Tag: endliveblog

• What to know
• The Eagles lost to the Chicago Bears 27-7 on ESPN’s Monday Night Football.
• Eagles grades: The entire Birds is defense culpable in loss, while Nick Sirianni did little right.
• The Eagles are asking too much of Jalen Hurts, writes columnist Mike Sielski.
• Frustrations boil over, Jason Kelce’s affinity for the Birds remains, and more from the Eagles-Bears broadcast.
• Things don’t get easier in Week 4, with the Eagles hosting the Los Angeles Rams at the Linc at 1 p.m. Sunday.

// Timestamp 09/29/26 12:57pm

Tom Brady heading back to Philly to call Eagles-Rams

Tom Brady will be back in Philly Sunday to call the Eagles’ Week 4 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, which kicks off at 1 p.m. on Fox.

Joining Brady in the booth is play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt, while Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi will report from the sidelines.

Brady’s on something of a hot streak in the booth. On Sunday, the Hall of Famer joked about his dominance over the Buffalo Bills in their old stadium (“I had two losses in that stadium, which would leave a bitter taste in my mouth if I didn’t beat them 33 other times.”) and described an interception thrown by Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert as a “meatball sub.”

In Week 3, Brady’s colorful reaction when Jayden Daniels dislocated his left elbow quickly went viral on social media. Later in the game, he used language so colorful to describe Dak Prescott’s missile of a pass to receiver CeeDee Lamb we couldn’t print it in our family newspaper.

CBS has the 4:25 p.m. national window in Week 4 with Chiefs-Raiders, and Tony Romo remains on leave. It’ll be Jim Nantz and J.J. Watt again on the call.

It’s unclear when or if Romo will be back, and so far CBS hasn’t publicly commented about the former Cowboys quarterback’s intention to return.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/29/26 12:55pm

Giants are releasing Odell Beckham Jr., reports say

// Timestamp 09/29/26 11:51am

Brian Baldinger breaks down ‘complete ineptitude’ of Eagles screen play

// Timestamp 09/29/26 11:25am

Eagles safeties under the microscope again

The Eagles defense on Monday allowed 375 total yards to a Bears offense led by third-string quarterback Case Keenum, who last started a game 1,009 days ago.

Some of the blame can be placed on the Eagles’ safeties.

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio had a curious game plan for safeties Marcus Epps and Michael Carter II in the team’s 27-7 loss. It appeared that Epps — who has struggled this season — was benched for Carter on the second drive of the game, but he returned just five plays later. This was the start of a rotation that even left Epps confused after the game.

“I don’t really know,” Epps said when asked about the rotation. “Yeah, I mean, we kind of just go back and forth in practice. However, the coaches want to call it, that’s how they call it. And [we’ll] do whatever the coaches of the team ask us to do.”

In fairness to Fangio, Epps should have seen a demotion coming. The 30-year-old veteran had three missed tackles in Week 2, which prompted questions about his starting status, and then missed two tackles on the opening drive vs. Chicago. Epps spoke about this unprompted on Monday.

“You just got to tackle better,” Epps said. “We got to work on it in practice. So we got to take it upon ourselves to get better and continue to grow in that aspect.”

It wasn’t just the tackles. The rotation clearly led to communication issues in the defensive backfield, with Keenum, 38, routinely attacking the safeties downfield. On Chicago’s second scoring drive, Keenum connected with Luther Burden III for a 25-yard gain (with safety Andrew Mukuba in coverage), then hit Rome Odunze for a 22-yard gain (with Epps in coverage) one play later.

Epps and Mukuba were also at the center of two Bears touchdowns. Burden dragged a gaggle of Eagles defenders, Epps included, on Chicago’s opening drive touchdown. Mukuba slipped while in coverage late in the third quarter, which led to Kalif Raymond’s 41-yard score.

— Jeff Neiburg

// Timestamp 09/29/26 9:55am

Nick Foles praises Case Keenum’s performance vs. Eagles

Read the room, Nick.

On Monday, Nick Foles praised Bears third-string quarterback Case Keenum’s play. Keenum passed for 247 yards and two touchdowns. He also found the endzone on the ground.

“My friend Case Keenum is playing lights out tonight; he looks unreal,” Foles wrote on social media. “He is getting the ball out quickly and accurately, even when under pressure.”

“There are several QBs around the league who are struggling and should watch how Case Keenum is playing tonight,” he added. “He is on time, in rhythm, and throwing extremely catchable balls.”

Foles and Keenum spent the 2015 season together on the St. Louis Rams roster, and the two remain close friends. However, most Eagles fans associate the two for their matchup in the 2017 NFC Championship Game — when Foles and the Eagles defeated Keenum’s Minnesota Vikings 38-7.

On The SZN podcast after the game, Foles addressed Eagles fans in panic mode after Monday’s blowout loss.

“It’s only Week 3. So if you’re an Eagles fan and you’re listening, don’t freak out, it’s early,” Foles said.

— Conor Smith

// Timestamp 09/29/26 9:37am

Nick Sirianni has a lot of work to do, and not much time to do it

Nick Sirianni took it on the chin.

Down 13 points late in the third quarter, the Eagles faced fourth-and-1 on their own 49-yard line. Sirianni had his offense line up as if it would attempt the Tush Push with Jalen Hurts sneaking for the first down.

But it was a long yard and the Bears weren’t fooled into jumping offside. The Eagles took a delay-of-game penalty and punted.

“As I look back at that, I probably should have went for it there,” Sirianni said. “Didn’t like that decision.”

It was one of many that backfired on the coach and his team in a dreadful 27-7 loss to the Bears on Monday night. Sirianni’s regrets were isolated to the game — from his fourth down turtling to his sideline behavior — but it’s unclear how he felt about larger decisions that have affected this season’s Eagles.

It’s too early to make sweeping generalizations. But the first three games have suggested the following: the defense isn’t as good as many had expected, first-time offensive coordinator Sean Mannion isn’t yet the “mad genius” some had suggested, and general manager Howie Roseman’s roster has more holes than it has had in years.

And that may be why, in that moment, Sirianni didn’t roll the dice on fourth-and-1. He didn’t believe his offense could convert or his defense could hold if they didn’t. In 2025, it might have been the offense that held him back. In 2023, it was often the defense.

For the first time since maybe his first season, he may not have either side to lean on. And that’s a scary thought with the Rams coming to town Sunday and a trip to London to face the Jaguars the following week.

— Jeff McLane

// Timestamp 09/29/26 8:48am

‘An absolute embarrassment’: Reaction to Eagles blowout loss

• The Inquirer’s Mike Sielski: “The Eagles are 2-1, sure, but so far they haven’t been the team anyone expected them to be. They are asking so much of Hurts, perhaps too much. Their defense hasn’t been close to the shutdown unit it was presumed to be. And the Los Angeles Rams, 1-2 and dangerous, are ahead on Sunday.”
• NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Michael Barkann: “That was an absolute embarrassment. That was a team that looked unprepared to play. That was a team that was sloppy. That was a team that had no passion, no juice… and got pushed around.”
• 94.1 WIP’s Jon Ritchie: “[The Bears] beat us soundly both times. That was a drubbing. We didn’t tackle. The defense sucked. The pass rush was non-existent… And we had Jonathan Greenard out there. Meant nothing, did nothing.”
• NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Barrett Brooks: “The offensive line stayed getting their asses kicked, especially the inner guys, the two guards… I don’t know if it’s because [former offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland] is gone, I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s just not a good offensive line. Period.”
• ESPN’s Jeff Saturday: “Way too cute… Saquon Barley – my goodness, I could have run through those holes. He wasn’t getting touched until [he was] four and five yards down the field. And for whatever reason, they decided they wanted to throw this thing around the yard. I think they had four called runs in the last 20 plays of the game in the second half.”
• NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Reuben Frank: “I’m most concerned about the absence of playmaking on defense…. They don’t have a takeaway in three games. First time in franchise history that’s happened… They’re the only team in the NFL hasn’t forced a turnover.”
• Ex-Eagles quarterback Nick Foles on The SZN podcast: “I always find a positive – there’s not one person to blame. You can just blame the whole team.”

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/29/26 7:23am

Nick Sirianni regrets sideline outburst

Midway through the second quarter, Jalen Hurts was briefly knocked out of the game after being hit out of bounds by Chicago Bears linebacker D’Marco Jackson.

After the play, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni had some choice words for Jackson that made it to Fox’s broadcast.

Sirianni getting emotional during a game isn’t new. Last season, he taunted Buffalo Bills fans after a narrow Eagles win at Highmark Stadium. In 2024 he jawed with Eagles fans and later apologized, while in 2023 he went after Kansas City Chiefs fans following a Birds victory.

After the game, Sirianni told reporters he regretted the outburst.

“You want to always fight for your players and protect your players,” Sirianni said. “I always come away when I have a moment like that with remorse, ‘Man, I shouldn’t have let my emotions get the best of me.’”

“I know nobody is trying to hurt anybody out there,” Sirianni added. “So the emotion of the game probably got the better of me today and I have to learn from that. In that particular moment I have to be more steady in that situation. Be able to move on and go to the next play. I didn’t like how I handled that.”

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/29/26 7:20am

Quick turnaround as Eagles travel home to face the Rams

Things aren’t going to get much easier for the Eagles.

After being blown out by the Chicago Bears, the Birds will head home to host the Los Angeles Rams (1-2) Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Rams are coming off a last-second loss to the Denver Broncos, who overcame a 16-0 halftime deficit to win at Empower Field at Mile High Sunday.

The Eagles have won their last three games against the Rams, including a 33-26 victory at the Linc in Week 3 last year. In that game, the Eagles blocked two field goals, including a potential game-winner blocked and returned for a touchdown by Jordan Davis.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/29/26 7:18am

Eagles injury report: Jalen Hurts evaluated for concussion

The Eagles entered Week 3 a bit banged up, with tight end Dallas Goedert inactive with a knee injury and wide receiver Hollywood Brown ruled out with an ankle injury.

But the Eagles survived their Week 3 loss to the Chicago Bears without suffering any other major injuries.

Jalen Hurts was forced to leave the game midway through the second quarter after being knocked down hard on a late hit out of bounds. He visited the medical tent briefly for a concussion evaluation but quickly returned to the field, but not before backup quarterback Andy Dalton threw an interception at the goal line.

When asked after the game if he felt like he had suffered any kind of head trauma on that hit, Hurts responded with a no. He said he watched Dalton’s pick from outside of the tent, but at that point, he was waiting to be cleared. He said he wished the concussion spotter could have “expedited things.”

“I think practically, emotionally, and competitively, I’m in the right place to go out there and compete,” Hurts said. “So it’s a situation that hopefully we can learn from.”

— Rob Tornoe, Olivia Reiner

// Timestamp 09/29/26 7:15am

Eagles coaching staff had a rough night

Coach Nick Sirianni is ultimately responsible for the Eagles losing to a Bears team without its top two quarterbacks. He got a dismal effort from his team.

Should he have called a timeout to buy time while Hurts was getting looked at for a possible head injury? It’s easy to say in retrospect. But the whole ordeal proved costly for the Eagles.

He had a couple of head-scratching game management moments. The fake Tush Push on a long fourth-and-1 in the third quarter wasn’t fooling anyone. Whether Sirianni should have gone for it or not, his defense forced a punt on the ensuing possession. But Sirianni’s roll of the dice on fourth-and-5 a drive later was confounding in context and Hurts tossed an interception.

Offensive coordinator Sean Mannion called a questionable screen to Smith with 19 seconds left before the half, but Hurts bailed him out. Whatever the reason, the designs and execution on passes behind the line of scrimmage have mostly been disasters. Another bubble screen to Lemon resulted in a loss.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio got schooled by Ben Johnson. The Bears coach was one step ahead of his esteemed counterpart almost the entire game. A year ago, Chicago killed the Eagles on the ground. This time they did it through the air with no less than a third-string 38-year-old quarterback at the helm. Fangio might have had his worst game since coming to Philly. His defense can’t do the simple things like tackle.

— Jeff McLane

// Timestamp 09/29/26 7:12am

Jason Kelce apologizes to Bears fans for Eagles homerism

Jason Kelce is in his third season as a studio analyst on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown. Still, it has been difficult — at times — for the longtime Eagles center to shake his fandom while reporting. He made reference to this during a humorous exchange with Sirianni before Monday’s game.

“Jalen Hurts has been off to a really hot start,” Kelce said to Sirianni. “He’s playing awesome for us — for the Eagles. Should say that. Unbiased media member.”

At halftime, Kelce continued to refer to the Eagles as “we.” ESPN personality Pat McAfee took notice.

“We played really well offensively,” Kelce said. “We had opportunities. We shot ourselves in the foot, but we’ve moved the ball. We ran the ball well. Jalen Hurts is throwing the ball well. I think [with] them getting the ball coming out of half, I got a feeling they got a lot of momentum going in there.”

Added McAfee: “A lot of ‘we’ talk out of Jason for Philly. If we are the Chicago Bears, we are very pumped with how Case Keenum is operating this offense.”

“Sorry, Bears fans,” Kelce said.

— Conor Smith

// Timestamp 09/29/26 7:10am

NFC East standings

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// Timestamp 09/29/26 7:09am

Photos from Eagles’ loss against the Bears

Eagles 2026 TV schedule

• Week 1: Eagles 24, Commanders 22
• Week 2: Eagles 24, Titans 20
• Week 3: Bears 27, Eagles 7
• Week 4: Rams at Eagles — Sunday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 5: Eagles at Jaguars (London) — Sunday, Oct. 11, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network)
• Week 6: Panthers at Eagles — Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. (CBS)
• Week 7: Cowboys at Eagles — Monday, Oct. 26, 8:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN)
• Week 8: Eagles at Commanders — Sunday, Nov. 1, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
• Week 9: Giants at Eagles — Sunday, Nov. 8, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 10: Bye week
• Week 11: Steelers at Eagles — Sunday, Nov. 22, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
• Week 12: Eagles at Cowboys — Thursday, Nov. 26, 4:30 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 13: Eagles at Cardinals — Sunday, Dec. 6, 4:05 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 14: Colts at Eagles — Sunday, Dec. 13, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 15: Seahawks at Eagles — Saturday, Dec. 19, 5 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 16: Texans at Eagles — Thursday, Dec. 24, 8:15 p.m. (Prime Video)
• Week 17: Eagles at 49ers — Sunday, Jan. 3, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
• Week 18: Eagles at Giants — TBD (TBD)

// Timestamp 09/29/26 7:05am

• What you should know
• The Eagles are 2-0 after defeating the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in a thrilling win Sunday. Here are our full Eagles grades.
• With tight end Dallas Goeder expected to miss time with a knee injury, the Eagles are bringing back Zach Ertz, who could be activated as soon as next week.
• Ex-Eagles receiver Jason Avant was among those critical of Drew Brees’ call on Fox Sunday.
• The Eagles face the Chicago Bears (1-1) in Week 3 on ESPN’s Monday Night Football. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams appears unlikely to play.

// Timestamp 09/21/26 7:37pm

‘That’s my guy!’ Jason Kelce reacts to Zach Ertz news

Former Eagles star Jason Kelce played a little over eight seasons with Zach Ertz in Philly. Naturally, he’s excited his former teammate is returning to the Birds.

“You don’t got to talk me into Zach Ertz. That’s my guy!” Kelce said on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown. “He’s entrenched in Philadelphia still… He’s close to some type of receiving record. I wouldn’t mind seeing that broken by No. 86 right there.”

As for franchise records, Ertz is second all-time in receptions (579) close behind Harold Carmichael (589), fifth in receiving yards (6,267) and seventh in receiving touchdowns (38).

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/21/26 6:59pm

Zach Ertz could play for the Eagles as soon as next week

// Timestamp 09/21/26 6:22pm

Zach Ertz to sign with the Eagles practice squad

With Dallas Goedert expected to miss multiple weeks after he sustained a sprained MCL in the Eagles’ win over the Titans, the Eagles are planning to sign Zach Ertz to the practice squad, sources said.

Ertz spent nine seasons in Philadelphia and was a key part to the Eagles winning their first Super Bowl in 2018.

The three-time Pro Bowler suffered a season-ending ACL tear in December 2025 with the Commanders and did not sign a contract in offseason.

Ertz was cleared for football activity in July — seven months from when he tore his ACL. He passed the pivotal nine-month post operation milestone a few weeks ago.

The Eagles are signing him to the practice squad as he continues his recovery with the expectation that he will eventually be signed to the 53-man roster, per sources.

Ertz spoke to The Inquirer in April about an Eagles return while rehabbing near his home in Scottsdale, Ariz.

“I think everyone knows how I feel about that place, that city, in particular,” Ertz said. “I loved it, loved it. And I wouldn’t close that door.”

— Isabella DiAmore, Jeff McLane

// Timestamp 09/21/26 5:18pm

Source: Dallas Goedert suffered a sprained MCL

The Eagles will be without Dallas Goedert for the time being.

A league source confirmed an NFL Network/ESPN report that Goedert suffered a sprained MCL in Sunday’s 24-20 win over the Tennessee Titans. Goedert is expected to miss a few weeks with the injury.

Goedert appeared to suffer his injury while run blocking in the second quarter. He did not return to the game.

Goedert’s absence leaves the Eagles in an interesting situation at the position, and Howie Roseman may need to make a roster move.

— Jeff Neiburg

// Timestamp 09/21/26 4:29pm

Give DeVonta Smith more targets | Marcus Hayes

A number of reasons factor into DeVonta Smith’s lower frequency of high targets since 2021. Among them was the presence of receiver A.J. Brown from 2022-25, the presence of high-volume running back Saquon Barkley from 2024-26, and the presence of Jalen Hurts, a reluctant and limited passer.

However, the Eagles must feed Smith the way the Bengals feed Ja’Marr Chase, the way the Vikings feed Justin Jefferson, and the way the Cowboys feed CeeDee Lamb.

There no longer is any reason not to.

— Marcus Hayes

// Timestamp 09/21/26 4:02pm

Eagles open as road favorites

The last time the Eagles and Bears met was in November 2025, when the Bears defeated the Eagles, 24-15, at Lincoln Financial Field on Black Friday.

The Bears would be the Birds’ toughest challenge as they prepare to compete on Monday Night Football. However, Caleb Williams suffered a hamstring injury and his status is uncertain.

As of now, the Eagles open as early road favorites on two of the biggest sportsbooks.

— Ariel Simpson

// Timestamp 09/21/26 3:10pm

Marcus Mariota expected to start for Commanders; Jayden Daniels seeks options

// Timestamp 09/21/26 3:20pm

Sirianni: No news on Saquon Barkley, Dallas Goedert injuries

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni didn’t offer any updates on running back Saquon Barkley or tight end Dallas Goedert, both of whom left Sunday’s game with injuries.

“It’s still early in the day,” Sirianni told reporters Monday. “I’ll get with those guys later today… They were off today, everything got started a little bit later, so we’ll see as the week progresses.”

Barkley suffered a stinger during the Eagles’ first drive and missed the first half. He returned in the second half but ended the game with just four carries for nine yards.

Goedert left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury while run blocking and did not return.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/21/26 3:00pm

Watch: Nick Sirianni speaks with reporters

// Timestamp 09/21/26 2:08pm

‘Love Hurts’

// Timestamp 09/21/26 2:02pm

Cam Jurgens’ debut at left guard showed plenty to build on

The Eagles decided early in the practice week last week, after placing Landon Dickerson on injured reserve, that getting their best five linemen on the field in their best five spots meant moving Cam Jurgens from center to left guard and inserting Drew Kendall at center.

“Drew is naturally a center,” Nick Sirianni said after Sunday’s victory. “He can do both, but we felt like that’s his best natural position.”

The arrangement meant that Jurgens would play left guard for the first time in his career. He was a high school tight end turned college center who spent his first year as a starter in the NFL at right guard before replacing Jason Kelce at center. The Eagles didn’t practice with him at left guard once in training camp. Left tackle Jordan Mailata recalled one brief walkthrough session during camp with Jurgens to his right.

“Everything is different,” Jurgens said. “Your hands are different. Your feet are different. You’re kicking different. It’s weird.

“I’m going to learn a lot from this game. I’m going to get a lot better.”

The offensive line had an up-and-down Sunday, just like it did a week ago in the opener. But Jurgens’ first 76 snaps at left guard didn’t look all that bad on film. I counted about six, maybe seven, bad reps from that 76-snap workload. That’s a pretty high success rate for a player at a new position. A few of those bad reps came against Jeffery Simmons, one of the top interior defensive linemen in the NFL.

Jalen Hurts was pressured on 17 dropbacks Sunday, and Jurgens was responsible for three of them, according to Pro Football Focus. Mailata also was charged with three, while Kendall and Tyler Steen surrendered two apiece. Lane Johnson was dinged with one pressure allowed.

The offensive line struggled to create enough creases for Eagles running backs, but Jurgens wasn’t a major part of those issues, film review showed.

Mailata after the game said he was looking forward to having continuity up front and growing as a unit. It’s unclear how long Dickerson will be out for, though he will remain ineligible to come off IR until at least Week 5. The new-look front could look this way until at least that point, which means Jurgens, a two-time Pro Bowl center, has a lot to learn and pick up.

“I’m so excited to watch film and get better from this,” he said.

— Jeff Neiburg

// Timestamp 09/21/26 1:13pm

Caleb Williams ‘week-to-week,’ appears likely to miss Eagles-Bears

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is “week-to-week” with a right hamstring injury and “will likely miss some time,” head coach Ben Johnson said Monday morning in an interview on ESPN 1000 Chicago.

“I’ve got to still talk with our trainer. We’ll do that here shortly and I’ll have the lowdown from him. But it sounds like it’s week-to-week but will likely miss some time,” Johnson said.

The Eagles travel to Chicago to face the Bears on Monday Night Football in Week 3.

Williams underwent an MRI Monday morning and appears to have avoided seriously injuring his knee or Achilles, which could have cost the young quarterback the season. He suffered a non-contact injury during the fourth quarter of the Bears’ 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings Sunday.

Stepping in for Williams would be Tyson Bagent, who started four games his rookie year in 2023 but has just six pass attempts in two seasons since.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/21/26 12:22pm

Marcus Epps getting hurdled six years apart

[Highlight] Marcus Epps getting hurdled 6 years apart
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// Timestamp 09/21/26 11:47am

‘I don’t like what I’m seeing’: Stephen A. Smith and Dan Orlovsky fight over Birds’ offense

ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky was lukewarm about the Eagles after their Week 1 win against the Washington Commanders, but he’s downright bullish about the Birds following their last-second win Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

“I think ball-placement wise, it’s the best I’ve seen Jalen throw the ball in two years. That last drive was sensational,” Orlovsky said on First Take Monday. “I’m very confident in the way that the offense, pass game-wise, is looking under Sean Mannion.”

That’s not to say Orlovsky didn’t see issues, pointing out the offensive line might be the worst the Birds have seen in a decade. But he’s confident the Eagles coaching staff, even without offensive line guru Jeff Stoutland, can plug the holes and overcome Landon Dickerson’s injury.

Former Inquirer columnist Stephen A. Smith was surprised by Orlovsky’s confidence, saying on First Take, “I don’t like what I’m seeing with the Eagles’ offense.”

Smith pointed out the Eagles led the league in three-and-outs last season and had two Sunday in the third quarter, which helped the Titans remain in the game. In Week 1, the Eagles had three three-and-outs in the third quarter and punted seven times.

“I’m not sitting here saying they’re going to miss the playoffs. I’m not sitting here saying they’re scrubs,” Smith said. “I’m saying the championship team we saw from a couple years ago, there has been a precipitous drop off” compared to other NFC teams.

The Eagles schedule will also toughen up over the next few weeks, with matchups against the Chicago Bears, the Los Angeles Rams, the Carolina Panthers (who had a surprising 56-point turnaround in Week 2’s win against the Atlanta Falcons), and the hated Dallas Cowboys.

“They can absolutely win every one of those games,” Orlovsky said.

Hall of Famer Michael Irvin agreed with Orlovsky, though he differed on one point.

“Except the Cowboys game, I’m with you on that,” Irvin said.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/21/26 10:50am

Nick Sirianni continues to be in good company

Nick Sirianni high-stepped his way toward the tunnel after his team’s game-winning touchdown drive Sunday and celebrated with the throngs of Eagles fans who turned Nissan Stadium into an atmosphere that could have passed at times for an Eagles home game.

It wasn’t pretty, again, but the Eagles won, again. And Sirianni seems to just keep on winning.

The sixth-year Eagles coach joined an exclusive club on Sunday when his record climbed to 61-26 to raise his career winning percentage to .701. Sirianni is now the fifth coach in NFL history — with a minimum of 50 games coached — to hold a career winning percentage of .700 or higher, joining Guy Chamberlin (.784, 1922-27), John Madden (.759, 1969-78), Vince Lombardi (.738, 1959-67 and ‘69), and George Allen (.712, 1966-77).

The other four coaches are in the Hall of Fame.

Here are some other notable numbers from Sunday’s victory:

• Sirianni isn’t the only one standing with Hall of Famers after Sunday. According to Elias Sports, Jalen Hurts and Hall of Famer Roger Staubach are the only quarterbacks to start their careers with six consecutive wins in road openers. Hurts is now the fifth quarterback to win six consecutive road openers, joining Hall of Famers Dan Fouts, Bart Starr, Fran Tarkenton, and Staubach.
• The Eagles held the Titans to fewer than 300 yards (291). According to the Eagles, it’s the first time since 1995 they’ve held their opponents under 300 total yards in each of the first two games.
• The offensive line had some issues again on Sunday, but they also allowed Hurts to have an average time to throw of 3.5 seconds, according to Next Gen Stats, the fourth-longest of his NFL career.
• Dontayvion Wicks was clutch. He was targeted on five of his 12 routes on third and fourth downs, according to Next Gen, catching all five targets for 74 yards and five first downs. Those late-down plays generated +11.8 expected points added (EPA), according to Next Gen, the fifth-most by any receiver over the last two seasons.
• Jake Elliott’s 58-yard kick tied the fourth-longest kick of his career and was his longest since also connecting on a 58-yarder last September in Kansas City.

— Jeff Neiburg

// Timestamp 09/21/26 10:19am

‘They stole this win’

It may sound like a back-handed compliment, but former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith praised the Eagles and Jalen Hurts for overcoming some bad turnovers and rallying to defeat the Tennessee Titans Sunday in a hot Nissan Stadium.

“You had no Saquon, no Dallas Goedert, Jalen Hurts [threw] two terrible interceptions,” Smith said Monday morning on ESPN’s Get Up. “And then they put this final drive together where they looked unbelievable… To get a W on the road when you shouldn’t have, this goes a long way from an energy standpoint.”

His ESPN colleague Domonique Foxworth wasn’t as convinced, citing the Eagles’ disappointing defense and work-in-progress offense.

“Four weeks from now we’ll look back at this game and say either it’s nice they were able to pull off this win in a game they didn’t deserve to win,” Foxworth said. “Or, we should’ve seen the alarm bells.”

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/21/26 8:48am

The Eagles need Jalen Hurts 2.0 now more than ever

Jalen Hurts tossed two costly interceptions. The first was returned 92 yards and was converted into a touchdown, while the second came late in the fourth quarter and allowed the Titans to take a 20-17 lead.

And yet, Hurts wasn’t asked a single question about the picks afterward. His performance in rallying the Eagles past Tennessee, 24-20, in nearly every other moment, including a masterful two-minute drive, far overshadowed his two throwing errors.

But there was something unique about Hurts carrying the offense at the scorching Nissan Stadium on Sunday. He’s strapped the Eagles on his back before. He’s had better games against better opponents when the stakes were much higher. He’s been clutch on many previous occasions.

No, this was a different Hurts. This was the 2.0 version. This was Hurts evolving as a quarterback in a new scheme that gives him more freedom as a passer. We saw glimpses of it in Week 1 vs. the Commanders. He took another step in Week 2.

If the narrative entering this season was that the 28-year-old faced a make-it-or-break-it tipping point, after another offensive coordinator change and a seemingly unresolved contract situation, Hurts has shown through two weeks that he’s making it.

— Jeff McLane

// Timestamp 09/21/26 7:07am

Eagles injury report: Updates on Dallas Goedert, Saquon Barkley

• Dallas Goedert, tight end: Goedert left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury while run blocking and did not return. The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Goedert was scheduled to have an MRI Monday to assess the severity of the injury.
• Saquon Barkley, running back: Barkley suffered a stinger during the Eagles’ first drive and missed the first half. He returned in the second half but ended the game with just four carries for nine yards. Barkley declined an interview request after the game, but he said he was “all right” and that the team would know more about his injury later in the week.
• Jalen Carter, defensive tackle: Carter scared some fans after he was helped off the field with an apparent leg injury late in the game following a Titans field goal. After the game, he told reporters it was just a cramp in his calf and he was fine.

— Jeff Neiburg, Olivia Reiner, Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/21/26 7:05am

Tom Brady’s potty mouth

During the Cowboys’ win against the Commanders, Jayden Daniels was forced to leave the game after injuring his elbow. The footage was so gruesome it caused Tom Brady to go blue.

Brady wasn’t done. Later in the game, he used colorful language to describe a pass Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw to CeeDee Lamb; it was a clip Fox Sports was happy to share.

“There was no margin of error on that throw,” Brady said.

It’s possible Brady and Kevin Burkhardt could call the Eagles’ Week 4 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Either way the Birds will hear the future Hall of Famer on Thanksgiving day calling Eagles-Cowboys.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/21/26 7:03am

Eagles face the Bears in Week 3; Caleb Williams status uncertain

The Eagles will take their 2-0 record north next week to face the Chicago Bears (1-1) under the lights on Monday Night Football.

The Bears could be without quarterback Caleb Williams, who was injured during a fourth-quarter run and was knocked out of the game during a 9-3 loss Sunday to the Minnesota Vikings.

While it was initially feared Williams might have hurt his knee or Achilles, the Bears announced late Sunday he hurt his right hamstring. Not ideal, but likely not a season-ending injury coaches and fans initially feared.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee,” Bears coach Ben Johnson told reporters after the game. “That was my first inclination, but yeah, that hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So we’ll see how bad it is, and we’ll go from there.”

Williams is scheduled to have an MRI Monday. If he can’t go, the Bears will turn to Tyson Bagent, who started four games his rookie year in 2023 but has just six pass attempts in two seasons since.

The Bears beat the Eagles 24-15 on Black Friday last season, but the Birds won their previous six games against Chicago. That include the 2018 playoff win where Bears kicker Cody Parkey’s field goal bounced off the upright as time expired.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/21/26 7:00am

Jalen Hurts: ‘I had to finish it’

During his postgame interview with Fox sideline reporter Kristina Pink, Jalen Hurts had some choice words for Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who seemed to take a shot at Hurts earlier this week.

On Wednesday, when asked a question about the Eagles quarterback, Simmons told ESPN, “We just need to make Jalen Hurts be a QB. Stop his runs, make sure Hurts doesn’t get out of the pocket and make plays.”

The internet ran rampant with the quote, but the Eagles locker room did not seem to pay it much attention. After Sunday’s game, Simmons embraced Hurts during his interview with Pink.

“You started that s—; I had to finish it,” Hurts said to Simmons with a smile.

After the game, Hurts was asked if he was aware of Simmons’ comments leading up to the game.

“I heard it,” Hurts told reporters, adding only, “Happy we won.”

— Conor Smith

// Timestamp 09/21/26 6:59am

Eagles grades: Offensive line was shaky

To some surprise, the Eagles made changes at two spots when they only needed to replace Landon Dickerson. They moved Cam Jurgens to left guard and started Drew Kendall at center. It was often ugly. But it was another shaky outing from new O-line coach Chris Kuper’s entire group. The run blocking just wasn’t sound. The pass protection was only a little better.

There was the matter of containing Jeffery Simmons. The All pro defensive tackle owned Kendall on the Eagles’ opening drive and forced Hurts to burn a throw into the ground. Kendall appeared to miss a block. The second-year O-lineman had a tough assignment, but it was a grind.

Jurgens struggled vs. Simmons and others. He got spun around by the defensive tackle on a run play in which Bigsby was stretched out for no gain. Jurgens also got knocked off balance by Titans D-tackle John Franklin-Myers in the second quarter. He was a turnstile on edge Jacob Martin’s third-down sack of Hurts in the third quarter.

Right guard Tyler Steen didn’t hold up either. He got beat by D-tackle Nazir Stackhouse and later by Simmons on late second quarter runs that resulted in losses. He committed a holding penalty to open the second half. Steen got beat again on a third-down rush in the third quarter in which Hurts had to escape.

Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata were decent in pass protection, but they had breakdowns, too. Johnson struggled with his block on the play in which Barkley got hurt. He also lined up illegally early in the second half. Mailata got surprised by an outside twist by Simmons, and landed on his rear on Hurts’ touchdown throw to Smith.

— Jeff McLane

// Timestamp 09/21/26 6:55am

Photos from Eagles’ win against the Titans

Eagles 2026 TV schedule

• Week 1: Eagles 24, Commanders 22
• Week 2: Eagles 24, Titans 20
• Week 3: Eagles at Bears — Monday, Sept. 28, 8:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN)
• Week 4: Rams at Eagles — Sunday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 5: Eagles at Jaguars (London) — Sunday, Oct. 11, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network)
• Week 6: Panthers at Eagles — Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. (CBS)
• Week 7: Cowboys at Eagles — Monday, Oct. 26, 8:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN)
• Week 8: Eagles at Commanders — Sunday, Nov. 1, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
• Week 9: Giants at Eagles — Sunday, Nov. 8, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 10: Bye week
• Week 11: Steelers at Eagles — Sunday, Nov. 22, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
• Week 12: Eagles at Cowboys — Thursday, Nov. 26, 4:30 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 13: Eagles at Cardinals — Sunday, Dec. 6, 4:05 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 14: Colts at Eagles — Sunday, Dec. 13, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 15: Seahawks at Eagles — Saturday, Dec. 19, 5 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 16: Texans at Eagles — Thursday, Dec. 24, 8:15 p.m. (Prime Video)
• Week 17: Eagles at 49ers — Sunday, Jan. 3, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
• Week 18: Eagles at Giants — TBD (TBD)

// Timestamp 09/21/26 6:50am

• What you should know
• The Eagles hung on to defeat the Commanders, 24-22, in Sunday’s season opener, with Jalen Hurts using his arms, legs, and mind to win.
• Eagles grades: Jalen Hurts delivers, while Zack Baun stars on defense.
• What our columnists thought of the win: Marcus Hayes | Mike Sielski | David Murphy
• The Eagles face the Tennessee Titans (0-1) on the road in Week 2 Sunday, Sept. 20, at 1 p.m. on Fox, with Hall of Famer Drew Brees in the booth.
• Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai is the Eagles newest fan, sporting a Birds jersey at the Linc Sunday.

// Timestamp 09/14/26 4:59pm

Sirianni defends Makai Lemon for doing the ‘little things’

Things went from bad to worse for rookie wide receiver Makai Lemon on Sunday.

Let’s recap his summer: He was injured for most of training camp and he recorded just 3 yards on three catches (plus a drop that led to an interception) in his lone preseason appearance.

His Week 1 stat line was even uglier: He caught 3-of-4 targets for minus-5 yards.

“There’s a lot of things that Makai did in that game that don’t reflect on the stat sheet,” Sirianni said. “We constantly talk about that: What are you doing to help this team win the game, particularly if you’re a skill guy?

“That might not be able to be seen from the stat book or to the naked eye. What he’s always done a good job since he’s been here [is] blocking, doing the right things, being in the right spots. Obviously the ones that went to him yesterday didn’t equal out to a big yardage game, right? But he did little things to help us win the football game that sometimes are unseen.”

Sirianni went on to say that he still “trusts” Lemon, whom the Eagles took with the No. 20 pick in the first round of April’s draft. They traded up with the rival Cowboys in order to pick him and they’re confident his production will translate to the NFL.

It certainly didn’t in his debut.

— Ryan Novozinsky

// Timestamp 09/14/26 4:20pm

Searching for Hollywood

The Eagles appear to have found their No. 2 wide receiver in Dontayvion Wicks, who proved to be a threat both deep down the field and in the red zone during the team’s 24-22 Week 1 win over the Commanders.

But outside of the Eagles’ top three pass catchers — DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and Wicks — the rest of the team combined for five catches for a whopping zero yards, including -5 yards on three catches from rookie first-round pick Makai Lemon, who was the only other wideout to catch a pass on Sunday.

That led to some questions for Nick Sirianni at his day-after press conference about the team’s receivers, like offseason acquisition Hollywood Brown, who didn’t see the field against Washington.

“We have our rotations that we’re doing. Hollywood could obviously help us. We obviously want to get him into the football game because his speed is real. It just didn’t work out that way yesterday,” Sirianni told reporters on Monday. “There are games like that. There are games where you get shut out on catches. Unfortunately, there are games they get shut out on reps. But we know that Hollywood can help us win football games, and his speed is real, and, quite frankly, just from my end, we want to get him into the football game.

“We’ll make a better effort to do that next time, because I know the playmaking ability that he can bring with his speed. But I was pleased with how the wideouts played as a whole.”

Wicks showed off playmaking ability, hauling in a career-long 64-yard reception. Goedert and Smith also added plays of more than 30 yards, including Goedert’s 43-yard touchdown catch. But Brown, who didn’t have a standout camp after signing a $6.5 million deal this offseason, will have to wait at least another week before his first snap as an Eagle.

— Matt Mullin

// Timestamp 09/14/26 3:32pm

Nick Sirianni defends ‘big man’ Landon Dickerson

Landon Dickerson struggled during Sunday’s win, with the Inquirer’s Jeff McLane noting the oft-injured left guard “looked like a turnstile at times” and “appeared slower than even a year ago.”

So does Nick Sirianni think Dickerson is physically capable of performing at a high level?

“I think what you see with with Landon is his extreme power,” Sirianni told reporters Monday afternoon. “He’s a big man who is able to move guys off the spot.”

Sirianni noted the blocking issues that plagued the offensive line Sunday, but said they were on everyone and highlighted a few of Dickerson’s strong plays, including helping move defenders on Saquon Barkley’s 42-yard run in the second quarter.

“We’ve won a ton of games with Landon, and there’s a lot of good things he can do,” Sirianni said. “Just like every other player on our team… there are good moments, and there are moments we’ve got to fix.”

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/14/26 2:39pm

Watch: Nick Sirianni speaks with reporters

// Timestamp 09/14/26 1:58pm

Carson Wentz puts up best performance in years

Carson Wentz embraced his Ginger Jesus nickname when he was drafted in 2016 to save the Eagles franchise.

Now a journeyman backup, Wentz relieved concussed Kyler Murray in the first quarter Sunday and led the Vikings to 29 straight points in a comeback win over the rival Packers. We might be witnessing a resurrection.

Wentz threw three touchdown passes with no interceptions or fumbles, completed 12 of 19 passes for 133 yards, including a gorgeous, 39-yard TD dime to Justin Jefferson.

Wentz finished with a 123.5 passer rating, the eighth-best rating in his 104 regular-season games.

Wentz played the first 68 of those games for the Eagles, who drafted him No. 2 overall in 2016 and immediately named him the starter. Wentz’s turbulent tenure ended after 2020, when his displeasure with the drafting of Jalen Hurts in the second round and his anger at being replaced by Hurts late in the season led him to force a trade to Indianapolis. He then played for five teams in the next five years. This is his second season with the Vikings, though he had to win the No. 2 job in a preseason battle with Vikings first-round bust J.J. McCarthy.

Was this Wentz’s best performance since he led the Colts to a win over the Jets on Nov. 4, 2021?

Can I get an “Amen”?

— Marcus Hayes

// Timestamp 09/14/26 12:21pm

‘He played elite’: Nick Foles, LeSean McCoy praise Jalen Hurts’ performance

The Eagles managed to escape Week 1 with a 24-22 win over the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field. Following the game, most of the dialogue has been centered around Jalen Hurts’ performance.

The veteran quarterback got it done through the air and on the ground, completing 14 of 25 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns. On his legs, he scrambled for 48 yards. His performance earned himself high praise from former Eagles quarterback and Super Bowl champion Nick Foles.

“How [Hurts] played today, he played elite,” Foles said on The SZN with Nick & Evan. “You’re going to miss throws. You’re going to not be perfect. But I saw him deliver the ball downfield with authority… All his touchdowns were on time and rhythm. He had great throws across the middle.”

“[If he] isn’t out there, you’re not winning that game. He willed them the win,” Foles added. “Defense played great, made some great plays… But Jalen Hurts is a great quarterback and he’s approaching that elite category.”

Nick Foles grades Jalen Hurts' Week 1 performance against the Commanders 🧐

New episode of the SZN podcast out now https://t.co/xTtqnfI6L0@NickFoles @evanmoore89 pic.twitter.com/7ZQcasAzqE

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) September 14, 2026

Foles wasn’t the only former Eagles player praising the quarterback for his performance.

“Are we impressed?” said former Eagles running back LeSean McCoy on The Speakeasy podcast. “All you heard all year was ‘Jalen Hurts, he’s fighting for a new deal, what he going to do without A.J. [Brown]?’ Well, my friend. He looked good to me.”

“When we couldn’t move the ball, he found ways to get it done with his arm and his legs,” McCoy added. “That’s a true testament to a real champion, a real winner, and a real QB1.”

.@CutonDime25: "What's Jalen Hurts gonna do without AJ? WELL!!!! He looked good to me!"

Shady McCoy HYPE about his quarterback's performance in the Eagles' 24-22 win over the Commanders

LIVE NOW ⬇️ https://t.co/Tzyc1v5Gtk pic.twitter.com/p6cS832M4P

— Speakeasy (@speakeasytlkshw) September 14, 2026

— Ariel Simpson

// Timestamp 09/14/26 12:16pm

Cooper DeJean’s first game in new role ‘wasn’t good enough’

Cooper DeJean was targeted eight times and allowed six receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown, according to Next Gen Stats.

It was one of the worst games of his young NFL career.

“It wasn’t good enough, obviously,” DeJean said after the Eagles escaped their season opener with a 24-22 win over Washington. “I just got to be better. It’s that simple.”

DeJean has a new role with the Eagles this season. He’s moving back to safety in the rarely used base defense and playing nickel in the rest of the defensive packages. The Eagles were in base on just 13 of their 70 defensive snaps (18.6%).

All eight of DeJean’s targets came when he was lined up at nickel.

“I feel like I’ve played nickel long enough that I can understand the difference between that,” he said. “I just got to clean it up, my footwork, things like that, top of routes, and trusting the preparation to what we’ve seen on tape and being able to apply it out there.”

— Jeff Neiburg

// Timestamp 09/14/26 11:28am

ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky wasn’t that impressed with Eagles win

For a guy married to a diehard Eagles fan and as someone who offered a public apology to Jalen Hurts, Dan Orlovsky was very lukewarm about the Birds’ win Sunday.

“They were fine,” Orlovsky said on ESPN’s Get Up Monday. “A lot of splash, not much substance, not much that is sustainable.”

While most media pundits praised Hurts’ performance, Orlovsky thought the passing attack was a bit “too horizontal” and suffered from the same inconsistency that plagued the Birds’ offense last season.

“It was solid,” Orlovsky added.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/14/26 10:54am

A.J. Brown’s nightmare

In his first game without A.J. Brown since becoming the undisputed starter, Hurts threw for 1.5 more yards than he averaged last season, threw for twice as many touchdowns as he averaged last season, and had a passer rating about 24 points higher than he had last season. Maybe he won’t miss A.J. as much as we thought.

Brown spent the last two seasons complaining about Hurts’ performance. His antics forced a trade to the Patriots on June 1.

Be careful what you wish for.

In his New England debut Wednesday, Brown caught just three passes for 26 yards. His new quarterback, Drake Maye, threw three interceptions. The Pats lost, 13-10, in Seattle. Maye also underthrew Brown on a sure touchdown route.

Yikes: Drake Maye completely underthrows a wide-open AJ Brown, which would've been an easy touchdown.

AJ bails Maye out by drawing the pass interference.

😬😬😬pic.twitter.com/NzfUafEhuO

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 10, 2026

Brown then suffered a high ankle sprain in the third quarter, left the game, and did not return. The Patriots placed him on injured reserve Friday, which will sideline him for at least four weeks, but reports Sunday said Brown, 29, will miss at least six weeks.

Nightmare.

— Marcus Hayes

// Timestamp 09/14/26 10:26am

Rookie Makai Lemon played a lot of snaps but had little impact

The Eagles had 55 snaps on offense and 70 on defense.

Here are a few takeaways:

• How much would Makai Lemon be on the field? That answer was partially revealed 90 minutes before kickoff when the Eagles made Elijah Moore, another slot receiver, a healthy scratch. The rookie who missed a lot of camp time with a hamstring injury played 35 of the 55 snaps (64%). His debut wasn’t one to remember. Lemon, playing almost exclusively in the slot, caught three passes on four targets for minus-5 yards.
• The Eagles used multiple tight ends on many of their offensive plays. Johnny Mundt played 20 snaps (36%), and the Eagles even went to 13 personnel on one play with EJ Jenkins on the field for his lone snap. That play was the play action deep ball to Dontayvion Wicks. Dallas Goedert, meanwhile, played 52 of the 55 snaps (95%).
• Tank Bigsby may be the No. 2 running back, but he had fewer offensive snaps (6) than Will Shipley (10).
• The interior trio of Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Moro Ojomo played a ton. Vic Fangio said there may be more of a rotation along the line given it was the first game and a ramp-up period may be needed. But Carter (94%) was a workhorse while Ojomo (69%) and Davis (49%) also played big roles. The fourth man on the totem pole, Byron Young, played just six snaps (9%) while Ty Robinson did not play on defense at all (he had eight special teams snaps).
• Without Jonathan Greenard, the edge rushing snap counts looked like this: Jalyx Hunt 53 (76%); Nolan Smith 47 (67%); Arnold Ebiketie 28 (40%); A.J. Epenesa 12 (17%).
• Five defenders played all 70 snaps: Cooper DeJean; Riq Woolen; Quinyon Mitchell; Zack Baun; and Andrew Mukuba.

— Jeff Neiburg

// Timestamp 09/14/26 9:59am

Malala Yousafzai, Eagles fan

“Go Birds!”

That was Malala Yousafzai’s response on social media after watching the Eagles defeat the Washington Commanders Sunday.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner was at the Linc watching the game a little less than a year after expressing her interest in the Birds and “American football” during an interview with The Inquirer.

Yousafzai shared images from the game on Instagram, which included sporting an Eagles hat and a personalized Birds jersey.

Yousafzai and her husband, Asser Malik, were invited to attend the game by Eagles leadership, according to a team spokesperson. Malik was once an executive with the Multan Sultans, a professional cricket team in Pakistan, and it doesn’t hurt that the team’s primary color is also green.

Her interest in the Eagles began to grow after appearing on Kylie Kelce’s podcast. In April, Yousafzai was in town to receive WHYY’s Lifelong Learning Award and speak with Terry Gross, where she also gave a Birds shoutout.

She also shared an image of herself wearing an Eagles T-shirt on Instagram in December.

Yousafzai is the youngest Nobel Prize laureate in history. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 at age 17 after being shot in the head by Taliban militants trying to silence her advocacy for girls’ education.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/14/26 9:35am

Eagles stats: Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts join some elite company

There were some telling numbers and a few interesting stats to emerge from the Eagles’ 24-22 season-opening win over the Washington Commanders.

Some good, some bad.

Let’s start with the good …

• The Eagles improved to 6-0 in season openers under Nick Sirianni and are the only team to be perfect in Week 1 games since 2021.
• It’s the first time in Eagles history they have won six consecutive openers.
• Sirianni, according to Elias Sports, became the fifth coach in NFL history to win the first six season-opening games of his career. The other four are Potsy Clark (7, 1931-37); George Allen (11, 1966-76); Mike Shanahan (6, 1988-89 and ‘95-98); and Jim Harbaugh (6, 2011-14 and ‘24-25).
• That timeline, of course, also lines up with Jalen Hurts, who, according to Elias, became the third quarterback since 1950 to win their first six starts in season openers, joining Roger Staubach (9) and Johnny Unitas (6).
• With two touchdowns Sunday, Dallas Goedert now has four games with multiple receiving TDs since the start of the 2025 season, tying Davante Adams and Amon-Ra St. Brown for the most in the NFL during that span, according to post-game notes distributed by the Eagles.
• Zack Baun was as good as he looked to the naked eye. According to Next Gen Stats, Baun was targeted six times and allowed just three catches for minus-2 yards. Since 2025, Baun is one of only two players — the other being Denzel Ward — to be targeted five or more times and allow a negative yard total in a game.
• The Eagles held Washington to 295 total yards. According to Next Gen, it was the 19th game the Eagles held their opponent under 300 yards since they hired Vic Fangio in 2024. Only the Seahawks (21) have done it more.
• According to Next Gen, the Eagles pressured Jayden Daniels on 19 of his 38 dropbacks. He went just 3-of-15 for 26 yards on those plays, but converted a touchdown.

Now to some of the bad …

• The Eagles’ offensive line struggled, but no one had a worse day than Landon Dickerson, who Pro Football Focus credited for four pressures allowed on 35 pass blocking snaps.
• All five starting linemen allowed at least one pressure. Lane Johnson (2) was the only one besides Dickerson to surrender more than one.
• Cooper DeJean’s first game as a roving defensive back playing both nickel and safety did not go well. DeJean was targeted eight times, according to Next Gen, and allowed six catches for 75 yards and a touchdown. The six catches allowed were one shy of a career-high (Week 11 in 2024 vs. Washington).
• Makai Lemon’s NFL debut was quiet. The first-round pick caught three passes on four targets for minus-5 yards.
• Saquon Barkley rushed for 83 yards, but if you remove his one 42-yard burst, the rest of his 14 carries went for just 41 yards (2.9 per carry).

— Jeff Neiburg

// Timestamp 09/14/26 8:32am

Have the Eagles found their replacement for A.J. Brown?

The Eagles offense was looking for a spark.

After logging just two total yards in the first two series of the Sean Mannion era, they needed someone — anyone — to step up in a crucial Week 1 divisional game vs. the Commanders.

Thankfully for them, their most underrated offseason acquisition answered the call. Twice.

With 1 minute, 57 seconds to go in the first quarter, wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks hauled in a 64-yard pass from Jalen Hurts in what would become the Eagles’ first touchdown drive of the season (Wicks was tackled at the 6-yard line, but tight end Dallas Goedert scored three plays later). Wicks came down with the ball — which traveled 40-plus yards through the air — after he darted past Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil in coverage. It was the longest catch of his career.

One quarter later, Wicks worked his magic again.

Again with Sainristil in coverage, Wicks motioned left before shimmying past the Commanders cornerback to break free and secure a 9-yard touchdown that put the Birds up 14-3. His final stat line in the 24-22 victory? Two catches on four targets for 73 yards and one touchdown. He only eclipsed 70 yards one time last season with the Packers.

Wicks, 25, was the clear WR2 in the game. He finished with 50 snaps according to Pro Football Focus, trailing only DeVonta Smith (52). This is a welcome change for a player that was buried deep in the Packers’ receiver room last season (he never played more than 54% of the offensive snaps in a single season).

“In Green Bay, we had so many guys. Over here, I’m able to get those looks,” Wicks said. “Over there, I ain’t really had [opportunities].”

— Ryan Novozinsky

// Timestamp 09/14/26 7:32am

The Birds’ secret weapon

The Eagles’ under-the-radar weapon was Braden Mann, the 28-year-old punter who signed a four-year contract extension this offseason.

He averaged 51.6 yards per punt, with his longest coming on a 64-yarder. Mann helped pin the Commanders inside their own 10-yard line twice — once at their 6 in the first quarter, and later at their 2 in the second.

Elsewhere on special teams, Jalen Carter picked up where he left off last year on the field goal block unit. After Croskey-Merritt’s touchdown run in the second quarter, Carter blocked the extra point attempt. He now has four blocked kicks (two field goals, two extra points) in his career.

The Commanders’ kicking woes continued halfway through the third quarter, when Stevens missed a 54-yard field goal attempt.

— Olivia Reiner

// Timestamp 09/14/26 7:30am

So much for that new-and-improved Cowboys defense

Several months before coaching his first game for the New York Giants, John Harbaugh told fans he wanted to build a team that could beat the Dallas Cowboys.

It took one game to accomplish that feat.

Jaxson Dart connected with Isaiah Likely for two touchdowns and Devin Singletary on another, Cam Skattebo ran for one in his first game back from injury and the Giants opened the season by rolling over Dallas 28-20 on Sunday night in Harbaugh’s New York debut. It’s just one victory, but it was a promising start of a new era.

Dart made one smart throw after another, mixing in a series of well-timed runs to keep the defense off balance. He finished 23 of 29 for 230 yards passing, plus 54 rushing, including a couple of slides and a dive to avoid the unnecessary hits that punctuated his rookie year.

Back on the field more than 10 months since breaking his right fibula and dislocating his right ankle in gruesome fashion, Skattebo rumbled for 81 yards on 18 carries. After getting in hot water for doing a backflip earlier this summer, Skattebo brought back his signature celebration after running into the end zone untouched for the Giants’ first points of the season.

Dak Prescott threw a costly interception just before halftime but otherwise played well for Dallas, completing 22 of 34 passes for 175 yards and TD tosses to CeeDee Lamb and Javonte Williams, who also ran for a touchdown. Dallas benefitted from a series of defensive pass interference calls that extended drives.

The Cowboys hurt themselves with penalties — eight of them for 85 yards, not counting an early intentional delay of game. That included a taunting call on Williams after he scored that contributed to Brandon Aubrey missing the ensuing extra point from farther out and a face-masking flag on Donovan Ezeiruaku just before the two-minute warning.

Their defense also did not look as improved on defense as they had hoped, at least in Week 1. After allowing the most points in the NFL last season at 30.1 a game, this was not far off, despite a new coordinator and some additional talent.

“Overall as a football team, we were pretty poor,” Schottenheimer said. “That’s certainly not our standard. We certainly didn’t come out of the gate fast enough on either side of the ball. This is a humbling business, and we got humbled.”

— Associated Press

// Timestamp 09/14/26 7:28am

Wild stat from Cowboys loss to the Giants

One wild stat from the Cowboys loss to the New York Giants Sunday night — Dallas had just two drives in the entire second half.

It’s as rare as you think. According to the NFL Researcher account, it’s happened only twice in the past 20 years. The last time it happened was during an Eagles win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024.

The Cowboys had just seven possessions all night, including one with just 20 seconds remaining in the first half.

Dak Prescott threw a late touchdown pass to Javonte Williams with more than five minutes left to narrow the Giants lead to 8 points, but New York managed to run out the clock and prevent a potential Cowboys comeback.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/14/26 7:25am

Eagles grades: Landon Dickerson looked like a turnstile

The pressure Jalen Hurts faced wasn’t all on the quarterback, just as it wasn’t all on the O-line. But there were multiple breakdowns up front, especially vs. left guard Landon Dickerson. He looked like a turnstile at times. Was Dickerson solely at fault? Of course not. But the oft-injured guard who’s as tough as they come appeared slower than even a year ago when he returned too early after knee surgery.

It was downright ugly in the third quarter when Dickerson got toasted on back-to-back rushes, one of which led to a holding penalty. Earlier, the Commanders’ Javon Kinlaw beat the guard for a run tackle for loss in the first quarter. Dickerson was late to help on a third-down stunt in which Hurts was hurried in the second quarter.

Center Cam Jurgens struggled, as well, particularly in the first quarter. He had a holding penalty when Barkley was nearly dropped in the backfield and then another when it was all on him after he grabbed defensive tackle Shy Tuttle. Right guard Tyler Steen had a tough time getting to the perimeter on a pull block, but he seemed to hold up much more than the other two interior O-linemen.

Tackles Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata were far less at fault in the run blocking. But the O-line unit failed to work as a cohesive unit and everyone was affected. Mailata did turn linebacker Frankie Luvu around on a Barkley 5-yard tote in the first quarter. Johnson and Mailata were much better in pass protection, particularly in one-on-one situations.

— Jeff McLane

// Timestamp 09/14/26 7:20am

Eagles face the Titans in Week 2, who got manhandled by the Jets

The Eagles (1-0) will head south to face the Tennessee Titans (0-1) in Week 2 Sunday (1 p.m., Fox).

Calling the game will be Adam Amin and Hall of Famer Drew Brees, in his second season with Fox after replacing former Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez following his alleged drunken assault.

Fans in Nashville sounded like Birds fans Sunday, raining down loud boos on quarterback Cam Ward and a Titans offense that only gained 195 total yards (and 65 of those were during a garbage-time touchdown drive).

The uninspiring performance was surprising, especially considering new head coach Robert Saleh spent four years as the Jets’ head coach before being fired in 2024.

The last time the Eagles faced the Titans was 2022, a one-sided Birds win in which Jalen Hurts threw three touchdowns and completed nearly 75% of his passes. The Eagles are 8-5 against the Titans dating back to 1972, when they were still the Houston Oilers.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/14/26 7:10am

Eagles injury report

Fortunately, the Eagles came of our their narrow Week 1 victory against the Washington Commanders unscathed. Just a few players appeared to get banged up a bit during the season opener:

• Marcus Epps, safety: Epps left the game in the first quarter after banging up his shoulder. Despite being listed a questionable, Epps returned to the field in the second quarter and finished the game.
• Cooper DeJean, cornerback: While DeJean never left the game, the Inquirer’s Jeff McLane noted he “came up slow and was wincing” after allowing a catch in the first half and had a “rough outing” Sunday night.
• A.J. Epensea, linebacker: Epenesa was spotted in the medical tent during the first half, where he had his left arm wrapped, according to The Athletic.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 09/14/26 7:05am

Photos from Eagles’ season-opening win against the Commanders

Eagles 2026 TV schedule

• Week 1: Eagles 24, Commanders 22
• Week 2: Eagles at Titans — Sunday, Sept. 20, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 3: Eagles at Bears — Monday, Sept. 28, 8:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN)
• Week 4: Rams at Eagles — Sunday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 5: Eagles at Jaguars (London) — Sunday, Oct. 11, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network)
• Week 6: Panthers at Eagles — Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. (CBS)
• Week 7: Cowboys at Eagles — Monday, Oct. 26, 8:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN)
• Week 8: Eagles at Commanders — Sunday, Nov. 1, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
• Week 9: Giants at Eagles — Sunday, Nov. 8, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 10: Bye week
• Week 11: Steelers at Eagles — Sunday, Nov. 22, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
• Week 12: Eagles at Cowboys — Thursday, Nov. 26, 4:30 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 13: Eagles at Cardinals — Sunday, Dec. 6, 4:05 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 14: Colts at Eagles — Sunday, Dec. 13, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 15: Seahawks at Eagles — Saturday, Dec. 19, 5 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 16: Texans at Eagles — Thursday, Dec. 24, 8:15 p.m. (Prime Video)
• Week 17: Eagles at 49ers — Sunday, Jan. 3, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
• Week 18: Eagles at Giants — TBD (TBD)

// Timestamp 09/14/26 7:00am

• What you should know
• The Eagles initial 53-man roster features four quarterbacks… at least for now.
• Here are all the players the Eagles released and waived. Among those waived were “foreign exchange students” Uar Bernard and Joshua Weru.
• Tight end Grant Calcaterra and cornerback Jakorian Bennett won’t play until at least Week 5 after being designated to return from the reserve/injured list.

// Timestamp 08/30/26 6:32pm

Eagles keep four QBs on their roster… for now

The Eagles, for now, have punted on their backup quarterback decision.

Howie Roseman didn’t move either Andy Dalton or Tanner McKee before the 6 p.m. roster deadline Sunday night, and the Eagles went the unconventional route of keeping four quarterbacks on the initial 53-man roster.

They aren’t the only team. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, and Atlanta Falcons also kept four quarterbacks on their rosters.

Neither Dalton nor McKee grabbed the backup job by the horns during training camp. McKee struggled in Friday’s preseason finale while Dalton looked better than his two previous performances.

Still, Roseman was unable to find a trade partner – assuming he tried – before the roster deadline Sunday night.

The Eagles don’t open the season for two more weeks, so Roseman has time to sort out the roster situation at quarterback. Roseman and Nick Sirianni will meet with reporters Monday (at a time to be determined).

Keeping four quarterbacks also means the Eagles were unwilling to waive rookie fifth-round pick Cole Payton, who led only four drives during preseason games as the Eagles mostly gave reps to the quarterbacks competing to back up Jalen Hurts. Payton would have had to clear waivers. He was turnover-prone throughout camp, but the Eagles decided to commit to developing him, at least for now.

They waived sixth-round pick Kyle McCord last year after a shaky training camp. McCord was on the practice squad last season before signing with Green Bay. The Mount Laurel native had a solid preseason with the Packers and was traded Sunday to Miami for a 2028 sixth-round pick.

— Jeff Neiburg

// Pinned

// Timestamp 08/30/26 6:10pm

Eagles 53-man roster

The Eagles’ initial 53-man roster:

Quarterback

Jalen Hurts, Tanner McKee, Andy Dalton, Cole Payton

Running back

Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, Will Shipley

Wide receiver

DeVonta Smith, Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, Elijah Moore, Darius Cooper, Hollywood Brown

Tight end

Dallas Goedert, Johnny Mundt, E.J. Jenkins, Eli Stowers

Offensive line

Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, Cam Jurgens, Landon Dickerson, Tyler Steen, Willie Lampkin, Drew Kendall, Markel Bell, Fred Johnson, Micah Morris

Interior defensive line

Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, Byron Young, Ty Robinson

Defensive end/outside linebacker

Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, Arnold Ebiketie, Jonathan Greenard, A.J. Epenesa

Inside linebacker

Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Smael Mondon Jr.

Cornerback

Quinyon Mitchell, Riq Woolen, Cooper DeJean, Kelee Ringo, Mac McWilliams, Jonathan Jones

Safety

Andrew Mukuba, Marcus Epps, Michael Carter II

Specialist

Jake Elliott (kicker), Braden Mann (punter), Rocco Underwood (long snapper)

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 08/30/26 6:25pm

All the Eagles roster moves and cuts

The Eagles announced the release of the following players:

• LB Chance Campbell
• WR Britain Covey
• WR Danny Gray
• OLB Tarron Jackson
• G Michael Jordan
• RB Dameon Pierce
• TE Stone Smartt
• CB Ambry Thomas
• CB Shaun Wade
• WR Quez Watkins

The team also announced they waived the following players:

• DT Uar Bernard
• DT David Blay
• CB Isaiah Bolden
• C Zeke Correll
• WR Erik Ezukanma
• LB Brandon George
• DB Kapena Gushiken
• DT Gabe Hall
• T/G Myles Hinton
• OLB Keyshawn James-Newby
• TE Cameron Latu
• LB Deontae Lawson
• DB Jaylen Mahoney
• C/G Jake Majors
• RB Jordan Mims
• T John Ojukwu
• S Maximus Pulley
• OLB Jose Ramirez
• S Andre’ Sam (injured)
• RB Carson Steele
• WR Samari Toure
• WR Tahj Washington
• OLB Joshua Weru
• T Cameron Williams
• DT Zion Wilson
• S Cole Wisniewski

Two players were designated to return from the reserve/injured list, meaning they’ll miss at least the first four games:

• CB Jakorian Bennett
• TE Grant Calcaterra

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 08/30/26 6:21pm

Eagles waive both ‘foreign exchange students.’ They can only protect one.

Vic Fangio wasn’t wrong when he warned time after time that Uar Bernard and Joshua Weru – the two first-time football players that joined the Eagles this offseason – have “a long way to go.”

The Eagles used a seventh-round pick on Bernard, a defensive tackle from Nigeria with off-the-charts athleticism. They signed Weru, a Kenyan rugby convert, as an undrafted free agent. Neither had played a padded football game before the Eagles and Ravens met in the first preseason game earlier this month, and getting on the field in a real NFL game is a whole different beast.

But the Eagles’ decision to waive both players ahead of the 6 p.m. roster deadline Sunday means they’ll only be able to protect one of them, and they may not even get to develop either of them if another NFL team decides to claim them off waivers and put them on their 53-man roster.

That result is unlikely. Again, as Fangio says, his “exchange students” are a long way away from being ready to play in NFL games. But assuming both of them clear waivers, the Eagles will only be able to designate one of them as an IPP player, and the other would be free to sign to another team’s active roster at any point during the season.

That’s obviously a risk Howie Roseman was willing to take.

While Bernard was the more talked about prospect after the Eagles used a draft pick on him, it was Weru, an edge rusher, who flashed more during camp and in the preseason contests. If one of the two was going to get cut, Bernard seemed like the more likely candidate given the possibility the Eagles could use Weru on special teams.

Instead, the Eagles kept five edge rushers on the roster: Jonathan Greenard; Jalyx Hunt; Nolan Smith; Arnold Ebiketie; and A.J. Epenesa.

In leaving Bernard off the roster, the Eagles also kept just five interior linemen: Jalen Carter; Jordan Davis; Moro Ojomo; Byron Young; and Ty Robinson.

— Jeff Neiburg

// Timestamp 08/30/26 5:56pm

Giants reportedly releasing former No. 7 overall pick

// Timestamp 08/30/26 4:49pm

Odell Beckham Jr. reportedly lands on Giants’ 53-man roster

// Timestamp 08/30/26 4:01pm

Aaron Donald returning to the Rams

Aaron Donald is unretiring to return to the Los Angeles Rams, where he’ll play alongside reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.

Donald, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, signed a one-year deal that could end up being worth $30 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The Eagles host the Rams at the Link in Week 4, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk thinks its possible Donald might delay his return to the field until Week 5:

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 08/30/26 4:09pm

Micah Parsons won’t play first four games for Packers

// Timestamp 08/30/26 3:42pm

Cowboys waive ex-Eagles draft pick

// Timestamp 08/30/26 3:35pm

Eagles reportedly waive LB Keyshawn James-Newby

// Timestamp 08/30/26 2:54pm

Titans waive QB Will Levis: NFL Network

// Timestamp 08/30/26 2:23pm

Packers RB Josh Jacobs placed on exempt list, faces two misdemeanor charges

// Timestamp 08/30/26 2:10pm

Eagles release RB Daemon Pierce: ESPN

// Timestamp 08/30/26 11:55am

Dolphins reportedly trade for ex-Eagles quarterback

The Miami Dolphins, according to ESPN, are acquiring Green Bay Packers quarterback Kyle McCord for a 2028 sixth-round pick.

That probably eliminates Miami from the list of teams the Eagles could get a draft asset for in exchange for Andy Dalton or Tanner McKee.

McCord, a Mount Laurel native, was a sixth-round pick by the Eagles last year but did not make the team out of camp. He spent the season on the practice squad before signing with the Packers.

McCord performed well in the preseason. He completed 22 of 35 pass attempts Friday night for 226 yards and four touchdowns. McCord will be the only other quarterback on Miami’s roster besides Malik Willis, meaning the soon-to-be-24-year-old could be in line to be the primary backup.

The Dolphins may still need another quarterback, though. They traded Quinn Ewers on Saturday and reportedly waived both Cam Miller and Mark Gronkowski on Sunday. It’s hard to imagine they’d part with more draft capital for another quarterback, though.

In Miami, McCord reunites with former Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, who is Miami’s pass game coordinator.

— Jeff Neiburg

// Timestamp 08/30/26 10:56am

Carson Steele and the mirage of preseason football games

No Eagles skill position player touched the ball more during the team’s three preseason games than Carson Steele. After getting only one carry in the first game, Steele had 18 touches in the second contest and 16 Friday night.

The 23-year-old running back, signed in free agency after spending some time with Kansas City over the last two seasons, Steele was the best offensive player on the Eagles in losses to New England and Cincinnati. He had just 33 yards on 12 carries vs. the Patriots, but he turned six catches into 84 yards and made two highlight-reel hurdles, including one that helped him reach the end zone.

Then he rushed eight times for 24 yards Friday and caught eight passes for 52 yards and another touchdown as Tanner McKee and Andy Dalton spent most of their shifts checking the ball down when they dropped back to pass.

Steele, who was waived Saturday, was one of the few bright spots on an offense that mostly struggled throughout the exhibitions, and it was fair to wonder if 6-foot, 228-pound back could push for a roster spot — especially given his potential to play fullback.

But that’s the problem with the preseason: Eagles fans only get to see such a small part of what’s going on, and what Howie Roseman, Nick Sirianni, and the rest of the team’s decision makers are watching when they’re whittling down the roster to 53 players.

The Eagles practiced 17 times in training camp and played just three games. The exhibition games, then, make up 15% of what the Eagles are evaluating.

So, while standing out in two of the three games — 10% of the evaluation period — isn’t unimportant, it’s too small of a sample.

That’s not to say Steele was bad in practice. He was fine. But the Eagles didn’t really have room for him with Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, and Will Shipley in front of him on the depth chart. There are other roster needs, and they don’t seem to have the luxury of keeping a fourth running back on the roster.

But he can play fullback!

So can Cameron Latu, who could be on his way to a roster spot at tight end and is a solid special teamer.

The Eagles probably won’t mind Steele clearing waivers and finding his way onto their practice squad, though.

— Jeff Neiburg

// Timestamp 08/30/26 10:12am

Dolphins suddenly need help at quarterback

The Miami Dolphins are in the market for a quarterback after they traded Quinn Ewers to Jacksonville on Saturday and waived Cam Miller Sunday morning.

Howie Roseman has probably scrolled his way to Jon-Eric Sullivan in his contacts list.

The Eagles likely are trying to trade either Andy Dalton or Tanner McKee, and the Dolphins are one of a few teams in need of some quarterback help.

But here’s another angle to consider: Are the Eagles one of the teams in need of quarterback help?

Neither one of their backup quarterback options shined in camp, and McKee on Friday night looked sort of lost while Dalton performed better than he had in previous preseason contests.

Still, it’s possible the Eagles could fetch a late-round pick for either player. Dalton’s body of work and his ability to mentor a younger quarterback – in Miami’s case, Malik Willis – could be more valuable.

The Eagles could find themselves in an awkward position later on Sunday if they’re unable to move a quarterback or don’t trade for one themselves. Would they keep both Dalton and McKee on the initial roster? Would that mean keeping four quarterbacks? Would that mean waiving fifth-round pick Cole Payton and exposing him to waivers?

The clock is ticking.

— Jeff Neiburg

// Timestamp 08/30/26 9:25am

Dolphins now in the market for a backup QB

// Timestamp 08/30/26 7:35am

Who will be the Eagles’ backup quarterback?

The winner of the No. 2 job is still unclear. Can both lose?

Tanner McKee and Andy Dalton have been that uninspiring. The preseason finale offered more questionable quarterback play. There have been only glimmers.

McKee got his first start of this preseason after Dalton started the first two games. He played the entire first half. It was a brutal watch. McKee completed 12 of 22 passes, but for only 55 yards. He underthrew and overthrew receivers, looked timid in the pocket, and ultimately became a check-down artist.

McKee didn’t exactly have the best players around him. There were several drops, one that resulted in his lone interception. But receivers were also schemed open. Britain Covey got separation off a nifty double move for a would-be touchdown, but McKee completely overshot him.

Dalton took over in the second half. Like McKee last week vs. the New England Patriots, he outplayed his competition in relief. He completed 12 of 19 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown — and with a few lesser players at certain spots.

Dalton had some shaky moments, too. And when given the opportunity to engineer a go-ahead, fourth-quarter drive, he and the offense couldn’t get the job done.

Rookie Cole Payton came in late in the fourth quarter. He continued to hold the ball too long when he dropped. His passing wasn’t much better. In Payton’s defense, he hasn’t practiced much the last few weeks. The Eagles will take a long view with the fifth-round draft pick.

Payton must really want to play, though. He was in on the cover unit for the Eagles’ first punt.

McLane’s roster prediction at quarterback

• Quarterbacks (3): Jalen Hurts, Tanner McKee, Cole Payton.
• Traded: Andy Dalton.

Dalton’s play this summer hasn’t earned him the No. 2 job. McKee has been only marginally better, but has shown improvement. The best man doesn’t always win. But the educated guess here is that Roseman will trade Dalton to a backup-needy team — of which there are many. He may need to keep all four quarterbacks past Sunday’s deadline to get what he wants in return, however.

Payton has displayed more than last year’s rookie project — Kyle McCord — and probably wouldn’t pass through waivers if the Eagles consider stowing him on the practice squad.

— Jeff McLane

// Timestamp 08/30/26 2:13pm

2026 Eagles roster cut tracker

The Eagles are in the process of reducing their roster down to 53 players by Sunday’s 6 p.m. deadline.

Here are all the players the Eagles are expected to waive, according to sources and other reports:

Offense

• Wide receiver Quez Watkins
• Running back Carson Steele (per multiple reports)
• Wide receiver Samori Toure (per NFL Network)
• Guard Michael Jordan (per NJ.com’s Cayden Steele)
• Tackle Myles Hinton (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter)
• Cornerback Shaun Wade (per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler)
• Tight end Stone Smartt (per NJ.com’s Cayden Steele)
• Running back Daemon Pierce (per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler)

Defense

• Safety Cole Wisniewski (per NJ.com’s Cayden Steele)
• Edge rusher Tarron Jackson
• Defensive back Maximus Pulley (per Ryan Fowler)
• Defensive lineman Gabe Hall (per Ryan Fowler)
• Cornerback Ambry Thomas (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter)
• Defensive lineman Zion Wilson (per Ryan Fowler)
• Cornerback Shaun Wade (per Jeremy Fowler)
• Safety Jaylen Mahoney (per Andrew DiCecco)
• Linebacker Brandon George (per NJ.com’s Cayden Steele)
• Linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby (per Andrew DiCecco)

— Rob Tornoe

Eagles 2026 schedule

Here’s the Eagles’ complete 2026 schedule:

• Week 1: Commanders at Eagles — Sunday, Sept. 13, 4:25 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 2: Eagles at Titans — Sunday, Sept. 20, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 3: Eagles at Bears — Monday, Sept. 28, 8:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN)
• Week 4: Rams at Eagles — Sunday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 5: Eagles at Jaguars (London) — Sunday, Oct. 11, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network)
• Week 6: Panthers at Eagles — Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. (CBS)
• Week 7: Cowboys at Eagles — Monday, Oct. 26, 8:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN)
• Week 8: Eagles at Commanders — Sunday, Nov. 1, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
• Week 9: Giants at Eagles — Sunday, Nov. 8, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 10: Bye week
• Week 11: Steelers at Eagles — Sunday, Nov. 22, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
• Week 12: Eagles at Cowboys — Thursday, Nov. 26, 4:30 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 13: Eagles at Cardinals — Sunday, Dec. 6, 4:05 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 14: Colts at Eagles — Sunday, Dec. 13, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 15: Seahawks at Eagles — Saturday, Dec. 19, 5 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 16: Texans at Eagles — Thursday, Dec. 24, 8:15 p.m. (Prime Video)
• Week 17: Eagles at 49ers — Sunday, Jan. 3, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
• Week 18: Eagles at Giants — TBD (TBD)

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 08/30/26 7:33am

• What you should know
• The Eagles lost their final preseason game against the Bengals Friday night. Here are what we learned about the backup QB competition and grades from last night’s game.
• Rookie Makai Lemon had a rough NFL debut. He’s just ‘glad’ it didn’t happen in September.
• The deadline for the Eagles and every other NFL team to trim their rosters down to 53 players is Sunday at 6 p.m. Here’s our final 53-man roster predicion.
• Jeff McLane also made his own roster prediction, which included a potential quarterback trade.

// Timestamp 08/29/26 6:34pm

Eagles release DB Shaun Wade: ESPN

// Timestamp 08/29/26 5:59pm

Cowboys trade for OT Broderick Jones: ESPN

// Timestamp 08/29/26 4:24pm

Eagles release CB Ambry Thomas: ESPN

// Timestamp 08/29/26 3:54pm

Eagles reportedly release two lineman

// Pinned

// Timestamp 08/29/26 6:39pm

2026 Eagles roster cut tracker

The Eagles are in the process of reducing their roster down to 53 players by Sunday’s 6 p.m. deadline.

Here are all the players the Eagles are expected to waive, according to sources and other reports:

Offense

• Wide receiver Quez Watkins
• Running back Carson Steele (per multiple reports)
• Wide receiver Samori Toure (per NFL Network)
• Guard Michael Jordan (per NJ.com’s Cayden Steele)
• Tackle Myles Hinton (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter)
• Cornerback Shaun Wade (per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler)

Defense

• Safety Cole Wisniewski (per NJ.com’s Cayden Steele)
• Edge rusher Tarron Jackson
• Defensive back Maximus Pulley (per Ryan Fowler)
• Defensive lineman Gabe Hall (per Ryan Fowler)
• Cornerback Ambry Thomas (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter)

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 08/29/26 2:29pm

Eagles reportedly waive safety Cole Wisniewski

// Timestamp 08/29/26 2:22pm

Eagles reportedly release DB Maximus Pulley

// Timestamp 08/29/26 2:18pm

Eagles waiving edge rusher Tarron Jackson

The Eagles are waiting edge rusher Tarron Jackson, according to a source.

Jackson was drafted in the 6th round by the Eagles in the 2021 draft. He was in his third stint with the Birds after being signed by the team on Aug. 10.

— Ryan Novozinsky, Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 08/29/26 2:06pm

Eagles releasing WR Quez Watkins

// Timestamp 08/29/26 1:58pm

Eagles reportedly release RB Carson Steele

// Timestamp 08/29/26 1:18pm

Eagles waive WR Samori Toure: NFL Network

The Eagles made their first post-preseason cut.

The team is waiving wide receiver Samori Toure, NFL Network reported Saturday afternoon. The 28-year-old signed with the Birds on the first day of free agency in June.

The Eagles are likely to keep five or six wide receivers. DeVonta Smith, Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown and Darius Cooper are likely locks, while Elijah Moore, Britain Covey, Quez Watkins, Danny Gray, Erik Ezukanma and Tahj Washington duke it out for the sixth spot.

— Ryan Novozinsky

// Timestamp 08/29/26 12:43pm

Other teams begin trimming their rosters

All is quiet on the Eagles’ front so far, but other teams have begun making moves:

• The Jacksonville Jaguars are waiving linebacker Amari Burney, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
• The Miami Dolphins announced numerous cuts, including cornerback Alex Austin and running backs Coleman Bennett and Donovan Edwards.
• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived quarterback Connor Bazelak and several other players, according to Fox Sports’ Greg Auman.
• The Buffalo Bills are reportedly waiving wide receiver Mecole Hardman (per Fowler) and punter Mitch Wishnowsky (per Tom Pelissero).

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 08/29/26 9:51am

Giants trade for Ravens DT C.J. Okoye: NFL Network

// Timestamp 08/29/26 9:49am

Final Eagles 53-man roster prediction features four QBs

Training camp is officially over, and Howie Roseman is on the clock.

The Eagles have to submit their initial 53-man roster by 6 p.m. Sunday, and there are key decisions to make at multiple positions, including the quarterback spot.

Projecting the 53-man roster has its twists and turns throughout a training camp. The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane revealed his one and only roster prediction earlier on Friday before the team’s 30-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the final preseason game.

But Friday night’s defeat provided some more data when it comes to decision making, both for Roseman and in this roster view. So, let’s get to our final projection of the 2026 training camp:

Quarterbacks (4): Jalen Hurts, Andy Dalton, Tanner McKee, Cole Payton

Well, this is quite a departure from every projection from this training camp. But if you watched Friday night, and saw the other two games, can you really imagine another NFL general manager parting with draft capital to acquire one of Hurts’ backups?

Dalton probably has more trade value at this time of year given his body of work. But trading him means the Eagles would be committing to McKee as the primary backup, and while that was fine last year, backing up Hurts with McKee and Payton seems a bit risky for a team that fancies itself a Super Bowl contender.

McKee was dreadful Friday night, though the necessary caveats need to be applied: he was playing with backups, and the only first-teamer who joined him on the field, Makai Lemon, was playing NFL football for the first time. But he was playing against backups, too. He finished the game 12-for-22 for 55 yards and an interception (that hit Lemon in the hands). A year ago, McKee dominated the Bengals in the first preseason contest of the season and cemented himself as the bona fide backup.

Keeping four quarterbacks would be a bit unusual, but it also gives Roseman some time to figure out what to do next. The first game is still two weeks away, and a lot can change on his roster and the other 31 between now and then.

The easy answer might be to cut Payton. The fifth-round pick has been turnover-prone during camp, but the Eagles may not want to expose him to waivers and ensure they’re the team that gets to develop him.

All of this uncertainty begs the question: Is the Week 1 backup quarterback even on the team’s roster right now?

— Jeff Neiburg

// Timestamp 08/29/26 8:53am

What does recent history say about going winless in the preseason?

The Eagles ended the preseason winless after losing at home to the Cincinnati Bengals Friday night.

But does that even matter?

Since 2021, when the NFL reduced the number of games from four down to three, 32 teams have gone winless during the preseason. Of those, 15 – about 47% – went on to make the playoffs.

That includes the Los Angeles Rams, who didn’t win a single preseason game in 2021 yet still managed to win Super Bowl LVI. The Kansas City Chiefs also advanced to the Super Bowl after their winless preseason in 2024, though they were blown out by the Eagles.

During that span, the Eagles have had winless preseasons twice, and in both years – 2021 and 2023 – the Birds secured a playoff spot. Though the less we remember about the final two months of 2023, the better.

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 08/29/26 7:28am

All eyes are Howie Roseman ahead of NFL roster deadline

Howie Roseman has all the pieces laid out in front of him as he whittles the Eagles’ 91-man roster down to 53 players ahead of Sunday’s 6 p.m. deadline.

Most of the team is in place, but it isn’t like some piece of furniture from IKEA with specific parts. Roseman will build his makeshift roster by balancing the Eagles’ immediate needs with the long term, while also factoring in injury variables, the salary cap, and other potential moves.

The general manager is scanning the rest of the NFL for upgrades at positions that are in question. He’s yet to make any trades since camp started, but no one likes to wheel and deal as much as Roseman. C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Jahan Dotson are just two of the players Roseman acquired in and around this time.

Wide receiver, tight end, and safety are among potential areas that could be addressed.

The 16-man practice squad will also afford the Eagles a landing spot for vested veterans, players they will taxi up on game days, or prospects they hope to develop. So while only 53 will make the initial cut, Roseman considers his roster a 69-man outfit (70 if they have an international prospect).

It is an ever-evolving list that will likely change ahead of the season opener vs. the Commanders on Sept. 13. But for one fleeting moment there will be those who make it, and those who don’t. Here’s one beat reporter’s predictions:

— Jeff McLane

// Timestamp 08/29/26 7:25am

What we learned about the backup QB battle from Friday’s preseason game

After displaying signs of progress in the second preseason game against the New England Patriots, Tanner McKee took a step back on Friday.

He started and played the entire first half. In 32 plays, McKee went 12-for-22 for 55 yards and an interception, good for a 41.1 passer rating. He was sacked twice.

The 2023 sixth-rounder out of Stanford struggled to push the ball downfield. Most of his yardage came on short gains, namely check downs to the running backs. Running back Carson Steele was McKee’s most popular target in the first half, as he amassed five receptions on five targets for 32 yards. Steele had one long 17-yard catch-and-run gain, but he averaged 3.75 yards per reception on his other four.

The sacks that McKee took highlighted his inability to escape the pocket. Former Eagles defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland split a sack with Bengals defensive end Isaiah Foskey on the Eagles’ opening drive, collapsing on McKee from either side as he lingered too long in the pocket and eventually attempted to flee.

Right before the end of the first half, McKee took another sack from Foskey, who beat left tackle John Ojukwu. Again, McKee failed to get the ball out quickly, but this sack was less egregious than the first one.

McKee was nearly strip-sacked in the second quarter by Powell-Ryland after right tackle Cameron Williams gave up the pressure, but the play was eventually ruled an incomplete pass.

Andy Dalton wasn’t any better

Dalton, the former Bengals quarterback of nine years (2011-19), took over at the start of the second half. He wasn’t any more impressive than McKee was to start.

Dalton was handed favorable field position after Eagles receiver Jordan Mims, who signed with the team on Monday, forced a fumble on Bengals kick returner Tahj Brooks and Andre Sam came up with the recovery at the Bengals’ 43-yard line.

The 38-year-old quarterback didn’t do much with it. After a Steele five-yard run, Dalton threw two straight incomplete passes to Steele and Britain Covey. The Eagles settled for a 56-yard Jake Elliott field goal, trailing 9-6.

But Dalton heated up on his second possession. He led an 11-play, 76-yard scoring drive, highlighted by a 26-yard play-action strike over the middle for Danny Gray that put the Eagles in the red zone. Steele continued his impressive preseason showing, as his five-yard touchdown reception made it 16-13, Bengals.

His ensuing two drives were less inspiring. Both accumulated just 20 net yards apiece, and the latter resulted in a turnover on downs after Dalton failed to convert on fourth-and-1 from the Eagles’ 40.

Dalton went 12-for-19 for 104 yards and a touchdown (95.1 quarterback rating) on 26 plays. Statistically, it was his best single-game performance of the preseason. But was it QB2 material?

— Olivia Reiner

// Timestamp 08/29/26 7:24am

Eagles roster hopeful Andre Sam carted off the field

Safety Andre Sam went down late in the third quarter after attempting to make a tackle. He did not put any pressure on his left leg as he was lifted off the field and carted indoors.

Sam, a 2024 undrafted free agent out of LSU, had a strong outing prior to his injury. He recorded a pass breakup, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries (one on defense, another on special teams), and three tackles.

— Olivia Reiner

Eagles 2026 schedule

Next up after roster cuts? Actual football games.

The Eagles 2026 season kicks off at home on Sunday, Sept. 13, against the Washington Commanders on Fox. Calling the game will be childhood Eagles fan Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady, who is entering his third season as Fox’s top analyst.

Here’s the Eagles’ complete 2026 schedule:

• Week 1: Commanders at Eagles — Sunday, Sept. 13, 4:25 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 2: Eagles at Titans — Sunday, Sept. 20, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 3: Eagles at Bears — Monday, Sept. 28, 8:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN)
• Week 4: Rams at Eagles — Sunday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 5: Eagles at Jaguars (London) — Sunday, Oct. 11, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network)
• Week 6: Panthers at Eagles — Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. (CBS)
• Week 7: Cowboys at Eagles — Monday, Oct. 26, 8:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN)
• Week 8: Eagles at Commanders — Sunday, Nov. 1, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
• Week 9: Giants at Eagles — Sunday, Nov. 8, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 10: Bye week
• Week 11: Steelers at Eagles — Sunday, Nov. 22, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
• Week 12: Eagles at Cowboys — Thursday, Nov. 26, 4:30 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 13: Eagles at Cardinals — Sunday, Dec. 6, 4:05 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 14: Colts at Eagles — Sunday, Dec. 13, 1 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 15: Seahawks at Eagles — Saturday, Dec. 19, 5 p.m. (Fox)
• Week 16: Texans at Eagles — Thursday, Dec. 24, 8:15 p.m. (Prime Video)
• Week 17: Eagles at 49ers — Sunday, Jan. 3, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
• Week 18: Eagles at Giants — TBD (TBD)

— Rob Tornoe

// Timestamp 08/29/26 7:23am