with a few shaky defenses early in the season before welcoming Myles Garrett, Aaron Donald, and perhaps the best defensive front ever assembled to Lincoln Financial Field. It’s just a shame it’s a 1 p.m. game, because it’s one of the best games on the NFL calendar this season.
Novozinsky: Christmas Eve in Houston. What the Texans lack on offense, they make up for — in a huge way — with an unrelenting defensive front. They’re my Super Bowl pick this year and they’re a perfect measuring stick for the Birds in front of a primetime holiday audience. The schedule makers sure didn’t do the Eagles any favors, sandwiching this game between the Seahawks and 49ers.
Rookie Caleb Downs (center) is one reason why Jerry Jones (left), Brian Schottenheimer and the Cowboys are optimistic about getting off the mat in 2026. Tony Gutierrez
Who’s the biggest threat to an Eagles’ NFC East three-peat?
McLane: It’s got to be the Cowboys. The Commanders, as noted above, could be a hot mess, while the New York Giants are likely a year away from contending. But Dallas has the offensive firepower to match the Eagles’ potent defense. Dak Prescott has an aerial attack that can expose a weakness at safety and even some of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. We saw it last season. The Cowboys couldn’t compete in 2025 because, ultimately, they were dreadful on defense. They made significant changes. They snatched Christian Parker from Philly to helm the unit. And they added six new starters, including edge Rashan Gary and first-round safety Caleb Downs.
I’m not saying it’ll transform them into a top unit. Parker is as much of an unknown as Mannion. But it’s hard to see Dallas not finishing with a winning record. I think the Eagles will be right there with them. Heck, they’re still the odds-on favorite to win the division. But I think defenses will still be able to corral Saquon Barkley and the run game because the passing offense will not improve enough with too many question marks at receiver and tight end.
Reiner: The Cowboys. They made upgrades to their defense, which ranked last in the league in points allowed in 2026, and hired Parker. Combine an improved defense with an offense that ranked in the top 10 in 2025 and one of the best kickers in the NFL in Brandon Aubrey and the Cowboys could threaten the Eagles for the NFC East crown.
Neiburg: Dallas. The Cowboys should have an improved defense, and there’s plenty of talent on offense to get to double-digit wins. The Giants could be a sneaky wild-card team with an exciting offense, but I don’t think they’re ready to take that step yet. Washington, meanwhile, didn’t do a whole lot of improving in the offseason and its defense just isn’t good enough. The Eagles-Cowboys game on Thanksgiving could end up being a turning point of sorts in the NFC East standings.
Novozinsky: It’s the Cowboys and it’s not even close. The Commanders are going to stink. I’d be stunned if the Eagles didn’t sweep them this year. The Giants should be better under Harbaugh, but I’m just not sold on Jaxson Dart. Dallas, for all its faults, has a good offense and a capable defense led by a sharp defensive mind in Parker.
The presence of Myles Garrett (95) is helping to make the Rams a trendy Super Bowl pick. Mark J. Terrill
