Jason Kelce used the latest episode of his New Heights podcast to break down what went wrong for the Eagles on Sunday. After the Birds blew a 21-point lead to fall to the Cowboys, Kelce identified the core of the loss as a limited running game and crumbling second-half offense.
But alongside his brother, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, the former Eagles center also gave fans reason to be optimistic about the team’s potential in the latter part of the season. He also announced a free tailgate for fans before Friday’s game against the Chicago Bears.
Here’s what you missed …
‘New Heights’ to host Black Friday tailgate
Jason Kelce is hoping to stir the energy back up around the Birds before their game against the Bears with a Black Friday tailgate hosted by New Heights. The tailgate will begin at 11 a.m. in Lot K outside Lincoln Financial Field, with free admission for fans on a first-come, first-served basis.
And it sounds like it’s going to be a wild affair.
“I don’t know how many people we can admit or how many people will show up, but we do know we’re going to be drinking, eating, and having a gay old time,” Kelce said. “That’s right, we’ll have food, merch giveaways, photo booth, DJ, games — and of course a belly bucking competition! They’ve allowed us — I never thought legal would let this happen. Thank you to the legal team at Wondery.com and whoever is doing it on our behalf.
“We’ve already picked vetted contestants, so you can’t apply, but you can witness the festivities. If you want to see mostly fat guys rub bellies into each other to see who can win some type of prize that we have yet to determine, if you want to show up and see these bellies get bucked, show up in Lot K on Friday. … We’re going to have a [expletive] blast!“
What’s “belly bucking?” Good question …
Fixing the Eagles offense
When it came to breaking down the Eagles’ collapse on Sunday, Kelce largely blamed the offense’s inability to keep up with the Cowboys in the second half on a severely lacking running game.
Kelce pointed out how Lane Johnson’s absence has further hampered the Eagles’ ground attack. The veteran offensive tackle, who suffered a foot injury during the team’s Week 11 win over Detroit, is expected to be sidelined for several weeks.
“I know it’s very fashionable to blame Kevin Patullo and the play-calling, but the passing game felt like it was pretty good in this one,” Kelce said. “The thing that is really hurting this offense right now is the run game. It has not been clicking for the majority of the year. It’s multifaceted. The offensive line has been banged up, there’s been guys in and out. … It’s been hard to build cohesion as a unit.”
Eagles offensive tackle Fred Johnson has been filling in for injured starter Lane Johnson.
Kelce also addressed the self-inflicted wound of the Eagles’ pair of turnovers in the fourth quarter, granting the Cowboys ample opportunity to make a comeback.
“Outside of the run game, the ultimate thing that killed this team was … the turnovers at the end of the game, which were extremely costly,” Kelce said.
However, the former center attempted to quell some concerns by assuring that the offensive line will improve as the team adjusts from the injury misfortune.
“I think that this offensive line, as they continue to get the reps together, they will block better as a unit, and that will make a huge difference in the ways these plays get executed,” Kelce said. “I feel confident about the Eagles moving forward.”
Just weeks after a triumphant moment, Byron Young found himself dealing with the greatest tragedy of his life. Back in March, the defensive tackle returned home to Mississippi for a festive weekend with family. Not only did they celebrate him being part of the Eagles’ 2024 Super Bowl championship team, but his aunt’s birthday as well. A day later, Young’s father, Kenny, died suddenly. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane profiled Young’s emotional journey in a recent feature.
You can read the article in full on inquirer.com and via the following link: https://www.inquirer.com/eagles/byron-young-late-father-memory-key-chain-nfl-week-13-20251126.html
Listen to an excerpt of Jeff’s conversation with Young on this bonus episode of unCovering the Birds.
unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.
With Villanova without the nation’s leading rebounder, Duke Brennan, on Tuesday night, 7-footer Braden Pierce started in his place in the Wildcats’ 89-75 win over visiting Old Dominion.
The change forced Villanova coach Kevin Willard to play a small lineup more than he would have preferred.
“I mean, I think that’s something that we’re still not very good at,” Willard said. “Because we just haven’t had time to practice. I think the more we practice it, the more we will be comfortable with having five guys out there that can shoot, pass, and dribble.”
Brennan was sidelined with a right ankle sprain he suffered last week in a win over La Salle. The Grand Canyon transfer has averaged a double-double while leading the country with 14.4 rebounds per game.
With Pierce starting, Villanova (5-1) struggled to find a rhythm on either side of the court. Forward Tafara Gapare ended up getting more playing time off the bench, with 31 minutes to Pierce’s 12.
Brennan’s absence was noticeable early in the first half. Villanova gave up a few offensive boards that could have been hauled in.
Villanova tied a season-low with nine offensive rebounds but still won the battle on the boards, 34-29. Entering the game, Villanova had double-digit offensive boards in each of its games, including a season-high 22 against Queens University on Nov. 8.
Beyond the arc, Villanova allowed an Old Dominion team that averages 32.7% on three-pointers to shoot 47.8% (45.3 overall). How does Willard think Villanova should address that?
“Don’t schedule good shooting teams,” he said.
Early shooting woes
Villanova opened the game shooting a sloppy 1-for-7 on three-pointers but spun it around in the tail end of the first half and closed it with marks of 35.7% from beyond the arc and 45.2% from the field. Overall, the Wildcats shot 53.6% from the field, including 38.5% from deep.
Bryce Lindsay knocked down a three-pointer to open the second half. With the help of an Acaden Lewis steal, Tyler Perkins broke away on the next possession and finished it on the other end of the court, forcing a timeout by Old Dominion (3-5).
All told, the Wildcats opened the second half with a 15-3 run.
Villanova guard Bryce Lindsay during the game against Duquesne on Nov. 15.
Perkins scored a season-high 21 points, shooting 8-for-13 from the field, including 3-for-4 on three-pointers.
“Tyler just gives us great energy,” Willard said. “I think that’s something that he’s still trying to figure out, a little bit of what he’s doing and what we need him to do. To start the second half, he gets two big steals, gets a layup, and a good pass. Tyler just gives us energy and some toughness. And I think he’s really starting to figure out, ‘How do I play in this system?’”
Ball screens and movement
Midway through the second half, Willard motioned to forward Matt Hodge to set a pick for Perkins at the top left of the arc in front of Villanova’s bench.
Hodge set the pick. Perkins shifted left, then Hodge drove to the basket while hauling in the pass from Perkins and was met at the rim with a foul, stopping him from capping the pick-and-roll with a dunk.
“I feel like we moved the ball well,” Hodge said. “It allows me to be very versatile.”
Villanova dished out 16 assists and limited its turnovers to seven. It has been a successful early start for a squad with 13 new faces and a starting freshman point guard in Lewis. The team has had at least 15 assists in its last five games.
Lewis, who had 20 points, led Villanova with four assists. He is averaging 5.2 assists on the season.
“Well, he’s super talented,” Willard said. “If you look at college basketball this year, the freshman class is loaded. This is probably one of the best freshman classes, probably about five to 10 years. I mean, the draft can be loaded. He’s going to get better and better every game. He’s getting a little bit more comfortable.”
Up next
Villanova is on five-game winning streak. Next up is a Big 5 clash at home against Temple (4-2) on Monday (6:30 p.m., FS1). The winner claims a spot in the championship game of the Big 5 Classic on Dec. 6 at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Villanova leads the all-time series, 51-43.
All nine questions posed to Nick Nurse during Tuesday’s pregame news conference pertained to the 76ers’ mounting injuries. Joel Embiid’s knee. VJ Edgecombe’s calf. Paul George’s ankle.
The five-minute session felt like a flashback to last season, when inquiries about statuses and ramp-ups and rotation ripple effects piled up as jarringly as the Sixers’ losses. So did the ensuing on-court product, a 144-103 shellacking by the Orlando Magic peppered with boos from the Xfinity Mobile Arena crowd.
The Sixers (9-8) so far have handled health absences significantly better than last season, though this version of the roster was at its most depleted Tuesday. Now the Sixers must prove that showing was a brutal blip that’s inevitable over the course of an 82-game regular season and not slippage into a “here we go again” injury conundrum.
“We weren’t who we are tonight,” Nurse said postgame. “I’m super proud of what they’ve done the rest of the other games. They fought like crazy. And tonight, we couldn’t catch and we couldn’t shoot and we couldn’t fight.”
Nurse said pregame that he would be “really surprised” if the Sixers’ rotation remains this decimated for Friday’s matchup at the Brooklyn Nets. Embiid, who practiced fully Monday and participated in “parts” of Tuesday’s shootaround, was “trending” toward playing against the Magic before being ruled out for an eighth consecutive game because of right knee injury management, Nurse said. George, who is nursing a sprained ankle, had been downgraded from probable to play Tuesday to out.
To better withstand any inconsistent availability from the oft-injured Embiid and George, the Sixers deliberately got younger and more athletic. Their guard-heavy, fast-paced approach already has been more competitive and entertaining in this season’s first month than during virtually any stretch of 2024-25, when the Sixers were 3-14 through 17 games.
But now injuries have struck starting wing Kelly Oubre Jr., who was playing perhaps the best basketball of his career before a knee sprain that is scheduled to be reevaluated next week. Edgecombe’s terrific rookie season has been interrupted by a calf issue that could benefit from a cautious treatment approach. Reserve big man Adem Bona, whose size is needed when Embiid is sidelined, was testing his sprained ankle during pregame on-court work Tuesday.
Those absences have meant that, during the last week, the Sixers needed a career-high 54 points from star point guard Tyrese Maxey to beat a Milwaukee Bucks team missing Giannis Antetokounmpo in overtime (though that still was an admirable Sixers effort on the second night of a home-road back-to-back). Sunday’s loss to the Miami Heat was competitive until the Heat closed out the fourth quarter.
Then, after the opening frame, Tuesday was disastrous for the Sixers on both ends of the floor.
The injuries forced Dominick Barlow to be the starting forward and backup center, even against the 6-foot-11 Goga Bitadze. Rarely used veteran guard Eric Gordon played legitimate rotation minutes, and rookie big man Johni Broome entered during garbage time while chants of “We want Kyle [Lowry]!” rang through the arena.
Maxey unsurprisingly was the last starter standing Tuesday, and even he began the day listed on the injury report with a shoulder sprain he suffered vs. Miami.
He also entered the night leading the NBA in minutes per game (40.4), then logged another 31 minutes, 58 seconds in a game the Sixers trailed by as many as 46 points. His workload prompted a pregame question about whether it is time to strategically scale back Maxey’s playing time, especially after all that he shouldered physically and mentally during last season’s slog.
“We’re always trying to get him a few minutes here and there a little bit more,” Nurse said, “And just see if it presents itself. He’s obviously vital to the team, especially right now.”
Edgecombe, meanwhile, entered Tuesday ranked third in minutes (37.4 per game), a much heavier load than any college player experiences. Oubre also was in the top 20 in that category, at 34.8 per game, a number slightly skewed by logging only 14:56 before leaving the Nov. 14 loss at the Detroit Pistons with his knee injury.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey has played heavy minutes to start the season.
Yet the injury bug is not only affecting the Sixers. The number of NBA stars — including the Magic’s Paolo Banchero — already missing notable time has again become a leaguewide topic in recent days. And Maxey publicly called for his deeper-bench teammates to seize their chance to make an impact.
“This is your time,” Maxey said during his postgame news conference. “When I was a rookie and guys either sat out or just got hurt, I knew I had to step up and bring something to the table to help our team win. And for the most part, every single time that happened, I pretty much did. …
“You wish for opportunity. Now, when the opportunity presents itself, you’ve got to go out there and put your mark on the game.”
That was a continuation of Maxey’s preseason vow to set a standard, and style of play, no matter who is on the floor. That sentiment has been echoed by Nurse, who said his primary goal was for spectators to conclude whenever they left the arena that the Sixers “played their [butts] off.”
Calling Tuesday’s effort a failure in that regard would be a massive understatement. One could blame the depleted roster, which got two recovery days before Friday’s game in Brooklyn.
That will be the Sixers’ opportunity to squash what briefly felt like a flashback to last season’s injury misery.
“I know, firsthand, that’s the worst feeling to know when people go down,” said second-year guard Jared McCain, who underwent knee and thumb surgeries within the last year. “So I hate seeing it. … Now, it’s just chalk this game up [and] understand that this isn’t us.
“We’re not going to go back to last year. [We are] trying to do our best to just get back to our personality, our character, and how we play as a team.”
TAMPA — The Flyers have hit the quarter mark of the 2025-26 season.
Sporting an 11-7-3 record, they sit one point back of a wild-card spot in a tight Eastern Conference where the worst team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, are just four points back of the Flyers.
Here’s what is on the mind of the Flyers faithful as The Inquirer opens up the mailbag for the first time this season:
Q: Could you see [Christian] Kyrou as a call-up at some point this year? — Danny Matos (@danmatos_danny) on X
Never say never. Is it a little too early to determine what the season brings? Sure. But across the past two seasons, I don’t get the sense that the Flyers call up players based on merit alone. Like most teams, it always seems to be based on need. But that’s not to say he doesn’t deserve a look.
Since being acquired in the trade that sent Samu Tuomaala to Dallas, Kyrou has 12 points (three goals, nine assists) with a plus-minus of plus-12 in 10 games. Not too shabby. Now, one issue is that Kyrou is 5-foot-10 and the Flyers already have two sub-6-foot defensemen on the blue line in Jamie Drysdale and Emil Andrae. The 22-year-old, who is the younger brother of St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou, is a right-handed shot and could find a role down the road given his offensive skills.
Defenseman Christian Kyrou has been a revelation with 12 points in 10 games since being acquired from Dallas last month.
Q: Do you feel Tocchet has prioritized player development over immediate journeyman success? — Hockeygobler (@hockeygobler) on X
This question sounds like it is more asking whether Flyers coach Rick Tocchet is focused on the rebuild. And it’s a tough one to gauge where Tocchet’s thinking lies. The whole point of a game is to win, and the whole point of a season is, ideally, to make the playoffs and compete for a Stanley Cup. After all, as former coach John Tortorella always said, winning is important to building culture.
Player development needs to be a multifaceted approach. It’s not necessarily X but X, Y, and Z. Players need to develop not just their individual skills but team concepts and systems that help the team win. Someone like Matvei Michkov needs to continue to develop his individual skills, like his offense, but he also needs to learn things like how to read plays better, like when to — and when not to — leave the zone early. He took a big step in the right direction on Saturday when he played it perfectly, and Sean Couturier fed him for a breakaway goal. It’s baby steps in that regard, but do I personally think some of the younger kids, like Michkov and Nikita Grebenkin, should play more? Yes. Would they maybe benefit from more ice time to correct mistakes? I believe so. Now, if they don’t make corrections and sit, well that’s another part of player development.
Q: Why do you think Tocchet is tougher on the younger kids for making the same mistakes the vets make? — Hassan Goodman (@phillygator1986) on X
Veterans will always get a longer leash. This isn’t a Tocchet thing. It’s a tale as old as time. And there’s a reason they are veterans: They’ve played in the world’s best league for a long time, and although they’ve assuredly made mistakes along the way, they have obviously corrected them to keep playing in the NHL.
Youngsters need to learn and grow, and have mistakes corrected, too. Should they be benched for entire games, a la Joel Farabee was famously under Tortorella? No. But there do need to be consequences for not learning and making corrections, and there’s no book on the younger kids yet to say they will fix things.
Q: Why does Tocchet consistently scratch 29?? It makes absolutely no sense to me. He clearly has skill and would benefit the struggling offense, yet we continue to play 44 over him. — Rich #83 (@dangler83) on X
To start, No. 29 is Grebenkin and No. 44 is Nic Deslauriers. I don’t think it’s fair to say it’s one or the other. Or that Deslauriers should only sit to get Grebenkin in. Deslauriers is a veteran who plays a specific role. There’s a reason he was on the ice on Monday in Tampa Bay — to contain and, if needed, which did happen, fight 6-9 Lightning forward Curtis Douglas. Grebenkin wasn’t going to fight him; it wouldn’t have been fair. And it wouldn’t have been fair to ask Garnet Hathaway or Nick Seeler, who can also drop the gloves, to take on that role.
Flyers winger Nikita Grebenkin has found playing time scarce of late.
Asking why Grebenkin, 22, has only skated in 12 of the Flyers’ first 21 games is a valid question. He’s talented, can play a physical game, and can score. Tocchet wants guys to go to the net and the dirty areas, and he thrives there — a scout told The Inquirer during the preseason they were impressed by his game.
But Tocchet recently said Grebenkin needs to be more predictable — this is something he has preached about his lines, especially the fourth line, which is the only one to presumably have a spot open for the winger. It’s also valid to say that you cannot be predictable if you don’t know how to predict the game, and the only way you can predict the game is by playing in games. Something has to give soon.
They had no answers for the Magic on a night when the home crowd of 19,746 booed them loudly over the last three quarters. Fans even began heading for the exits at the conclusion of the third quarter. And with the Sixers down 42 in the fourth quarter, the remaining fans chanted, ‘We want Kyle,’ in reference to Sixers reserve point guard Kyle Lowry, who’s in his 20th season.
The Sixers (9-8, 0-3 East Group B) hobbled into their group play game against the Magic (11-8, 3-0).
Tyrese Maxey and Dominick Barlow, who started the first two games in place of George, were the Sixers’ only available starters from the opening day lineup.
Embiid (soreness in right knee), George (sprained right ankle), Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee), VJ Edgecombe (left calf strain), along with reserve center Adem Bona (sprained right ankle) missed the game.
The Sixers’ able bodies shrunk when Trendon Watford suffered a game-ending left adductor strain with 4 minutes, 7 seconds remaining before intermission.
The reserve power forward grabbed the inner part of his left leg while passing the ball before falling to the court. After being helped up, Watford was assisted to the locker room.
He had eight points, one rebound, and an assist in 11 minutes. He was 2-for-2 from the field and 4-for-4 from the foul line.
The Sixers got another scare when Justin Edwards appeared to hurt his foot after scoring a third-quarter basket. He went to the locker room during a timeout to be checked out and returned to the game.
Sixers rookie Johni Broome played in just his fourth game of the season on Tuesday night.
With all the injuries, seldom-used guard Eric Gordon was the ninth man off the bench, and rookie power forward Johni Broome entered the game in the third quarter.
“It’s out of our control, man,” Drummond said of the injuries. “It’s the next-man mentality. It’s Barlow, [Jabari] Walker, Broome, and [Hunter Sallis]. These guys got to step up and be ready to fill those shoes. You know we are not excited for our guys to go out. But for them, it’s a great opportunity to come in and showcase themselves.”
While this is an excellent opportunity, the Sixers need to get healthy if they expect to remain competitive as they embark on an upcoming rough stretch of games.
Is the attrition starting to catch up to the Sixers?
“It sure felt like it tonight,” coach Nick Nurse said. “But, again, I think two or three times a season, you are going to have games like this where it’s like everything goes wrong. All of a sudden, they get hot. They start throwing in threes. We start turning [over the ball]. We can’t catch the ball. We can’t get back. We can’t grab a rebound. Just everything was really out of whack. You never really explain it. …
“Just like I told the guys, we’ve got to be better. That’s certainly not who we are out there tonight. We’ve got to get rid of this one, get rest and treatment over the next couple of days, and get back to who we are.”
Sixers must stop the ball
The Sixers struggled to stop the Magic’s dribble penetration. Orlando routinely drove to the lane with ease. Perhaps realizing the Sixers couldn’t stop it, the Magic prioritized the dribble drive for long stretches.
This was similar to what the Hornets did to the Sixers during the second game of the season. Charlotte led, 80-56, in points in the paint and had an 20–6 advantage in second-chance points.
Thirty of the Magic’s points in the paint came in the second quarter, where they outscored the Sixers, 51-25, to take an 86-60 halftime lead.
“It was one of those days, 82 games,” Drummond said. “These types of games do happen. Not that we want it to happen, but [stuff] does happen. It is what it is. Everything they shot went in. And it also didn’t help that we gave them that momentum in the second quarter, going into halftime.
“So it’s something to learn from. We’ve got to get some rest. A lot of guys are out, banged up right now. I think these next two days are very crucial for us going into Brooklyn.”
While Drummond downplayed it, the Sixers will have to improve their defense if they expect to beat quality teams. In a copycat league like the NBA, teams will watch this game film and attack the rim until the Sixers can stop them.
Drummond still an elite rebounder
Drummond squaring up with Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr. was one of the most memorable things about this game.
The Sixers center got into a fighting stance after fouling and exchanging words with Carter. Things escalated after Orlando point guard Jalen Suggs shoved Drummond. That caused Walker to push Suggs.
Suggs received two technical fouls and was ejected. Meanwhile, Carter, Drummond, and Walker each received a technical.
“I had to stop the bleeding, man,” Drummond said of his exchange with Carter as the Sixers trailed 82-58 with 26.6 seconds left in the half. “They went on a crazy run. For me, if you can see me, I looked up at the score, and I was, like, ‘Man, this [expletive] is nasty. I got to do something.’ And I was just [expletive] with him, and he reacted. I was like, ‘OK, I got to capitalize on it!’
“I mean, I’m not one of those players who do anything dirty, so once I did what I had to do, I was clapping because I got the reaction I was looking for, I got somebody thrown out, hoping it would get us going a little bit. Still ended up losing by 30-plus, so it was one of those nights for us. Got to learn from it, watch film, and move on to the next one.”
But aside from that, Drummond continued to show that he’s still an elite rebounder.
The 32-year-old, in his 14th season, finished with three points and a game-high 12 rebounds in 22 minutes, 19 seconds. He is averaging 13.7 rebounds in his last eight games as a starter. That included a season-high 24 rebounds in Sunday’s 123-114 loss to the Miami Heat. And he had 18 boards in a Nov. 17 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Drummond said his goal is to lead the league in rebounding. That will be tough to do once Embiid returns and takes a chunk of Drummond’s minutes. He’s currently ranked ninth (10.7) in rebounding. His play has been one of the team’s bright spots.
“For me, I’m trying to get back to No. 1,” Drummond said. “I’m [at] 10 right now. I think the leader [San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama] is averaging [12.9]. I’m not too far off. The goal is to win, obviously. That’s first and foremost. [Rebounding] is what I’m known to do. So I got to keep putting a show on.”
Sixers guard Jared McCain and forward Trendon Watford walk off the court during a timeout during their loss Tuesday night to the Magic.
Same old story with George and Embiid
A season ago, Embiid had only played in four of the Sixers’ first 17 games while George played in eight. Tuesday’s contest marked this season’s 17th game. And at this point, George has played in only three games, while Embiid has been available for six.
George was sidelined with a sprained right ankle. Meanwhile, Embiid missed his eighth consecutive game because of knee injuries. The last seven were because of right knee injury management or soreness. He also missed the Sixers’ 111-108 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9 because he doesn’t play on back-to-back nights to rest his left knee.
George missed the first 12 games while recovering from left knee surgery. Then he sat out Wednesday’s 121-112 loss to the Toronto Raptors because he isn’t cleared to compete on both nights of a back-to-back.
The Sixers signed George to a four-year, $211.5 million contract on July 6, 2024, to form a Big Three with Embiid and Maxey. But for the second straight season, Maxey is carrying the bulk of the load while the duo is dealing with injuries. The hope is that things will change as the season goes along.
Tyrese Maxey carried the scoring load for the Sixers with 20 points.
But one could argue that, for the time being, they’ve been worse, with George playing in five fewer games and Embiid out since Nov. 8.
A year ago, Embiid missed the entire preseason and first six games of the season because of left knee management. After that, he served a three-game suspension for an off-court altercation.
Embiid made his season debut last year against the New York Knicks on Nov. 12, 2024. After playing in three of the next four games, he missed seven straight contests.
George was also hampered by injuries before the start of last season.
He was sidelined for three weeks after hyperextending his left knee during an Oct. 14, 2024, exhibition game against the Atlanta Hawks, leading to a bone bruise. George suffered the same injury during the Sixers’ loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 20, 2024, the team’s 14th game of the season. That cost him the next three games.
Give the Sixers credit for handling their absences better than a year ago, when the team was 3-14 through 17 games. But they are starting to fall apart, losing eight of 13 games after starting the season 4-0. And not seeing Embiid and George play is very reminiscent of last season.
Andrew Rick (center) in the pregame huddle with teammates before the Philadelphia Union's Major League Soccer (MLS) game against the Chicago Fire at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania on Saturday, August 23, 2025.Philadelphia Union
Which Union Players Should Stay or Go? Swipe and decide
Though the Union’s playoff run ended earlier than hoped for this year, it was still a successful season. Winning the Supporters’ Shield returned the team to MLS’s elite, and the squad saw some new names rise to prominence. But as always in soccer, there isn’t much time to reflect. The Union have to make their offseason roster moves quickly, then get to work preparing for next year. Here’s your chance to play sporting director and pick who should stay or go.
Our soccer reporter Jonathan Tannenwald also provides his analysis on how much of a roster overhaul the team needs. Make your pick for each player by swiping the cards below — right for Stay or left for Go. Yes, just like Tinder. Finding it hard to decide? We'll also show you how other Inquirer readers have voted so far and what we think the team will do.
Advertisement
Goalkeepers
As ever, Andre Blake leads the way, with Andrew Rick a strong backup behind him.
#18
Andre
Blake
Captain
Crowd says
Contract
Signed Thru: '26 Option: '27
Age
35
Inky Says Stay
The Union's No. 1 in net, and the best goalkeeper in MLS for nearly a decade. Neither of those things will change soon.
#1
Oliver
Semmle
Loaned out
Crowd says
Contract
Signed Thru: '25 Option: '26
Age
27
Inky Says Go
A loan out this year was the final proof that he wasn't good enough for the MLS level.
#31
George
Marks
Crowd says
Contract
Signed Thru: '26
Age
26
Inky Says Go
He did his job as an emergency signing when other backups were injured.
#76
Andrew
Rick
Home grown
Crowd says
Contract
Signed Thru: '28 Option: '29
Age
19
Inky Says Stay
The safest hands the team could ask for in a backup goalkeeper, as he showed again in the playoffs.
An era is ending with Mikael Uhre’s expected departure. Will the Union sign another Designated Player to replace him, and will the team let young prospects fill out the depth chart?
#7
Mikael
Uhre
DP
Crowd says
Contract
Signed Thru: '25
Age
31
Inky Says Go
It's been an open secret for weeks that his time is up. Here's hoping fans appreciate what he did.
#9
Tai
Baribo
Crowd says
Contract
Signed Thru: '25 Option: '26
Age
27
Inky Says Stay
He likes Philadelphia, and fans like him. Will contract talks produce a deal that keeps him in town long-term?
#20
Bruno
Damiani
DP
Crowd says
Contract
Signed Thru: '28 Option: '29
Age
23
Inky Says Stay
A relenteless worker not afraid to mix it up physically. But goals count the most, and there weren't enough this year.
#25
Chris
Donovan
Crowd says
Contract
Signed Thru: '25 Options: '26, '27
Age
25
Inky Says Go
He's been a good servant, but his skill set remains limited. Better to play the club's young prospects.
#32
Milan
Iloski
Crowd says
Contract
Signed Thru: '27 Option: '28
Age
26
Inky Says Stay
His arrival in the summer saved the season and launched a run to a trophy. Here's hoping for an encore next year.
#35
Markus
Anderson
Crowd says
Contract
Signed Thru: '26 Options: '27, '28
Age
21
Inky Says Stay
Regained the first team's good graces this year even though he didn't play much. He brings something different, and that's needed.
#55
Sal
Olivas
Home grown
Crowd says
Contract
Signed Thru: '28 Option: '29
Age
19
Inky Says Stay
He showed in his first-team cameos that he deserves more chances next year, and maybe did this year.
#77
Eddy
Davis III
Home grown
Crowd says
Contract
Signed Thru: '27 Options: '28, '29
Age
19
Inky Says Stay
He's still young, but deserves a shot next year to show if he can step up to the first team.
It was Nick Lincoln’s first season at Northeast High School, so the football coach asked his athletic director last November if the Wooden Horse — the mahogany trophy carved nearly 80 years ago by a student — could be brought to the field on Thanksgiving morning for the annual game against Central.
The trophy, heavy and old, usually stays inside. But what good is the Wooden Horse if the players can’t hoist it after a win?
“Well, we had a little too much excitement,” Lincoln said.
The celebration ended, and the horse no longer had a tail.
“I said, ‘Dude, you’re going to get me fired,’” athletic director Phil Gormley said. “‘You’re going to be back coaching in Delaware, and I’m going to be bagging groceries at the Acme.’”
Northeast vs. Central is one of the longest-running rivalries in the country, but the Thanksgiving game is no longer the spectacle it once was. The halls of the schools don’t buzz in the weeks leading up to it, the parade down Cottman Avenue was canceled years ago, the bleachers aren’t filled, and the trophy is falling apart.
High school football in Philadelphia once meant as much to Thanksgiving as Santa Claus climbing into Gimbels. But traditions fade. Just 10 games are planned Thursday in Southeastern Pennsylvania, down from 28 in 2005. Thanksgiving games have faded for a variety of reasons: state playoffs, lack of competition, tepid attendance, and school closures.
But Northeast vs. Central — the schools say it’s the nation’s oldest rivalry among public schools — refuses to go away, even if the trophy is showing its age. The teams will meet again at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Northeast.
“I don’t think the game will fade,” Gormley said. “It’s not attended like it used to be, but I know it’s still important to our alumni. When I talk to anyone who comes back for any reason, it’s always a question that eventually comes up. I think the game, for the foreseeable future, is OK. It’s certainly something that could happen, but thankfully it’s not something that will happen anytime too soon.”
A historic game
The schools first played in 1892 and started playing annually in 1896. The rivalry has paused only twice: in 1918 during World War I and 2020 during the pandemic. They’ve played through snow, rain, and muddy fields.
The rivalry was real, as the schools were just three miles apart: Central was at Broad and Green, and Northeast was at 8th and Lehigh. The trophy came along in 1947, when Northeast’s Spurgeon Smith, using only a kitchen paring knife, carved into a block of mahogany donated by Smythe Mahogany Company.
The games often were epic and packed. More than 15,000 fans saw Central beat Northeast in 1929 at the Baker Bowl, they played a muddy scoreless tie in 1971, and they’ve braved a few snowstorms.
Philadelphia had a full slate of high school football on Thanksgiving morning, and Northeast-Central was the game for years.
“Everyone is brought on board at Central knowing that Thanksgiving is against Northeast,” said Jeff Thomas, Central’s associate archivist. “No matter how good or bad the team is that year, that is the most important game. Very similar to Army-Navy. Both teams could be 1-6, but when they play each other, it’s the most important game.”
Northeast High School football players (left) meet at the center of the field with their Thanksgiving Day rival, Central High School, before the 2014 game.
In 1986, current Central coach Rich Drayton scored five touchdowns as the Lancers ran up the score in a 60-3 win in front of 7,000 fans. Afterward, Northeast coach Harvey Schumer refused to shake hands with Central coach Bob Cullman, and the two had to be separated at midfield. Three years earlier, Northeast didn’t let up in a 42-point Thanksgiving win. So Central was returning the favor.
The rivalry was deep.
“Wherever you go wearing your Lancers stuff, people ask for your class number,” Drayton said. “The next thing they say is, ‘Are we going to win on Thanksgiving?’ It’s a really big deal. Hopefully, the student body can notice before it’s too late how important it is.”
Hanging on
The parade of antique cars and convertibles started near the Roosevelt Mall, traveled west on Cottman Avenue, turned right on Glendale Avenue, then finished with a lap around the track that circled Northeast’s football field.
The stands were filled as more than 6,000 fans came each Thanksgiving to see which school’s trophy case would hold the Wooden Horse.
But the parade ended about 15 years ago when the school district replaced the cinder track with rubber. Students no longer decorate the stadium like they once did, and the game now attracts between 600 and 800 fans instead of thousands.
Both schools have strong alumni groups, and former students still come out. It’s a chance to wear a letterman’s jacket, see old classmates, and tell the same stories.
“We have breakfast in the gym for alumni who come back,” Gormley said. “These old guys would be in there razzing each other. ‘Well, you lost to Central. I never lost to them.’ You know how guys talk. It’s funny to hear.”
Central’s Mike Roche threw for 409 yards and five touchdowns in a 60-3 rout of Northeast on Thanksgiving Day 1986.
But interest among current students is tepid. Both schools draw students from across the city, and getting to Northeast Philly on a holiday morning can be a challenge.
The game has become one-sided — Northeast last lost in 2013 — and a football game doesn’t mean what it once did. The high school experience at Northeast and Central is not defined by the football teams the way it was in the 1960s or 1970s.
“We have career day, and me and the other old guys come in,” Thomas said. “At the end of each class, we’ll ask them who’s going to the game. One hand raised. I’m like, ‘OK. Well, let’s beat Northeast.’ They’re like, ‘Huh?’ It’s gone full cycle to almost no care at all.”
St. Joseph’s Prep and La Salle High School stopped their Thanksgiving game in 2006. North Catholic and Frankford played their final game in 2009 before North closed seven months later. Father Judge and Lincoln canceled their annual game last year, and Neumann Goretti and Southern won’t play this year.
Thanksgiving games drop off the schedule every year. As interest drops, could Northeast-Central be next?
“No,” Thomas said. “Well, maybe. After, say, everyone who graduated before 1985 is gone.”
High school football’s regular season in Pennsylvania started a week before Labor Day and ended a week before Halloween. Central did not make the playoffs, and Northeast lost in the first round, so neither team has played a game in nearly four weeks.
The PIAA playoff schedule has ended other rivalries as schools are either playing this weekend in the state tournament — like La Salle — or have been dormant for too long to play on Thanksgiving.
Northeast and Central found a way to keep their teams together as they wait for Thanksgiving. The coaches could have walked away weeks ago when the season ended — they instead practice a few times a week and schedule time in the weight room. They want to give their kids another game.
“I would love to be playing a PIAA playoff game and have to forfeit,” Lincoln said. “But it’s another chance for our guys to play football.”
Northeast celebrates its 37-21 win over Central with the Thanksgiving game Wooden Horse trophy last year.
Lincoln held his breath last Thanksgiving before he found the Wooden Horse’s tail on the field. His first win against Central wasn’t spoiled by a horse’s rear.
Gormley took the Wooden Horse to a nearby trophy shop, which repaired the tail and added last year’s final score — Northeast 37, Central 21 — to the base before it was tucked safely into the trophy case. The Wooden Horse, just like the game it represented, refused to go away.
“I’m going to try to bring it out again,” Lincoln said. “Let’s see if the AD allows me to.”
In the spirit of the holiday, we’re starting the newsletter today with a pair of football-focused stories by Matt Breen to digest.
The first is about a Thanksgiving tradition that is fading away. High school football games between fierce rivals used to be a Turkey Day staple, but only 10 games are planned Thursday in Southeastern Pennsylvania, down from 28 in 2005.
The games are dwindling because of the PIAA playoff schedule, tepid attendance, and school closures, among other reasons, but one Thanksgiving rivalry plays on. Northeast and Central started playing annually in 1896 and the rivalry has paused only twice: in 1918 during World War I and 2020 during the pandemic. The schools say it’s the nation’s oldest rivalry among public schools.
Although attendance has shrunk, the teams will meet again at Northeast on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. and the mahogany Wooden Horse trophy will be at stake.
The second story revisits the rough-and-tumble days of the NFL in the 1940s and ’50s, when Bucko Kilroy was a fearsome force on both sides of the ball for the Eagles. Kilroy was called the dirtiest player in football in a Life magazine article, but he wound up spending 64 years in the NFL as a player, coach, scout, and front-office executive.
Eagles safety Reed Blankenship limping off the field after he suffered a thigh injury against the Cowboys.
The Eagles needed some good news after that awful ending on Sunday and this is it: Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio says he expects to have Reed Blankenship available to play in the Good Friday matchup against the Chicago Bears (3 p.m., Fox29).
The veteran safety left the Cowboys game with an injured thigh and the other safety, Drew Mukuba, suffered a right leg fracture in that game. Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson left with a concussion, too. Olivia Reiner reports on how the Birds plan to patch up their secondary against the Bears.
There are few teams that have been as undisciplined as the Bears this season. Chicago has been called for 87 penalties, which is tied for fourth in the NFL.
Eagles defensive tackle Byron Young’s father died suddenly in March. He has found a way to keep his dad close to him.
Lightning center Anthony Cirelli scores on Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson during the second period Monday.
The Flyers managed only 20 shots on goal Monday, failing to score for the first time this season in a 3-0 loss to the Lightning in Tampa, Fla. Tending goal for the first time in 10 days, Sam Ersson played well for the Flyers, making 15 saves. Peer beyond the box score and you’ll see a goalie who played his game.
Live from the Linc: Beat writers Jeff McLane and Olivia Reiner will preview the game against the Bears on Friday at 1:30 p.m. Tune in to Gameday Central.
Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey drives to the rim during the first half of their loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
We asked: Should the Eagles change their play-caller? Among your responses:
I do not ascribe that play calling is at the root of the offense’s “funk.” I see the issue as execution on the field. Saquon’s inability to gain constructive yards and bone headed penalties and decisions (fielding punt on 2-yard line) as the primary culprit. — Bill M.
YES! — Jill L.
Just curious why the Eagles felt that “on the job training” would be successful? Detroit made the change a few weeks ago. Worked for the first game and that’s it. How come no one is questioning Jeff Stoutland, the OL and run game coach? Big game coming up on Friday afternoon against da’ Bears. Looking for a 34-10 win and that will shut everyone up! Me included! Except for talk radio that will pick the game apart as usual. — Ronald R.
ABSOLUTELY. Duh. … Patullo is not working. At the end of the season, you’ll be saying “shoulda, woulda, coulda.” — Karen L.
The Eagles definitely need to change their play caller, but would guess that would not be easy at this point in the season. Maybe a serious sit down with Patullo, Sirianni, Roseman, and Mr. Lurie would help. I’ve never been a football coach, but just watching on TV from far away I find myself so frustrated at the calls that seem to be contrary to the immediate need. — Everett S.
It is easy to want a change, but who would you turn to? Nick is hopefully on the middle of game planning. Given his 4th quarter calls, he is not the answer. We are stuck with a learning curve and will have to ride it out. Either the plays are too conservative or the execution by the players is off. The offensive line has not been intact all year and Barkley looks a step slower. — Bob C.
There is something clearly wrong with this offense. They have enough talent that blowing a 21-point lead should never happen. I am not certain that the play caller is the problem but something has to change and that seems to be the place to start. — Bill H.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Matt Breen, Jeff Neiburg, Olivia Reiner, Jeff McLane, Marcus Hayes, Keith Pompey, Jackie Spiegel, Ariel Simpson, Colin Schofield, and Katie Lewis.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
Again, happy Thanksgiving! I’ll see you in Monday’s newsletter. — Jim
When Byron Young’s father died earlier this year, he asked his mother for his dad’s key chain.
It’s not your normal key chain. It’s made from the end of a snapped belt, the key ring looping into one of the belt’s holes. There’s a date carved into the brown leather on one side. It’s faint now, but Young said he thinks it reads “7-1-9” for July 1, 2009.
“I think the date that was on the belt was the date that he cut the belt and put it on his key chain,” Young said. “I want to say the belt was broken or something, and he just put it on there. I don’t think there was any deeper meaning.”
But the chain has great significance to Young, the Eagles’ 6-foot-3, 292-pound defensive tackle. When he first linked it to his keys, he marked the other side of the belt with the date “4-7-25,” nearly 16 years after his father’s original carving and just a week after Kenny Young, 62, suffered a fatal heart attack.
Byron Young turned father Kenny’s broken belt into a key chain that serves as a reminder of his father’s love.
“It’s just something that I knew he always carried around since that day, I believe,” Byron said, “and so it’s just something I want to keep with me.”
Young grabbed the key chain from his locker stall when a reporter recently asked how he kept his father’s memory alive, crying as he gripped the belt. He doesn’t hide his emotion. He said he gets that from his father, who openly shed tears when he spoke about his love for his family or God.
“I think a part of being masculine is being able to show your emotions and explain the way you feel and express the way you feel to other people,” Young said. “Not just balling everything up and thinking, ‘Oh, I’m a man. I can’t talk about this.’”
When Young found out his father had died back home in Mississippi on March 31, he drove to teammate Gabe Hall’s house, overcome with grief. They met just before the 2024 season and spent the next six months as part of the same position group, training side by side nearly every day during the offseason. The goal was to make the Eagles’ 53-man roster after having served mostly as reserves. But his father’s death put Young’s football plans on hiatus. He flew home the next day.
Eagles defensive tackle Byron Young has appeared in all 11 games this season.
“I expected him to be gone for the rest of summer,” Hall said. “I was like, ‘OK, he’s not going back. I’m going to miss him.’ But he came right back. And he was like, ‘Bro, it’s time to get to work.’ When I saw that, I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s my dog.’”
Hall said Young trained with a “chip on his shoulder” that motivated him. They played golf — along with former Eagles tackle Laekin Vakalahi — to break the monotony. And they sometimes spoke about Young’s father.
Hall said he did his best to keep his friend from ruminating on the loss. Young had all the inspiration he needed.
“A lot of working out, man, a lot of working out ’cause it’s what he would have wanted,” Young said of his father.
Young and Hall initially made the active roster. The latter was soon moved to the practice squad where he remains, while the former has played in every game this season as the Eagles’ fourth defensive tackle.
The 25-year-old Young said he doesn’t dwell on his father’s absence or his last moment with him because it was like so many.
“He wasn’t the type that didn’t tell you that he loved you. He wasn’t the type that didn’t tell you he was proud of you,” Young said. “He would always let you know, to the day that he passed, that ‘I’m proud of you; you’ve done a lot of great stuff.
“‘I love you.’”
Byron Young (center) with his siblings and father, Kenny (center) and mother Melissa (left).
‘A passionate person’
Young didn’t play in Super Bowl LIX in February. His season ended in October when the Eagles placed him on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. But he was in New Orleans for the game, as was his family, which made the two-hour drive south from Taylorsville, Miss.
His parents, Kenny and Melissa, were unable to get on the field at the Superdome to celebrate with Byron after the Eagles toppled the Kansas City Chiefs. But the family had a proper party back home a month later with Byron and his brothers Kendrick, Regrick, and Brandon, and sister Shavon.
Byron Young (center), flanked by parents Melissa (left) and Kenny (right) at a family Super Bowl celebration last March. Kenny died suddenly two days after this photo was taken.
A day later, the Youngs gathered after Sunday church services to celebrate the birthday of Melissa’s sister. At one point, Kenny stood up and delivered a speech. He loved to talk. But he also wanted to express his love for his two sisters-in-law.
“He shed a few tears. What’s crazy is my uncle told him, ‘You get up there talking like you about to leave us,’” Byron said. “It just so happened that he did. I don’t know if he knew, or I don’t think he knew, but I don’t think anybody had any idea.
“But, man, he was just always a passionate person.”
Kenny Young didn’t have anything close to an ideal upbringing, according to his wife and son. But he was a man of faith and found mentors through the Friendship Church of God in Christ in Collins, Miss. He had just ended a relationship when one day in church he prayed that his next girlfriend would become his wife, according to an oft-repeated family anecdote.
His plea was answered when he met Melissa in the library at the University of Southern Mississippi. She was a student, and he liked to go there to read the magazines. They started dating and married two years later.
Kenny was a “hands-on man,” as his wife described him. He worked on farms growing up and was mechanically inclined. He was a laborer at Georgia-Pacific and pulled the wood that the company manufactured into paper products.
The work was physically grinding. Byron recalled his father’s long hours and hearing his keys jingle in the early mornings as he was leaving for the next 12-hour shift. But Kenny also was a present dad to five children, Melissa said.
There were rules and discipline. He coached his sons in youth football and sometimes took them to chop firewood for parishioners who needed warmth during the winter months. He loved to joke and laugh.
“The best way to describe Kenny is he loved well,” Melissa said. “He had a great love, reverence for God, and he spoke the truth out of love, and he didn’t want anybody to go to hell. … He was a deacon in our church.”
Byron Young hugging father Kenny after he was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the third round of the 2023 draft.
Kenny had been promoted to less strenuous jobs in his later years at Georgia-Pacific. He was a lathe machine operator who “pushed buttons,” Byron said, to keep wood on the straight and narrow. He could have retired, Melissa said, but he told her he was needed to spread the gospel at work.
“We had talked about the two of us retiring at age 65, maybe coming out the same year, but God retired him at age 62, and his work was done,” said Melissa, who’s still a pre-K teacher. “And I feel like God said to my husband, ‘Well done, that good and faithful servant.’
“He slipped away quickly and easily. He didn’t go through any suffering.”
‘A mini-him’
Kenny worked on Monday, the day after his sister-in-law’s birthday, after Byron flew back to Philly. Later that night, Kenny got into bed with his wife.
“He liked to play. And I thought he was making a sound just playing with me,” Melissa said. “And I said, ‘Well, Ken is gonna quit making that sound in a little bit.’ So I guess it may have been a moment, and he kept making the sound. … I got up and I turned the light on, I called his name and I pushed him, and he was not responsive.”
Melissa called Shavon and they dialed 911. They got Kenny off the bed, elevated his head, and tried chest compressions. One of Byron’s brothers called him immediately. There was nothing that could be done.
“He wanted to turn around and come drive right back,” Melissa said of Byron. “But one of his brothers convinced him not to. … They told him to get a flight, because he will get here by plane quicker than he would if he got on the road and drove.
“And he probably was not in any condition to be on the road anyway.”
Young called Hall instead. He wanted to know if he could watch his dog while he was away. They had worked out at NovaCare Complex, the Eagles’ practice facility, earlier that day. Hall sensed something was wrong.
“I was like, ‘You OK?’” Hall said. “This was late. You don’t just call me late.”
Young told him about his father and asked if he could drive over.
“He allowed me to cry on his shoulder,” Young said. “We just sat in silence because there was nothing really to be said.”
Eagles defensive tackle Gabe Hall helped Byron Young cope with the pain of his father’s death.
At one point, Hall said, Young cracked a joke. Hall had never met Young’s father, but he had heard stories about his sense of humor.
“You could tell he was kind of a mini-him, in a sort of way,” Hall said. “I just knew that was a person he always talked about. He talked about his dad at least a few times a week.
“You could just tell when a man respects somebody in their life.”
Kenny played football growing up, but couldn’t pursue it beyond high school because he had family responsibilities, his son said.
“According to him, he was one of the best ever,” Byron said. “And I don’t doubt it.”
He stopped coaching his sons when they reached a certain level. But he influenced their every decision. Byron wanted to play at Ole Miss, but Kenny felt Alabama and coach Nick Saban would be best for his son.
The first training camp was difficult.
“I remember calling him one day and not wanting to be there anymore,” Young said of his father. “He just told me that’s what I signed up for. … I didn’t really tell anybody else but him. He told me that wasn’t something that he wanted me to do because I gave Alabama my word that I would be there for four years.
“And that was kind of the end of me thinking that I was going to transfer.”
Young played in 13 games as a freshman, won a national title as a sophomore, and was All-SEC by his senior season. When the Las Vegas Raiders drafted him in 2023, he and his father had a long, knowing embrace.
Byron Young spent one difficult season as a member of the Las Vegas Raiders before being cut and landing in Philly.
The NFL brought its own struggles. Young played in only six games as a rookie and was cut by the Raiders the following August. He still has the voicemail his father left him offering encouragement and advice.
“It’s something like the last thing that I have on my phone of his voice,” Young said. “And … I just always keep that in my mind.”
The Eagles signed him off waivers the next day. Exactly one year later, Young made the 53-man roster out of 2025 training camp. He said he wasn’t surprised “because I knew the work that I had put in.” He just wished his dad could have been there to see it.
“I believe that he knows, and that he’s in heaven or resting right now,” Young said, “and eventually I’ll see him again.”
For now, he has mementos. There’s Kenny’s 1967 Pontiac GTO parked in the shed his father built that Byron hopes to finish restoring. And, always with him, his father’s key chain.
“Hopefully, one day I have a son or a daughter,” Young said, “and I can give it to them.”
