Eagles rookie safety Drew Mukuba suffered a right leg fracture in the waning moments of Sunday’s loss to Dallas and will require surgery, sources confirmed to The Inquirer.
ESPN and the NFL Network were first to report the news. Mukuba is likely headed to injured reserve.
“He’ll miss a little bit of time here,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Monday. “But we’ll see how long.”
The second-round pick was injured after tackling George Pickens after the Cowboys receiver’s 24-yard reception with 35 seconds to play. He was helped into the locker room without being able to put pressure on his right foot, and was later seen in a walking boot and using crutches.
Drew Mukuba suffered a right leg fracture in pursuit of Cowboys receiver George Pickens on Sunday.
The Eagles lost both of their starting safeties to injury before the game ended. Earlier in the game, Reed Blankenship suffered a thigh injury and did not return.
Sydney Brown filled in for Blankenship and played 26 snaps. It’s unclear if Blankenship will miss Friday’s home game vs. Chicago.
The Eagles are thin at safety and have only those three on the active roster. Andre’ Sam is on the practice squad, and Marcus Epps is on injured reserve and unavailable to play Friday. Cooper DeJean and Michael Carter II would be potential options if the Eagles need a fill-in for Blankenship.
“This is why you need your entire roster,” Sirianni said. “It’s never just the 53 guys, it’s the 70 guys. You never know when those guys’ opportunity will come, and here we are.”
The Eagles also could be without Adoree’ Jackson on Friday. The outside cornerback suffered a concussion only a few weeks after clearing protocol from a concussion he suffered in Week 7.
The Eagles moved DeJean outside in the nickel package and had Carter playing in the slot after Jackson left. DeJean did not hold up well against a high-powered passing attack.
The Eagles return to the practice field Tuesday, and more clarity will come then on who may be available for Friday. One thing is certain, though, the Eagles need a replacement for Mukuba for an extended stretch. Brown, for now, is the next man up.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Terry Smith is no longer timid when asked about his interest in shedding his interim title to become Penn State’s next head coach. He wants the job, and he has made that desire known in recent days.
After the Nittany Lions’ 37-10 win over Nebraska on Saturday, Smith said he “has always been a head coach.” Dani Dennis-Sutton, the team’s standout defensive end, said Smith told players he wants to be Penn State’s next head coach.
And on Monday, Smith reiterated that statement.
“I would like to be the head coach [at Penn State],” Smith said. “If I don’t speak for myself, who will?”
After a 3-3 start led to James Franklin’s firing, Smith led Penn State (5-6, 2-6 Big Ten) through its toughest stretch of the season. The Nittany Lions went winless in his first three games, with losses to Iowa, No. 1 Ohio State, and No. 2 Indiana.
But the team was more competitive. Penn State lost to the Hawkeyes by one point in a tough road environment, trailed the Buckeyes by three points at halftime at Ohio Stadium, and nearly handed Indiana its first loss of the season.
Then came the team’s breakthrough, a 28-10 road win over Michigan State, followed by a dominant 27-point victory over Nebraska. Smith said he is interviewing for the head coaching job every day with the way he leads this team.
And through five games, he believes his interview is going well.
“No one knows Penn State better than me,” Smith said. “Of all the candidates that are out there, I [best] know the history of Penn State, I know the culture, the DNA, the locker room, the administration. I think I’m a good leader of men, and that will take care of itself when the time comes.”
Penn State interim coach Terry Smith celebrates after winning against Nebraska on Saturday.
Smith is correct. He spent four years as a player and 12 more as a coach at Penn State. He also has the backing of the team and its fans, which was showcased Saturday night with several “Terry!” chants and signs etched with “Hire Terry Smith.”
Smith has generated impressive support off the field, but his team also has improved in several key areas on the field since his promotion.
The Nittany Lions offense, which struggled to generate explosive plays before Franklin’s firing, has successfully thrown the ball downfield in recent weeks. After registering zero completions of 20 or more yards in his first two starts, Ethan Grunkemeyer had 13 completions in that category over his last three games.
“We’re answering all your guys’ questions about throwing the ball down the field,” Smith said. “The ball is going down the field, which is opening up our run game, which is why we ran for over 200 yards [against Nebraska]. We look like a real football team.”
On several occasions before his firing, Franklin said he wanted his defense to “play faster.” His pleas were not answered.
But three weeks ago, Smith simplified some of Jim Knowles’ defense and added a “prowler package” to generate a greater pass rush. The Nittany Lions have since allowed just 15.7 points per game and tallied 11 sacks — nearly half their season total.
After a six-game losing streak and a 3-6 start, Smith has his team positioned for bowl eligibility. The only thing standing in its way: a road date with Rutgers (5-6, 2-6) on Saturday (3:30 p.m., BTN).
“We approach these last couple of weeks as do-or-die, playoff-type games. And this is another playoff game for us,” Smith said. “We’re playing to get that extra game.”
The Eagles blew a 21-0 lead at AT&T Stadium on Sunday, allowing the Dallas Cowboys to score 24 unanswered points and putting an end to the Birds’ four-game winning streak.
After the epic collapse, the Eagles face a short turnaround as they prepare to host the Chicago Bears on Black Friday. From the team’s chances this week to updates on yearly awards, here are the latest odds from two of the biggest sportsbooks …
Eagles-Bears odds
The Eagles and Bears last met during the 2022 season, a 25-20 road win for the Eagles.
This time around, the game will be in Philly as the Eagles attempt to bounce back from an embarrassing loss to their division rivals. Meanwhile, the Bears are heading into Friday’s game on a four-game winning streak, including their latest over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Despite the divergent results, sportsbooks are favoring the Eagles, with the Birds opening Week 13 as seven-point favorites.
Despite the collapse against the Cowboys, the 8-3 Eagles still hold a big lead in the race to win the NFC East. However, Dallas did manage to slightly close the gap from last week. Meanwhile, Washington is 3-8 and its chances remain the same, and the New York Giants are out of the running.
The Rams and Eagles have been among the favorites to win the NFC for most of the season.
NFC odds
As a result of Sunday’s loss, the Eagles are no longer the favorites to win the conference at both sportsbooks. Instead, the Los Angeles Rams reclaimed the top spot with a 34-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Elsewhere, the San Francisco 49ers enter the top six.
Both sportsbooks have the Rams as the favorites to win the Super Bowl, with the Eagles as a close second. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills have completely fallen out of the top five after Thursday’s loss to the Houston Texans.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts leaves the field after the Birds’ 24-21 loss to the Cowboys on Sunday.
MVP odds
Jalen Hurts’ MVP odds continue to fall after the latest loss. Drake Maye, Matthew Stafford, and Jonathan Taylor hold the top three spots in the race to MVP, but it appears to be a race between the two QBs at the moment.
After a Week 12 performance that featured one of his weakest outings — rushing for just 22 yards on 10 carries — Saquon Barkley continues to fall in the race for offensive player of the year. Meanwhile, Taylor and Jaxon Smith-Njigba remain the clear favorites.
It turned out that Matt Freese didn’t need to be the hero to oust his old team from the playoffs. Far more often Sunday night, the Union did it to themselves.
That was the feeling at the final whistle of the season as the Supporters’ Shield winners dropped a 1-0 decision to rival New York City FC in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday night at Subaru Park.
Of all the game’s narratives — and there were almost as many as the fouls the teams bashed each other with — the Union looking so powerless was among the least expected. But far too often in the game, it felt like this team wasn’t going to score.
In the first half, the Union had four scoring chances, and at least two of them were only half-chances. The biggest what-if came in the 42nd minute, when Tai Baribo flicked a first-time shot from close range wide of the far post instead of trying to slam it nearer.
In the second half, the Union didn’t have a quality chance until the 73rd, when Danley Jean Jacques botched heading a cross from substitute Frankie Westfield, then Bruno Damiani whiffed on an acrobatic attempt at the loose ball.
For almost all the time until then, a New York squad, whose leading striker Alonso Martínez and key midfielder Andrés Perea were out injured, sat back and defended. That also wasn’t surprising, but the Union kept falling into the Pigeons’ traps. Play up the middle repeatedly fizzled out, and New York repelled almost all of the Union’s repeated crosses. When the Union tried shooting from range to try to break things up, all but one of the attempts were off-target.
“They had a team out there that was hungry, and for the first couple of moments of the game, we didn’t really match that,” Union manager Bradley Carnell said. “That’s on me. … Something just didn’t feel right, and we were a little bit slow to get into the game. Once we did, I thought we were very good.”
By the time Cavan Sullivan entered in the 83rd minute, it almost felt too late already. But even in the 15 total minutes he spent on the field — seven of regular time and eight of stoppage time — he was more creative than some of his teammates were all night.
But the end felt inevitable well before the final whistle. Westfield blazed over the bar from close (but offside) range in the 87th, and Freese went full-stretch to deny Milan Iloski in the 92nd. The Wayne native let out a big shout and a fist pump with that, finally releasing some of the emotions he’d kept pent-up with the U.S. national team.
The Union now turn to their offseason roster decisions, which are due to the league by Wednesday. Four players are out of contract, and eight have options on the table.
Any team expecting to make a deep run usually knows by this point what its decisions will be. The Union are no exception, even though sporting director Ernst Tanner has been on administrative leave since Wednesday. Most of the big calls were likely made before then.
But that doesn’t mean there will be smooth sailing. While the season’s end opens the door for a quick decision on Tanner, the odds of that happening feel slim. MLS has to finish its investigation, and there have been no hints about how long that will take.
If the league proves enough of the allegations of insensitive comments on many levels to move for Tanner’s dismissal, MLS and the Union will have to contend with however Tanner and his lawyers respond.
In the meantime, it looks as if the key decision-makers will be the trio of assistant sporting director Matt Ratajczak, scouting director Chris Zitterbart, and academy director Jon Scheer. All three know the way things work at the club plenty well, even if they don’t have Tanner’s name recognition or final-say power.
Union fans brought plenty of energy Sunday night, but they left the stadium disappointed.
The biggest decision that has already been made is releasing Mikael Uhre. He’s out of contract, and it’s been an open secret in Chester for weeks that he’s on his way out. Nor is it a secret in his native Denmark that Uhre has feelers out to clubs there including his previous home, Brøndby.
Uhre stood for a long spell on the field after the final whistle, at times with colleagues and at times alone. As he headed to the locker room, the fans left in the River End gave him a nice ovation.
“Let’s just say I’m keeping my options open,” he said. “I’m not saying I would never come back. I love it here — I love the people here, I love my teammates — so I would definitely not say no. But yeah, that’s not only up to me.”
The other players out of contract are Alejandro Bedoya, who will presumably first decide whether he wants to play another year; and two players deep on the bench, midfielder Ben Bender and third-string goalkeeper George Marks.
Eight players have options on the table: goalkeeper Oliver Semmle; defenders Nathan Harriel, Isaiah LeFlore, and Olwethu Makhanya; midfielders Nick Pariano and Indiana Vassilev; and forwards Tai Baribo and Chris Donovan.
Mikael Uhre stands on the field alone, knowing he has played his last game for the club.
Most of those decisions should be easy. Semmle, LeFlore, Pariano, and Donovan will almost certainly go, and the other four should get picked up. The quartet deserve new contracts, and who negotiates them will be a big question. At least taking the options allows for time to have those talks down the road.
Baribo will likely be the biggest challenge. He has earned a big raise and would love to stay in town for on-the-field and off-the-field reasons. But the Union might be wary of breaking the bank for him, and they’d be right. His skill set has limits.
Earlier this month, Israel’s Ynet news website reported that the Union offered Baribo a $2 million contract. That has yet to be confirmed anywhere else, but if it’s true, the view here is that Baribo (and his agent) would be wise to take it.
Sunday’s loss was not a failure of the Union’s system. They should have won the game since New York was shorthanded, and if they’d had the injured Quinn Sullivan, their odds would have gone way up. But the Supporters’ Shield trophy can’t be taken away from them, nor does losing at this point in the playoffs devalue it.
“On another night maybe it goes our way,” Carnell said. “But it just wasn’t meant to be. It gives us something to be hungry for down the line here starting in the new year, and that gives me motivation to come back and think we can do this thing one step further.”
Union manager Bradley Carnell on the sideline Sunday night.
As the Union, the crowd, and the season headed off into the Sunday night darkness, some words from a few weeks ago came to mind.
They came from principal owner Jay Sugarman when he met with the national media in New York, just before the playoffs started. He wanted to drum up some positive attention for his team, and he succeeded.
But at one point, he said something that he knew might come back around on him: “We don’t rely so much on guys creating their own shot.”
It was once again the missing piece Sunday. The only players who have that skill are Cavan Sullivan and Iloski, and that’s not enough — even though Sullivan will be ready for a lot more playing time next year.
It’s especially missing at striker. Ezekiel Alladoh could be a big-time addition, but the evidence from his time in Denmark shows him to be stylistically similar to what this team already has in Baribo and Damiani.
Cavan Sullivan (left) trying to get away from New York’s Raul Gustavo late in the game.
Then again, who will sign Alladoh if Tanner goes? That will put an even bigger question on the table for Sugarman and the rest of the Union’s ownership.
It will sit alongside the biggest question of all, one Carnell brought back into focus when he said that “the fairy tale came to an end tonight.”
A big-city team that has made the playoffs in seven of the last eight years and made deep runs in four of the last five — plus two deep Concacaf Champions Cup runs — shouldn’t have to frame a Shield-winning season as a fairy tale. The Union are legitimately one of the best teams in MLS. They should be again next year and should be treated as such.
But how to get over the biggest hump of all, to win an MLS Cup, is a question that can only be answered at the top of the organization.
That has been true since the beginning, and now it’s on to the 17th attempt.
There are a lot of questions surrounding the Eagles after their collapse in Dallas on Sunday, their third loss of the year, and easily their worst.
Here’s what former players and media are saying about the game and where the Birds go from here …
Who deserves the blame?
The Eagles got off to a hot start on offense against the Cowboys, building an early 21-0 lead, and looking like an offense finding the form that had evaded it in previous matchups against Detroit and Green Bay.
But the Birds failed to score a single point after that, going scoreless over the game’s final 40-plus minutes and allowing the Cowboys to come all the way back to win the game, 24-21.
Former NFL quarterback Cam Newton said on First Take on Monday that, despite being extremely high on many of the Birds’ players, it’s concerning that there hasn’t been one game where the Eagles’ offense has truly put it all together and shown what they are seemingly capable of for 60 minutes.
“A team of that caliber, we don’t expect those things to happen to them,” Newton said. “The thing that’s alarming is, the first three drives you score, you come out with a bang, we impose our will. The last eight drives, nothing. The frustration stems from, when are the Philadelphia Eagles are going to put it together, all together?
“You’re starting to say, is it the offensive coordinator? Is it the quarterback? The players? That’s where my frustration comes in. When you have that much talent, and to not have one game — here we are in [Game] 11 — to not be able to say, they figured it out.”
"A team of [the Eagles'] caliber, we don't expect those things to happen." ✍️
So, how concerned should fans be about the state of Kevin Patullo’s offense right now? ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky says very.
“I’m very concerned about the offense, because it’s not good enough to beat good teams,” Orlovsky said. “It will not be good enough to beat a team like the Packers in the playoffs, the Rams in the playoffs, the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs.
“They’re one-dimensional. They’re pass-only success when it comes to the offense’s ability. Their offensive line loses one-on-ones, they’re predictable in the run game, Saquon [Barkley] has not made people miss in space nearly as much as he was last year, and their routes — you can be predictable on offense if you’re creative with your route concepts. They’re not.”
.@danorlovsky7 says he is very concerned about the Eagles' offense 😳
Damien Woody and Rex Ryan agreed on Get Up that the Eagles’ offense was “elementary,” especially compared to more advanced NFL offenses like the Los Angeles Rams or even the Dallas Cowboys. In 2024, the Birds were able to crush teams up front with their offensive line, but Woody, a former NFL offensive lineman, said they can’t do that anymore.
“Their offensive line is nowhere near what it was in previous years,” Woody said.
Prior to Sunday’s game, Nick Foles discussed on his podcast what he sees as the biggest issues with the Eagles’ “superpowered” offense, which hasn’t been able to get into a good rhythm this year.
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Daron Bland defends A.J. Brown in the first quarter at AT&T Stadium on Sunday.
Foles, like Orlovsky, called out the Eagles’ route designs, which haven’t put A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith in the best position to get open, which in turn prevents Barkley from finding the holes he found last year. The former Eagles quarterback told co-host Evan Moore that the Birds utilize “simplistic” route trees (or the combination of routes a player can run at a given time) that don’t create space for the players, forcing them to get open and make plays on their own.
“The great teams, those guys are wide-open. Even when I’m watching with [my wife] Tori, she’s like, ‘Why are these guys so wide-open?’” Foles explained. “And I’m like, ‘Well, it’s a complementary route to a deep route. … You need those downfield shots because it puts more pressure on the [defensive backs], it opens up more one-on-one matchups, but you’ve got to have complementary [routes], because then the DB can’t key and can’t guess.
“So the creativity is key as a play-caller, and calling the plays at the right time. … There’s just an art. And I don’t see that this year. I don’t think anyone sees it. Fans that are passionate Eagles fans — because I’ve been to Philly several times — and you hear, every time I run across Philly fans, ’Man, what do you think is going to happen with the offense? What’s going on? Is this Jalen [Hurts]?’ I’m like, ‘Listen, it’s a team thing. Kevin Patullo is probably a great dude, a great coach, but there’s an art to play-calling that not everyone has and it’s not showing up this year.
“They’re in more of a trajectory of the 2023 season … I would argue that they’re more on that trajectory than last year’s trend line, but at the same time, I do know that they have the players.”
Jett Luchanko has been traded. Luchanko, the Flyers’ 2024 first-round pick and the co-captain for Guelph of the Ontario Hockey League, is on the move to the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs. In exchange for Luchanko, Guelph will receive center Layne Gallacher and four future draft picks.
General Manager George Burnett has announced today that the club has traded forward Jett Luchanko to the Brantford Bulldogs in exchange for forward Layne Gallacher and picks.
The trade was expected after the Storm were awarded the 2027 Memorial Cup late last week. Guelph was willing to move Luchanko, one of its top players, to recoup assets that will help it build for next season, when the Storm will participate in the tournament as hosts.
The prestigious trophy, which was originally awarded by the Ontario Hockey Association in 1919, is awarded to the best team in Canadian junior hockey. The annual four-team tournament features the champions of the OHL, Western Hockey League, and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, as well as that season’s host city’s team.
Kelowna, British Columbia, will host this year’s tournament, which will conclude right before the start of the NHL’s Scouting Combine in early June. There’s a good chance the Bulldogs will be there. Coached by Flyers general manager Danny Brière’s former Buffalo Sabres teammate Jay McKee, Brantford sits atop the OHL’s Eastern Conference and has yet to lose in regulation in 23 games (18-0-4-1).
Jake O’Brien, the No. 8 pick in June’s draft, will now be teammates with Jett Luchanko with the Brantford Bulldogs.
After breaking camp for the second straight season with the Flyers, Luchanko skated in four NHL games and did not register a point before being sent back to Guelph on Oct. 27. He has 17 points (two goals, 15 assists) in 11 games for the 11-11-2-0 Storm.
“He’s going to play in the NHL, there’s no doubt about that. Now, how high does he get? That’s really up to him, but it’s in there,” Brière said when Luchanko was sent down. “The speed alone is going to scare a lot of teams eventually — when he gets more comfortable, when he gets more assertive out there. The speed alone is probably his biggest asset. … From our end, we need patience.”
Luchanko, who turned 19 in August, was ineligible to play in the American Hockey League due to the longstanding NHL-CHL agreement, which prevents Canadian Hockey League players under 20 years old from going to the AHL. That rule will change next season when each team is expected to be granted at least one exemption.
With Luchanko unable to play in the AHL or the NCAA, a trade to Brantford will be viewed by many as the next best thing for his development, as he will play alongside better players and in more important games, including maybe the Memorial Cup.
The London, Ontario, native joins a stacked team led by Jake O’Brien, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 draft by the Seattle Kraken, and Adam Benák, a fourth-round selection by Minnesota this past summer. Those two rank first and second in the OHL in points, respectively. O’Brien, a playmaking center, was thought to be in consideration for the Flyers at No. 6 before the team landed on Porter Martone.
But how Luchanko will be deployed by McKee will be interesting. The focus for the center’s return to juniors was to get him ice time, and there’s only so much to go around.
“Very simple, we want him to play high minutes,” Brière said when Luchanko was sent down. “We liked what we’ve seen. He could have stayed here; he showed that he can play. But we want more than that for him in the long run.
“And we felt at this point it was time for him to start playing high minutes and more of an offensive role, get back to playing power play, killing penalties, facing the top opposition on the other team, on a nightly basis.”
With Guelph, he did have seven power-play assists, and one of his two goals was scored while shorthanded, but the Flyers want to see him shoot the puck more. He had 25 shots on goal across those 11 games with Guelph.
Skating with the Flyers, Luchanko averaged 8 minutes, 58 seconds of ice time, registering one shot on goal and a plus-minus of minus-3. He had just three shots on goal in five preseason games, and an NHL scout told The Inquirer in early October that Luchanko, who is listed at 6-foot, 190 pounds, doesn’t look NHL strong yet and needs to play a harder, more confident game.
“It’s a comfort thing. He just needs to feel comfortable,” Brière said. “I know how you feel as an 18- or 19-year-old. You’re coming in, you’re trying to please everybody around you. You’re on the ice with guys you’ve been watching on TV. You have a Travis Konecny beside you, obviously, you’re going to force a pass there. It’s human nature. That’s just how it is.
“It takes time, and hopefully he’s going to get out of that pretty soon. And we’ve seen him play in juniors. He can shoot the puck. He’s got a good shot. It’s just the confidence that he needs to do it here now.”
Luchanko is expected to also get a chance to work on his game at World Juniors. A Hockey Canada scout was at the game the day after he was sent down, hoping to see Luchanko; instead, he watched Ben Kindel of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who should be joining him in Minnesota when the tournament starts on Boxing Day.
When he is eventually named to the team, Luchanko will represent Canada for the second time at the tournament. He skated last year, averaging 12:22 of ice time across five games, scoring one goal, and while Brière thought “he performed great,” the Flyers were “disappointed” in the small role Canada gave Luchanko. This year, Dale Hunter, who just coached Flyers prospects Oliver Bonk and Denver Barkey to the Memorial Cup with London of the OHL, is the head coach for Canada.
Luke Murton just completed his first season as the Phillies’ minor league director. He joins Phillies Extra to discuss the state of the farm system, including the 2026 expectations for Justin Crawford, Andrew Painter, and Aidan Miller, as well as less heralded players to monitor. Watch and listen.
John Borodiak, 89, of Philadelphia, Hall of Fame Argentine American professional soccer player, popular coach and sports center volunteer, and longtime Center City dental lab owner, died Saturday, Sept. 13, of complications from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases at Graduate Post Acute nursing facility.
Born and reared in Buenos Aires, Argentina, of Ukrainian descent, a young Mr. Borodiak was such a star that, in 1960, at 24, he was invited to leave South America and play soccer in the United States for the Ukrainian Nationals in Philadelphia. So, for seven seasons, through 1966, he played fullback for the Ukrainian Nationals and won four American Soccer League championships and four U.S. Open Cup titles.
As a 5-foot-8, 160-pound defensive whiz, Mr. Borodiak didn’t score many goals or race down the field on breakaways. But, said his son, Ivan, also a former pro soccer player: “He was smooth, quick, and good up in the air.”
He played on the 1964 U.S. national team and was inducted into the Horsham-based Ukrainian Sports Museum and Hall of Fame in 2017. Over the years, he played against Brazilian superstar Pele and other international stars, and former colleagues called him “a living legend.”
Mr. Borodiak (left) played against Pele (center) and other international stars.
He also played with the Philadelphia Spartans in the National Professional Soccer League and the ASL’s Newark Ukrainian Sitch in 1966 and ’67. He spent the 1968 season with the Cleveland Stokers and 1969 with the Baltimore Bays in the North American Soccer League. He retired after playing a final season with the Spartans in 1970.
He made headlines after a game in 1967 when he blocked the game-tying goal after his goalie was caught out of position. “After I saw [the goaltender) go out, I expected something to happen in that corner,” he told the Daily News. “I moved up there, and the shot bounced off my chest.”
Affable and engaging off the field, Mr Borodiak became a favorite of teammates, fans, and sportswriters. He hosted instructional clinics for young players and, after learning English himself, served as a translator for other players and the media. He spoke Ukrainian, English, Spanish, and Italian.
In 1967, Daily News sports writer Dick Metzgar published his Christmas wish list and asked for “more hustling performers like little fullback John Borodiak.”
Mr. Borodiak (left) passed his athleticism on to his son and grandson.
He helped anchor a Spartans defense in 1967 that Metzgar called “impenetrable” and was known for his aggressiveness. He was ejected for fighting in a game against Baltimore that season, and he told the Delaware County Daily Times that his opponent hit him in the back. “Naturally,” he said, “I hit back.”
He was a team cocaptain in Cleveland and named a NASL all-star in 1968, and his Stokers lost a heartbreaking playoff game to Atlanta in overtime that season. After the game, a disappointed Mr. Borodiak told the Cleveland Plain Dealer: “I’m sorry.”
He rejoined the Spartans in 1970 when they entered the American Soccer League, and The Inquirer covered their big win over the Syracuse Scorpions. “A strong defensive cog, John Borodiak, was added to the Spartans lineup,” The Inquirer said, “and he played fullback in impressive style.”
In a 1969 story after the Bays tied the Dallas Tornado, the Baltimore Sun said: “Borodiak made one of the best saves of the day when he blocked a shot after [the goalie] had been pulled out of the net.” In 1966, he played briefly for Roma in the Eastern Canada Pro Soccer League, and a teammate told the Toronto Star: “Borodiak is a fine fullback and fits in well with our style of play.”
Mr. Borodiak (rear, third from left) and teammates on the Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals pose during the 1966 season.
He coached soccer teams after he retired, played with amateur teams into his 40s, and was active for years at the Ukrainian American Sports Center in North Wales.
He earned certification at Temple University in dental cosmetics in the 1960s and owned a lab in the Medical Arts Building in Center City until he retired in 2018. At 50 years, Mr. Borodiak was the longest-tenured tenant ever in that building, his son, Ivan, said.
“He was a wonderful person,” his family said in a tribute, “He was a best friend, a champion, and a legend of his sport and in life.”
Born July, 13, 1936, Ivan Gregorio Borodiak changed his name to John when he came to the United States. He met Betty Pilari in Argentina, and they married in 1962, and lived in Bensalem and Queen Village.
Mr. Borodiak and his wife, Betty, married in 1962.
Mr. Borodiak was generous and gentle, his son said. He enjoyed fishing and car shows, and he built his own Mercedes-Benz from the tires up.
Friends noted his “kindness, gratitude, and warmth” in online tributes. One said: ”He was always a people person, and his smile could light up the darkest room.”
His son said: “He was a great man. He never had an enemy, and he overcame every adversity.”
In addition to his wife and son, Mr. Borodiak is survived by four grandchildren, a great-granddaughter, and other relatives. A sister died earlier.
Mr. Borodiak (left) doted on his grandchildren.
Private services were held earlier.
Donations in his name may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave. Floor 17, Chicago, Ill. 60601.
It took 19 minutes for the Cowboys defense to remember it doesn’t stink anymore. Once that happened, they shut down the Eagles and saved their season.
“If anything could go wrong, we had it happen to us, against one of the best teams there is,” said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
He stood outside a jubilant home locker room in a royal blue suit, relieved that the last six weeks of the season had not been rendered meaningless. The Cowboys roared back from a 21-0 deficit Sunday and won, 24-21, on a last-second field goal.
“We came back from it and won the game when our backs were against the wall,” Jones said.
Their backs aren’t exactly clear of the wall, and they’ll be spotlighted for the next three weeks. They host a desperate Chiefs team Thanksgiving afternoon, visit Detroit on Thursday Night Football, then host Minnesota on Sunday Night Football.
Frankly, after their first two-game winning streak of the season, they seem up to it.
Dak Prescott threw for 354 yards and the receiving tandem of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens made unreal catches. But the 41-minute shutout the defense pitched gave the man who runs this 5-5-1 team real reason for hope.
“A balanced effort with a defense carrying things,” Jones said, and paused. “I wouldn’t have dreamed that could have come out of my mouth six weeks ago.”
Six weeks ago, Jones’ defense was the worst in the league. Not only had it been ravaged by short-and long-term injuries, it hadn’t recovered from the trade of edge rusher Micah Parsons to Green Bay just before the season began. That was a trade made necessary by Jones’ latest botched offseason contract talks, which also resulted in the crippling contracts of Prescott and Lamb.
Further fallout: Jones had to spend first- and second-round picks in a deadline trade for Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, who went to the last three Pro Bowls. Williams, 27, is under contract through 2027, but the impact he’s made the last two weeks has been, to use Jones’ malaprop, “Incremental.”
We’ve covered Jerrah for 35 years. He meant “instrumental.” He continued:
“We had to have something at this level of excellence on run-stopping that he brought to the table.”
Brady has been instrumental in the hiring of staff, including retread head coach Pete Carroll and failed Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, the offensive coordinator who was fired Sunday after 11 games. The Raiders reportedly are on the hook for the remainder of Kelly’s three-year, $18 million contract, the amount it took to pry Kelly away from the coordinator job at Ohio State.
More evidence that Kelly — who also failed in San Francisco — might be able to manage lesser beings in the NCAA, but he clearly lacks the depth to coach the elite, independent athletes in the NFL. Also more evidence that Brady, who reportedly met with Kelly at least twice a week to discuss strategies, is unable to manage the roles he now fills.
The Raiders are 2-9 and also fired special teams coordinator Tom McMahon on Nov. 7.
Colts cooled, Chiefs saved
It was the sort of win that would have made Shane Steichen the Coach of the Year favorite and would have earned Jonathan Taylor the sort of MVP buzz that fellow running back Saquon Barkley enjoyed last season.
Alas. The coaching award now looks destined for Mike Vrabel, who has resuscitated the Patriots (10-2).
Instead of winning at Kansas City and further diminishing that dynasty‘s postseason odds, the Colts blew a 20-9 lead and went three-and-out in their last four possessions, including one overtime drive, as the Chiefs avoided a losing record with a 23-20 win.
The Chiefs are 6-5 and still outside of the playoff picture due to tiebreakers. But in two weeks they play Houston, one of the teams ahead of them in the wild-card race.
Lionhearted
Jahmyr Gibbs’ career-high 264 yards from scrimmage, including a 69-yard touchdown run on the first play of overtime, pushed the Lions past the Giants. Like the Chiefs, the Lions are on the outside of the playoff roster looking in, but they too play one of the teams in front of them when the Packers visit Thursday to begin the Thanksgiving slate of games.
Extra points
Consider it stolen valor: Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Prime Time’s nepo-famous son, won his first game with a modest performance and stole the headlines from Cleveland’s defense, which recorded 10 sacks against the Raiders. … MVP favorite Drake Maye, whom Stephen A. Smith bizarrely called a “liar” for saying he doesn’t watch Smith’s ESPN morning show, First Take, led New England to its 10th win. He beat Joe Flacco and the Bengals, who plan to have franchise QB Joe Burrow back Thanksgiving night in Baltimore. Burrow has missed nine games with a toe injury, and the Bengals have now lost eight of them. Ja’Marr Chase was suspended for the game for spitting on Steelers corner Jalen Ramsey last week. … The Giants, who fired head coach Brian Daboll on Nov. 10, on Monday fired defensive coordinator Shane Bowen after they blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter for the fifth time. They lost to the Lions in overtime and fell to 2-10. … The Ravens are back atop the AFC North after a fifth straight win, the last four under the helm of Lamar Jackson, who’d missed three games with a hamstring injury.
"[Drake Maye] is a liar…First Take is the number one morning show..don’t tell me you a athlete and you don’t know that. Don’t tell me you a athlete and you don’t know that Cam Newton is on this show. You lying." – Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/kaxxptSMpY
Jared McCain called for a Dominick Barlow screen, then created the space to get to his spot and elevate for a mid-range jumper.
The 76ers’ second-year guard has long identified that “bump middie” as one of his favorite types of shots. And that first-quarter bucket ignited McCain’s best performance — in statistical production and in mobility — since returning from a nearly 11-month absence following knee and thumb surgeries.
It was evidence of the positive steps McCain has taken since going on a G League assignment — and an encouraging longer-term sign for a Sixers team already utilizing guard-heavy lineups this season.
“I felt really good today,” McCain said after the game. “I felt like I got a little burst for my first step. Just continue to build off each game, the more minutes I play.”
He played only five minutes during last Monday’s home victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. Then he finally made his first shot in Wednesday’s loss to the Toronto Raptors, a moment of “pure joy” captured when he threw his arms out and yelled in celebration. He then cleared another medical checkpoint by also playing the second half of a back-to-back the following night at the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring eight points and looking “a little bit more like we needed him to play,” coach Nick Nurse said.
Sunday afternoon, the still-uber-popular McCain was greeted with exuberant cheers upon entering the game late in the first quarter. After his first bucket, he got downhill for a finger-roll layup and flexed after burying a game-tying three-pointer late in the second quarter. A third-quarter deep shot from the top of the key pushed his point total into double figures for the first time this season. Another three-pointer got the Sixers within 102-96 early in the final period, before Miami’s final surge.
An acceleration in McCain’s reacclimation would be a plus for a Sixers team already thriving while playing three-guard lineups.
Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes, and Edgecombe have boasted a plus-14.6 net rating (and have averaged 121.1 points per 100 possessions) while sharing the floor for 213 minutes in 15 games, often in closing lineups. Before the season, Nurse even floated experimenting with four guards on the floor together. But if Edgecombe’s calf issue lingers, McCain could immediately slide into such personnel combinations.
This long recovery process has taught McCain — who was an early Rookie of the Year front-runner before suffering a torn meniscus in mid-December — to practice patience and recognize “small wins.” Being able to walk again after surgery. Or play in an NBA game. Or take a hit from a defender and still step back onto his left foot and fire a shot.
He proclaimed earlier this week that there was “no such thing as garbage time” while regaining comfort on the floor. And even after he missed his first nine shot attempts over four games since debuting Nov. 4 at the Chicago Bulls, he said he did not believe in slumps.
“I put in the work,” McCain said after shootaround last Monday, “so I know it’s going to show whenever it needs to.”
Aiding that recent progress has been a switch from a bulky knee brace — “every time I dribbled, it felt like I was about to fall over,” McCain said — to a compression sleeve called Incrediwear. He also said he is unbothered by the brace he continues to wear on his shooting hand, though: “I try not to put any negative energy in the universe talking about the thumb.”
So what are McCain’s next incremental goals?
Sixers guard Jared McCain drives to the basket against Miami’s Dru Smith on Sunday.
Defensively, he wants to improve at running full speed to close out on a shooter, then push off his left leg to change direction to cut off another player. Offensively, his first step with the ball in his hands still can get quicker.
And after Sunday’s game, Nurse reemphasized the importance of McCain’s three-point shooting, after he made 38.3% of his 5.8 attempts in 23 games as a rookie and shot 41.4% from long range during his one college season at Duke. That floor-spacing can be particularly valuable when Maxey relentlessly attacks the rim.
“I know I keep saying that,” Nurse said, “but we do need that production from him.”
As Sunday’s halftime clock ticked down, McCain was one of the first players out of the Sixers’ locker room.
He uses that additional time to get his knee moving again, after sitting during the break. But he also aims to mimic part of the routine of future Hall of Fame sharpshooter Stephen Curry, who said he visualizes shots falling before the third quarter begins.
“I just want to get loose again,” McCain said. “So I try to come out as early as possible and get my reps up, and see the ball go through the net.”
McCain is still not back to the player he was before his surgeries and lengthy absence. But Sunday marked his best game since his return, an important step for him and the Sixers.
“I just want him to keep being aggressive and keep being himself,” Maxey said of McCain earlier this week. “ … It’s going to take some time. I think [we need to] just keep pushing confidence into him.
“Just remind him who he is, and remind him what he does.”
