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  • New Apple CEO unveils latest iPhone lineup, including a foldable model called Duo

    New Apple CEO unveils latest iPhone lineup, including a foldable model called Duo

    CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple on Wednesday unveiled its latest generation of iPhones, including a widely anticipated foldable version called Duo.

    The company’s new CEO, John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook on Sept. 1, introduced the latest lineup at the company’s Cupertino, Calif., headquarters.

    After cycling through other updates to the iPhone, the Apple Watch and AirPods, Ternus told the audience inside the Steve Jobs Theater that “actually there is one more thing,” in a nod to the trademark phrase from Jobs that the company’s legendary late founder himself borrowed from the 1970s detective show Columbo.

    The foldable phone has the “largest display ever on an iPhone, yet fits into your pocket,” Ternus said.

    The phone opens to a 7.6-inch display that is 80% larger than the newest iPhone 18 Pro. It will let people use an Apple Pencil on the phone, a capability previously reserved for iPad users. Duo, Ternus said, “will redefine the experience of using a foldable phone.”

    The Duo lets users split the screen to use two different apps on the device, or two windows of the same website for things like comparison shopping. With a starting price of $1,999, it is the most expensive iPhone yet.

    The Duo “was always going to eclipse Apple’s other announcements at the event,” said Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight. “The device adds a distinctive new design to the iPhone lineup and marks the company’s entry into the niche foldable smartphone category.”

    Wood said that while there is certain to be demand for the Duo, which costs less than some analysts had anticipated, foldables still account for less than 5% of the overall smartphone market.

    New iPhone 18 models

    The iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, Ternus said, bring improvements to the battery, camera, and performance. They will start at $1,199 and $1,299, respectively. Customers can preorder the phones starting on Sept. 12 and they will be available on Sept. 18, although the Duo will be available on Oct. 23.

    The new models feature a long battery life — 45 hours of video playback for the Pro Max — and faster charging. The camera offers what Apple called “cinematic effects” from regular video captured on the phone, as well as new options for manual controls and “smart focus tracking,” which lets users focus on a single moving subject, such as a kid during a soccer game.

    Apple is also focusing on Siri’s new AI capabilities with the new phones, emphasizing privacy and security to stand apart from rivals who are further along in incorporating AI.

    Many of Apple’s biggest rivals, such as Samsung, Motorola, and Google, have already come out with foldable smartphones. But Apple is not one to rush on new technologies.

    “The foldable launch is straight out of Apple’s playbook: Wait for the product to work out its kinks and for the market to offer glimpses of viability, then enter and shape the category,” said Forrester analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee. But, he added, the question will be whether it can expand demand for what’s still a niche product category.

    Compared with earlier generations, the iPhone 18 costs about $100 more due partly to a global memory chip shortage. The iPhone 17’s price ranges from $799 to $1,999 depending on the model.

    Earlier this year, Apple unveiled artificial intelligence advances, including upgrades to its Siri assistant, emphasizing a focus on privacy and day-to-day use as the company tries to catch up with rivals on AI.

    Ternus takes center stage

    The keynote address for Ternus was his opportunity to set the tone for his vision of Apple’s future, Chatterjee said.

    “John Ternus inherits perhaps the most successful consumer technology juggernaut in modern times. That is both a boon and a burden for him. Tim Cook’s perfected execution, scale, and monetization set a high bar, and Ternus must extend that run,” Chatterjee said. “But he must sustain that momentum while positioning Apple to disrupt itself in the near future, when the iPhone, or any smartphone for that matter, will cease to be the consumer’s primary conduit to the world.”

    Wood noted that, with all the excitement around the Duo, the official arrival of Ternus as CEO “felt like less of a story” than he’d expected.

    “This event marks a seamless transition from Tim Cook, and its timing to coincide with the iPhone Duo was undoubtedly planned,” Wood said. “However, despite the media frenzy about this new device, it is the broader strength of Apple’s hardware, software and services that will drive the company forward.”

  • Backyard chickens are one step closer to coming to Collingswood

    Backyard chickens are one step closer to coming to Collingswood

    Collingswood neighbors could soon seek licenses for backyard hens after an 18-year push from advocates.

    During their monthly meeting Tuesday, Collingswood’s three commissioners introduced a proposed amendment that would undo the ban on fowl passed back in 2008. Both Mayor Daniela Solano-Ward and Commissioner Amy Henderson Riley, elected in May, expressed support.

    Solano-Ward said 19 other Camden County towns have allowed backyard hens with little issue. With their support, the ordinance will move forward for a vote next month.

    “We don’t see any data or reason to stand in the way of it any longer,” Solano-Ward said.

    Commissioner Jim Maley, a former mayor of Collingswood, long oversaw the borough’s previous fights for backyard chickens and helped pass the original 2008 ban. On Tuesday, Maley voted against moving the ordinance forward.

    “No, I’m gonna go ‘no,’” Maley said. “The reason is because I believe that a change like this in our borough, there should be a requirement within the ordinance that there’s notification provided to neighbors.”

    Collingswood Borough officials discuss ordinances at a monthly commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, at the Collingswood Senior Community Center.Sarah Nicell

    The ordinance, like most other backyard chicken codes in the county, does not require notice to neighbors. But there are plenty of other rules, including taking an hours-long online course and undergoing inspections.

    Collingswood could distribute only 30 total backyard chicken licenses at a time (among the borough’s estimated 6,500 households), and no roosters would be permitted. The number of hens allowed on a given property would depend on its size — a lot of fewer than 4,000 square feet could not have any hens, and a lot of 9,000 square feet or more would be capped at 12 hens.

    The proposal also sets requirements for the coop’s structure and its distance from other property lines, bans the sale of eggs and the slaughter of chickens, and would create a resident-led Backyard Hen Advisory Board to monitor complaints and enforce rules. Violations could come with a fine of up to $1,250 or up to 90 days in prison.

    Henderson Riley, who took the three-hour backyard chicken course to test the waters, said the ordinance does not make it easy to get hens.

    “It required me to pay attention,” Henderson Riley said. “I didn’t get 100%.”

    A few attendees spoke up with concerns about the pitched program, but worries about the chickens’ impact on health and neighboring homes were mostly addressed by conditions set in the ordinance.

    Larry DiGiovanni, a Collingswood resident, asked the commissioners about oversight of potential chicken licensees and how bird droppings could create an unsafe environment for community members.

    “I’ve known people who have done this, and it is kind of a daunting task because it’s a lot to take care of,” DiGiovanni said. “And sometimes, you can get a little bit out of control.”

    Larry DiGiovanni, a Collingswood resident, speaks on backyard hens at a Collingswood commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, at the Collingswood Senior Community Center.Sarah Nicell

    Graham Patterson, 35, sat quietly at the meeting Tuesday with two of his fellow Camden County chicken advocates, including the “Chicken Lady of South Jersey,” Gwenne Baile, who has fought for backyard hen ordinances across New Jersey since 2009.

    When he moved to Collingswood in 2023, Patterson, a software engineer, wanted to start a chicken coop to give his two children the chance to take up more responsibility and get a closer look at the food they eat. If the proposal passes in October, Patterson will become the chairperson of the Backyard Hen Advisory Board.

    Patterson said he does not think the program should require notice to neighbors, since residents would not have to bypass zoning rules to have a coop. His goal is to make sure the program makes the borough happy from the jump.

    “If we bear a few bad eggs in the program, that’s not really advantageous for us,” Patterson said. “We want the program to be successful. We want to be compliant. We want neighbors to be completely indifferent to whether people have chickens on their property.”

  • We previewed new food items for Eagles games. These are the highlights, from the Broad Street Beast to a revamped cheesesteak.

    We previewed new food items for Eagles games. These are the highlights, from the Broad Street Beast to a revamped cheesesteak.

    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.

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    Tush Push Tater

    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.

    This can be found in Sections 126, 129, and 148.

    The Inquirer’s game-by-game Eagles picks, NFL playoff selections, and major award winners

    Smoked BBQ chicken nachos

    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.

  • Eagles great Brandon Graham prepares to become ‘a rookie again’ in life after football

    Eagles great Brandon Graham prepares to become ‘a rookie again’ in life after football

    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.”

    Ron Jaworski departs NBC Sports Philadelphia ahead of Eagles’ season

    “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.”

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    “[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.

    ‘I was so tired of that question’: Brandon Graham turns his attention from the Eagles to his new media career

    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.”

  • Open Streets is returning to the Rittenhouse Square area on Sundays this fall

    Open Streets is returning to the Rittenhouse Square area on Sundays this fall

    Fall is near, and though peak foliage has yet to come, another autumn staple is waiting around the corner: the Center City District’s Open Streets program.

    Between Sept. 13 and Oct. 25, the street closure program shuts down car access to eight blocks in the Rittenhouse Square area on Sundays to let pedestrians enjoy more of the urban space.

    Open Streets runs along Walnut Street from Broad to 19th Streets, and on 18th Street between Locust and Chestnut Streets.

    From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Philadelphians will be able to walk in the car lanes, and have access to sidewalk retail and outdoor dining — featuring local vendors with special promotions or exclusive experiences, according to the Center City District.

    Every Sunday brings different activities, including double Dutch lessons, live music, mini golf, and broadcast of Eagles games at the Fulton Fun Zone at 18th and Chestnut Streets.

    Two things the event won’t have are restrooms and rain dates, so plan accordingly.

    Most activities are wheelchair accessible. However, bikes, e-bikes, scooters, skateboards, and similar devices can be in the area only if they are walked through the street.

    Sponsored by Fulton Bank, the program has been in place since 2024, bringing more than 10,500 visitors each Sunday, according to the Center City District.

    Fifteenth, 16th, 17th, and 19th Streets will remain open to cars, as will the 1700 and 1800 blocks of Sansom Street.

    Road closures and parking restrictions begin Sunday at 7 a.m. and go on until 6 p.m.

    Planning on taking SEPTA? From 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., detours will be in place for Routes 9, 12, 21, and 42. Check the bus system status at septa.org.

  • Bennett Fairorth, a prolific writer and beloved Council Rock teacher, has died at 99

    Bennett Fairorth, a prolific writer and beloved Council Rock teacher, has died at 99

    Bennett Fairorth, a prolific writer and longtime Council Rock School District teacher, died Thursday, July 9, at a Rydal retirement home after falling in his Abington home of 64 years.

    Mr. Fairorth had been looking forward to celebrating his 100th birthday with former students this month, his brother, Leonard Fairorth, said.

    A high school English teacher of more than 30 years, Mr. Fairorth regularly heard from students for decades after his retirement, despite never owning a cell phone, a computer, or an answering machine.

    His death sparked a flood of remembrances on social media from former students — who recalled reading The Odyssey and French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, seeing plays, and attending events for the student newspaper he advised — including several who became teachers and writers themselves.

    “Freshman year in college English I was told not to come back to class after handing in my first paper,” one former student wrote. “The professor said I already knew how to write.”

    “I have never laughed as hard as I did during those classes,” another wrote.

    Mr. Fairorth’s curriculum included books that some considered controversial in the foment of the era, 1967 graduate Allen Hengst said, including The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner.

    “It was a controversial time. A lot was changing,” Hengst said. “Here was a teacher who was on our side.”

    Mr. Fairorth was oldest of five children born to a business owner and a homemaker. He and his sister were the only Jewish students at his North Philadelphia elementary school, Mr. Fairorth said in a podcast interview in 2023 with a former student and her husband, and had to switch schools after other kids attacked them.

    Mr. Fairorth studied English at Pennsylvania State University, though his education was interrupted when he was drafted into the Navy during World War II and tasked with keeping mechanical records in Manila. He returned and got a master’s degree in business from the University of Pennsylvania, hoping to write for the Wall Street Journal, he said in 2024, but found he could not support a family on a reporter’s salary. Mr. Fairorth raised three children with his wife, Ruth, who ran a uniform store.

    Instead of writing, Mr. Fairorth worked for several years putting new rock and roll records into jukeboxes around town and leaving the old ones at home for his youngest brother, Leonard Fairorth said. Bennett Fairorth, who preferred classical music, would drive to New York on Saturdays, squeezing in both a matinee and an evening performance at the opera houses.

    He took a pay cut to teach for a few years at Abington Senior High School and struggled financially until the English department at Council Rock heard of his success preparing seniors for college and recruited him in 1964, Mr. Fairorth said in 2024.

    Bennett Fairorth with journalists from Council Rock’s student newspaper, The Indianite, in the 1966–1967 school year.Council Rock School District

    Mr. Fairorth was a lifelong fan of newspaper puzzles. He wrote weekly letters to a relative about The Inquirer’s crosswords, his brother said. In 1936, at age 9, he sent in the correct answers to an Inquirer kids’ challenge and won a prize, according to newspaper archives.

    In retirement, Mr. Fairorth found more time for hobbies, self-publishing more than a dozen novels, often in a diaristic style chronicling holiday dinners and trips abroad.

    As a teacher, Mr. Fairorth was known as a firm but thorough grader, his brother said — a trait that led to conflicts with some parents in the tony suburban district toward the end of his career.

    “Parents would come in and [complain] about their kid not getting an A,” Leonard Fairorth said, and go to the principal after Mr. Fairorth refused to change it. “Some of them would be really nasty. … That’s one of the things that really discouraged him at the end.”

    Although Mr. Fairorth maintained decades-long correspondence with some students, there was one letter that took more than half a century to arrive, he wrote in a 2020 essay for the Chestnut Hill Local.

    In the 1960s, Mr. Fairorth had failed a senior who refused to submit a research paper. Though he was class president, he could not attend graduation and instead went to summer school.

    “It was a tense situation,” Mr. Fairorth wrote.

    The student, Bill Proser, went on to earn an English degree, become a teacher, and found a charter school in Idaho.

    “Yesterday, after 55 years of his getting an F in my class, I received a letter in Bill’s handwriting,” Mr. Fairorth wrote. “‘Thank you for what you did for me.’ I suppose that if you wait long enough, who knows what magic will come to pass?”

    In addition to his brother, Mr. Fairorth is survived by children Nancy, Mark, and Laurel, as well as grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

    Services and interment were private, according to a notice by the Philadelphia Cremation Society.

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • Eagles edge rusher Jonathan Greenard practices Wednesday, status for Sunday still in question

    Eagles edge rusher Jonathan Greenard practices Wednesday, status for Sunday still in question

    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.

    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.

  • Jason Kelce’s expanded ESPN role and NFL rule changes highlight the latest ‘New Heights’ podcast

    Jason Kelce’s expanded ESPN role and NFL rule changes highlight the latest ‘New Heights’ podcast

    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.

    “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.”

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    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.

    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.”

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    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.”

  • Gameday Central: Eagles vs. Commanders preview | Sponsored by xfinity

    Gameday Central: Eagles vs. Commanders preview | Sponsored by xfinity

    The Eagles are back! Ahead of Sunday’s season opener against the Commanders, Olivia Reiner and Jeff Neiburg preview the matchup, break down the biggest storylines and share what to watch for when Philly kicks off its new season.

  • Trump administration proposes changes to census that could exclude millions

    Trump administration proposes changes to census that could exclude millions

    Millions of residents could be excluded from the U.S. census, congressional representation could be reshaped, and federal funds could be reallocated across states under changes proposed by the Trump administration.

    In the proposal posted to the federal register Wednesday, the Census Bureau suggested adding a citizenship question to the decennial questionnaire, which President Donald Trump has wanted since his first term.

    The proposal argues that the census count should exclude any undocumented immigrants and noncitizens without permanent residency because they are “not true inhabitants, members of the body politic, or persons with a ‘usual residence’ in the United States due to their lack of a sufficient tie and allegiance to the United States.”

    Under the newly proposed rules, refugees and asylum seekers would be excluded from the population count.

    Trump administration officials also want to prohibit the Census Bureau from asking certain demographic questions, including about race, ethnicity or sexual orientation, claiming the survey “should be colorblind and should not be distorted in any way by questions about immaterial personal characteristics.”

    The census has collected data on race and ethnicity since 1790.

    Trump has for years pushed to alter how the American population is tallied every decade, including unsuccessful efforts to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. The Supreme Court ultimately froze that plan, saying Trump officials had provided a “contrived” reason for wanting such information.

    Trump later said the citizenship question was needed to affect the redistricting process, an argument the Justice Department did not use in its legal defense. Census results every 10 years determine how the House’s 435 seats are allocated among states.

    “Number one, you need it for Congress — you need it for Congress for districting,” Trump said in 2019. “You need it for appropriations — where are the funds going? How many people are there? Are they citizens? Are they not citizens? You need it for many reasons.”

    Last August, Trump announced he was directing the Department of Commerce to again overhaul the census, amid a nationwide redistricting battle.

    “People who are in our Country illegally WILL NOT BE COUNTED IN THE CENSUS,” he wrote on Truth Social then.

    The Trump administration’s latest proposal will almost certainly face legal challenges. The 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution mandates that representatives in Congress be apportioned to states based on “the whole number of persons in each state,” without specifying citizenship or immigration status.

    Currently, the U.S. census counts native-born U.S. citizens, naturalized U.S. citizens, non-citizen U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents and temporary migrants, such as foreign students, refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants.

    New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led a lawsuit against Trump’s efforts to change the 2020 Census, said Wednesday the state is again exploring legal options to fight back against the administration’s proposed changes to the 2030 Census.

    “The Constitution is clear. Every person living in the United States, regardless of immigration status, must be counted in the census,” she wrote on X.

    Civil rights and public health groups have also warned against the removal of questions about race and ethnicity from the census, saying doing so would hamper officials’ ability to address health disparities, starting with how to appropriately allocate federal funding.

    “If you change what the census counts, then you change where the money can help most,” Vi D. Le and Melanie Klein of the Federation of American Scientists wrote last week.

    “Removing race and ethnicity data does not make health disparities go away,” they wrote. “It merely makes them harder to find, harder to measure, and harder to fix.”