The Price Point compares homes listed for similar sale prices across the region to help readers set expectations about house hunting.
In the Philadelphia area, a home on the market for $1 million or moreis uncommon.
As of Sept. 2, roughly 1,070 homes across the Philadelphia metropolitan area were for sale at this price point, according to the multiple listing service Bright MLS. That was about 8% of all active home listings.
Many of these listings highlight elements that have become standardin luxury homes, such as double vanities and soaking tubs in the primary bathrooms and quartz or granite countertops in the kitchen.
Location, outdoor spaces, and special features make million-dollar homes stand apart.
Here’s what a buyer can get for $1 million in Solebury, Bucks County; Medford, Burlington County; and Philadelphia’s Queen Village neighborhood.
A large lot near New Hope with a pool
When it comes to this house in Solebury, “the neighborhood and the area and the school district are amazing,” said listing agent Lisa DePamphilis, broker associate with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors.
The property, located between New Hope and Doylestown, is within walking distance of Peddler’s Village and nearby cafés and restaurants. And it’s just off Route 202.
The home is on one of the biggest lots in its development and has an in-ground pool and a large yard that includes a storage shed and a play set. There’s also an attached two-car garage.
The house includes hardwood floors, two fireplaces, two laundry rooms, a finished basement, a generator for the entire house, and a newly renovated kitchen with granite countertops. The primary suite’s bathroom has a soaking tub.
“It’s perfect for a family,” DePamphilis said. “It’s just a great house.”
One of the biggest draws to the area is the school district.
New Hope-Solebury School District’s high school was ranked No. 4 in Pennsylvania and No. 1 in Bucks County by U.S. News & World Report for the current school year.
The district’s middle school was one of three in Pennsylvania and 39 nationwide to be named a 2026 “school of distinction” by the Association for Middle Level Education.
Robert Playford, a salesperson for RealtyMark Properties and owner of this Medford home, fully renovated the property through his flipping business, Skyliner Homes LLC.
The home has a new roof and heating and cooling system and also new laminate flooring and carpeting. It has newly installed gas service and a finished basement.
The renovated kitchen includes quartz countertops, an island, and double ovens. The family room has vaulted ceilings with exposed, painted beams and a fireplace. The primary suite’s bathroom includes a soaking tub and separate makeup vanity.
A back patio with a fire pit looks out onto a large yard that includes a pond.
The property has an attached two-car garage, which isn’t unusual. But it also has a 2,400-square-foot heated detached garage. A buyer could use it as a garage or workshop or turn it into an indoor soccer field or pickleball court, Playford said.
“It’s a really nice home,” he said. “It’s a really nice location.”
The home is up the street from Johnson’s Corner Farm. It’s on Hartford Road, a main thoroughfare, but has a long driveway and is far enough from the road that the owner would have privacy.
The property is close to Routes 70 and 38 and a roughly 15-minute drive to the Centerton Square shopping center.
The home was listed for sale for $1.15 million at the end of April. In the months since, a sale fell through,and the price has dropped. As of Sept. 4, the property was listed for sale for $999,900.
Newly built townhouse in Queen Village
There aren’t a lot of newly built homes in the Queen Village neighborhood, so this townhouse presents buyers with a rare opportunity, said co-listing agent Arvind Balaji, associate broker with the Mike McCann Team.
The house is one of three that make up the Estates at Queen Village community, and it comes with a full 10-year tax abatement.
“It’s a good quality home,” Balaji said. “In years to come, it will just increase in value.”
Neighborhood residents can walk to restaurants, cafés, parks, the farmers market at Head House Square, and the Italian Market. The tree-lined blocks around the home have a residential feel, which “is very important to the person spending a million dollars on their home,” Balaji said.
In addition to the location, potential buyers have liked the size of the bedrooms and the amount of natural light.
The roof deck is also a draw. It offers “unbelievable unobstructed views,” he said.
The home also has a kitchen with an island and quartz countertops, two laundry areas, and a backyard patio. It was built with materials that muffle sound between floors and from the outside.
The primary suite spans the third floor and includes a bathroom with a soaking tub and heated floors.
Clad in fire safety gear, Lehigh Valley Democrat and retired firefighter Bob Brooks promised to “smoke out the billionaires and their lobbyists” in his first ad of the general election, released Tuesday.
Brooks, a union leader who spent 20 years as a Bethlehem firefighter, blasted the “dumpster fire” in Washington that has led “working people get burned.”
Brooks, a retired firefighter and union leader, is challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie in the 7th Congressional District, one of the most competitive House seats in the nation. The race’s victor will help determine control of the narrowly-divided chamber.
With a focus on economically populist ideas, such as raising the federal minimum wage, while avoiding culture war issues, Brooks has managed to attract support from across the party’s ideological spectrum including Gov. Josh Shapiro and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.
A screenshot from a new campaign ad for Bob Brooks, a Democrat running for a House seat in the 7th Congressional District, in which he is depicted extinguishing a dumpster fire.Courtesy of Bob Brooks campaign
In July, Brooks also welcomedU.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to the district to support his campaign.Meanwhile, Brooks has campaigned on progressive ideas, promising to ban corporations from giving to political action committees that help finance candidates, as well as supporting Congressionalterm limits and bans on lawmakers trading stocks while in office.
Brooks’ ad borrowed a phrase from his GOP opponent, whose campaign in July referred to Brooks’ “dumpster fire candidacy.”
“At every step of his career, Bob Brooks has put himself first, his politician buddies next, and his own workers last,” Mackenzie’s campaign managerAndres Weller said in a statement.
Brooks’ campaign said it is planning to spend at least $1 million in September on the ad, running on broadcast television in the Philadelphia media market and on streaming platforms.
That’s a significant expenditurefor Brooks’ campaign, which raised a total of $2.3 million, according to financial disclosure reports from July.
He’s behind Mackenzie, who has $4.5 million, in overall fundraising. But Brooks added roughly $1.2 million to his stockpile between April 30 and June 30 — after his first-place finish in the competitive Democratic primary, while Mackenzie only took in about $631,000.
As the sun set on Philadelphia on Sept. 11, 2001, the city, like the nation, was in shock. Its citizens raged and wept, confronted with unprecedented acts of violence in New York City; Washington, D.C.; and Shanksville, Pa.
It wouldn’t be known for quite some time, but the attacks that rocked the East Coast that day took about 3,000 lives. Among them were dozens of people with local connections, including several crew members on the doomed flights.
But in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Philadelphia was focused on survival, and worried that the birthplace of the nation could be the next target. We evacuated, took refuge in religion, worried for the future, gave our blood and time to help, and focused our anger and confusion on our neighbors.
Now, 25 years later, the impacts of 9/11 continue to reverberate. And though society continued on, in the first few days after the tragedy, it seemed as if it could not.
Here is how The Inquirer and Daily News covered it:
Article from Sep 12, 2001 The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) <!— –>
Panic in Center City
In the wake of the attacks, panic set in on Philadelphia. Fears the city could be the next target spread quickly, prompting the closure of city government offices, federal buildings, businesses, schools, and historic landmarks by noon.
“We are taking every reasonable precaution to ensure the safety of our citizens,” Mayor John F. Street said at a late morning news conference.
Thousands of people began a frantic commute home, gridlocking Center City’s streets and sidewalks. An estimated 50,000 SEPTA Regional Rail passengers were likewise stuck, with several lines suspended. Like all airports nationwide, Philadelphia International Airport was shut down.
By midafternoon, Center City was essentially a ghost town. Subway lines were all but deserted. Streets were eerily still and empty of cars. Philadelphia’s high-rises largely sat devoid of workers. And as the day wore on, the trauma continued to set in.
“I feel more shocked today,” said Southampton resident Paul Brown, 81, who survived the attacks on Pearl Harbor 60 years before. “I’m despondent, bewildered, and confused.”
Article from Sep 12, 2001 Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) <!— –>
Blood and flags
Almost immediately, horror and sadness turned to anger. Though the enemy was not yet clear or confirmed, there were loud calls for retribution — including from the Daily News.
In its Sept. 12 issue, under a cover that read “Blood for Blood,” in an editorial headlined “Now, It’s Our Turn,” the People Paper wrote: “Revenge. Hold on to that thought. Go to bed thinking it. Wake up chanting it. Because nothing less than revenge is called for today.”
Others were more charitable, donating blood to help victims who may have survived. Thousands of people, in fact, streamed into blood donation centers to such a degree that the facilities were overwhelmed. Officials asked that anyone thinking of donating to wait to ease the crush.
“I feel pretty helpless, and I just wanted to do something,” said Andy Hartlove, 45, of Exton. “Giving blood seemed to be the only thing I could do.”
Then, there were the flags. So many people bought them to show their support that stores — specialty shops to big box stores alike — sold out completely, and manufacturers began running overtime shifts to make more.
“Nothing’s going to make anybody feel all that better, but it makes everyone united,” said Jim Whitehead, 22, who worked at National Flag & Banner.
Article from Sep 17, 2001 Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) <!— –>
A turn to God
Faced with such monumental violence, many Philadelphians turned to the only being who they felt could provide answers: God.
Though schools, businesses, and government buildings shut down, many sanctuaries and religious institutions remained open. The city even organized an interfaith prayer service held at Dilworth Plaza on Sept. 13, which thousands attended.
Many religious leaders reported swellings of their congregations not seen since the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Religion, it seemed, was poised to regain a more prominent place in American lives.
“People realize when all is said and done that faith in God is the only thing that somebody else cannot take away from them,” said Msgr. John T. Conway, Archdiocese of Philadelphia vicar.
Many religious leaders took the opportunity to encourage reconciliation instead of revenge. Imam Shamsud-Din Ali, formerly of the Philadelphia Masjid, even encouraged worshipers to pray for the attacks’ perpetrators, noting that in order to perpetrate such a violent act, they must have been badly injured and were in need of God’s mercy.
The Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah arrived as the first religious holiday after the attacks. Paul Bender, the leader of Congregation Ner Tamid in Cherry Hill, sounded a shofar — a ram’s horn blown to sound the start of the Jewish New Year — at a ceremony, likening it to the sounds of wailing of those who lost loved ones. The “sudden, nightmarish anarchy” of the tragedy, he prayed, would soon give way to peace among all people.
Article from Sep 14, 2001 The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) <!— –>
Faith and race targeted
Philadelphia’s Muslim and Arab American communities were on high alert, and immediately condemned the violence. Federal, state, and local leaders urged the public to not blame those groups, but violence and threats against them were prominent.
A week after 9/11, officials said, at least 20 bias crimes were reported against Jews and Arabs in New Jersey, and an “untold” number in Pennsylvania. Many people who weren’t Arab or Muslim were also targeted, their attackers believing them to be somehow associated with the tragedy.
“Apparently, all you need to be right now is brown,” said Emily Hornaday, spokesperson for the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice.
Among the most prominent crimes in the area was an incident in which two off-duty Philadelphia police officers pulled a gun on a Lower Merion Township 7-Eleven store clerk at about 3 a.m. the night after the attacks. The clerk, who was from Pakistan, was unharmed, and one of the officers was charged with reckless endangerment and other offenses.
Taxicab drivers were pulled from their cars and threatened. Islamic religious centers boarded up their windows. A Palestinian flag was pulled down from the wall of Lincoln High School in Northeast Philadelphia, resulting in two arrests. A SEPTA bus passenger threatened a Moroccan man, and begged police to let him “kill the Pakistani.”
“Are we going after the perpetrators,” asked Amin Elarbi, president of the Al-Aqsa Islamic Society, “or are we targeting an entire faith and race?”
Article from Sep 17, 2001 Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) <!— –>
Vanishing normalcy
Even in the early days of the aftermath, it was clear life was about to change. By midweek, city schools reopened, the local government began operating again, and, though curtailed and under new rules, flights began coming and going from PHL. Normalcy, however, was nowhere to be found.
Large public activities for the weekend after the attacks, such as a Mexican Independence Day festival at Penn’s Landing and a festival celebrating Philly’s connections with Italy known as the Splendor of Florence, were canceled.
Experts, meanwhile, predicted a swift, lasting change to daily life in the U.S. As Philadelphia Police Commissioner John Timoney put it, we needed to “reexamine how we go about our business.”
Among those changes, said Geoffrey Herrara, a Temple professor of political science who specialized in post-Cold War security, were an ever-greater electronic surveillance apparatus that would surely be stepped up. Cameras, he said, would be linked with biometrics, and tracking of our movements was to be expected in the future. Some of our privacy, he said, “may disappear.”
City leaders, however, focused on strategies to get tourists and workers back in town, and back in the high-rises they had quickly come to fear. Occupancy rates at area hotels fell to an abysmal 60%, and the sense that big-city life would be on the decline was palpable. Ultimately, though, we had to keep going, they said.
“I think we need to communicate to the hearts and minds of Philadelphians that we need to get on with life,” said George Burrell, the mayor’s secretary of external affairs. “The things that attracted you here are still here.”
The sequences of steamy days and downpours in the Philly region and elsewhere won’t rank among the cherished memories of summer, but they may well end up having been a boon to the imminent fall foliage season.
The consensus among the veteran experts who pay close attention to the behavior of the trees is that this is shaping up to be an excellent season for spectacular waves of fall colors that ripple from northern New England to North Carolina, cresting from early October into early November, with Pennsylvania and New Jersey in the middle of it all.
As much as some folks may have been fed up with the humidity banquet, the trees — at least those that survived the storms — have been partying. Unlike last year, characterized by an early leaf fall, the players are remaining on the stage.
“Despite a droughty start to the growing season and some frost damage, our trees are looking green and healthy now, overall,” said Ryan Reed, a forestry specialist with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, who is “looking forward to a beautiful season.”
What’s more, the snows and Arctic freezes of winter also may have made a significant contribution: The long-lasting snowpack patiently watered the foliage as it melted, neutralizing drought conditions. That was especially true in New England, meteorologist Jim Salge said in his Yankee Magazine foliage forecast.
But the key to the foliage season would be what happens this month, said Howard Neufeld, a biologist with Appalachian State University, who analyzed weather-foliage patterns for the last several years around the campus area in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains andall but interrogated the trees to get at their myriad secrets, most of which they kept to themselves.
He holds that the main driver in the drama of the season is the production of anthocyanins, the reddish tints that are the show-stealer, and provide the tasteful contrasts to the yellows and russets.
Sunny days and cool nights are best, say the experts, but like everything else involving the atmosphere, this all gets very complicated.
As for whether the weather will cooperate, the burgeoning El Niño aside, the scientists who assembled the federal Climate Prediction Center’s fall outlook saw odds slightly tilted toward above-normal temperatures in the fall.
When to expect the onset and peak foliage
The day-to-day weather is going to influence when the leaves begin to turn and when they will peak. Just what effect long-term warming is having on the seasons, which are primarily light-driven, is unclear, and “each year brings subtle differences,” says William Keeton, forestry professor at the University of Vermont. Typically, the leaves up his way take on serious color by the end of September and peak the first or second week in October. Where Neufeld, an emeritus professor of ecophysiology, works in the Blue Ridges, whose ultra-popular foliage season was wiped out two years ago by Hurricane Helene, the peak can extend into early November.
On average, in the immediate Philly region, expect onset in mid-October, with peak around Halloween.
The higher the September temperature, averaged for the month, the later the onset of color,Neufeld said. A single degree could mean a difference of two days,he added.
Conversely, he found that higher daily maximum temperatures in September actually sped up the onset. (He didn’t know why, either.)
The key period for the weather conditions begins right about now, he said. A run of sunny days into October would be ideal for color, but a warm and rainy period would take the blush out of the reds and make for a duller show.
But that’s very much subject to variability: The trees have complex inner lives.
What’s behind the fall foliage show
Without getting too deeply into the weeds (or the leaf piles), here are the basics of the process.
Along with the shorter days — Philly loses an hour and 15 minutes of sunrise-to-sunset time this month — the sun is losing some mojo. With the dimming of the light, green chlorophyll recedes from leaves, yielding to those carrot-colored carotenoids and flamboyantly reddish anthocyanins. And Neufeld holds the reds are the stars.
“The oranges and yellows tend to be the same from year to year,” he said, “but the reds vary.” When it’s sunny and cool, sugars accumulate on the leaves and the reds can go to town. But if it’s cloudy and warm, the sugar factories shut down.
Just why some leaves turn red, such as the maples, “is not completely understood,” Keeton said.
Neufeld, a biologist, noted that it doesn’t happen in Europe, and holds the redness is related to a form of malnourishment — a function of a lack of nutrients in Eastern North American soils.
Whatever the cause, the process has contributed to the health and well-being of spectacular falls in one of the world’s prime foliage viewing corridors.
This year is shaping up to be another one, said Marc Abrams, a Penn State forestry professor emeritus, who has been tracking the woods for over 30 years. “At this point,” he said, “all systems go.”
Where and when to go leaf-peeping
For an overview of the likely onset and peak times across the country check out explorefall.com/fall-foliage-map. Its custodians say it’s the product of climatology and computer modeling.
The show opens in northern New England, and the NewEngland.com site posts graphics that show average conditions for each day.
With Labor Day passed, the sprint is on to Election Day.
But unlike in prior years, when voters looked to candidates for answers on the economy, taxes, healthcare, and foreign policy, the biggest question is whether the United States will hold a free and fair election and certify the winners.
That’s because President Donald Trump is doing everything he can to cast doubt on the electoral outcome or possibly reject the results — if the Democrats win control of either or both chambers of Congress.
Of course, if the Republicans retain control of the House and Senate, well, then never mind. Under that scenario, the Trump-led effort to gerrymander congressional districts, seize ballots, suppress mail voting, curtail voter access through executive orders, gut election security agencies, send federal agents to the polls, and other efforts will have resulted in a “perfect” election.
But if the Republicans lose either the House or Senate, brace yourself for chaos.
This should not surprise anyone who endured Trump’s relentless efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election that culminated in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. Recall that he was criminally indicted for that ugly plot against the will of the people.
Hundreds of insurrectionists — inspired by Trump’s repeated election lies — were charged with or convicted of crimes related to that violent day that will forever be a stain on American history.
Trump freed them all on his first day back in office, including those who attacked police officers. He also pardoned several key election deniers who worked on his behalf, including disgraced former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, election dirty trickster Roger Stone, and many others.
Sadly, 2020 may just be a warm-up compared with 2026.
This time around, dozens of county officials in charge of elections in key states like Virginia, Ohio, and Nevada are election deniers.
Pennsylvania is home to more election deniers in office than any other state in the country, according to a recent report by the States United Democracy Center, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to free, fair, and secure elections.
The report found 86 election deniers in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, including nearly half of the state Senate and a third of the House. Many played a role in efforts to subvert the 2020 contest.
Voters have an opportunity to remove the election-denying tumor from the body politic on Nov. 3, when all the state House members and half the state Senate in Harrisburg are on the ballot.
The same goes for Congress. Several Pennsylvania representatives who are election deniers are also on the ballot, including Dan Meuser, Scott Perry, Lloyd Smucker, John Joyce, Guy Reschenthaler, Glenn “GT” Thompson, and Mike Kelly.
The entire Republican congressional delegation — including U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick — voted for the so-called Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.
U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick (R., Pa.) has been one of the biggest champions of the legislation, along with Trump. Yet, despite Trump’s relentless pressure campaign, there was not enough support in the Republican-controlled Senate to pass it.
The measure is dead for now. But the best way to secure future elections is to vote out the election deniers.
Until then, the next few months before and after the election will be a major stress test for election integrity across the country.
With no real accountability for his past un-American actions, Trump is more emboldened to do whatever it takes to keep Republicans in control. (He has a strong partner in the conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court that has actively dismantled voting rights and handed Trump broad immunity from his crimes.)
Trump is not acting out of allegiance to GOP members running for office. He cares only about retaining his own power. Like Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, Trump sticks his neck out for nobody — least of all his loyal MAGA voters.
The president fears that if Democrats take control of the House or Senate, there will be investigations into his rampant corruption, which includes self-dealing schemes that enabled him to make more than $2 billion during his first year back in office.
GOP lawmakers have also done little to nothing about affordability issues, the failed war in Iran, deportation abuses, and the U.S. Department of Justice’s upending of the rule of law.
For those fed up with the direction of the country under Trump, there is only one answer: Vote the bums out.
Three weeks, over 330 shows, across 100 venues throughout Philadelphia. That’s right, it’s September and time for the annual Philadelphia Fringe Festival. The festival runs from Sept. 8-27, and we know choosing among the number of shows can be a little overwhelming.
So we reached out to artists involved to get some suggestions on what to see and how best to navigate the festival.
“We are taking all five Twilight movies and attempting to perform them in one hour; it’s the definition of our ‘low-stakes, high-fun’ mentality,” Edwards says of the show, which plays at the Hamilton Family Arts Center on Sept. 25 and 26.
Theatre Contra’s “The Whole F**king Twilight Saga…in 60 Minutes.” “We are taking all five ‘Twilight’ movies and attempting to perform them in one hour,” said codirector Bryant Edwards.Courtesy of Andrew Watring
A piece of advice for someone checking out Fringe for the first time
Try NEW things. The shows are much more affordable than “traditional” theater, and every performance is filled with so much heart. It really is the best time to push your boundaries and experience art you may not have considered in the past. And don’t forget to tell your friends about anything you see!
Nichole Canuso
Founder and artistic director of Nichole Canuso | Branching Paths, presenting Lunar Retreat, an interactive, multisensory performance, playing at the Pearlstein Gallery Sept. 9-22.
Nichole Canuso | Branching Paths’ “Lunar Retreat” is an interactive, multisensory performance at Fringe Fest 2026.Theo Cote
A piece of advice for someone checking out Fringe for the first time
Take a risk! Check out a show or a venue that you’ve never heard of before. The city is bursting with creativity.
Rose Jarboe
Artistic director of the Bearded Ladies, which is presenting Priority Hoarding: A Retrospectacle. Jarboe describes it as “a large-scale immersive art installation and an unasked-for retrospective of the first 16 years of the Bearded Ladies Cabaret.”
“Whether you know us well or just wandered in off the street, we’re exploring themes of legacy, grief, and owning our own queer history while we’re still around, so there’s something for everyone,” she said.
Rose Jarboe, artistic director of the Bearded Ladies, says “Priority Hoarding: A Retrospectacle” is “a large-scale immersive art installation and an unasked-for retrospective of the first 16 years of the Bearded Ladies Cabaret.”Courtesy of the Bearded Ladies Cabaret
It’s on view from Sept. 10-27, with live events called “Now Hoarding: An In-flight Entertainment Series” scheduled on Sept. 12, 19, and 26.
What Fringe shows are you most excited to see?
Dickie Dickie Dicky Donnie by BETTY (MK Tuomanen, Shelby Richardson, Paul Kruse) (Sept. 9-20, Asian Arts Initiative Third Floor)
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha by Julia Masli (Sept. 10-13, the Proscenium at the Drake)
A piece of advice for someone checking out Fringe for the first time:
Pace yourself, drink water, and talk to the artists. If you loved what you saw or even if you only loved one part of it, tell them. A little encouragement pays dividends along the way. See how you can be involved. I hear Fringe is looking for volunteers.
Julia Masli, whose “ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha” is playing as part of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival 2026.Holly Revell
Andrew Watring
Associate artistic director at People’s Light. This is Watring’s first Fringe as a performer. They are presenting their interactive solo-show The Adoption Game! with Upstream Performance Collaborative. It runs Sept. 25-27 at the Asian Arts Initiative Third Floor.
What Fringe show are you most excited to see?
Lunar Retreat by Nichole Canuso | Branching Paths. (Sept. 9-22, The Pearlstein Gallery)
A piece of advice for someone checking out Fringe for the first time:
See everything! While it’s fun to go to the show that everyone is seeing, it’s also so worthwhile to be in an audience of five people seeing something that you’d never experience otherwise. Fringe is the theatrical equivalent of a streaming service … start flipping through and turning on as many options as you can.
Andrew Watring is associate artistic director os People’s Light. This is their first Fringe as a performer where they are presenting their interactive solo-show “The Adoption Game!” with Upstream Performance Collaborative.Courtesy of Andrew Watring
David Brick
Cofounder of Headlong Dance Theater, Brick is making his return to performance in The Holy Fool. The Ninth Planet show also features his daughter Zephyr Saffron Brick. It runs from Sept. 10-19 at the Gym at Impact Services.
Performers at the Beaded Ladies Cabaret’s Bastille Dance in 2018. The 2026 Fringe production “Priority Hoarding” is, per its artistic director, “retrospective of the first 16 years of the Bearded Ladies Cabaret.”Albert Lee
A piece of advice for someone checking out Fringe for the first time:
The best experimental work blows pixie dust on the hidden mechanisms of the world. It makes visible things that the culture has not acknowledged or reached consensus on, [things] that are not already digested and content-delivered to you in a thousand ways. With that in mind, see anything that seems to tickle your interest and if it’s great, enjoy! But if it’s not automatically wonderful on first blush, take some time to think about what may be trying to be born from the vast unknown and let [that] thinking be the treasure you take home. Feel free to despise the work you see but understand why. That is a gift as well.
He homered, he flapped, he Euro’ed, he curtain called. It was quite the weekend for Ronald Acuña Jr., the Braves’ right fielder and newest Philly villain.
Acuña is a five-time All-Star, the 2023 National League MVP, and, in many respects, Atlanta’s version of Phillies superstar Bryce Harper, from his sense of style to his sense of swagger. That was amplified during the four-game series against the Braves that began Friday, with supremacy in the NL East at stake.
When he took the field Friday, Acuña was disliked, perhaps because of his general excellence while playing for a rival team, perhaps more so specifically stemming from a leisurely home-run trot in Philadelphia in 2021.
By the time he departed Philadelphia on Monday he had two homers, two wins, and a target on his back. He was hitting .308 with 20 homers and 64 RBIs in 97 career games vs. the Phillies, among his best numbers against any opponent. Further, he gloated in his success and mocked Phillies fans.
It. Was. Awesome.
Can’t wait for more.
The Phillies visit the Braves this weekend but they don’t host Atlanta again until next season unless the teams meet in the playoffs. We pray for that sort of theater. It has always been worth the price of admission.
Not since Phillies killers Mike Piazza and Chipper Jones have Phillies fans had such a legitimate object for their derision, and neither of them had the gall to taunt the most passionate fan base in sports.
For years, the Phillies lacked a great player from another team they could legitimately loathe. Acuña is now that guy.
Fresh meat
Acuña left town with seven hits, among them two doubles and, most significant, two homers.
After the first homer, a 450-foot bomb off Zack Wheeler in the third inning Saturday, Acuña took his time getting around the bases. He’d cut the lead to 3-1, but he acted like he’d flipped the lead. He beat his chest at first base, flapped his arms at second base, Euro-stepped at third base, then sauntered home. That’s his home-run trot routine this season, but that didn’t make it any less deplorable. It took 29.51 seconds. Wheeler glared at him.
The second homer, a three-run blast off reliever Alex McFarlane on Sunday, was crushing. It tied the game, 4-4, in the eighth inning. Fully aware of the uproar his trot caused Saturday, Acuña poured it on Sunday. He stared into the Phillies’ dugout before beginning the journey. This time, he took 32.36 seconds to round the bases, his slowest of 16 trips this season and the third-slowest of his career 202 trips.
Ronald Acuña Jr. homered twice this weekend against the Phillies.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
“I love the fans from Philly because they boo me,” Acuña told reporters Sunday.
Acuña also had three hits in Friday’s win.
The two Braves wins assured that the Phillies, who trailed them by four games entering the series, could not make up ground in the NL East. Monday, his one-out walk in the ninth inning put the tying run on first base in a 1-0 game. Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo stranded him, to the delight of the 41,820 at Citizens Bank Park. Tragedy averted.
Luzardo logged the first complete game of his career, a shutout no less, but he did so with disaster just 270 feet from home plate.
The fans were delighted by the feat two outs later … but just imagine their angst if Acuña started another comeback and the Phillies had blown a second straight win.
Acuña’s trot Sunday led to questions before Monday’s game regarding how to approach the outfielder, whose hot bat had become a real threat again, and whose cocky attitude had rankled traditionalists.
“What are you going to do? Are we going to knock him down three times and that’s going to make him uncomfortable?” Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said before the game. “That’s just not part of the game now.”
Saturday night, Mattingly, who is 65, acknowledged that baseball had long since legislated intentionally hitting batters who showboated.
“Today’s game, you see it all the time,” Mattingly said. “It’s more commonplace. Let the kids play, right? We started that.”
Ronald Acuña Jr. celebrates with teammates after helping the Braves beat the Phillies on Sunday.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
That doesn’t mean everyone likes it … especially star pitchers.
“Our guy just rounds the bases that hits 50 here,” said Wheeler.
That might be true of the guy in question, Kyle Schwarber. He homered Saturday, and brushed off questions about Acuña’s home-run trot. He homered again Monday, but pointedly declined to become part of the Acuña narrative. He followed his shot in the eighth with a brisk scoot around the bags, and afterward scoffed at the notion that his home-run trots were now being scrutinized.
It most definitely is not true of the more significant guy, Bryce Harper.
Philly’s own
Harper made an art of the home run celebration since he entered pro ball as a teenager; he got into trot-trouble in the minors.
And nobody milks the moment like the guy they call “The Showman.”
After Harper made a baserunning error in Game 2 of the 2023 NL Division Series, Braves second baseman Orlando Arcia mocked him. So, when Harper hit two homers in Game 3, Harper stared down Arcia each time. Later that fall, in Game 5 of the NL Championship Series in Arizona, after he homered, Harper stared down Michael Phelps, who lives in the area and had thrown out the first pitch. Phelps is a 23-time Olympic gold medalist as a swimmer — and Harper’s buddy.
In March, Harper took 35.63 seconds to round the bases after his 432-foot home run for Team USA against Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. It took him 5 seconds to even leave the batter’s box. He literally threw his bat 30 feet back toward the Team USA dugout. At third base, he paused to salute. As Harper approached home plate, he screamed into the camera and patted the American flag on his left sleeve. It wasn’t even a big-league game and it wasn’t a game-winner. It just tied the game, 2-2, and Harper and the Americans eventually lost.
If Harper is the Prince of Petty, he doesn’t own the most obnoxious trot in Phillies history, but he was there for it. In 2019, after the Mets hit J.T. Realmuto in what appeared to be a retaliation plunking, Rhys Hoskins took 34.22 seconds to circumnavigate the diamond, at that point the longest trot since trots began to be measured, and it was utterly provocative. It was the ninth inning, and it made the score 6-0. Harper had a front-row seat for that one, because it was Harper that Hoskins drove in.
How about the moment that turbocharged the recent Phillies playoff runs?
That was Hoskins’ third-inning, three-run, bat-slam dinger in Game 3 of the 2022 NLDS against … you guessed it — the Braves. Acuña watched that one from right field at the Bank.
💥 BAT ̶F̶L̶I̶P̶ SLAM 💥
The Phillies take a 4-0 lead thanks to this three-run home run BOMB from Rhys Hoskins.
So, yeah, the Phillies and their fans live in glass houses when it comes to criticizing somebody else’s home-run behavior.
And then …
If the Phillies sought revenge, Acuña barely gave them the chance to knock him down Monday. He occupied the designated hitter spot (perhaps protected from Phillies fans in right field), batted first in the order, and swung at the first pitch in his first two at-bats.
Not much drama. Not much satisfaction. Satisfaction arrived in the sixth.
Luzardo struck out Acuña on three pitches, and it was the moment the fans had been waiting for. After he flailed at a sweeper and jogged back to the dugout, fans erupted in cheers and mocked his failure by flapping their arms.
Flapping their arms?
A fans tries to get the attention of Phillies Jonathan Bowlan before the game against the Atlanta Braves.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo delivers a pitch in the first inning.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Phillies Bryce Harper waits for a pitch against the Atlanta Braves.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Phillies Luis Arraez reacts to flying out to end the sixth inning.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo faces the Atlanta Braves.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Phillies Kyle Schwarber hits a solo home run in the eighth inning.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Phillies Kyle Schwarber watches his solo home run in the eighth inning.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Phillies Kyle Schwarber flips his bat as he reacts to hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (left) and Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo (right) embrace after the game.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Phillies Kyle Schwarber (center) and Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo (right) embrace after the game.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo reacts as he is showered with water after finishing the game.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Yes.
Philly fans lost their minds Friday when Acuña flapped his arms as he rounded second base, assuming he was mocking their assumed Eagle fandom. Not so.
Most Braves players make that motion when they homer, just as most Phillies raise the index and pinky finger of their right hand as they round second during a home-run trot. Acuña also typically pantomimes a Euro-step basketball move near third base, and he did this, too — though in Philly this weekend, he performed the Euro less at Russell Westbrook speed than at Luka Dončić speed.
As for other historical villains in Phillies history, this sort of animosity is different from the hometown hatred directed at Scott Rolen, who declined a big contract extension and forced a trade to St. Louis, or Dick Allen, whose situation was complicated by racial tensions and his contrarian nature. J.D. Drew also is unique in that it was the Phillies’ hubris and obstinacy that cast him as spoiled and petulant in the late 1990s, when, in fact, he simply was greedy and anti-establishment.
Piazza, meanwhile, was a homegrown talent who represented the Dodgers’ and Mets’ superiority during a fallow Phillies era. His 44 home runs and 130 RBIs against the Phillies are the most he accrued against any team.
Similarly, Jones was the face of the best NL franchise for 20 years. He hit 49 homers against both the Phillies and the Mets, and his 1.036 OPS and .331 batting average are his best against any team that was in the NL his entire career (the Brewers switched in 1998).
For two decades, Jones was assaulted by chants of, “Laaaaaaa-ry,” his given name. For years, Piazza got straight-up boos. From now on, so will Acuña.
Enforcement cameras on Broad Street in Philadelphia caught about 800,000 motorists speeding in the first six months they were operating.
But the Philadelphia Parking Authority had to throw out 23,195 tickets and refund $1.25 million in fines — all because of a missing street sign at one spot.
A speed camera covering the southbound lanes in the 6500 block of North Broad Street operated for several months earlier this year without a required sign telling motorists that it was operating, PPA said last week in its annual speed-camera report.
A construction crew dug up the sidewalk on the block, knocking down the curbside sign that says the speed limit is 25 mph and is “photo enforced,” said Corinne O’Connor, deputy executive director of the parking authority.
“We did the right thing,” O’Connor said. The violation notices were canceled because, she said, motorists did not have proper notice of the speed limit and the presence of enforcement cameras atBroad Street and 65th Avenue. State law requires those signs at camera locations.
Broad Street, also designated State Route 611, has 31 speed cameras at 15 locations spread out between Philadelphia’s northern and southern city limits. They began operating last September.
Drivers who travel more than 11 mph over the posted speed limit will eventually be ticketed, with fines starting at $100 and rising to $150 for those driving more than 30 mph over the limit.
A PPA staff member doing a regular check reported the signs near 65th Street missing in mid-January, but it took weeks to correct. Officials did not realize the cameras hadn’t been turned off, and did so on April 22, PPA said. The signs were replaced April 29.
O’Connor said the delay was due in part to ongoing construction and red tape required to get utility clearance to install a new pole with signs.
While the signs were missing, the cameras at that location clocked 23,195 speeding vehicles and issued violation notices.
Before the cameras were turned off, the PPA had processed $1.25 million in payments for 12,214 of the tickets. The money is being refunded, PPA said.
PPA spokesperson Marty O’Rourke said the drivers cited “were still speeding,” but the violations were annulled because the notification requirement of the law was not met. The tickets could have been canceled if a recipient appealed based on the missing signs.
O’Rourke said it was a “proactive decision” to cancel them.
Speeding has dropped 95% on the roadway, based on the declining number of violations issued since the first month cameras were operating there, PPA said.
DeVonta Smith steps onto the field, a white Gatorade towel wrapped around his head and his practice jersey draped over a black long-sleeve shirt. He flashes a determined look as he holds a play sheet in his left hand and a coach’s headset in his right.
Nothing was going to stop Smith — who was sidelined with a hamstring injury — from staying involved during the dog days of training camp.
He knows this season is different. He knows his mindset needs to reflect that.
For the first time since his rookie season, Smith is a No. 1 wide receiver. He excelled in that role in college and had a record-breaking first season — his 916 receiving yards set the Eagles rookie record for — but he’s lived in the shadow of A.J. Brown for the last four years. The Eagles traded Brown to the New England Patriots in June, which immediately placed Smith back atop the depth chart again.
Is he ready for his close-up?
“The guy was built to do this,” said James Madison coach Billy Napier, who recruited Smith when Napier was the wide receivers coach at Alabama. “DeVonta, he’s not motivated by normal things. This guy’s in a pursuit to be the best that’s ever done it. …
“Eagles fans are going to have fun watching Smitty in this role, I can promise you that.”
DeVonta Smith (6) and A.J. Brown (11) thrived together for a perennial Super Bowl contender, but Brown is now a Patriot. David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
He has the backing of his current teammates and coaches, too. Smith never led the Eagles in receiving yards when Brown was on the team, but he’s eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in three of his last four seasons and is the all-time franchise leader in postseason receiving yards with 665.
Jordan Mailata put it best when asked about Smith, whom the Eagles took with the 10th pick in the first round of the 2021 draft.
“He’s always been a No. 1 receiver,” Mailata said, referring to Smith’s skill and leadership style. “Nothing has changed for Smitty.”
But now he actually has the title. And with training camp finished — plus the drama from the Brown situation mostly settled — that reality has sunk in inside the Eagles facility. There’s a sense that Smith, who won the Heisman Trophy when he was a No. 1 wide receiver with the Crimson Tide in 2020, has been waiting for this chance his entire career.
“I think he’s always seen himself as [the No. 1],” Eagles wide receivers coach Aaron Moorehead said. “I think in this building, you’ve always seen him as one. You just had another guy that was a one. There’s something about that that’s probably a little bit fun for him. To be able to know that he’s in that spot right now.”
As if his role increasing wasn’t enough of a challenge, Smith also has to learn a new offense. After things went stale under offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo last season, the Eagles replaced him with Sean Mannion, who is installing a new scheme rooted in his background in the Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay offense. Coach Nick Sirianni said at the scouting combine that he expects his WR1 to be “on the rise” in the new offense, but it’s up to Smith to deliver on that.
How have the results been so far?
“It speaks to him that he missed a little time in camp, but right when he came back, the first thing we felt, we were like, ‘Yeah, this is who we missed,’” Moorehead said.
Eagles coaches have praised Smith’s (6) leadership as the team adapts to a new scheme. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Learning a new playbook has never been an issue for Smith. Napier recalls Smith, then a sophomore in high school, skipping Alabama’s spring game — which would have been an opportunity for him to network with his future teammates and coaches — so that he could study the Tide’s playbook in his office.
“He stayed in my office the entire day. He never went to the game,” Napier said. “He’s consumed with being the best he can be. He’s blue-collar. He’s tough.”
So, how do those who knew him with Alabama think he’ll look in the Mannion offense, specifically?
“Oh, it doesn’t matter what offense he’s in,” former Alabama associate head coach Burton Burns said. “Whatever offense DeVonta’s in, he’s going to figure it out, he’s going to learn it quick, and he’s going to thrive.”
“Look, he’s played for lots of different systems, lots of different coordinators,” Napier said. “He’s going to learn his playbook and give the organization everything he has. It’s the best thing about him. He’s a playmaker, regardless of the system.”
Above all, Smith’s coaches have praised his ability to rise to a challenge — which is fitting for the task he faces in 2026. Early in his recruitment, Alabama balked at extending Smith an official offer, hoping it would motivate him to add weight to his slender frame. He not only rose to that challenge but wound up a five-star recruit, then set seven school receiving records and won two national titles with the Crimson Tide.
“He just kept working and working until we had to take notice,” Burns said. “He’s just got this quiet demeanor about himself that creates a lot of confidence.”
DeVonta Smith has seemed to accept the scrutiny that comes with a more prominent role in 2026. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
He’s meeting his goals ahead of his most difficult task yet this season. Moorehead said at the beginning of the offseason that he challenged Smith to ramp up his leadership as his role increased. Moorehead said Smith has done a “great job” with that, mentoring young receivers like 2026 first-round pick Makai Lemon and helping his teammates learn Mannion’s concepts.
“He’s been through a lot of wars here,” Moorehead said. “He’s not afraid to say that it’s not right — and he’s always been like that. I think that’s the Alabama in him, but I think even more so now he’s able to just take charge. He’s done a great job as far as leadership goes in the room of just helping everybody.”
Philly sports fandom has some simple rules: Root for Philly teams and boo everyone else.
But there are exceptions to all rules, and in Philly those exceptions include showing support for local athletes who are with other teams (within reason) — and for some players who once played for the city but now are on opposing rosters.
In the NFL, all 31 other teams have at least one person on the roster or staff who fits the criteria. Most have several, but we chose one and only one notable Eagles or Philly connection to each of the 31 other teams in the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr.
Harrison, a wide receiver, was a four-star recruit from St. Joseph’s Prep. Upon finishing his career in the Philadelphia Catholic League, Harrison, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, held PCL records for career receiving yards (2,625) and touchdowns (37) which still stand.
Marvin Harrison Jr. was a star for St. Joe’s Prep before taking his talents to Ohio State and the NFL. TIM TAI / Staff Photographer
Atlanta Falcons: Jahan Dotson
Dotson, another receiver, spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons with the Eagles. He averaged 14.1 receiving yards per game and had one touchdown in his two seasons with Philly. The Nazareth Area High School alumnus also played at Penn State and finished his college career with 183 receptions for 2,757 yards and 27 total touchdowns.
Baltimore Ravens: Marcus Brady
The Ravens added Brady to their coaching staff as passing game coordinator in February after he spent two years with the Los Angeles Chargers. But in 2022-2023, Brady was a senior offensive assistant for the Eagles.
Buffalo Bills: C.J. Gardner-Johnson
After stops in Houston and Chicago during the 2025 season, Gardner-Johnson joined the Bills ahead of the 2026 season. Gardner-Johnson played for the Eagles in 2022 and returned in 2024 to help Philly to its second Super Bowl, matching his career high with six interceptions during that regular season. His first six-interception season also came with Philly in 2022. Gardner-Johnson’s teammates, Dion Dawkins and Christian Benford, also have Philly ties, playing collegiately at Temple and Villanova, respectively.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson had multiple stints with the Eagles. David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Carolina Panthers: Jaelan Phillips
Part of the Eagles roster last season, Phillips is now in his first season as an edge rusher with the Panthers. During his one year in Philly, Phillips played in eight games with two sacks and 28 tackles.
Cincinnati Bengals: Ke’Shawn Williams
While backup quarterback Joe Flacco is among the notable local names in the NFL as a native of Audubon, N.J., there’s even more local talent in Cincinnati. Williams is from Philadelphia and played high school football at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, where he also competed in track and field and basketball. Williams signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2025, before being picked up off waivers by the Bengals. His one touchdown in the 2026 preseason came against the Eagles at the Linc.
Ke’Shawn Williams (13) starred at receiver for Springside Chestnut Hill before his career eventually took him to the NFL. LOU RABITO / Staff
Cleveland Browns: Andrew Berry
In his sixth year with the Browns, the executive vice president of football operations and general manager also had a stint working with Cleveland from 2016-2018 as vice president of player personnel. But between 2018 and returning to the Browns in January 2020, Berry served as VP of football operations with the Eagles in 2019. His twin brother, Adam, is in his fourth season with the Eagles and was recently promoted to assistant general manager ahead of the 2026 season.
Chicago Bears: D’Andre Swift
Swift is a former Eagles player and one with Philly roots. He played for the Eagles in 2023, but also graduated in 2017 from St. Joe’s Prep. As a freshman, he helped the Prep win the 2013 Class 4A state championship, and in 2016 was named the Catholic League Player of the Year after he ran for over 1,500 yards and scored 34 total touchdowns as a senior.
D’Andre Swift first became known to Philly fans when he starred for St. Joe’s Prep. LOU RABITO / Staff
Dallas Cowboys: Sam Howell
Yes, even the Cowboys have Philly connections, with ex-Eagles staffer-turned-Dallas defensive coordinator Christian Parker among the most notable. There’s also Howell, the Birds’ third-string quarterback from last season, who signed with the Cowboys in the offseason after the Eagles didn’t extend his contract. Howell is the backup quarterback in Dallas behind Dak Prescott, with his only season as a starter in the NFL coming in 2023 with the Washington Commanders when he threw for 3,946 yards and 21 touchdowns as a rookie.
Denver Broncos: Mike McGlinchey
The 31-year-old offensive tackle played football and basketball at William Penn Charter High School. McGlinchey started as a tight end at Penn Charter before switching to tackle. He was a first-team offensive lineman in 2012 for the Pennsylvania Sports Writers AAAA All-State football team.
Mike McGlinchey was a standout in multiple sports at Penn Charter. Steven M Falk / Staff Photographer
Detroit Lions: Avonte Maddox
Part of the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX team, Avonte Maddox joined the Lions for the 2025 season. Maddox spent seven seasons with the Eagles at cornerback after being selected in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL draft.
Green Bay Packers: Javon Hargrave
The defensive tackle spent the 2020 through 2022 seasons with the Eagles after starting his career in Pittsburgh in 2016. Hargrave recorded 23 regular-season sacks during his three seasons in Philly, including a career-high 11 in the 2022 season, helping the team reach Super Bowl LVII.
Houston Texans: DeMeco Ryans
Ryans is in his fourth season as head coach of the Texans, but his NFL career began as a standout linebacker from 2006-2015. He played four seasons (2012-15) with the Eagles, racking up 334 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, five sacks, and five interceptions.
Before he was a coach, DeMeco Ryans was a productive player for the Eagles.
Indianapolis Colts: Shane Steichen
Before he was head coach of the Colts, Steichen served as offensive coordinator of the Eagles in 2021 and 2022. Under his guidance, the Eagles had the NFL’s top rushing offense with 5,224 rushing yards and 57 touchdowns, helping lead the Eagles to Super Bowl LVII.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Grant Udinski
Hired in February 2025, Udinski is entering his second season as Jacksonville’s offensive coordinator. Udinski’s coaching career started in Carolina with a stop in Minnesota, but his origins go back to the Philly area. Udinski is a Doylestown native who went to high school at Central Bucks West High School.
Kansas City Chiefs: Andy Reid
The longest-tenured coach in Eagles history, Reid spent 14 seasons in Philly before becoming head coach of Kansas City, where the future Hall of Famer is now entering his 14th season. Before leading the Chiefs dynasty, Reid posted a 130-93-1 regular-season record in Philly, including a 10-9 postseason mark.
Andy Reid (left, with owner Jeffrey Lurie) came to Philly in 1999 and presided over a successful tenure of Eagles football that included one Super Bowl appearance. KRT
Las Vegas Raiders: Nakobe Dean
Starting his career with the Eagles in 2022 after being selected in the third round, the linebacker is entering his first season playing outside Philly. In his 47 games played with the Eagles, Dean piled up 226 tackles and 7.5 sacks, with his career-high 128 tackles helping Philly to its second Super Bowl in 2024.
Los Angeles Chargers: Teair Tart
A defensive tackle, Tart was born and raised in Philly, where he attended West Philadelphia High School. Initially, Tart’s focus was on basketball, but he made the switch to football in his junior year, helping lead his team to the Public League championship game the following year, in 2014.
Teair Tart (left, with West Philadelphia High football coach Karl “Bubb” Patrick) rose to prominence as a player in West Philly.Karl Patrick
Los Angeles Rams: Brian Johnson
The senior offensive assistant for the Rams, Johnson held his first NFL coaching position with the Eagles in 2021 after spending years coaching at the collegiate level. Johnson was the quarterbacks coach in 2021 and 2022 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2023. He spent the past two seasons with the Commanders before being hired by the Rams ahead of this season.
Miami Dolphins: Kyle McCord
A recent acquisition by Miami from Green Bay, the backup quarterback’s career started in Philly at St. Joe’s Prep, where he played alongside Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. The Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior, McCord passed for 1,582 yards and 21 touchdowns to lead St. Joe’s Prep to the Class 6A state championship and a 6-0 season. The Mount Laurel, N.J., native was drafted by the Eagles in the sixth round in 2025. He spent the season on the Eagles practice squad before signing a reserve contract with Green Bay.
Kyle McCord played for St. Joe’s Prep and was on the Eagles’ practice squad. CHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Minnesota Vikings: Carson Wentz
There was once a time when Pennsylvania was known by Eagles fans as “Wentzylvania.” Now a backup quarterback for the Vikings, Wentz spent five seasons in Philadelphia, from 2016-2020, after the Eagles traded up to select him second overall in the draft. Before a knee injury altered the course of his career, Wentz led the Eagles to an 11-2 start in 2017, helping put them on a path to their first-ever Super Bowl win, before Nick Foles finished out the job.
New England Patriots: Christian Barmore
While there is the obvious A.J Brown tie between the Patriots and Eagles, there are other local connections between the two teams. Barmore, a defensive tackle going into his sixth season with New England, hails from Philly. Playing his high school career at Neumann Goretti, the four-star recruit was first-team All-Philadelphia in the Catholic League Blue Division and helped lead his team to an 11-1 record and a trip to the state quarterfinal before committing to Alabama.
Neumann-Goretti’s Christian Barmore committed to Alabama then embarked on a successful pro career. AKIRA SUWA
New Orleans Saints: Kellen Moore
In his second season as head coach of the Saints, Moore had a stint as the offensive coordinator for the Eagles in their Super Bowl LIX win. That was his only season with the Eagles, leaving shortly after the season and joining the Saints in February 2025.
New York Giants: Abdul Carter
Selected third overall in the 2025 draft by the Giants, Carter grew up in Philadelphia, playing youth football for the North Philly Aztecs, before attending La Salle College High School. Carter was a four-year varsity starter and the team MVP his senior year, when he led the Explorers to a 9-2 record. He went on to play at Penn State, where he earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and unanimous All-American honors in 2024.
Abdul Carter was a standout for La Salle before moving on to Penn State. YONG KIM / Staff Photographer
New York Jets: Frank Reich
In his first season as offensive coordinator with the Jets, Reich has decades of experience, including a stop in Philly. Reich was offensive coordinator for the Eagles in 2016 and in 2017, when the team won its first Super Bowl. Reich, who left Philly to become a head coach in Indianapolis and Carolina, is returning to the NFL after a stint at the collegiate level as interim head coach and senior adviser at Stanford for the 2025 season.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Cameron Johnston
Punters deserve recognition, too, like the veteran Johnston who is in his ninth year in the NFL. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Johnston spent three seasons with the Eagles from 2018-20. Since his NFL debut in 2018, Johnston ranks in the top 10 among punters in punts, punting yards, and net punting yards.
Cameron Johnston has stuck around in the NFL after his tenure in Philly. Corey Perrine / AP
San Francisco 49ers: Colt Anderson
Anderson is in his 16th season in the NFL, the last seven as a coach. The second-year assistant special teams coach with the 49ers had a nine-year playing career as a safety, which included four seasons with the Eagles from 2010-13, when he played under Chip Kelly and Reid.
Seattle Seahawks: Josh Jobe
After spending two seasons with the Eagles in 2022 and 2023, the cornerback is entering his third season with the Seahawks. Jobe played in all 17 games with the Eagles in his final season here, making three starts. Since arriving in Seattle, Jobe’s career has only improved, with his best season coming when he was a full-time starter in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl title-winning 2025 season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kenneth Gainwell
The running back is entering his first season with the Bucs after a season with the Steelers, but the majority of his NFL career to date was spent with the Eagles. The fifth-round pick was with the Birds from 2021-24, which included a standout game in the NFC divisional round on Jan. 21, 2023 against the Giants. Gainwell logged a career-high 112 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown in the 38-7 rout.
Kenneth Gainwell’s (14) game against the Giants in the 2022 playoffs remains a highlight of his career Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Tennessee Titans: Kylen Granson
Granson spent the first four seasons of his career as a tight end with the Colts, before stopping in Philly for the 2025 season on the road to Tennessee. While with the Eagles, Granson played in all 17 regular-season games, starting three, where the blocking specialist recorded seven catches on nine targets for 40 yards as a rotational tight end.
Washington Commanders: Marcus Mariota
Mariota and the Commanders will open their season against the Eagles, but there was once a time when the backup quarterback was on the other end of that matchup. A second-round pick in the 2015 draft, Mariota’s long career included a stop in Philly in 2023, when he played in three games. Mariota is in his third season as a backup to Jayden Daniels in Washington. With Daniels injured, Mariota started a 29-18 loss to the Eagles in Week 16 last season.
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