Jihaad Campbell’s rookie season with the Eagles did not follow a conventional trajectory.
The first-round pick out of Alabama was touted as a versatile defensive weapon who offered the Eagles the ability to line him up in multiple spots. He could align inside or outside, off the ball or on the ball. Nakobe Dean’s injury rehabilitation, however, meant Campbell worked exclusively inside during training camp and started there next to Zack Baun for the first seven games of the season.
Then Dean returned, forced himself back into a permanent role, and the Eagles toyed with Campbell on the edge a little more, at a position that lacked depth, before eventually cutting his playing time when reinforcements emerged. Then Campbell was back to starting inside after Dean suffered a hamstring injury in Week 16. Overall, it’s hard to judge how the 21-year-old’s season with the Eagles went.
“Some adversity points,” Campbell said when asked to summarize his season Monday as the Eagles cleaned out their lockers after their playoff exit. “But when you look back at it, the only thing I can think about is being grateful, being thankful for the opportunities that I learned throughout the season, and just being able to be utilized and be trusted to be on the field.”
Campbell, who’s from Erial in Camden County, played in all 17 games and started 10 of them. He accumulated 80 tackles and had one interception to go with a fumble recovery and one forced fumble. Pro Football Focus graded him as the 13th-best of 88 linebackers. He excelled in pass coverage and was solid against the run.
Campbell is embarking on his first real NFL offseason, and it is an important one. He likely will be, as he said, utilized and trusted more next season because Dean is a pending free agent whose return to the Eagles seems unlikely. The Eagles paid Baun a premium price and have Campbell on a rookie deal waiting in the wings to replace Dean.
“Just hungry,” Campbell said of his offseason approach. “Of course, I’m going to give myself some grace and relax and get my mind off of things, but stay sharp spiritually, stay sharp physically, stay sharp mentally, and really do what I have to do to be the best absolute version of myself so when I come back I’m making sure that I’m staying on top of everything I have to do.”
Jihaad Campbell’s fumble recovery against the Bills was one of his highlight reel-worthy moments of 2025.
Campbell said he wasn’t given specific things to work on from the Eagles’ coaching staff, but he planned to work on “everything.” There were things he learned with the Eagles and from Vic Fangio that he “never really knew.” He learned plenty from Dean, too.
“That’s a damn good football player,” Campbell said. “I learned a lot from that guy, man, in the run game, blitzes, in the passing game. Really just being a baller, a person who knows football in general. It’s hard to come around guys who really know football and really dissect it in a simple format. That’s what he does, and that’s why he’s one of the best linebackers in the world.”
Campbell took his midseason demotion in stride. He said in November that his focus was on helping the Eagles win games in whatever way he could and staying prepared for when his number was called. The Eagles needed him to start their final two regular-season games. He was credited with two quarterback pressures in each of those games and had seven tackles vs. Buffalo and 10 vs. Washington.
How did Campbell handle the ups and downs with ease?
“I think it’s just all about controlling the things that you can control, and only that,” he said. “I make sure that I come in this building every day with a smile on my face, with a getting-to-work mentality, whatever it is.”
Jihaad Campbell’s role increased during the latter stages of the season.
It was unsurprising, then, that Campbell didn’t put himself in a box when asked Monday about his positional future. Nine months ago, the Eagles lauded his ability to be a chess piece at different spots. Where does Campbell see himself long term?
“I think it’s all about the value and how good you can be at anything you can be put in, whether that’s being an R3 or L3 on kickoff or punt return or any of those things on special teams,” he said. “For me, it’s all about just being trusted and being able to be utilized in this scheme wherever they want me to be at, whether that’s inside linebacker, outside linebacker, just making sure that I’m on top of my things and having continuous improvement.”
As he did this past season, Campbell seems content to go with the flow.
The Eagles fell from eighth in total offense in 2024 to 24th in 2025. Their historic running game from 2024 fell off despite returning 10 of 11 starters. And in the end, it is first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo who will face the consequences.
The Eagles announced Tuesday that Patullo had been removed as offensive coordinator two days after they were knocked from the NFL playoffs with a 23-19 home defeat to the San Francisco 49ers, a game that was a microcosm of the season for the Eagles and their offense.
The Eagles managed just six points in the second half against a banged-up and below-average 49ers defense that seemed there for the taking. Their playoff hopes ended and Patullo’s fate was sealed when Jalen Hurts threw an incomplete pass into triple coverage on fourth-and-11 from San Francisco’s 21-yard line with 40 seconds left in the game.
The Eagles kept things in house when they elevated Patullo, who has been with the team since head coach Nick Sirianni was hired in 2021, from passing game coordinator to offensive coordinator a year ago after Kellen Moore left to become the head coach of the New Orleans Saints. But continuity on the coaching staff did not result in continued offensive success for the Eagles.
In a statement, Sirianni said he “met with Kevin today to discuss the difficult decision.”
“He has been integral to the team’s success over the last five years, not only to the on-the-field product but behind the scenes as a valued leader for our players and organization,” Sirianni said.
“Ultimately, when we fall short of our goals, that responsibility lies on my shoulders.”
Some of the Eagles’ issues were out of Patullo’s control. A once-elite offensive line, for example, was rarely if ever at full strength. But other things were in his control, like the play-calling and the scheming of an offense that couldn’t force teams out of stacked boxes with a dynamic enough aerial assault. Or scheming a running offense that found ways to utilize Saquon Barkley’s skill set and find him more space.
Kevin Patullo talks with Jalen Hurts on fourth down late in the fourth quarter against the 49ers.
To Patullo’s credit, the Eagles had the most efficient red zone offense in the league and turned opportunities into touchdowns at a higher rate (70.45%) than any other team. Getting into the red zone, however, was an issue. The Eagles had a higher three-and-out percentage than even the New York Jets and too often were stagnant offensively.
Patullo’s removal as coordinator marks the second time the Eagles internally hired and then removed a first-year offensive coordinator in the last three seasons. They elevated Brian Johnson from quarterbacks coach to coordinator in 2023 and then fired him after a smaller regression than the one Patullo oversaw.
Patullo, 44, spent time with Sirianni on the Indianapolis Colts coaching staff and was brought to the Eagles with Sirianni in 2021 as the passing game coordinator. Patullo added an associate head coach title in 2023 before becoming offensive coordinator. Before the Eagles, Patullo was a passing game specialist with the Colts and also spent time as the team’s wide receivers coach.
The Eagles’ next offensive coordinator will be the seventh play-caller Hurts has had in the NFL in what will be his seventh NFL season. Before Patullo, Hurts had Doug Pederson, Sirianni, Shane Steichen, Johnson, and Moore. Hurts also had six play-callers in college.
The next one will be a critical hire charged with revamping a high-priced offense. The Eagles are likely to cast a wide net.
This is a developing story that may be updated.
Staff writer Jeff McLane contributed to this article.
Temple assistant men’s basketball coach Bill Courtney died suddenly at the age of 55, the school announced Tuesday morning.
“I am shocked and heartbroken by the tragic news and passing of my close friend Bill Courtney,” Temple coach Adam Fisher said in a statement. “Bill made such a big impact on our program in such a short time. He was one of the most respected coaches in the country — thoughtful, prepared, and deeply committed to the game and to winning the right way. Bill made every program he touched better, and his loss is felt profoundly by everyone who knew him. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bill’s family during this extremely difficult time.”
Mr. Courtney was in his first season with the Owls. He joined Fisher’s staff after spending six seasons in assistant and associate head coaching roles at Miami. He stepped in as Miami’s interim head coach for 19 games last season after Jim Larrañaga retired. Mr. Courtney was the head coach at Cornell from 2010 to 2016, and before that, he spent time as an assistant at Virginia Tech, Virginia, Providence, George Mason, Bowling Green, and American.
Temple University is deeply saddened to announce the sudden passing of assistant men’s basketball coach Bill Courtney.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Temple men’s basketball assistant coach Bill Courtney,” said Tim Pernetti, commissioner of the American Conference. “In over 30 years as a basketball coach, Courtney had a profound impact on his colleagues and student-athletes.
“He helped lead Miami to the Final Four and programs to nine postseason tournaments, but his [effect] on the lives of the student-athletes and coaches who worked with him will be his ultimate legacy.”
A native of Alexandria, Va., Mr. Courtney played at Bucknell University, where he was inducted into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007 and remains among the program’s all-time leaders in points and assists. He graduated from Bucknell in 1992 with a degree in education.
Temple (11-5, 3-0 American) traveled to Memphis Tuesday afternoon as scheduled, according to a source, and will play Wednesday night’s game vs. the Tigers.
“In the short time that he has been part of the Temple family, I saw the impact that he had on our program with the joy that exuded from him on and off the court,” Temple athletic director Arthur Johnson said in a statement. “He will be missed by his immediate family, his Temple basketball family, and the greater basketball community.”
Mr. Courtney is survived by his wife, Gina, and two sons, Billy and Derek.
The school said information regarding memorial services will be announced later.
Nakobe Dean feels like questions about his durability have been hanging over his head like a “black cloud” since the 2022 NFL draft.
The linebacker out of Georgia, drafted 83rd overall by the Eagles that year, played 39 of a possible 39 college games, but concerns about a pectoral injury he suffered while training for the scouting combine helped cause his slide on draft weekend.
“The two injuries didn’t help me, but you got guys going through free agency who didn’t play this year who have had multiple injuries,” Dean said Monday as the Eagles cleaned out their lockers a day after their 23-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. “It’s just a looming thing over me.”
That is what Dean is carrying with him into free agency, a recent injury history that will likely impact his market. A Lisfranc injury that required surgery cut short his 2023 season after five games. Then, Dean suffered a torn left patellar tendon injury in the first round of the playoffs last year. The injury and rehabilitation caused him to miss the first five games of this season.
Dean, to his credit, looked like he didn’t miss a beat. He supplanted rookie Jihaad Campbell in the starting lineup by Week 8 and provided a big boost to the Eagles defense. He became one of the most productive blitzing linebackers this season and was solid in coverage. He had four sacks in 10 regular-season games after having three sacks in 15 games last season.
But Dean’s future with the Eagles is unclear. Campbell was drafted in the first round last spring and played well before Dean returned. The Eagles said they liked Campbell’s versatility to play both linebacker and line up at edge rusher when they drafted him, but he spent most of the season and played his best as an off-ball linebacker. In theory, there would be room to bring Dean back if Campbell was going to transition to the edge full time, but that doesn’t necessarily seem like the most likely path forward, and it remains to be seen what kind of value Dean may be able to find on the open market.
Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean made an impact when healthy this season.
The Eagles, who have more than $20 million in salary-cap space for 2026, have decisions to make.
Dean, 25, said he talked to Howie Roseman on Monday but did not get an indication on his immediate future with the Eagles.
“Rightfully so,” Dean said. “The season just ended. He didn’t expect the season to end yesterday. So, rightfully so, everybody has to get away from ball for a little bit, take a couple deep breaths, and decisions will be made then.”
Asked what Roseman’s message to him was, Dean said: “My impact has not gone unnoticed and he just expressed appreciation of me.”
Dean, of course, wants to stay with the team that drafted him and a lot of his Georgia friends.
“I think everybody knows I want to be in Philly,” he said. “I don’t want to go anywhere.”
Jaelan Phillips proved to be a difference-making midseason addition to the Eagles defense.
Phillips says he has what he needs with Eagles
Like Dean, Jaelan Phillips is hitting free agency for the first time.
Unlike with Dean, the Eagles don’t have a clear answer to slot in for Phillips if he were to depart for another team, making him a much more likely candidate to return to the Eagles.
Phillips made an immediate impact after the Eagles acquired him before the trade deadline from Miami for a third-round pick. He tallied 44 pressures and two sacks in nine games, including Sunday’s playoff game, according to Pro Football Focus, while playing 78% of the defensive snaps. That’s a lot of production to try to replace.
Phillips is one of the team’s five free-agent edge rushers. The Eagles have just two edge rushers under contract for 2026: Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith. The draft will be a place the Eagles likely look to add talent to the room, but they could use a top-end talent like Phillips at the top of the depth chart.
Phillips, 26, said he felt he fit in well with the defense. He had familiarity with Vic Fangio from their time together in Miami. Phillips is excited about his future, he said, and for his first experience with free agency.
“I would love to have that future be here,” he said. “It’s up to my agent and ultimately up to me, too. This is my first experience with it, so I’m not really sure how it plays out. We’ll see.”
Phillips said he has a child on the way and his family’s future will be a consideration in free agency, but the other things he wants he already has in Philadelphia.
“I want to be on a competitive team and in an environment where I love the guys I’m around and love the organization I’m playing for,” he said. “I feel that here. So we’ll see.”
Eagles safeties Drew Mukuba and Sydney Brown pull down Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens.
Mukuba updates his injury timeline
Rookie safety Drew Mukuba was in the locker room Monday sporting a walking boot on his right foot. Mukuba fractured his fibula near the end of the Eagles’ Week 12 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Mukuba said he should be out of the boot soon but did not have a firm timeline on the next steps in his recovery. He’s hoping to be ready for spring workouts, but said “late summer” was also a possibility.
He had a lot to complain about early after the injury. He couldn’t walk and had trouble getting comfortable, which led to some sleepless nights.
Mukuba said “I wasn’t where I needed to be” when the season started, but he was more comfortable as the season wore on.
“I feel like I kind of got over the hump after the first time we played the Giants,” Mukuba said. “Once I got over that, I feel like I was just stacking days.
“I hate that [the injury] happened, but that’s the game and I can’t control it.”
Reporters spent more than an hour inside the Eagles’ locker room at the NovaCare Complex on Monday afternoon before the team closed the doors to media for the day.
During that span, A.J. Brown was not seen in the room. The wide receiver’s locker had not been cleaned out, but Brown was not made available to talk to reporters. He declined to be interviewed after the game Sunday and left the locker room shortly after it opened to the media.
It was an interesting year for Brown with the Eagles. The receiver wasn’t shy about his feelings on the direction of the offense, especially early in the season. He expressed himself in the form of cryptic social media posts and postgame interviews, like when he pleaded for the Eagles to “let their killers do their thing” after a Week 3 win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Brown finished the season with 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns.
A.J. Brown’s happiness within the offense and his relationship with Jalen Hurts were subject to scrutiny throughout the season.
What happens next with Brown will certainly be the subject of much speculation in the coming days and weeks and even months. Brown remains under contract through the 2029 season and has $113 million remaining on his deal. Trading him would be costly for the Eagles, who would be on the hook for $43.5 million in dead salary cap space if they traded him before June 1, according to Spotrac.
Waiting until after June 1 would free up $7 million in cap space. But any trade of Brown would have the Eagles taking on the fourth-largest single-season dead cap hit in NFL history, according to Spotrac.
Brown’s relationship with Jalen Hurts also has been the subject of speculation.
“A.J. and I will talk,” Hurts said Monday. “We’re in a good, great place. Maybe y’all can talk to him and ask.”
Free agent Jaelen Phillips hopes to return to Eagles
Eagles linebacker Jaelan Phillips, left, was acquired by Howie Roseman at the trade deadline.
Like Nakobe Dean, Jaelan Phillips is hitting free agency for the first time.
Unlike with Dean, the Eagles don’t have a clear answer to slot in for Phillips if he were to depart for another team, making Phillips a much more likely candidate to return to the Eagles.
Phillips made an immediate impact after the Eagles acquired him before the trade deadline from Miami for a third-round pick. He tallied 44 pressures and two sacks in nine games, including Sunday’s playoff game, according to Pro Football Focus, while playing 78% of the defensive snaps. That’s a lot of production to try to replace.
Phillips is one of five free-agent edge rushers. The Eagles have just two edge rushers under contract for 2026: Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith. The draft will be a place the Eagles likely look to add talent to the room, but they could use a top-end talent like Phillips at the top of the depth chart.
Phillips, 26, said he felt like he fit in well with the defense. He had familiarity with Vic Fangio from their time in Miami together. Phillips is excited for his future, he said, and for his first experience with free agency.
“I would love to have that future be here,” he said. “It’s up to my agent and ultimately up to me, too. This is my first experience with it, so I’m not really sure how it plays out. We’ll see.”
Phillips said he has a child on the way and his family’s future will be a consideration in free agency, but the other things he wants he already has in Philadelphia.
“I want to be on a competitive team and in an environment where I love the guys I’m around and love the organization I’m playing for,” he said. “I feel that here. So we’ll see.”
A.J. Brown hasn’t spoken with reporters in more than a month.
Reporters spent more than an hour inside the Eagles’ locker room at the NovaCare Complex Monday afternoon before the Eagles closed the doors to media for the day.
During that span, A.J. Brown was not seen in the room. His locker hadn’t yet been cleaned out, but Brown was not going to be made available to talk to reporters. He declined to be interviewed after the game on Sunday and left the locker room shortly after it opened to media.
It was an interesting year for Brown with the Eagles. The receiver wasn’t shy about his feelings on the direction of the offense, especially early in the season. He expressed himself both in the forms of cryptic social media posts and post-game interviews, like when he pleaded for the Eagles to “let their killers do their thing” after a Week 3 win over the Rams.
Brown finished the season with 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns.
What happens next with Brown will certainly be the subject of much speculation in the coming days and weeks and even months. Brown remains under contract through the 2029 season and has $113 million remaining on his deal. Trading him would be costly for the Eagles, who would be on the hook for $43.5 million in dead cap if they traded him before June 1, according to Spotrac.
Waiting until after June 1 would free up $7 million in cap space. But any trade of Brown would have the Eagles taking on the fourth-largest single-season dead cap hit in NFL history, according to Spotrac.
Brown’s relationship with Jalen Hurts also has been the subject of speculation.
“A.J. and I will talk,” Hurts said Monday. “We’re in a good, great place. Maybe y’all can talk to him and ask.”
Jalen Hurts is ready if Eagles change offensive coordinators (again)
Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo is Jalen Hurts’ fourth offensive coordinator in the last four years.
Jalen Hurts is no stranger to change. He has had six different offensive play-callers in his NFL career, including Doug Pederson, Nick Sirianni, Shane Steichen, Brian Johnson, Kellen Moore, and now Kevin Patullo. In the aftermath of Johnson’s 2024 firing, Hurts said that he longed for continuity at the position.
But he acknowledged on Monday that he has embraced the revolving door of offensive coordinators and translated those changes into postseason appearances. After all, the Eagles won a Super Bowl in Moore’s lone year as the offensive coordinator.
“The changes have not prevented us from having an opportunity to go on championship runs, and so with all the changes and with all the things that have gone and have changed over time, we still found ourselves in the playoffs, and we still found ourselves in positions to be in the tournament and play in the tournament,” Hurts said. “I don’t like the trend of wild-card [loss], big-time [Super Bowl appearance], wild-card [loss], big-time [Super Bowl win], and wild-card [loss]. […] So competitively as a quarterback, as a leader, that’s a big focus of mine, trying to break that.”
Hurts will look to break that cycle next season, when he embarks upon his sixth year as the full-time starting quarterback. Given his track record and his importance to the team, he said he has a degree of influence in important matters concerning the offense.
“I think overall, my line is always open, and so however involved or whatever level inquiry I am, I’ll definitely be available,” Hurts said.
Jordan Mailata expects Lane Johnson to be back next season
Jordan Mailata said he is expecting Lane Johnson, who missed the last eight games with a foot injury, to be back next season. He added, “Whatever happens, happens.”
Mailata shed a little light on what Johnson was like behind the scenes the last couple months:
“Ultimate pro. I think what upsets him the most — I don’t want to put words in his mouth — but he does everything he can to be available. But it’s not even when he’s hurt. It’s just even when he’s starting, his routine is so meticulous. Every minute is planned out, from the moment he wakes up to the minute he goes to bed. And so I think, for him, it irks him a little more, you know?
“He’s just done a fantastic job of being there for us, even when he wasn’t playing, just being supportive of especially me and Fred [Johnson]. … He’s concerned about what Fred and I are doing, the timing of our hands, our set lines, what we’re thinking on first and second down. Are we more aggressive? Or he’ll watch something on film. He was still watching film for us. And he’ll come, like, ‘Hey, I saw that this guy, second step, he likes to do a little shake and bake inside. So that experience that we get from him being a total pro is very invaluable. And I’m gonna thank him for that.”
Eagles safeties Drew Mukuba and Sydney Brown chase down Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens.
Rookie safety Drew Mukuba was in the locker room Monday sporting a walking boot on his right foot. Mukuba fractured his fibula near the end of the Eagles’ Week 12 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Mukuba said he should be out of the boot soon but did not have a firm timeline on the next steps in his recovery. He’s hoping to be ready for spring workouts, but said “late summer” was also a possibility.
“I’m walking, so I can’t complain,” he said.
He had a lot to complain about early after the injury. He couldn’t walk and had trouble getting comfortable, which led to some sleepless nights.
Mukuba said “I wasn’t where I needed to be” when the season first started, but he was more comfortable as the season wore on.
“I feel like I kind of got over the hump after the first time we played the Giants,” Mukuba said. “Once I got over that, I feel like I was just stacking days.
“I hate that [the injury] happened, but that’s the game and I can’t control it.”
Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean came on strong after missing the first five games of the season.
Nakobe Dean feels like questions about his durability have been hanging over his head like a “black cloud” since the 2022 NFL draft.
The linebacker out of Georgia, drafted 83rd overall by the Eagles that year, played 39 of a possible 39 college games, but concerns about a pectoral injury he suffered while training helped cause his slide on draft weekend.
“The two injuries didn’t help me, but you got guys going through free agency who didn’t play this year who have had multiple injuries,” Dean said Monday as the Eagles cleaned out their lockers a day after their 23-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. “It’s just a looming thing over me.”
That is what Dean is carrying with him into free agency, a recent injury history that will likely impact his market. A Lisfranc injury that required surgery cut his 2023 season short after five games. Then, Dean suffered a torn left patellar tendon injury in the first round of the playoffs last year. The injury and rehabilitation caused him to miss the first five games of this season.
Dean, to his credit, looked like he didn’t miss a beat. He supplanted rookie Jihaad Campbell in the starting lineup by Week 8 and provided a big boost to the Eagles’ defense. He became one of the most productive blitzing linebackers this season and was solid in coverage. He had four sacks in 10 regular season games after having three sacks in 15 games last season.
But Dean’s future with the Eagles is unclear. Campbell was drafted in the first round last season and played well before Dean returned. The Eagles said they liked Campbell’s versatility to play both linebacker and line up at edge rusher when they drafted him, but he spent most of the season and played his best as an off-ball linebacker. In theory, there would be room to bring Dean back if Campbell was going to transition to the edge full time, but that doesn’t necessarily seem like the most likely path forward, and it remains to be seen what kind of value Dean may be able to find on the open market.
The Eagles, who have more than $20 million in cap space for 2026, have decisions to make.
An Eagles fan hits a golf ball at an image of Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo at The Golf Place in Langhorne.
Immediately following the Eagles’ loss to the San Francisco 49ers, a somber feeling started to take over The Golf Place. Those gathered at the Bucks County golf simulator facility to watch the Eagles while working on their swings began to pack up and go home, and co-owners Justin Hepler and Killian Lennon began to close up shop.
But in a brief moment, an idea was developed to help Birds fans release their anger after a disappointing loss: letting them hit golf balls at offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo’s face — or at least an image of it.
Earlier in the season, some fans broke the law by egging Patullo’s Moorestown home after the Eagles’ Black Friday loss to the Bears. The Golf Place’s idea keeps the flying objects far from the real Patullo, and within legal bounds.
“It was a fun way to let off some steam, but also make it fun for everybody involved,” Hepler, 24, said. “And obviously Killian in the video is a diehard Eagles fan, so he was pretty upset. But, everybody in here has gotten a kick out it.”
Andrew Mukuba hopes to be back in time for spring workouts
#Eagles S Andrew Mukuba said he should be out of the boot soon after fracturing his fibula. Said he wouldn’t have been ready if the team reached the Super Bowl.
Questions surround the future of wide receiver A.J. Brown.
The most action wide receiver A.J. Brown saw Sunday night was when the broadcast caught Nick Sirianni yelling at him on the sideline.
The receiver recorded just three receptions for 25 yards; he missed a potentially big first-half reception and had a costly third-down drop later in the game. After the loss, Brown didn’t speak to media.
A pair of former NFL pass catchers — tight end Shannon Sharpe and wide receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson — believe it’s time for the Eagles to move on.
“Me, personally, I think it’s the best if the Eagles just go their separate ways,” Sharpe said on the Nightcap podcast. “He needs to go somewhere where he feels like he’s going to get — he’s looking at it, Ocho, like I need to be getting the Puka Nacua type targets.”
Former NFL safety Ryan Clark also believes Brown won’t be in Philly next season.
“A.J. Brown is getting traded,” Clark said on First Take Monday. “He wants out and they need to want him out. That relationship is over. That relationship is done and part of it is the Philadelphia Eagles, but a lot of it is on A.J. Brown. … A.J. Brown this year was more problems than he was worth.”
Trading Brown away will be tough due to his contract. According to Sportrac, the Eagles would take a $20 million cap hit if they traded Brown ahead of April’s draft and before June 1.
“If the Eagles were to bite the bullet and trade Brown early this offseason, they’d be taking on the 4th largest single season dead cap hit in NFL history (and making a heck of a lot more financial trouble for themselves as well),” Sportrac’s Michael Ginnitti wrote.
Jordan Davis on pending free agent Nakobe Dean: "I know he's going to be a great player for somebody, whether that's here or not." pic.twitter.com/GvZZRDhSNr
Which personnel groups will the Eagles target for upgrades?
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has a lot of work to do this offseason.
Where to begin? The Eagles still have a pretty solid roster, but they do have some flaws and are set to have a few holes.
They have no tight ends. They have no obvious answer yet for a Lane Johnson replacement. How long is Landon Dickerson going to hold up? They went heavy at offensive line toward the end of the draft last season, but they could very soon need top-end talent.
They are in the market for wide receiver help regardless of where the A.J. Brown saga leads them. They need edge rushers. They need cornerbacks. They might need a kicker.
A high-impact edge rusher, like Jaelan Phillips, should be high on the list of most important personnel groups to upgrade the talent level, and it will be interesting to see how the Eagles go about addressing tight end. They will obviously sign a few in free agency and could draft one. Could Dallas Goedert return?
There are a lot of unanswered questions right now. It’s that time of year.
The Johnson replacement is a tricky one, too. He is still very good when he’s on the field, but the clock is ticking. Just like it is for Dickerson, who has had multiple surgeries and has played through plenty of pain.
The one word Eagles players kept repeating after Sunday’s loss
Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith walks off after losing to the 49ers Sunday.
The word that the Eagles kept repeating in the locker room after Sunday night’s loss was “execution.” The players should have executed better all season. “If there are multiple players saying that,” Jordan Mailata said, “why don’t you believe us?” Here’s why …
All elite athletes think this way: “It doesn’t matter what the coach calls. It doesn’t matter if my opponent knows what’s coming. If I do exactly what I’m supposed to do exactly when I’m supposed to do it, nothing can stop me, and nothing can stop us.”
Sounds great.
In reality, when everyone in the stadium knows you’re likely to call a particular play in a particular situation, you had better be perfect in every aspect of that sequence. But when you catch an opponent off guard, your execution can be less than ideal, and you’ll still succeed.
Look at the double-wing reverse pass that Kyle Shanahan called on the first play of the 4th quarter. He made the Eagles defense look like a bunch of suckers. Christian McCaffrey didn’t have a defender within 5 yards of him.
ESPN Adam Schefter: Eagles expected to replace Kevin Patullo
Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo ahead of Sunday’s wild-card game.
Speaking on ESPN’s Get Up Monday morning, NFL insider Adam Schefter said he expects the Eagles will replace offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo in at attempt to jump start the Birds’ lackluster offense.
“I think we start with the assistant coaches on the offensive side of the ball,” Schefter said. “So you’re looking at a new offense coordinator next year, that’s the expectation there across the league.”
“They’re going to go through some changes. I think it starts with the coaching staff on the offensive side,” Schefter added. “Question is how soon those changes will happen. Is it today or is it tomorrow?”
“Maybe Sirianni has built up enough clout to hold off Lurie/Roseman,” McLane wrote. “But precedent suggests the Eagles will move fast, and that they already have possible replacements lined up.”
Eagles have among the easiest strength of schedules in 2026
The long wait until next season begins for Eagles fans.
Despite facing the every team in the NFC West, the Eagles have one of the easiest schedules next season.
The collective winning percentage of the Eagles’ 17 2026 opponents in 2025 was 0.481, the tenth-weakest schedule in the NFL next season. The Chicago Bears have the toughest strength of schedule, facing teams with a 0.550 winning percentage.
That’s on paper, of course. As the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars showed, a lot can change from one season to the next.
The Birds will face a total of eight playoff teams, six of which are still alive in this year’s playoffs: San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Chicago Bears.
Despite finishing in first place in the NFC East, the Eagles’ two first-place opponents next season are teams that barely made the playoffs – the Carolina Panthers (7-9) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7).
The Birds are scheduled to play nine home games next season, which increases the likelihood we’ll see the Eagles in an international game. That could include a return to Brazil or hosting a game in Munich, Mexico City, or London.
Home games: Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders, New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Away games: Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears
Eagles cornerback Quinton Mitchell speaks to reporters at his locker Monday.
Eagles fans will get to see the players one final time before the skip town for the NFL offseason.
Birds players have begun to clear out their lockers and speak to reporters.
The Eagles are also required to hold a season-ending news conference at some point this week, which could include head coach Nick Sirianni, general manager Howie Roseman, or both. The Eagles have yet to announce when that will happen.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman at Sunday’s wild-card game.
The Eagles and their forward-looking fans will learn tonight where the Birds are picking in the draft order.
If the Steelers beat the Texans, the Eagles will pick 22nd. If the Texans beat the Steelers, the Eagles will pick 23rd (the Texans had a better regular season record than the Eagles).
It remains to be seen what position groups make the most sense for the Eagles to target. Free agency happens before the draft, of course. But the Eagles will be in the market for offensive line help as well as at edge rusher and potentially wide receiver (among others).
As of now, here are the Eagles’ picks in the 2026 draft, which will take place in Pittsburgh beginning April 23.
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3 (from the New York Jets in the Haason Reddick trade)
According to the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Graham said his 37-year-old body “responded well and he felt he was just getting into a groove down the stretch.”
Despite being on the field for just seven defensive plays (12% of the snaps), Graham still made his presence felt Sunday, mostly by trash-talking the entire 49ers team, including former Birds defender Bryce Huff.
Brandon Graham talking trash to all the Niners as they head to the locker room. He REALLY gave Bryce Huff the business. BG and Trent Williams shared a big hug. pic.twitter.com/cf9dDx7Gvl
Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo is under fire following this season’s offensive struggles.
Kevin Patullo is as good as done. A.J. Brown’s future is murkier.
But whatever happens to the offensive coordinator and the team’s top receiver, some form of significant change is coming to the Eagles offense after a season of frustration ended fittingly with another bipolar performance on Sunday.
Patullo will be the easiest to cut off, not because he was solely responsible for the regression or even for the substandard play calling that doomed the Eagles in their 23-19 loss to the 49ers in the playoffs, just as it had throughout most of the 2025 regular season.
Most players, including tackle Jordan Mailata, publicly supported the first-year coordinator on Sunday. They pointed the finger at themselves and their execution, or lack thereof. But the powers-that-be, as Mailata noted, can’t just wipe out the bulk of the highest-paid offense in the NFL.
“It’s easier to blame somebody who gets paid less than your starting people, right?” Mailata said. “And everybody knows that. Everyone in this [bleeping] locker room — even you [reporters] know that. But the story makes better sense if we’re pointing to somebody else than not the players.”
Brown might seem the logical piece to move considering how his drops against San Francisco seemed indicative of an apathetic season by his standards. General manager Howie Roseman isn’t normally fond of trading Hall of Fame talent, and Brown’s contract may make it difficult to move the 28-year old.
But the Eagles will need to find ways to clear salary cap space with salaries for quarterback Jalen Hurts and others on offense increasing and young homegrown players on defense, including defensive tackles Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, slated for extensions.
Mike McDaniel was fired by the Dolphins after four seasons.
Lots of Eagles fans are calling on the team to replace offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo with recently-fired Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. But he may have a better job soon.
McDaniel is scheduled to interview with four teams about their head coaching vacancies, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero – the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, and Baltimore Ravens.
He’ll also sit down for an interview with the Detroit Lions about their vacant offensive coordinator position,” Pelissero reported.
McDaniel spent the past four seasons as the Dolphins’ head coach, and prior to that he was Kyle Shanahan’s offensive coordinator and run game coordinator in San Francisco.
Drake Maye won Sunday night in his playoff debut with the Patriots.
With one wild-card game left to play – tonight’s matchup between the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers (8 p.m., ESPN/ABC) – the NFL announced part of next weekend’s divisional round playoff schedule.
While we know which teams will play which days, the NFL is waiting to announce the times and networks. Saturday’s games will take place at 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern, while Sunday’s game will happen at 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Here’s what we know about the divisional round’s schedule:
Saturday
No. 6 Bills at No. 1 Broncos
No. 6 49ers at No. 1 Seahawks
Sunday
No. 5 Rams at No. 2 Bears
No. 5 Texans or No. 4 Steelers at No. 2 Patriots
Full 2025 NFL playoff schedule
Wild-card round: Saturday, Jan. 10, to Monday, Jan. 12
Divisional round: Saturday, Jan. 17, to Sunday, Jan. 18
“I just don’t think you can expect everyone to be super balanced and chill,” Brady said. “You’re a warrior, you’re a gladiator down on the field. Emotions are running high every single play.”
Fox NFL analyst and Hall of Famer Michael Strahan had a different perspective on the exchange.
“I don’t understand why Sirianni is running down there yelling at one of his star players,” Strahan said at halftime. “I don’t think that brings out the best in your player… In my opinion as a player, I wouldn’t have taken very well from my coach on the sideline.”
‘Just too basic’: Eagles’ final play draws criticism
In a season where the Eagles’ offense left a lot to be desired, the offense’s final play of the season is drawing criticism.
Facing fourth down and needing 11 yards, Jalen Hurts failed to connect with a triple-covered A.J. Brown, allowing the 49ers to run out the clock. But a second look at the play – dubbed “4 Verticals” – shows it had little chance to succeed, with receivers simply running down the field and the 49ers covering everyone.
Head coach Nick Sirianni told reporters the Eagles called a timeout before the final play and took a picture of how the 49ers defense lined up “to give ourselves some information.” Hurts said the 49ers didn’t change what they were doing.
“They played ‘Cover 4 structure’ and I just didn’t make the play,” Hurts told reporters following the game. “I own it. I own it all.”
“On 4th-and-11, we need your best play. All they did was say to the four guys out there, ‘Just run straight down the field,’” said NBC analyst and former Patriots defender Devin McCourty. “The 49ers… banged up and a bunch of guys just thrown in there together, they’re all over that play. Just too basic, and now who knows what the city of Philadelphia is going to do.”
On 94.1 WIP, former Eagles fullback turned sports talker Jon Ritchie said the Eagles ran exactly what the 49ers were expecting, and against that defense Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo had options to convert.
“Against quarters coverage, the flats are open,” Ritchie said. “It’s fourth and eleven. What are you doing?”
Dallas Goedert among Eagles set to become free agents
Dallas Goedert’s contact expires at the end of the season.
Did we just watch Dallas Goedert’s final game with the Eagles?
The Birds’ tight end, who scored two touchdowns in Sunday night’s loss to the San Francisco, is among a handful of players who are set to become free agents.
Here is a list of notable players whose contracts expire following this season:
Offense: WR Jahan Dotson, TE Kylen Granson, RG Matt Pryor, RB A.J. Dillon, RG Fred Johnson, LT Brett Toth, QB Sam Howell, TE Grant Calcaterra, LT Luke Felix-Fualalo
Defense: LB Azeez Ojulari, LB Joshua Uche, CB Adoree Jackson, LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, S Marcus Epps, LB Ben VanSumeren
In the days leading up to the Eagles’ Dec. 28 road game at the Buffalo Bills, defensive assistant Jeremiah Washburn, who coaches the Eagles edge rushers, handed out a new accessory to the entire defensive line.
The green bracelet has “Isaiah 6:8″ and the phrase “send me” written in white. In the Bible verse, the prophet Isaiah hears the voice of God ask: “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah responds: “Here I am. Send me.”
That, defensive tackle Moro Ojomo said, was the mindset of the entire defensive line. And the entire Eagles’ defense.
“Send us,” Ojomo said as he fiddled with the bracelet on his left wrist. “We want to be the ones to get the job done.”
For most of the 2025 season, especially after the Eagles’ Week 9 bye, the defense answered the call. Vic Fangio’s unit propped up an inconsistent offense. It stifled good offenses and carried the team to victories that maybe it didn’t deserve. The Eagles beat Green Bay 10-7. They beat Detroit 16-9. They won that Bills game, 13-12. They entered the postseason, in what was a wide-open NFL playoffs, with a puncher’s chance to repeat as Super Bowl champions in large part because they had the talent on defense and Fangio, the mastermind, calling the shots.
The season ended in abrupt fashion Sunday for myriad reasons, but the San Francisco 49ers advanced to the NFC’s divisional round in part because the Eagles didn’t have enough answers defensively down the stretch. The 49ers scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns. They had a 10-play, 66-yard touchdown drive that lasted more than five minutes and ended with less than three minutes on the clock.
The strength of the Eagles defense was its ability to limit explosive plays and clamp down in the red zone.
The 49ers threw the first haymaker. Lincoln Financial Field roared after Will Shipley crunched Brian Robinson on the opening kickoff and then the Eagles stuffed Christian McCaffrey’s first rushing attempt on San Francisco’s first play for a loss of one yard. But then Quinyon Mitchell allowed a 61-yard catch-and-run from Brock Purdy to Demarcus Robinson that set the 49ers up in the red zone at the Eagles’ 16-yard line. Four plays later, Purdy hit Robinson, who beat Mitchell for a 2-yard touchdown and the game’s first points.
“I got to start the game off faster,” Mitchell said. “Maybe that could’ve changed the game in a way.”
Mitchell would eventually atone. The Eagles forced punts on the next two San Francisco drives before allowing a field goal and then later stopping the 49ers as the second quarter ended. Mitchell then picked Purdy off on the 49ers’ first drive of the second half. He had another interception in the fourth quarter, too, but after the 49ers added another score.
San Francisco, which was already banged up and lost star tight end George Kittle to an Achilles injury in the second quarter, dipped into the bag of tricks to open the fourth quarter. Out of the timeout, Kyle Shanahan dialed up a trick play, a reverse that found the ball in the hands of Jauan Jennings, who threw on the move to a streaking and wide-open McCaffrey for a 29-yard score.
“We knew they liked to do some sort of trickery down in the red zone,” safety Reed Blankenship said. “We were just in a different call that allowed him to sneak through.”
The Eagles took the lead back on a Jake Elliott field goal with eight minutes to play. The defense needed to deliver one final stop. Instead, the 49ers moved the ball with ease. The Eagles, who sacked Purdy once on the day, applied pressure at times, but not enough. Purdy felt the pressure and was excellent in escaping it. The 49ers didn’t face a third down on that 10-play, game-winning drive until the play they scored on, a 4-yard pass from Purdy to McCaffrey on third-and-goal. The 49ers converted six of their 11 third-down attempts.
“They just made more plays than we did,” Blankenship said.
Shanahan, Ojomo said, “is a hell of an offensive play-caller.”
“At the end of the day, he kind of had a better plan and we should have executed at a higher level,” Ojomo said. “You got to play complementary football. After our scores, we needed to stop them. When we get turnovers, we need scores. We didn’t do that at a high enough level to win. That’s kind of the result when you’re in the playoffs. You’re playing good teams every week. You can’t have any hiccups.”
Jordan Davis (90) and Moro Ojomo (97) were encouraging pieces of a fine Eagles defense in 2025.
Especially not with an offense that rarely allowed for wiggle room. It was a lot to ask if the Eagles were going to try to repeat. The offense did not permit much in the way of a margin for error. It is a taxing way to play football, and it’s taxing on a defense that got better as the year went on. Ojomo, though, wanted to look only internally.
“You could always get one more stop, one more turnover,” he said. “At the end of the day, we fell short as a defense. They don’t score, they don’t win. We didn’t get the job done.”
The defense will look different next season. Blankenship is one of a few key free agents. The loss, he said, was tough.
“This is one of the toughest things about football and about life,” he said. “You go through the challenges throughout the year, training camp, whatever. You create this relationship and these bonds and it ends so fast. You’re not really prepared for it and it’s tough.”
How will the 2025 defense be remembered? It was the year of Jordan Davis’ breakout. Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, both second-year players, were named first-team All-Pros. Brandon Graham came out of retirement. Ojomo stepped in for a key free agent, Milton Williams, and shined.
“I think everybody will just remember this game,” Blankenship said. “That’s the last game we played in and it wasn’t us.”
You’re only as good as your last, they say.
“You lose in the first round of the playoffs, I don’t think you’re remembered much,” Ojomo said. “That’s effed up. This defense played our tail off all year, young and hungry and filled with a bunch of guys who are selfless.”
Washburn, Ojomo said, handed those bracelets out to provide some perspective. The message, he said, was received. The defense wanted to be the unit that carried the Eagles.
“It’s sad,” Ojomo said. “I loved being on this defense.”
An Eagles fan watches as the players leave the field after losing to the 49ers.
With less than a minute remaining in Sunday’s game, fans crowded together in McGillin’s Olde Ale House with the Eagles down 23-19 and their back-to-back Super Bowl aspirations on the line. As a way to motivate one another and keep their hopes alive, fans in the bar began to erupt into Eagles chants.
Unfortunately, Jalen Hurts was sacked and threw three straight incompletions to end their playoff run early.
Brandon Lasalata was just one fan in attendance to watch the Birds night end in a loss. The 24-year-old made the drive from Richmond, Virginia to watch Sunday’s wild-card matchup surrounded by Eagles fans. However, it wasn’t the ending he expected.
“I don’t know what happened,” Lasalata said. “We need to get rid of Kevin Patullo. I think that hopefully next year we’ll be a better playoff contender. We should have gotten through this round. I don’t know what happened. I’m very upset.”
On the other side of the room, 27-year-old Lancaster native Dominic Polidoro sat with his head hanging low in defeat.
“I feel pretty deflated,” Polidoro said. “I feel like this team was probably the most talented team in the league. It’s really disappointing to see them fall short, especially scoring less than 20 points in this game. The offense has so many talented players and the defense is even more talented. So, it’s really disappointing to see them fall short this early in the playoffs. We had higher hopes. We thought this team was good enough to go to the Super Bowl and win.”
In terms of what’s next for the Birds, Polidoro has a few ideas in mind.
“Fire both [Nick] Sirianni and Patullo,” Polidoro said. “I like Sirianni but I think a more strategic offense might be more complimentary for the team.”
Eagles season ends on failed comeback attempt against 49ers
Offensive tackle Fred Johnson sits on the bench after the Eagles’ loss to the 49ers.
In the end, the Eagles offense couldn’t rise to occasion, a shortcoming it had all season long.
With under a minute remaining in the wild-card round against the San Francisco 49ers, Jalen Hurts was tasked with driving down the field and scoring a touchdown to erase the Eagles’ 23-19 deficit. Upon reaching the 49ers’ 20-yard line, Hurts was sacked and threw three straight incompletions, ending the Eagles’ aspirations of a repeat Super Bowl championship.
There were three lead changes in the fourth quarter. The 49ers managed to pull off the win, without inside linebacker Fred Warner, defensive end Nick Bosa, and tight end George Kittle, who tore his Achilles in the second quarter.
NFL playoffs: What we know about the divisional round schedule
So much for the Eagles facing off against the Chicago Bears.
With all the NFC wild-card games now finished, here’s what we know about the playoff matchups we’ll see in the divisional round next weekend:
NFC:
No. 1 Seahawks vs. No. 6 49ers
No. 2 Bears vs. No. 5 Rams
AFC:
With just one game played, things are a bit more fluid in the AFC.
All we know is the No. 1 seed Denver Broncos will either face the No. 6 Buffalo Bills, who won Sunday, or the No. 7 Los Angeles Chargers if they upset the No. 2 New England Patriots tonight.
If the Patriots win, the Bills will face the Broncos and New England will host the winner of Monday night’s wild-card matchup between the No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers and No. 5 Houston Texans.
A 10-play, 66-yard 49ers drive ends with a Brock Purdy pass to Christian McCaffrey on third-and-goal from the 4-yard line. The Eagles pressured Purdy, but the quarterback was able to get the ball out and into the hands of his best player to give San Francisco the lead.
The Eagles are on the brink of elimination with 2 minutes, 54 seconds to go. They trail 23-19 and need a touchdown to win. Their offense has 65 yards in the second half.
Quinyon Mitchell celebrates an interception during the third quarter.
The Eagles are clinging to a 16-10 lead as the third quarter ends, but San Francisco will begin the fourth quarter with a first down on the Eagles’ 29-yard line.
The Eagles’ offense has stalled a bit. Jake Elliott just extended the lead by three points with a 41-yard field goal, but the Eagles punted on their three previous drives.
Execution has been an issue, too. Saquon Barkley dropped a pass in the flat for a first down. Cam Jurgens was also called for a holding penalty on a Jalen Hurts run that would have resulted in a first down.
We'll see if those conservative calls on second and third down come back to haunt the #Eagles. But their defense is playing outstanding, and Nick Sirianni seems to expect them to maintain that level to finish.
Jake Elliott 41-yard FG expands lead over 49ers to 16-10.
Saquon Barkley has 15 carries for 71 yards in the first half
The Eagles lead the San Francisco 49ers, 13-10, at halftime.
A lot happened.
The Eagles’ running game got rolling. Saquon Barkley has 15 carries for 71 yards. Tank Bigsby ran three times for another 20.
Jalen Hurts is 11-for-16 for 93 yards and a touchdown.
Kevin Patullo’s red-zone magic with tight end Dallas Goedert continued. Goedert ran for a touchdown and caught another.
Jake Elliott missed an extra point as his season from hell rolls on.
The 49ers lost George Kittle to an Achilles injury. They got just 13 yards on eight carries from Christian McCaffrey.
Oh, and Nick Sirianni and A.J. Brown got into it on the sidelines.
The Eagles’ defense needs to cut down on big plays, but Vic Fangio’s unit is in a pretty good spot. The running game should be able to control the second half. But the Eagles are probably regretting not getting points out of that last drive and building on their lead.
The Eagles receive the kickoff to start the second half.
After halftime, Sirianni told Fox’s Erin Andrews things are fine between him and his star receiver.
“Emotions, they run high, especially in the playoffs,” Sirianni said, according to Andrews. “Of course, after this game, we’ll go back to loving each other. But look, this is just the way it is. We’re just fine, thanks.”
“I just don’t think you can expect everyone to be super balanced and chill,” Brady said. “You’re a warrior, you’re a gladiator down on the field. Emotions are running high every single play.”
Fox NFL analyst and Hall of Famer Michael Strahan had a different perspective on the exchange.
“I don’t understand why Sirianni is running down there yelling at one of his star players,” Strahan said at halftime. “I don’t think that brings out the best in your player… In my opinion as a player, I wouldn’t have taken very well from my coach on the sideline.”
Eagles take the lead after refs pickup flag on Birds
Dallas Goedert’s second touchdown catch of the game was nearly called back after officials initially called Cam Jergens with a penalty for being downfield.
After a brief discussion, officials picked up the flag. Fox NFL rules alalyst Dean Blandino explained why it was a good decision.
“If you’re an offensive lineman, if there’s a pass you can’t be downfield when the pass is thrown,” Blandino said. “Jurgens was downfield, but the exception — if you’re blocking within a yard, you can drive that defender five, six, ten yards downfield.”
Haven't see much of Quinyon Mitchell getting beat this season, but the 49ers went at the All pro CB on their first pass that went 61 yards and on a 2-yard TD pass. 49ers jump down the #Eagles on their opening drive, 7-0.
A strong cold front is forecast to incite winds perhaps gusting 40 mph during the Eagles-49ers playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field.
The winds evidently won’t be taking sides: The stadium’s orientation is more or less north-south, and the winds will be blowing from the west and then “swirling around in the Linc,” said Matt Benz, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc.
In any event, they won’t be much help to the quarterbacks or the kickers — San Francisco’s Eddy Piñeiro or Elliott, whose 74.1% field goal percentage this season was the second-lowest of his nine-year career. Piñeiro hit on 28 of 29 attempts.
Temperatures at kickoff are in the the mid-40s and are expected to drop into the upper 30s during the game. Steady winds of 20 mph may drive wind chills into the upper 20s.
Josh Allen and the Bills defeated the Jaguars earlier Sunday.
Here’s an updated look at the NFL 2025 playoff schedule and results (so far).
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Full 2025 NFL playoff schedule
Wild-card round: Saturday, Jan. 10, to Monday, Jan. 12
Divisional round: Saturday, Jan. 17, to Sunday, Jan. 18
Watch Gameday Central: Live Eagles-49ers pregame show
// Timestamp 01/11/26 4:11pm
Bills advance past Jaguars in AFC wild-card opener
Josh Allen and the Bills are moving on in the playoffs.
The first AFC playoff game picked up right where the NFC left off Saturday night: with a thrilling finish.
In a back-and-forth affair that included four fourth-quarter lead changes, the Bills edged out the Jaguars, 27-24, thanks to a go-ahead Tush Push touchdown from Josh Allen with a minute left in the game.
If the Patriots beat the Chargers Sunday night, the Bills will travel to Denver next week for the divisional round as the conference’s lowest remaining seed.
If the Chargers pull off the upset, the Bills will face the winner of Monday night’s game between the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers.
The 49ers, meanwhile, will be missing wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, and perhaps more crucially, will be without a pair of linebackers in Dee Winters and Luke Gifford. They lost another linebacker, Tatum Bethune, last week. On the flip side, they will be getting back left tackle Trent Williams, who missed the regular-season finale with a hamstring injury.
Ricky Pearsall and Dee Winters are inactive for today's game.
Johnson was officially listed as questionable following practice on Friday after participating in all three practices this week in a limited fashion.
Johnson suffered a Lisfranc injury in his foot in the Eagles’ Week 11 win over the Detroit Lions. This week was his first week back on the practice field, but he was not yet fully ready to return to game action.
With Johnson out, Fred Johnson figures to continue starting at right tackle.
Cameron Williams just walked on the field with his game pants on, which would indicate that he will be one of the three OL reserves active today in addition to Matt Pryor and Drew Kendall. https://t.co/FDpRLaNqh2
This Eagles fan walks a ‘helmet dog’ to get ready for games
Walking through C Lot, you may find Eagles fans playing cornhole, grilling their favorite meats, or throwing a football around as they prepare for today’s game. Or you may see a man wearing a beak on his head as he drags a 49ers helmet on a leash through the parking lot.
That’s 64-year-old David Schofield, also known as “Beak.” He has been “walking the dog” for 21 years.
“The rescues, we just like to bring them out here in the sun and get them some exercise,” Schofield said of his “helmet dog.”
Schofield has made this into a pregame ritual, and owns a helmet for each NFL team.
“It started with a road trip in Buffalo when we took a helmet home to smash,” Schofield said. “But, it was a good helmet so it didn’t smash too easily. So, I ended up putting it on a dog leash. Hence the birth of the helmet dog.”
Darius Slay tailgates with Eagles fans as Bills open playoffs
Jennifer Slay (left) and former Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. (center) attend a tailgate before the Eagles play the 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.
Darius Slay may no longer be part of the Eagles — but that’s not stopping him and his wife Jennifer Slay from supporting his former team.
The former Birds cornerback posed for photos with fans at the 4th and Jawn tailgate ahead of the Eagles’ wild-card matchup with the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Standing beside his wife, he looked at the crowd of Birds fans and smiled as they yelled out “Big Play Slay” and erupted in Eagles chants.
Darius Slay may no longer be part of the Eagles — but that’s not stopping him and his wife Jennifer Slay from supporting his former team. pic.twitter.com/XsSPgLKuRp
Although Slay was released last offseason before signing with the Steelers, he still means a lot to the city of Philadelphia after spending five seasons here, capped off by a Super Bowl victory in February.
“Darius Slay means everything,” said 30-year-old Chris Mallee. “He’s kind of a blue collar guy like all the people coming to the games. He’s someone that keeps his head down and works really hard, family oriented, he’s a really solid guy. We definitely miss him here but we’re glad he’s doing well.”
How do fans feel about Darius Slay making an appearance at the Eagles tailgates pic.twitter.com/G2Akdi8KOQ
Slay was released by the Steelers last month, and subsequently claimed by the Buffalo Bills. However, he informed the Bills he was considering retirement and wouldn’t report to the team. At the same time Slay was hanging with Eagles fans Sunday, the Bills were in Jacksonville for a playoff game of their own. They currently lead the Jaguars, 10-7, late in the first half.
How confident are Eagles fans heading into the playoffs?
// Timestamp 01/11/26 1:32pm
Eagles all over: Fans fly in from Texas for first game at the Linc
Steven Booth, 30, and Brandon Casas, 26, flew in from El Paso, Texas, on Friday night to watch the Eagles compete against the San Francisco 49ers in their wild-card matchup at Lincoln Financial Field.
Booth has been an Eagles fan since 2005, when he was a kid and the Birds played the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX. Sunday’s game will be the first game he’s attending at the Linc.
“We’re looking forward to seeing the [Eagles] fan base,” Booth said. “How crazy it gets in there in a playoff environment. And of course a [win].”
The two teams previously met twice in 2023, first in January in the NFC championship, a dominant win for the Eagles. They met again during the 2023 regular season, when it was the 49ers turn to dominate the Birds in a 42-19 win to avenge the postseason loss. Booth sees Sunday’s game as a chance for the Eagles to take back their loss in their last contest.
Remember Eagles Court? It was a Birds-Niners game that started it all.
A stadium security member escorts two fans out of the Vet after they urinated on the wall in the 700 Level in 2002.
On Nov. 10, 1997, Jimmy DeLeon, a municipal court judge, was watching from home when a blowout loss to the 49ers on Monday Night Football became more about what was happening in the stands. There were over 20 fights, a gang of fans broke a man’s ankle, two folks ran onto the Vet turf, and a New Jersey man was arrested after firing a flare across the stadium.
The concrete and steel fortress at Broad and Pattison had long been a haven for rough and rowdy football fans. There was the time the fans stole the headdress from the Washington fan who dressed like a Native American. And the whistling Cowboys fan who was chased out of the 700 Level.
“It was a nightmare,” said Bill Brady, a retired traffic cop who spent game days patrolling the 700 Level. “Fights galore. People passed out in the bathroom. One of the security guys up there used to box in the Blue Horizon. It was nothing but aggravation. You’d have roll call in the police room and go up to the 700 Level. By the end of the day, you were beat up.”
But this Monday night game against the 49ers was too much. The flare gun — the man said he saw people firing them in the parking lot and then brought one into the Vet — became national news as Philadelphia’s unruly stadium was now portrayed as a war zone.
DeLeon called Judge Seamus McCaffery as the two volunteered as judges in the city’s nuisance night courts, a program in which people who committed “quality of life crimes” such as loitering, underage drinking, and curfew violations would be brought immediately to a judge and receive a fine. DeLeon told McCaffery that they had to do something about the Vet.
“He was right on it,” DeLeon said. “He took it over.”
McCaffery was soon in a meeting with Jim Kenney — the future mayor who was then on City Council — along with Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and president Joe Banner.
The night nuisance court was Kenney’s idea, and he thought it could work at the Vet. Arrested fans could be charged immediately, plead guilty, and be issued a fine by a judge.
Too often, an arrested fan would fail to show up to a court date and nothing more would happen. The city didn’t spend the resources to chase down fans from the 700 Level. McCaffery said it was a fine idea, but the stadium didn’t have a courtroom.
“Without missing a beat, Jeff Lurie said, ‘We’ll build you a courtroom here,’” McCaffery said.
Thus began the legend of Eagles Court.
“The hardest part sometimes was keeping a straight face,” added McCaffrey, who oversaw the court until the team moved to the Linc in 2003.
In wide-open NFL playoffs, it’s hard to count out the Eagles
Jalen Hurts and Dallas Goedert begin their Super Bowl defense in earnest on Sunday.
The Rams were a double-digit favorite and still needed last-minute heroics to win on the road against 8-9 Carolina. The Bears advanced past Green Bay after a fourth-quarter comeback that seemed impossible, and will probably be a home underdog once again vs. their divisional round opponent.
Wild-card Saturday was certainly wild, but it underscored a major storyline of this season’s NFL playoffs: It’s wide open.
After what was a pretty whacky regular season — the offense took a step back under a first-year coordinator; A.J. Brown fired off a few cryptic social media posts; Lane Johnson and Jalen Carter were hurt; Brandon Graham came out of retirement — the Eagles are firmly in the mix, and it’s hard to rule them out of making a Super Bowl run.
They will take the field later this afternoon as a six-point favorite (up from 3.5 points to open the week) against a 49ers team that is banged up and may be running out of gas. A win would send the Eagles to Chicago next week, and while they lost a brutal Black Friday game to the Bears in Week 13, they will most likely be favored to advance next weekend at Soldier Field.
Their reward could conceivably be a home NFC title game vs. the Rams, or a trip to Seattle for a matchup between two of the best defenses in the NFL. Seattle winning would require Sam Darnold to at least do enough to win against a healthy Vic Fangio defense. The Eagles may not be favorites in that game, but they’d be a live ‘dog.
FanDuel as of Sunday morning has the Eagles at +750 to win the Super Bowl. The Seahawks (+380) and Rams (+380) have shorter odds as far as NFC teams go, but they’re already in the second round. NFC title odds look like this: Seahawks +175; Rams +200; Eagles +380. Then there’s the Bears at +550 and the 49ers at +1900.
The Eagles have talent and experience on their side, despite whatever schematic advantages they may theoretically no longer have with their offense. Besides Jalen Hurts, only Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers have Super Bowl wins among the 12 teams that remained in the playoffs as of Sunday morning.
Hurts’ efforts to try to get back to another start Sunday, and the path started taking shape on a wild Saturday of football that made it easier to imagine the Eagles getting to the final weekend. And easier to see their season ending in disappointment on Sunday. It’s been that kind of season, and it’s that kind of playoff bracket.
Tom Brady seen here speaking to Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, is back in the booth to call Birds-49ers Sunday.
Eagles fans will hear a familiar voice — and a former foe — calling Sunday’s wild-card game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady, Fox’s No. 1 crew, will be in the booth at the Linc to call all of Sunday’s action. Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi will report from the sidelines.
It will be the duo’s seventh Eagles game this season, and while Birds fans have strong opinions about Brady, Burkhardt has unquestionably been a rabbit’s foot.
The Eagles are 12-5 in games Burkhardt has called (including playoffs) since he replaced Joe Buck as the Fox’s top NFL voice in 2022, when he was initially paired with Greg Olsen. That seems appropriate for the North Jersey native who grew up rooting for the Eagles despite living in Giants country.
You can also mute the TV and tune into 94.1 WIP, where Merrill Reese will be calling his 28th Eagles playoff run (and 18th alongside longtime partner and former Eagles receiver Mike Quick). The NFL’s longest-tenured announcer, Reese, 83, has said he has no intention of hanging up his headset once his 48th season comes to a close.
Eagles-49ers TV and radio details
When: Sunday, Jan. 11
Where: Lincoln Financial Field
Time: 4:30 p.m. kickoff
TV: Fox 29 (Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi)
Radio: 94.1 WIP (Merrill Reese, Mike Quick, Devan Kaney)
Spanish radio: Tico (Rickie Ricardo, Oscar Budejen, David Gerhardt)
National radio: Westwood One (Ian Eagles, Ross Tucker
The Eagles would face Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears if they defeat the 49ers Sunday.
If the No. 3 seed Eagles manage to defeat the No. 6 San Francisco 49ers Sunday, they’ll travel to Chicago to take on the No. 2 Bears in the divisional round of the playoffs next weekend.
The No. 1 Seattle Seahawks will take on the lowest-remaining seed, the No. 5 Los Angeles Rams, who eked by the No. 4 Carolina Panthers, 34-31, Saturday afternoon. That would leave the Eagles facing the Bears, who defeated the Birds 24-15 earlier this season. If the 49ers win, they would travel to Seattle and the Bears would host the Rams.
The Seahawks have entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed three previous times (2014, 2013, and 2005), and each time have advanced to the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Eagles are looking to become the first No. 3 seed in the NFC to make it to the Super Bowl since Washington did it in 1987.
The NFL is expected to announce the full divisional round playoff schedule Sunday night during NBC’s broadcast of the AFC’s No. 7 seed Los Angeles Chargers vs. No. 2 New England Patriots.
49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts will face off Sunday at the Linc.
When it comes to our writers, it’s a consensus: the Eagles will advance to the divisional round. Here’s a look at how they see it playing out:
Jeff McLane: “There’s a push when it comes to the Eagles’ underperforming offense vs. the 49ers’ subpar defense; but I give the edge to a great Eagles defense over a very good, but not great 49ers offense.” | Eagles 23, Niners 17.
Jeff Neiburg: “It hasn’t been an encouraging season from the Eagles’ offense, to put it mildly, but the 49ers are down multiple linebackers and don’t have an abundance of talent in the secondary. If the Eagles don’t beat themselves, which you can’t rule out, they should be able to establish a running game that gets the offense back on track.” | Eagles 24, Niners 20.
Olivia Reiner: “Maybe the Eagles can finish what the Seahawks started last week and continue to punish the 49ers on the ground. Maybe Jalen Hurts and the passing attack can exploit the 49ers’ thin inside linebacker corps with passes over the middle of the field. Neither have been characteristic of the offense this season, though. Or, maybe, the defense will stifle Shanahan’s offense while Nick Sirianni, Kevin Patullo, and the Eagles offense do just enough to get by. It wouldn’t be the first time.” | Eagles 24, Niners 20.
Matt Breen: “The Niners had a great finish to the season before their dud against the Seahawks, but they just seem too banged up to hang with the Eagles.” | Eagles 24, Niners 13.
Eagles injury report: ‘Some concern’ Lane Johnson could miss game
Offensive tackle Lane Johnson could return to the field Sunday.
The Eagles have listed Lane Johnson, who suffered a Lisfranc foot injury in Week 11, as questionable to play in Sunday’s wild-card game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Johnson, the 35-year-old right tackle, was a limited participant in all three practices this week. He hadn’t practiced since mid-November, as he missed the last seven games of the regular season after his injury against the Detroit Lions.
On Saturday, Fox’s Jay Glazer reported that Johnson was dealing with some soreness and swelling in his injured foot and will be a game-time decision. That report that was confirmed by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport.
“There is some concern he could miss this game,” Garafolo said Saturday. “He was limited in practice all week, he looked good in spurts, but that’s a tough injury, it’s a painful injury. I would say that this is a legitimate game-time decision. We’re going to watch this [Sunday], so we’ll have an update for you on Sunday.”
In addition to Johnson, the Eagles listed Brett Toth (concussion) and Azeez Ojulari (hamstring; injured reserve) as questionable to play against the 49ers. Toth was a limited participant in Friday’s practice after sitting out on Wednesday and Thursday.
Everyone else on the Eagles’ active roster is available to play, including Grant Calcaterra (ankle), Jalen Carter (hip), Nakobe Dean (hamstring), Landon Dickerson (rest), Marcus Epps (concussion), Dallas Goedert (knee), and Jaelan Phillips (ankle).
Dean, the 25-year-old inside linebacker, is set to suit up for his first game in three weeks. He was sidelined for the final two games of the season with a hamstring injury he suffered in Week 16 against the Washington Commanders.
Dean revealed his intention to play against the 49ers earlier in the week. Dean last appeared in the postseason last season in the wild-card round win over the Green Bay Packers, when he tore the patellar tendon in his knee.
49ers injury report: San Francisco could be without several starters
49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams is questionable for Sunday’s game.
The San Francisco 49ers are listing five starters as questionable, including left tackle Trent Williams (hamstring), wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee/ankle), inside linebacker Dee Winters (ankle), outside linebacker Luke Gifford (quadricep), and cornerback Renardo Green (foot).
Williams, the three-time All-Pro tackle, was a limited participant in practice all week. Pearsall did not practice, but head coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday he could still play. Green had not been listed on the injury report going into Friday’s practice.
Depth players defensive lineman Keion White (groin/hamstring) and Jacob Cowing (hamstring; injured reserve)are also questionable to play.
Saquon Barkley has a favorite element of playoff football. Winning the Super Bowl in his first season with the Eagles last year and celebrating with a parade was a lot of fun. The Eagles got there and did that in large part because the NFL’s 2024 offensive player of the year rushed for 499 yards and five touchdowns in four games.
The trophy and the stats were cool, but Barkley — who is, it’s worth mentioning here, not having a statistical season worth remembering — would seemingly hand those numbers to someone else if the postseason result can remain the same. If the Eagles, like they are more prone to do this season, plod their way to another title.
“Most importantly it’s winning, winning football, however it looks,” Barkley said this week. “That’s the best thing about the playoffs. If we win every game the way we won against Buffalo, no one’s going to care. No one is going to feel like we didn’t do enough on offense. Even you guys can’t really write nothing about it because we got to move on to the next week.
“That’s my favorite part about the playoffs. Stats don’t matter. The only thing that matters is winning the game, and I’m excited for that.”
It is a constant message around the NovaCare Complex, straight from the mouths of the organization’s leaders, Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts, who, to be fair, have done a lot of winning.
But it’s also the easiest message to lean on right now as the Eagles and their maligned offense start on a playoff run — in a wide-open tournament — that could conceivably end Sunday or a month from now in California. Because the stats, which Barkley says don’t matter, aren’t good.
In case you need to be reminded how Kevin Patullo’s first regular season as offensive coordinator went: The Eagles ranked 24th in yards per game. They had a higher three-and-out percentage than the New York Jets. Barkley’s rushing yards were nearly cut in half this season as the Eagles faced a higher frequency of stacked boxes and he ran behind a banged-up offensive line that struggled to create space. They have struggled with their operation from one play to the next and snap the ball later in the clock than any other team. Hurts is running less than he ever has.
Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo (with wide receiver A.J. Brown and quarterback Jalen Hurts) has been subject to constant criticism this season.
The Eagles went 11-6, won the woeful NFC East for the second consecutive season, and earned the NFC’s third seed, which awarded them a home game Sunday, in large part because Vic Fangio’s defense allows the Eagles to squeak out 13-12 victories like the one Barkley mentioned against Buffalo.
But will the offense turn it on in the playoffs and help the Eagles make another run? Playing defense at a high level and taking care of the football is the Eagles’ formula. It can be a winning one. Which raises the question: Does the offense need to turn it on?
The answer to that question can be both yes and no. The Eagles can’t win a Super Bowl by just playing defense and not turning the ball over. They will obviously need to score points. But they have shown that winning football games does not require 30-point outbursts despite their high-priced offensive firepower.
There is not, however, a lot of recent precedent for a team with this type of offense reaching the Super Bowl. Only two teams — as pointed out recently by PHLY Sports — had lower success rates and expected points added per drive than this year’s Eagles team and reached the final weekend of the NFL season: the 2015 Denver Broncos and the 2023 Kansas City Chiefs.
The Eagles are 22nd in offensive success rate, according to SumerSports. Only one playoff team, the Houston Texans, ranks lower.
But multiple key members of the organization this week expressed confidence that the Eagles are moving in the right direction offensively and have what it takes to make a playoff run with the offense being a big part of it all.
Saquon Barkley’s production took a major step back from his award-winning campaign of 2024.
Jordan Mailata pointed to the last month for evidence. He said the Eagles have gotten more creative with their formations, sending Hurts under center and using play action. The running game has shown signs of life, even if a weak Bills defense stopped the Eagles in the second half of their Dec. 28 game in New York, the last time the first-team offense was on the field.
“I’ve seen us do it at a high level,” Barkley said. “Now we just got to lock in.”
That would be made a little easier with the return of Lane Johnson, who missed the last seven games of the season with a foot injury. The Eagles’ offense goes as its running game goes, and while Barkley was hit behind the line of scrimmage on 47.1% of his carries this season, according to Next Gen Stats — it got even worse when Johnson was out.
Designed rushes outside the right tackle earned 2.3 yards before contact per carry when Johnson was on the field compared to 0.1 with him out of the game, according to Next Gen.
The Eagles can lean on that and some of their recent success in scheming runs against the Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Washington Commanders, and in the first half of the Bills game. They can lean on under-center looks to both run out of and utilize the play-action game. They can, so long as they move the ball, lean on their NFL-best 70.45% rate of converting red zone opportunities into touchdowns. They can let Hurts loose in the running game, which could in turn help open up everything else.
“You have to have an identity of what you want to do,” Sirianni said this week.
He thinks the Eagles have found theirs. Better late than never.
Sunday’s playoff-opening matchup with the 49ers should present opportunities for the offense. The 49ers have the 20th-ranked defense in the NFL by yards allowed per game. They are missing multiple linebackers, which should weaken a unit that already allows 4.3 yards per carry, also 20th in the NFL. The passing defense has been even more beatable. Only seven teams allow more passing yards than the 49ers.
It is an opportunity for Patullo to dip into the playbook and game plan a balanced offensive attack that exploits San Francisco’s weaknesses and utilizes the abundance of talent the Eagles have on offense.
Can Kevin Patullo exploit a diminished 49ers defense?
“I think game-by-game, you’re just doing whatever you need to do to win the game,” said Patullo, whose job could be in jeopardy with an early playoff exit. “So, we will do anything and everything we have to, to put our players in a position and give them a chance to execute and win the game.
“Really up to this point, our whole goal has just been to win games, and that’s what we’re trying to do is win as many games as we can. And obviously now it counts even more. So as far as game planning going forward, it is whatever we need to do is what we’re going to do to win the game.
“I think we’ve spread it out to do totally different things from game-to-game, week-to-week. And so that’s where we’re at. We’ll just do whatever we have to do and keep pushing forward.”
That is the company line. It is one that has worked, but it is one that will be tested this weekend and beyond, should the Eagles advance.
Do the Eagles, with all the ups and downs the offense has been faced with this season, have enough answers?
“I think it depends on what perspective you look at, half-empty or half-full,” Hurts said. “I think being able to evolve and change as much as we have and still find ways to win, in ways gives you … maybe gives off this perspective of, ‘Well, what are they going to do? Who are they?’ I do definitely think that is a way that you can look at it.
“Also, at the end of the day, we’re not going to be judged off how it got done. We’re going to be judged off of if we did it or not. So my focus is on doing it.”
“It always starts off cool and then somehow, some way we were competing,” Barkley said Thursday.
The two running backs, who are among the best at their position in this generation, and possibly any generation, later went their separate ways. But soon after, they were texting, and one thing led to another before they started playing chess against each other online. “I won, by the way,” Barkley said. During one Pro Bowl trip, Barkley and McCaffrey competed in Connect Four.
They are friends, to be clear. And Barkley admitted Thursday, three days before the Eagles and McCaffrey’s San Francisco 49ers meet in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs, that there’s a little extra juice on his end for this one, even if the two have no impact on how the other performs on the field Sunday.
“Any time you go against a guy who is such a great back and future Hall of Famer, in my opinion, you definitely want to go out there and perform at a high level,” Barkley said. “It always comes down to, I can’t stop him, he can’t stop me, but I would be lying to you if I didn’t say that you want to go out there and win, especially against a guy like that.”
May the best man win?
It is not hyperbolic to say that whichever star running back performs better could send their team to the divisional round. Both will have a big impact on their team’s success.
Saquon Barkley helped power the Eagles to a win over the Bills before resting in Week 18.
Barkley’s offense is facing a banged-up 49ers defense in a game where the Eagles’ running game, which has sometimes been stuck in the mud this season, should find success. Between the two, it’s McCaffrey that has the tougher matchup. The 29-year-old led the NFL in touches (413) and was second in all-purpose yards (2,133), but the Eagles have a stout defensive front and a linebacking duo that could make life difficult for McCaffrey and 49ers tight end George Kittle.
The Eagles finally seemed to get the running game pointed in the right direction over the final month of the season, but the starting offense’s last showing was a miserable second half during the team’s 13-12 road win over Buffalo. Barkley rushed 11 times for 51 yards in the first half, then eight times for 17 yards in the second half. But Barkley, whose 16-game rushing yard production was nearly cut in half year-over-year, expressed confidence that the Eagles have been moving things in the right direction.
“We got to focus on the little things and make sure we’re all on the same page,” he said. “Usually when we do that, we’re hard to stop.”
The 49ers remain without star linebacker Fred Warner and also are down his replacement, Tatum Bethune, for the rest of the postseason. Fellow linebackers Dee Winters and Luke Gifford were held out of practice for the second consecutive day on Thursday.
“They might be beat up but they’re still a great team over there,” Barkley said. “You don’t get to the playoffs by accident. They had the opportunity to be the No. 1 seed. You don’t get to that by accident.”
Barkley pointed to San Francisco’s game against the Colts and Jonathan Taylor, who Barkley said probably was the best running back in the league. During that Week 16 game, the 49ers held Taylor to 46 yards on 16 carries in a 48-27 San Francisco victory. McCaffrey, meanwhile, carried 21 times for 117 yards and caught six passes for 29 yards and two scores.
Christian McCaffrey (23) outdueled Jonathan Taylor for a key 49ers win in December.
Barkley probably watched that game closely this week for the purposes of film study, but he has long talked about his love for studying the game, especially the players who play his position. He has advocated for running backs to be valued more and last year helped bring the position back to the forefront. It’s why he was rooting for McCaffrey, his friend, to become the first running back to ever have 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season twice. McCaffrey finished with 1,202 on the ground and 924 receiving yards.
“I’m a fan of the position,” Barkley said. “I study all of them. I give my hats off to [McCaffrey]. He’s one of the best to ever do it, to be completely honest, and is definitely going to be a challenge for our defense. Our defense is definitely up to the task.”
Barkley said he’ll be watching closely. The time between offensive series is for rest, recovery, and to make adjustments, but in games against other greats, Barkley might find himself looking at the video board a little more or watching the action on the field.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t,” he said. “It’s more of as a fan and an appreciation of the sport and the position that we play.”
Then it’s back to the field to try to one-up the fellow running back he loves to compete against.
Lane Johnson (foot) participated in practice and was listed as a limited participant for the second consecutive day. Grant Calcaterra (ankle) was limited after sitting out on Wednesday. Jalen Carter (hip) and Dallas Goedert (knee) remained limited.
Nakobe Dean (hamstring) and Marcus Epps (concussion) were upgraded to full participants Thursday after being limited on Wednesday.
Brett Toth (concussion) remained sidelined, and Landon Dickerson (rest) also sat out Thursday. Dickerson has taken Thursday practices off lately.
