After a nine-year NFL career as a backup quarterback, Mannion was hired as a coach by the Packers in 2023. Mannion was promoted to quarterbacks coach in 2025 after first serving as an offensive assistant under head coach Matt LaFleur. This past year, he was credited for further developing Packers starter Jordan Love and backup Malik Willis.
Mannion was not widely seen as a contender for the position when the Eagles first launched their search. With the Eagles losing out on more experienced choices like Brian Daboll, Mike McDaniel, and Philadelphia native Kevin Stefanski, Mannion was a part of the second crop of possible candidates.
After Thursday’s surprise hiring, former players and national media members have made their positions clear on Mannion joining the Eagles staff. Reactions to Mannion taking over as the team’s play-caller have been varied, but one theme seems to be consistent through them all: it is a job that comes with a lot of pressure.
Here’s what they’re saying …
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith rips hiring, citing struggles of other past ‘inexperienced’ coordinators
On First Take, Stephen A. Smith congratulated Mannion on his new job before ripping into the Eagles’ decision to hire him. Smith likened Mannion to recent failed Eagles coordinators Brian Johnson and Patullo, who also lacked national recognition (and play-calling experience) when hired.
“It’s not that [Mannion] doesn’t deserve this opportunity. The issue is not him, it’s the Eagles,” said Smith. “They have fired the last two people they plucked from nowhere to be first-year offensive coordinators. You’re looking at Brian Johnson in 2023, fired after his first season. … Kevin Patullo is fired in his first season.
“Two of your three coordinators [were] guys you plucked from relative obscurity that didn’t really have that much experience … I’m like, if you’re the Philadelphia Eagles, why would you do that? Why is that the way to go?”
"First of all, congratulations. … It's not because of anything pertaining to his ability. … The issue is not him, it's the Eagles. They have fired the last two people they have plucked from nowhere to be first-year offensive coordinators."
Smith also felt that Mannion’s inexperience could lead him to be the first person blamed if team tensions start to flare.
“A guy comes in there, and he’s relatively inexperienced, the second things go awry, especially if you keep A.J. Brown there, it’s going to be an immediate reason to be skeptical about how this season is going to go,” said Smith. “That’s the kind of thing that caused the Eagles problems in the past, and I don’t know why they would put themselves in a position for that to be a problem again.”
Chris Long rooting for his ‘old teammate,’ even if he’s playing ‘Russian Roulette’
Former Eagles defensive end and Super Bowl LII champion Chris Long was recording his Green Light podcast when the news of Mannion’s hiring became public.
“Sean Mannion — my old teammate?” Long said, sharing his instant reaction. “Great dude. [Expletive] great teammate”
Mannion was drafted to the St. Louis Rams in 2015, where he shared a lone season with Long before the defensive end signed with the New England Patriots. That same year, Mannion was the third-string quarterback behind Case Keenum and Eagles legend Nick Foles.
Sean Mannion, 33, will be the Eagles’ youngest offensive coordinator since 31-year-old Jon Gruden in 1995.
Long will root for Mannion, but he is still not convinced being the offensive coordinator in Philadelphia is a safe bet. If he was in Mannion’s position, he would have been gunning for the Denver Broncos’ vacant offensive coordinator job instead.
“In Philly, it feels like the trend is that you either get a great job [after], or it’s like a career suicide type [of] deal to be an OC. It’s Russian Roulette being an OC in Philly over the last five years,” said Long. “Denver seems safer, but if you’re 33 and you have a chance to be an OC in the NFL, I’m not going to stop you from taking the [expletive] job.”
FS1’s Colin Cowherd says Birds fan will know if the Eagles ‘whiffed’ again by Thanksgiving
FS1 host Colin Cowherd, who is no stranger to making analogies, likened Mannion’s hiring to that of any young person getting their first job out of college. Like any new hire, according to Cowherd’s comparison, one factor will determine if Mannion will succeed.
“I am always rooting for people that go into jobs where you’re like, I’m not sure they’re ready,” Cowherd said. “It’ll all come down to this: How smart is he? Smart people learn stuff faster. … Philadelphia’s whiffed on some coordinator hires. They’ve hit on some coordinator hires. You’ll know by Thanksgiving.”
Although Mannion never coached under Rams head coach Sean McVay, he did play under the offensive guru for two seasons in 2017 and 2018. At the time, Mannion was the backup to quarterback Jared Goff. Because of this, Cowherd sees Mannion as an extension of McVay’s prominent coaching tree.
Cowherd is not ready to call him the next McVay yet, though.
“I don’t expect him to be great in, you know, he’s not Sean McVay. He worked next to Sean McVay. He is not Sean McVay. We just don’t know. … He could be brilliant. Sean McVay — he’s really become one of the coaching tree guys of note in this league, and some of them have worked, and Raheem Morris in Atlanta didn’t work. So who knows?”
Cowherd went on to echo similar comments to Long, calling Philadelphia “the toughest coordinator job in the entire league” due to the high level of scrutiny around it.
The project, directed by Melanie Page, was featured at Temple on Thursday night. Page shared a teaser of her documentary about women’s basketball greats who have come through the Philadelphia area over the years.
The event included a panel discussion with Temple coach Diane Richardson, Temple Hall of Famer Marilyn Stephens, Philly basketball legend Yolanda Laney, and former Army coach Lynn Arturi-Chiavaro. Page’s first documentary, about women’s basketball in the Washington, D.C., area, also was screened.
“I’m a student of basketball, but that was how I was raised in my upbringing from 5 years old,” Page said. “Seeing the Washington Mystics, it’s never left me. And here I am today, being able to tell more stories and bring the youth up to speed.”
The Philly documentary will feature prominent local women’s basketball figures like Laney and Stephens. The DMV documentary starred Richardson from when she was the head coach at Riverdale Baptist School and Towson and an assistant at Maryland, along with Temple associate head coach Wanisha Smith, who played for Richardson at Riverdale Baptist. (Richardson also was an assistant at two other Washington-based universities, American and George Washington.)
Page started the project during the pandemic in 2020. A DMV native, she began her storytelling there, and it gained some traction in 2021, when she released clips of her interviews from the documentary.
The next step was to bring it to Philly. Arturi-Chiavaro played for the city’s first professional women’s basketball team, the Philadelphia Fox of the Women’s Professional Basketball League, which only lasted from 1978 to 1981.
Stephens was a ball girl for the Fox and starred at Temple from 1980 to 1984. She scored 2,194 points and grabbed 1,516 rebounds, ranking second in school history in points and first in rebounds. She was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 1995.
“You can’t erase our history,” Stephens said. “We got to just stand strong and educate the generations that’s come behind us and give them the information about women’s basketball.”
Richardson and Laney also emphasized the importance of not letting the history of women’s basketball be forgotten.
Laney helped lead Cheyney State (now known as Cheyney University) to the first-ever NCAA women’s national championship game in 1982. Her daughter, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, plays for the New York Liberty. Richardson is not from the area, but has become one of the biggest advocates for women’s basketball in the city since being hired at Temple in 2022.
“We heard a question for what would you name the Philadelphia WNBA team … I would call it the Philadelphia Cradle,” Laney said. “Because we are cradling basketball history in this area and we have a different style of play in Philadelphia basketball.”
With a WNBA franchise coming to Philly in 2030, Richardson and Laney believe the documentary will help keep the city excited.
“Doing things right now like what Melanie is doing and just opening people’s eyes to the explosion of women’s basketball is really important,” Richardson said. “We’ve got to catch that lightning in a bottle and do it now because five years from now, we’re going to be too late.”
Stephens, Arturi-Chiavaro, Richardson, and Laney have a hand in the history and future of women’s basketball. Page wants to keep educating folks about their impact.
“This is the standard,” Page said. “This is how it should be. This should be the norm of what we are doing. People should know Yolanda Laney’s name off the top of their heads. They should know Marilyn Stephens. … It should definitely be the standard. That’s the message.”
BOSTON ― Last week’s seemingly galvanizing trip west, which resulted in the Flyers grabbing five of a possible six points against some of the NHL’s best, looks to have been just another false dawn, as the sinking Orange and Black dropped their third straight game at TD Garden on Thursday.
Here are three takeaways from the Flyers’ 6-3 loss to the Bruins, which marked the team’s 10th defeat in the last 12 games.
Travis Konecny leads the Flyers in goals (21), assists (29), and points (50), and is second behind Noah Cates (plus-15) among the team’s forwards with a plus-eight rating. The veteran sniper fired a hat trick in Columbus on Wednesday and followed it up with a goal and an assist in Boston a night later.
But while Konecny has played like an All-Star and led from the front of late, the alternate captain’s raw emotion after Thursday’s game made it clear that he’s only concerned with stacking wins.
“Yeah, it’s frustrating because I’ve been through this so many times. I’m tired of missing the playoffs,” said Konecny, who has seen recent Flyers seasons slip away at this time of the year. “That is kind of all I look at right now, just want to get points for the team, and we need to figure something out.”
Forward Travis Konecny, captain Sean Couturier and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen met with the media following #PHIvsBOS. pic.twitter.com/xPUaNFJ7ff
The answer was a painfully honest one from a player who has endured a lot of losing in recent seasons and is desperate to return to the playoffs after a five-year hiatus. Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet has talked about wanting guys who care and aren’t going to “accept” losing, and Konecny, who has matured and grown immensely as a leader in recent seasons, is clearly one of those guys who wants to be part of turning things around.
“Some guys spoke after the game, I think everyone knows where we’re at,” said Konecny. “We just got to execute. And like I said, there’s mistakes all over the ice, but you ask any of the leaders, it starts with us. Their second goal, I made a mistake there, and [we] can’t be doing that game after game. I think we all need to look in the mirror.”
There has been much social media debate about the 28-year-old Konecny, who has played 22 career playoff games but none since the 2020 COVID-19 bubble, but the Flyers could use more guys like him, and it’s concerning to think where this team might be without him.
Flyers right wing Travis Konecny has been red-hot with 16 goals and 31 points over his past 28 games.
Sam’s struggles
Sam Ersson’s struggles are well-documented, as the Swede’s .856 save percentage is the lowest among the 56 NHL goalies who have played at least 15 games this season. The analytics are no better, as according to Money Puck, Ersson’s minus-18.1 goals saved above expected is the third-worst mark in the NHL and 25 goals worse than his partner, Dan Vladař.
But Thursday provided a perfect snapshot of the enigma Ersson has been, as his performance showcased why fans have grown so frustrated with the backup netminder, but also featured some flashes of why the Flyers have stood by Ersson for so long despite his struggles.
Ersson started the game brilliantly, shutting down Marat Khusnutdinov from in close just 14 seconds in, followed by a couple of 10-bell saves on Sean Kuraly from point-blank range that showcased the netminder’s athleticism. Ersson, who was always going to need to have a big game given the Flyers’ tired legs on a road back-to-back, was keeping the Flyers in it.
But then the Mr. Hyde side of Ersson reared its ugly head as it has so often over the past two seasons. Ersson was in good position to stop Viktor Arvidsson’s one-timer from 25 feet out, but the shot from the right faceoff circle, which Arvidsson didn’t get all of, snuck through the goalie’s five-hole for Boston’s opener.
The script soon repeated itself, as after Ersson made a few big saves to close the first period, he allowed another soft goal early in the second period. Fraser Minten was the beneficiary this time, as just like on Arvidsson’s tally, his shot beat Ersson five-hole on the ice. The goal served as a backbreaker as the Flyers had begun the second period strongly and were close to halving the deficit.
Ersson’s talent was on display minutes later, as down 3-1, he made a miraculous, toe save on Andrew Peeke, albeit right before Casey Mittelstadt flipped home the rebound.
“I don’t know, it’s not just [Ersson], just some of the goals, weakside stuff that we are giving up, that’s a tough one for any goalie when you give weakside goals up,” said Tocchet.
Ersson, who did not speak with the media post-game after leaving the contest after two periods with a lower-body injury, allowed five goals on 20 shots and was culpable for two tough goals against.
While Ersson has shown flashes and stretches of being an NHL goalie, he has been far too sporadic and unreliable the past two seasons for a Flyers team that needs a steady backup. A restricted free agent at season’s end, his days in Philly look to be numbered.
Grebenkin’s growth
If there was a silver lining from Thursday’s loss, it was the effort of winger Nikita Grebenkin.
The 22-year-old, who has been in and out of Tocchet’s good graces over the course of the season, had one of his best games since being acquired by the Flyers last March in the Scott Laughton trade.
Elevated to the top line for the game alongside Konecny and Christian Dvorak, Grebenkin, who Rasmus Ristolainen said “brings energy every day,” seemed to be directly involved in most of the Flyers’ best moments offensively.
Flyers winger Nikita Grebenkin is starting to play the type of game that Rick Tocchet is looking for from the power forward.
With 12 minutes gone in the first period, Grebenkin pounced on a puck in the neutral zone with speed and carried into the Boston zone. As Tocchet has so often pleaded with the Russian to do, Grebenkin used his 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame to strongly shield the puck from Jonathan Aspirot before shifting it quickly from his backhand to forehand to try and jam one by Jeremy Swayman.
Swayman stopped the initial shot, but a crashing Dvorak slammed home the rebound. While the goal was ultimately disallowed as Grebenkin was ruled to have interfered with the goaltender, it was the kind of power forward-type play teammates enjoy seeing from the youngster.
“I just love how hard he works,” Konecny said of Grebenkin. “He’s trying to learn the details of how to play the right way and he’s a great guy, too, so I love working with him. ”He’s got a lot of skill, too. So I think the more opportunity he gets, he’ll just keep running with it.”
Grebenkin was also involved in the Flyers’ first goal that stood, as directly after he fired a shot on goal, he delivered a big hit on Mark Kastelic that knocked the Bruins’ tough guy off his skates and prevented him from retrieving the puck. Seconds later, Dvorak deflected a clearing attempt from Kuraly into the slot for a wide-open Konecny to score.
Konecny responds! Great work from Grebenkin led to the disallowed goal, story is the exact same here. Having a great game.#LetsGoFlyerspic.twitter.com/QsMKl4Zq26
Grebenkin would be rewarded for his efforts with a goal at the end of the second period, as he was first on the scene to bury a rebound after Konecny’s breakaway and follow-up attempt were both stopped by Swayman. In 13 minutes, 43 seconds of ice time, Grebenkin registered a goal, five shots, and one hit, while leading the team with four scoring chances at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.
It remains to be seen if Grebenkin retains his spot on the top line come Saturday, but his encouraging performance in Boston suggests he’s earned more ice time and deserves a longer look there.
Banged up offensive line? Underperforming star skill players? A quarterback who failed to lift his team? The 2025 edition of the Philadelphia Eagles checked all those boxes on offense. Sure, you could make a scapegoat out of the first-time offensive coordinator, but placing the blame squarely at the feet of Kevin Patullo would misrepresent the extent of the Eagles’ problems.
The Athletic’s Michael Silver recently wrote an article about the Eagles’ offensive woes, and, in a conversation with The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane, framed these issues in the context of the franchise’s ongoing search for Patullo’s replacement.
00:00 Why is the Eagles’ offensive coordinator search taking so long?
13:27 Factors that prompted Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll to pass on Eagles
19:00 The Jalen Hurts effect
28:45 The national media perspective on Hurts
32:37 Could Jeff Stoutland’s responsibilities be changing?
unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the offseason, including breaking news updates and reactions.
And here’s a link to Mike Silver’s article: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6976115/2026/01/16/eagles-offense-jalen-hurts-nick-sirianni-aj-brown/
Joel Embiid hopes the 76ers take a different approach at the NBA trade deadline.
In recent seasons, they made moves that enabled them to avoid the luxury tax. And there’s a belief around the NBA that they’ll do the same this season. There are also reports that Giannis Antetokounmpo, one of the NBA’s foremost stars, is on the outs with the Milwaukee Bucks and might have interest in playing in Philly.
The Sixers (26-21) are $7 million above the allowable threshold to avoid being taxed. They’re also around $1 million away from being a first-apron team and facing penalties.
Quentin Grimes ($8.7 million), Kelly Oubre Jr. ($8.3 million), and Andre Drummond ($5 million) have expiring contracts that could help avoid paying the threshold tax. The problem is, all three players are major contributors to the Eastern Conference’s sixth-place team.
Oubre is the starting small forward and the team’s X-Factor.
Grimes is the sixth man and one of the squad’s best three-point shooters. The shooting guard has a no-trade clause, giving him full veto power over any deal.
In addition to the Big Three of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey, this might be the deepest Sixers squad since the 2018-19 season, when they had Embiid, Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and JJ Redick in the starting lineup.
“We’ve been ducking the tax the last couple of years,” Embiid said. “So hopefully we keep the same team. I love all of the guys that are here. I think we got a shot.
“I don’t know what [the front office is] going to do. But I hope that we get a chance to go out there and compete because we got a good group of guys in this locker room, and the vibes are great.”
The Sixers are three games out of second place with 35 games remaining. They have winning records against the second-place New York Knicks and the third-place Boston Celtics. And they tied the season series with the fourth-place Toronto Raptors.
Now that Embiid and Paul George are healthy, the Sixers could be one of the NBA’s most dangerous teams.
Embiid, the 2023 league MVP, finished with 37 points, five rebounds, and eight assists in Thursday’s 113-111 victory over the Sacramento Kings at Xfinity Mobile Arena. It marked the fifth time that he’s scored at least 30 points in his last six games. George finished with 15 points, five assists, and two steals vs. the Kings (12-37). The nine-time All-Star is finding his groove in his role as a facilitator and defender.
Sixers forward Paul George (left) and Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe double team Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis during the third quarter on Thursday.
Tyrese Maxey, an All-Star starter, had a game-high 40 points on Thursday. It was his fifth 40-point performance of the season. And the point guard is third in the league in scoring at 29.4 points per game.
In addition to the Big Three of Embiid, George, and Maxey, this might be the deepest Sixers squad since the 2018-19 season, when they had Embiid, Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and JJ Redick in the starting lineup.
“Like I said in the past, we’ve been ducking the tax,” Embiid said. “So hopefully, we think about improving, because I believe we have a chance.”
In a few months, U.S. men’s soccer team manager Mauricio Pochettino will have to make some of the toughest choices he has ever made in his decorated coaching career.
It will be hard enough to pick the 26-player squad for a World Cup on home soil. But it be will just as vital to decide how many players he’ll take at each position: centerback, outside back, the many kinds of midfielders, and forwards.
His life will be made a little easier by the number of goalkeepers being set by rule at three. But all those other choices will cause plenty of headaches, and debates among U.S. fans.
“It’s difficult to now tell you if we are going to bring a number of centerbacks or fullbacks or strikers or midfielders,” he said in a news conference Thursday in Miami. “The way that we build the roster, it’s always about having the possibility to be very flexible, to have the possibility also to change during the game.”
Mauricio Pochettino giving advice to outside back Max Arfsten (left) during a game last September.
Pochettino alluded to the big tactical change he installed in the fall, switching from the program’s longtime 4-3-3 setup to a 3-4-2-1. The switch sparked the team’s five-game unbeaten run to end 2025, but it also posed new questions.
The biggest arguably is at centerback. That position can have a big effect on the overall balance because it changes the outside backs’ playing style and takes a midfielder off the field.
Pochettino didn’t address centerback directly, for the reason he noted above. But he did acknowledge that “if we want to play with fullbacks that go forward, we bring more forwards and less wingers.”
The injury list will also matter a lot, of course.
“Until we really know the possibilities of the players that we are going to have available, it’s impossible to say if we are going to bring more or less” at any given position, Pochettino said. “It’s a domino effect that if something changes, [it] sometimes affects another.”
Union alum Mark McKenzie (center) is a leading candidate to be one of the centerbacks on the U.S. World Cup team.
He summed it up like this: “I think the combination is always going to be to first have the players available, and then [address] how we are going to approach, in the tactical way, the games.”
Winter transfers could have an impact
It would be natural for fans to expect the March squad, which will play star-studded Belgium and Portugal in Atlanta, to be a preview of the World Cup roster — not that it has to be all 26, but at least be on the way there.
Pochettino indicated he would like to think that way, too, but players’ health comes first.
“It’s true that now we are close to the World Cup, and it’s true that it’s going to be difficult to bring some new players because I think we don’t have time,” he said.
“But, already, we had time to assess all the players, more than 70 players that we saw during one year and a half — I think we have a very good idea. Now it’s about to wish that our players will be fit and will be in very good form for us to select the right players to try to compete in our best way.”
Medford’s Brenden Aaronson has raised his World Cup stock recently with strong performances for Leeds United in the English Premier League.
Right back Alex Freeman could have a lot at stake in March. The 21-year-old son of former Eagles wide receiver Antonio Freeman made a $4 million move to Spain’s Villarreal on Thursday. Villarreal currently is fourth in La Liga and was just eliminated from the Champions League.
It’s a big bet for Freeman to make on himself so close to the tournament. Pochettino said the player asked for advice on the move, and the manager gladly gave some.
“I said, ‘You need to be very natural and take what you believe is the best option for you, for your family, and, of course, for your people that advise you,’” Pochettino said.
“For sure, always for me, it’s important that the player feels happy, feels comfortable, [but does] not to want to be in a comfort zone. This type of thing that happens is because they want to improve, they want to grow, and I think it’s an amazing challenge that we need to support and help,” Pochettino said.
Ricardo Pepi might be the next major American to change clubs. English Premier League club Fulham wants to buy the 23-year-old striker from the Netherlands’ PSV Eindhoven and has upped the ante to $38 million to try to seal a deal this winter.
Ricardo Pepi could soon join English Premier League club Fulham for a big transfer fee.
That’s an even bigger gamble. Any striker needs to be playing and scoring regularly to secure a place on the U.S. depth chart, but Pepi was one of the closest cuts to miss the 2022 World Cup.
“When you change, it’s because you are convinced that you’re going to be in a better place than the place that you are, no?” he said. “And I think that is why always I am very optimistic, I’m very positive on all the moves.”
Criticizing one of his own
Pochettino was asked about Tim Weah’s recent remarks to French newspaper Le Dauphiné Liberé that ticket prices for this summer’s World Cup are “too expensive.”
Tim Weah on the ball during a U.S. game last October.
“Football should still be enjoyed by everyone,” said Weah, who plays for Marseille. “This World Cup will be good, but it will be more of a show. … I am just a bit disappointed by the ticket prices. Lots of real fans will miss matches.”
“First of all, I think players need to talk on the pitch playing football,” he said. “It’s not his duty to evaluate the price of the ticket. And then also, my job, my duty, is to prepare the U.S. men’s national team in the best way to perform. We are no politician, we are sports people, that only we can talk about our job.”
The prices were set by FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, and not by U.S. Soccer, which proposed considerably lower prices in its bid book.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has drawn criticism from fans worldwide over the World Cup’s high ticket prices.
“I think if FIFA does something or takes some decision, they know why, and it’s their responsibility to explain why, but it’s not to us to provide our opinion, our responsibility is to perform,” Pochettino said, coincidentally sitting in FIFA’s Miami offices.
“The person that is in charge of the federation, maybe he can give his opinion, but I am the head coach of the [U.S.] federation. And I think we have the organization that is over us, FIFA, that is doing an amazing job around the world, uniting people, because I think FIFA unites people.”
He added that “the media need to ask directly [to] FIFA, and for sure you are going to receive a very good answer.”
A new docuseries will provide an in-depth look at the history of Black quarterbacks in the NFL. With a history that spans John Walton, Randall Cunningham and Jalen Hurts, the Eagles will likely play a starring role.
The first episode of Peacock’s four-part docuseries, Field Generals: History of the Black Quarterback, will premiere on Feb. 5. The remaining episodes of the series, which was executive produced by NBC Sports’ Maria Taylor, will be released on the following Thursdays and close on Feb. 26.
Field Generals: History of the Black Quarterback will document the stories of the league’s pioneering signal callers. It will focus on how race, politics, and culture shaped their playing careers from the AFL-NFL merger to the turn of the 21st century.
The show will feature interviews with Cunningham, Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, and Rodney Peete, who all played quarterback for the Eagles. Cunningham, the first Black quarterback to be a starter for the Eagles, enjoyed a 10-year career after joining the team as a rookie in 1985. Peete, McNabb, Vick, and Hurts followed Cunningham for the Eagles.
The series also will feature interviews with non-Eagles, including James Harris, the first Black quarterback to start a playoff game; Warren Moon, the first Black quarterback to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame; and Doug Williams, the first Black quarterback to both start and win a Super Bowl.
“This is truly a brotherhood,” Vick said in the trailer for Field Generals.
Prime Video released a three-part series in 2024 titled Evolution of the Black Quarterback, the first episode of which featured a conversation between Vick and Hurts.
“I do know that the city of Philadelphia is receptive to any quarterback, Black or white, as long as you’re winning,” Vick told The Inquirer in 2024. “Fortunately, we had some great ones, myself, Donovan, Rodney, Randall … I feel like the evolution of the Black quarterback started in Philadelphia.”
Hurts is not listed as an interview subject in Peacock’s announcement of Field Generals. The only active player included is Lamar Jackson, one of two Black quarterbacks to win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award twice.
The other is Patrick Mahomes, who started Super Bowl LIX opposite Hurts. The Eagles’ 40-22 win over the Chiefs was the first time in NFL history two Black quarterbacks started in the Super Bowl.
A record-setting 16 Black quarterbacks started their team’s opening game in 2025. For the first time in the history of the NFL, exactly half its teams had Black starting quarterbacks.
The previous record was set in 2024, when Hurts and Mahomes were among 15 Black quarterbacks to start under center in Week 1.
“As we celebrate the rich history and all the great ones that come before me, you realize how monumental it is for the furtherance of the game and the position,” Hurts said after a screening of Evolution of the Black Quarterback in 2024. “I know this [year] is the record for Black quarterbacks starting in the NFL, and that’s something to be noted because it’s come a long way.”
The only Phillies rookies who even came close to those thresholds were Orion Kerkering in 2024 and Otto Kemp last season. Kerkering was a 1.6 WAR player as a middle reliever; Kemp was slightly below replacement level as a utility man, based on Baseball-Reference’s WAR calculation, while playing through injuries.
And that, plus a two-month flash of promise from Johan Rojas in 2023, represented the farm system’s last three graduating classes.
This year should be different — two rookies are in line to win jobs out of camp. Justin Crawford is the presumptive opening-day center fielder, and Andrew Painter could be in the season-opening rotation.
And indications are that 21-year-old infielder Aidan Miller might not be far behind.
“You never know,” farm director Luke Murton said recently. “He’ll be a big-league spring training invite. You bring him in and see what we’ve got. We’ll see where the roster ends up throughout the year. But from a talent standpoint, from a readiness standpoint, the ones that are really good, they always are ready a little sooner than you think they are.”
It’ll be important for the Phillies to infuse the major-league roster with youth but also to develop more talent in the lower levels of the system, where trades of teen prospects Eduardo Tait (for Jhoan Duran), Starlyn Caba (for Jesús Luzardo), and William Bergolla (for Tanner Banks) thinned the A-ball ranks over the last 18 months.
With pitchers and catchers due to report for spring training two days after the Super Bowl, ‘tis the season for prospect rankings. Baseball America recently put Miller (No. 14), Painter (No. 32), and Crawford (No. 75) among its top-100 prospects. ESPN ranked the Phillies as the 17th-best farm system in baseball.
So, let’s present The Inquirer’s preseason ranking of the Phillies’ top 10 prospects, an annual exercise carried out with input from opposing scouts.
Aidan Miller has emerged as the Phillies’ top prospect since getting drafted in the first round in 2023.
1. Aidan Miller, SS
Age: 22 (on June 9) | Height/weight: 6-2 / 210 | Bats/throws: Right
2025 stats: .259/.382/.427, 13 homers, 52 steals, 14.9% walk rate, 23.7% strikeout rate at double-A Reading (489 plate appearances); .333/.514/.519, 1 HR, 7 SB, 24.3% BB rate, 18.9% K rate at triple-A Lehigh Valley (37 PA).
Outlook: Two years after a broken bone near his left wrist caused him to fall into the Phillies’ lap with the 27th overall pick in the draft, Miller keeps getting better. Not only did he thrive at shortstop when many evaluators believed he would have to move to third base, but he sharpened his contact rate to go with extra-base power from the right side. Then, last season, he surprised even Murton by swiping 59 bases to lead the organization. One NL scout said Miller has “All-Star upside.” All that remains is …
Key question: How quickly can he learn third base?
As a shortstop, Miller’s path to the Phillies is clogged by Trea Turner, who had a defensive renaissance last season. Murton said the Phillies will expose Miller to third base in spring training. But it’ll be interesting to see how much third base he actually plays, and how fast the Phillies push him if he starts hot in triple A and/or Alec Bohm falters again in April. Dave Dombrowski called up Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers to help contending Red Sox teams in 2016 and 2017. It’s easy to see him doing the same with Miller.
Andrew Painter struggled at times in triple-A last season after missing the previous two years with an elbow injury that required surgery.
2. Andrew Painter, SP
Age: 23 (on April 10) | Height/weight: 6-7 / 215 | Throws: Right
2025 stats: 3.97 ERA, 0.971 WHIP, 2.2% walk rate, 26.7% strikeout rate at low-A Clearwater (11⅓ innings); 5.65 ERA, 1.547 WHIP, 9.7% BB rate, 23.4% K rate at Lehigh Valley (106⅔ IP).
Outlook: OK, so Painter’s grand return after missing two years with a torn elbow ligament that required Tommy John surgery was rougher than even the Phillies expected. Rather than being ready for his major-league debut by “July-ish,” as Dombrowski famously predicted, Painter struggled in triple A. But he did stay healthy, making 26 starts and working 118 innings. And, well, “You hear a lot of statistics of what guys do their first year out of Tommy John,” Murton said, “and how much better the second year goes.”
Key question: How much better will Painter actually be?
More specifically, will Painter’s fastball command return to preinjury levels? Many rival evaluators “cut him some slack,” as one NL scout said, in reaching triple A for the first time after the two-year absence. “I think it was just injury- and rust-related,” said the scout, who still projects Painter as a No. 2 starter in the majors while “maintaining an appropriate level of concern for the command.” Maybe it’ll help if the Phillies throw Painter into the big-league fire right away. And if Zack Wheeler isn’t ready for opening day, they probably will.
Justin Crawford won a batting title in the triple-A International League last season.
2025 stats: .334/.411/.452, 7 HR, 46 SB, 11.5% BB rate, 18% K rate at Lehigh Valley (506 PA).
Outlook: As the son of former All-Star Carl Crawford and a first-round draft pick out of high school in 2022, Crawford has long been destined for the majors. And after hitting .300 at every level of the minor leagues and winning a batting title last season in the International League, he’s about to get his chance. As Dombrowski said, “I don’t know what else he really does at the minor league level at this point.”
Key question: Does he hit too many balls on the ground?
Crawford’s detractors cite a 59.4% ground-ball rate in triple A that would’ve easily led the majors ahead of Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich (56.7%). But given Crawford’s elite speed, one NL scout questioned whether all the ground balls are such a bad thing. “Hopefully it doesn’t matter,” Lehigh Valley hitting coach Adam Lind said. “His approach works right now. His swing works to where he can hit the ball all over the yard.” And Crawford is adept at putting the bat on the ball, which would bring a different dimension to a Phillies’ offense that features a lot of swing and miss.
Gage Wood was the Phillies’ first-round draft pick last season.
4. Gage Wood, SP
Age: 22 | Height/weight: 6-0 / 210 | Throws: Right
2025 stats: 4.50 ERA, 1.500 WHIP, 22.2% BB rate, 55.6% K rate at Clearwater (2 IP).
Outlook: It’s hard to top getting drafted in the first round and signing for $3 million, but the highlight of Wood’s 2025 season was throwing a 19-strikeout no-hitter for Arkansas in the College World Series. He made two pro starts before the end of last season, including a rough first inning in the playoffs, and figures to open this year in the rotation at Clearwater.
Key question: Long-term, is he a starter or a reliever?
Wood was in the bullpen through most of his college career before starting as a senior. The Phillies intend to use him as a starter to develop his multiple breaking pitches. But Wood’s path to the big leagues might be quicker as a reliever, especially given his power fastball. Eventually, his role will depend on how his slider and changeup develop relative to his nasty curveball.
Phillies infield prospect Aroon Escobar had a strong first half of the season last year at low-A Clearwater.
5. Aroon Escobar, 2B/3B
Age: 21 | Height/weight: 5-11 / 180 | Bats/throws: Right
2025 stats: .285/.377/.452, 11 HR, 10 SB, 10.1% BB rate, 16.1% K rate at Clearwater (316 PA); .256/.348/.369, 4 HR, 14 SB, 11.1% BB rate, 20.7% K rate at high-A Jersey Shore (198 PA); .182/.250/.273, 0 HR, 0 SB, 8.3% BB rate, 25% K rate at Reading (24 PA).
Outlook: After a blazing start last season (.322 average, eight homers through May), he “hit a touch of a wall” in his first full pro season, Murton said, and slumped to .237 the rest of the way. The Phillies challenged him with two promotions, including a late-season cameo with Reading, where he was among the youngest players in the Eastern League. Despite his listed weight, he’s probably closer to 210 pounds, so he’ll need to stay on top of his conditioning.
Key question: What’s his ceiling as a hitter?
After playing mostly second base last season, Escobar will likely get time at third to increase his versatility, according to Murton. But his bat will carry him as far as he goes. The Phillies believe his right-handed swing will continue to produce high-contact skills and power to the gaps. One AL evaluator compared him to the Astros’ Isaac Paredes as a hit-first infielder capable of playing multiple positions.
Phillies outfield prospect Dante Nori led the farm system last season with 577 plate appearances.
6. Dante Nori, CF
Age: 21 | Height/weight: 5-10 / 190 | Bats/throws: Left
2025 stats: .262/.363/.381, 4 HR, 37 SB, 13.1% BB rate, 14.9% K rate at Clearwater (502 PA); .279/.396/.326, 0 HR, 13 SB, 15.1% BB rate, 15.1% K rate at Jersey Shore (53 PA); .190/.227/.286, 0 HR, 2 SB, 4.5% BB rate, 9.1% K rate at Reading (22 PA).
Outlook: Another hitter with a high contact rate and speed, Nori rose quickly through the system in his first full pro season after getting drafted in the first round in 2024. The son of longtime NBA assistant coach Micah Nori, he trains in the offseason with Kyle Schwarber and has drawn praise for his advanced approach at the plate.
Key question: Can he be an everyday center fielder?
Nori might be more of a true center fielder than Crawford, depending on which scouts you ask. One NL evaluator said Nori has a “[Johnny] Damon-esque ceiling,” but noted that he’s undersized, in the mold of Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick. Maybe that’s why another NL scout wondered if Nori is more realistically a fourth outfielder in the majors unless he develops more power at the plate.
Phillies pitching prospect Moisés Chace is recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery last year.
7. Moisés Chace, SP
Age: 23 (on June 9) | Height/weight: 6-1 / 213 | Throws: Right
2025 stats: 3.24 ERA, 1.620 WHIP, 16% BB rate, 25.3% K rate at Reading (16⅔ IP).
Outlook: Chace came from the Orioles in a deadline trade in 2024 and immediately rose up the Phillies’ prospect ranks. But he didn’t throw much going into camp last spring, tore an elbow ligament early in the season, and had Tommy John surgery. He isn’t expected to be ready for the start of the season.
Key question: What’s his best role in the majors?
If he stayed healthy, Chace might have reached the majors last season, likely as a reliever. It’s still possible the bullpen will be his best path, with an effective fastball-slider combination. But before the Phillies can plan on him in any role, they must see if his stuff plays as well as it did before surgery.
Phillies outfield prospect Gabriel Rincones Jr. hit 18 homers last season in triple A.
8. Gabriel Rincones Jr., OF
Age: 25 (on March 3) | Height/weight: 6-3 / 225 | Bats/throws: Left/right
2025 stats: .240/.370/.430, 18 HR, 21 SB, 15.8% BB rate, 22.5% K rate at Lehigh Valley (506 PA)
Outlook: Rincones followed a promising spring training with a poor first half. But he hit 10 home runs after the All-Star break and stayed healthy all season, then was added to the 40-man roster. His struggles against left-handed pitching are pronounced (.107 average/.323 OPS last season). But it’s easy to see him getting a chance to contribute in the majors this year.
Key question: Will he ever figure out lefties?
Probably not. And that’s OK with the Phillies, who like what they’ve seen from Rincones vs. righties and believe he can be the strong side of an outfield platoon. One problem: They already have a player like that in Brandon Marsh.
Age: 20 (on March 14) | Height/weight: 6-3 / 200 | Throws: Right
2025 stats: None.
Outlook: Fisher was committed to pitching in college at Indiana until the Phillies drafted him in the seventh round and gave him second-round money. They signed Fisher for $1.25 million, the largest bonus ever paid to a seventh-round pick. Rather than making his pro debut late last season, Fisher went to the Phillies’ fall instructional camp.
Key question: Will the Phillies’ big bet pay off?
According to Baseball America, Fisher has a four-pitch mix that includes a curveball and slider. He also has superior athleticism, as a former All-State quarterback in Indiana. And he likely will begin his pro career in Clearwater, pitching in the same rotation as Wood and sharing the spotlight.
Outlook: It’s a reflection of the state of the Phillies’ farm system that Nos. 9 and 10 on this list haven’t made their pro debuts. Renteria headlined the Phillies’ international amateur class, signing two weeks ago for $4 million, tied with former outfield prospect Jhailyn Ortiz’s club record.
Key question: Will the Phillies finally have an international superstar?
Check back in about five years. Renteria will begin his pro career in the Dominican Summer League and isn’t likely to play stateside until at least next season. The Phillies haven’t had much luck chasing their Ronald Acuña Jr. or Juan Soto. Renteria showed promise in Venezuela and on the youth circuit, including showcases in the U.S. with Perfect Game. But there’s a long way to go before the projection turns into reality.
The Eagles are hiring former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard to the role of pass game coordinator, a source said. Grizzard, 35, was in the mix for Mannion’s job and had multiple interviews with the Eagles for the offensive coordinator role.
Grizzard was the offensive coordinator and called plays for one season after joining the Bucs in 2024 as a pass game coordinator. Before Tampa Bay, he worked with Mike McDaniel in Miami and was with the Dolphins under Adam Gase, too.
Grizzard has been a fast riser, though not quite as fast as Mannion. He played at Yale and was a student coach there, too. He was hired to David Cutcliffe’s staff at Duke as a 23-year-old and was there for four seasons as a graduate assistant and then a quality control coach before leaving for the NFL.
This past season was Grizzard’s first calling plays full-time, and he oversaw a steep drop-off in Tampa after former coordinator Liam Coen departed for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bucs, however, dealt with multiple key injuries. Grizzard was in charge of third-down play calling in 2024 as the pass game coordinator. That season, the Bucs led the NFL in third-down conversion rate (51.1%).
Nick Sirianni said the Eagles’ goal during this search was to make sure the offense continued to “evolve.” They have now hired two outside voices to key positions.
It’s unclear what Grizzard’s hire means for Parks Frazier, who was the pass game coordinator under Kevin Patullo. More changes could be coming to the staff as the Eagles try to revamp their offense.
Staff writer Jeff McLane contributed reporting to this story.
Gumienny, who grew up in Port Richmond cheering on the Polish American String Band and has been the chief operating officer for the Eagles since 2023, called Sam Regalbuto, president of the String Band Association, on New Year’s Day to see if a makeup event would be possible. It would, but the string bands needed an outdoor venue to host their competition.
“I was like, ‘Wow, we have probably the biggest and most well-known outside venue in Philadelphia,” Gumienny said.
Gumienny and the Eagles were able to offer Lincoln Financial Field to host the 2026 String Band Spectacular. The event, which is open to the public, will begin at 2 p.m. at the Linc on Saturday.
Julianna Bonilla (middle) and Stanley Wells (right) kiss after being officially married by Hegeman String Band captain Kelliann Gallagher (left) during this year’s Mummers Parade.
The show will give the string bands an opportunity to perform their four-and-a-half minute shows in front of judges and compete.
“They’ve been preparing all year,” Gumienny said. “They prepare 12 months to perform this on New Year’s Day. It’s a Philadelphia tradition. So we try to make sure that they can take everything that they’ve practiced all year and show off.”
When Gumienny let the Eagles’ neighbors in the South Philly sports complex know that the Linc would be hosting the string bands, the other teams were eager to help. The Phillies, Flyers, and Sixers all made financial contributions to help stage Saturday’s show, and the Union chipped in from Chester to help cover some costs.
“The other sports teams were like, ‘How can we contribute? How can we be a part of it?’” Gumienny said. “There are costs associated, obviously, with doing this. … A lot of people don’t understand all the costs that go on behind the scenes. And, obviously, the string bands [are] on, call it a tight budget. So we wanted to do whatever we can.”
The bands will perform on a stage on the Eagles sideline. The string bands will play toward the crowd, which will be seated in the lower level on the western side of the stadium. Gumienny said he’s estimating between 8,000 and 10,000 spectators will come to the Linc for the showcase, despite the cold weather in the forecast.
However, one of the 14 bands, Avalon String Band, said it is withdrawing from the event due to the weather. It is unclear if others will join them.
“With extreme cold predicted for this weekend, our top priority is the health and safety of our members, and the forecasted conditions may put them at risk,” the band posted on Facebook.
“I think it just highlights Philadelphia,” Gumienny said. “The spirit of Philadelphia, the pride of Philadelphia, the passion … The pride and passion of Philadelphia always shines, and I think things like the Eagles, our local sports teams, are always highlighted in this. And then, obviously, things like the Mummers parade that really coincide with what Philadelphia is.”
Former Eagles center Jason Kelce pauses during his colorful Super Bowl parade speech on the Art Museum steps while dressed in Mummers attire.
While all 14 string bands were able to march during the parade on New Year’s Day, the weather forced them to abandon their planned routines, and sent five people to the hospital. The postponement was the first in the parade’s 125-year history. Saturday’s event will give the bands an opportunity to show off their originally planned routines, which take months of planning and preparation.
“I’ve had a member of the Quaker City String Band reach out and just say, ‘Look, thank you so much, we put a lot of hard work in to do this, and to be able to showcase it at the stadium is awesome,’” Gumienny said. “It’s been super positive, and they’ve been super appreciative and such a good partner to work with. For us and our staff, we get to do something a little bit new and unique to us. But anything that shows off Philadelphia and shows off the stadium, we love it.”
For Gumienny, the chance to host the string bands is personal, too. In addition to his fond childhood memories of enjoying Port Richmond’s Polish American String Band, his late father-in-law was a captain of the Harrowgate String Band.
“Back as a little kid, I used to remember either going down to the parade or watching it on TV,” Gumienny said. “It doesn’t get much more Philly than the Mummers.”
Spectators looking to attend the String Band Spectacular can purchase general admission tickets through Ticketmaster. The event will be broadcast by WFMZ-TV, the same channel that broadcasts the parade on New Year’s Day.
