In the latest episode of New Heights, former Eagles center Jason Kelce laid out his reaction to what he called a “very frustrating game and season” for Philadelphia.
A shaky 2025 campaign for the Eagles offense ended with Kevin Patullo’s removal as offensive coordinator on Tuesday. Kelce used Wednesday’s podcast episode to clarify some of the comments he made earlier in the week while speaking in his analyst role on Monday Night Football. On the broadcast, he defended Patullo as “a great coach” while anticipating his dismissal.
Here’s what you missed from this week’s New Heights …
Replacing Patullo
Kelce, who spent 13 seasons with the Eagles, played under Patullo after he became the team’s passing game coordinator in 2021. A year after Kelce’s retirement in 2024, Patullo was promoted to offensive coordinator for this season.
“The expectations [for the offense] should be much higher than what they put out this season,” Kelce said. “I know I made some comments on Monday Night Football, and I do love Kevin Patullo. I’m not trying to absolve him of blame. … The offense wasn’t up to the task this year. It regressed. The main reason it regressed was the run game, and the offensive line’s inability to stay healthy, and to open up holes.”
While removing Patullo as coordinator was one of the franchise’s first moves after Sunday’s 23-19 playoff loss to the 49ers, Kelce suggested that players should also take accountability for the disappointing finale.
“It’s one of the highest-paid offenses in the NFL, and they were mediocre across the board,” Kelce said, echoing some of his comments from Monday. “The bottom line is this offense didn’t live up to what it should have. Patullo, as the offensive coordinator, bears responsibility, and so do the players. …
“I don’t think it’s ever fair to just throw it on one guy. Jalen [Hurts] said it after the game: Right now isn’t the time to put it on any one person.”
Former Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo talks with quarterback Jalen Hurts (left) and wide receiver A.J. Brown during Sunday’s wild-card loss to the 49ers.
“It would probably behoove the Eagles to bring in somebody with a fresh perspective on where it’s at currently,” Kelce said. “When you’re in it, you’re thinking about how you’ve had success in the past. When you bring in somebody else, we can bring in some fresh ideas and find ways to maximize things.
“I don’t think it needs to be anything that drastic. We probably want somebody who’s been proven offensively as a successful coach, and he could come in and look at things under a new lens with a lot of similar pieces.”
The two seasons the Eagles went to the Super Bowl under Nick Sirianni, they had offensive coordinators with experience at the position: Shane Steichen and Kellen Moore, both of whom were hired as head coaches the following year.
One of few positive reflections Kelce had on the Eagles’ season was on their sturdy defense, offering praise for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
“Defensively, they played great,” Kelce said. “In [the wild-card] game, they want some plays back, but they overcame so much. If you look at the difference between their pay, I think it’s the lowest-paid defense in the NFL, and their production, it is absolutely insane.
“Vic Fangio and the entire staff of the defense has done a phenomenal job.”
Also on the podcast, Jason and Travis Kelce announced their upcoming book, No Dumb Questions. It will be the brothers’ first published book, coming out on June 2. They also announced new New Heights merchandise, an Amazon shop called the Kelce Clubhouse, and more.
As college football has evolved with Name, Image, and Likeness, the transfer portal has moved to the forefront of the offseason for teams. It allows teams to rebuild rosters quickly by filling needs for college players who are looking for a fresh start.
Temple has taken advantage of the portal to refresh its team in recent years, rostering at least 30 transfers in each of the last three seasons. Some of those transfers gained significant roles and became critical players.
However, the transfer portal also gave former Owls the chance to leave the program and play elsewhere. Temple lost important transfers, including a few who turned into NFL players.
Let’s break down some of the most impactful players to transfer in and out of Temple in the last few years.
Transferred in
Evan Simon
Temple quarterback Evan Simon moves out of the pocket against Navy on Oct. 11, 2025.
Simon spent the last two seasons at quarterback and helped lead the Owls to their best season in half a decade.
The Lancaster County native spent the first four years of his career at Rutgers, where he threw five touchdowns and seven interceptions. Simon entered the transfer portal after the 2023 season and landed at Temple to compete for the starting job.
Simon lost the job to Forrest Brock out of training camp, but he took over in Week 3 of the 2024 season and never looked back. He started the final nine games and passed for 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Simon chose to return to Temple in 2025 and put together an even better season.
After beating out Oregon State transfer Gevani McCoy in training camp, Simon led Temple to a 5-7 record, its most wins since 2019. He passed for 2,097 yards and 25 touchdowns, the most in a season in Temple history, and had two interceptions. He also tied the program record for passing touchdowns in a game with six against UMass on Aug. 30.
Simon leaves the Owls eighth in passing yards in program history with 4,129, and tied for fifth in career touchdowns with 40.
Rock Ya-Sin
Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown attempts to catch the ball against coverage by Detroit’s Rock Ya-Sin on Nov. 16.
Ya-Sin joined Temple as a transfer cornerback in 2018 before NIL changed how players and programs view the portal.
He spent his first three years at FCS Presbyterian College in South Carolina but chose to transfer after the program announced it would move down to Division II. Ya-Sin played one season at Temple, but he made his mark.
Ya-Sin earned a prestigious single-digit jersey number before the season. He racked up 47 tackles, two interceptions, and a team-high 12 pass breakups as the Owls finished 8-4.
The Indianapolis Colts selected him 34th overall in the 2019 NFL draft. Ya-Sin has played for five teams in seven seasons in the NFL, most recently with the Detroit Lions in 2025, when he had 47 tackles and nine passes defended.
Maddux Trujillo
Temple kicker Maddux Trujillo during the Owls’ pro day on March 27, 2025.
While few positives emerged from Temple’s 2024 season, in which Stan Drayton was fired, Trujillo was one of the bright spots.
Trujillo spent three years at FCS Austin Peay, where he made 38 field goals. He transferred to Temple and took over as its main placekicker.
He made 16 of his 22 field goal attempts and converted all 21 point-after attempts. Trujillo made headlines in Temple’s 45-29 win against Utah State on Sept. 21, 2024, when he made a 64-yard field, the longest ever at Lincoln Financial Field. He made five field goals from 50 yards or longer.
Trujillo went undrafted in 2025 but latched on with the Colts to compete for their starting kicker spot. He lost the job to Spencer Shrader and was later cut from the team.
He spent the 2025 season as a free agent and most recently signed a reserve/futures contract with the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 6.
Dante Wright
Temple receiver Dante Wright against Army on Sept. 26, 2024.
Wright was a productive wide receiver from 2019-22 at Colorado State before transferring to Temple for the 2023 season. He became an impactful weapon in the passing game during his two years with the Owls.
He had 39 catches for 507 yards and four touchdowns during his first year with the program in 2023, then became the go-to receiver in 2024.
Wright hauled in 61 catches for 792 yards and six touchdowns. He went undrafted in 2025 but earned an invitation to the Kansas City Chiefs’ rookie minicamp. Wright did not stick with the Chiefs and was a free agent this season.
Transferred out
Ray Davis
Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis runs the ball against the New England Patriots.
Davis joined Temple as a running back out of Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., and showed immediate promise as a freshman in 2019. Then known as Re’Mahn Davis, he rushed for 936 yards and eight touchdowns while adding 181 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He had more than 100 rushing yards in three games and appeared to be a building block for the Owls.
However, he played just four games in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, when he rushed for 323 yards on 78 carries. Davis entered the transfer portal following the season and joined Vanderbilt.
Davis played three games in 2021 before truly breaking out for the Commodores in 2022. He had 1,042 rushing yards and five touchdowns, adding three more on receptions. Davis entered the portal again after the 2022 season and went to Kentucky for his final year.
He had his best season with the Wildcats, compiling 1,129 rushing yards, 14 rushing touchdowns, and seven receiving touchdowns. His 21 total touchdowns were the most in a season in Kentucky history and he earned first-team All-SEC honors.
The Bills selected Davis in the fourth round of the 2024 draft. He earned a first-team All-Pro selection this season as a kick returner.
Arnold Ebiketie
Atlanta Falcons linebacker Arnold Ebiketie sacks Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett on Dec. 21.
Ebiketie played defensive end for Temple from 2017-20, serving as a rotational player for his first three seasons before breaking out in 2020.
He recorded 42 tackles, 8½ tackles for losses, four sacks, and three forced fumbles. Ebiketie earned second-team all-American Athletic Conference honors and decided to enter the portal for his redshirt senior season.
Ebiketie had a standout year at Penn State, racking up 17 tackles for losses and 9½ sacks. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and media. The Atlanta Falcons drafted him in the second round in 2022 and he has recorded 16½ sacks in four NFL seasons.
Kobe Wilson
SMU linebacker Kobe Wilson makes a tackle against Temple, his former team, on Oct. 20, 2023.
Wilson joined Temple in 2020 as a linebacker out of Parkview High School in Georgia, and he spent three seasons with the Owls.
Wilson became a regular contributor on defense, totaling 124 tackles and 11½ tackles for losses. He entered the portal after the 2022 season and landed at Southern Methodist, Temple’s conference foe at the time.
He turned into one of the Mustangs’ top players over two seasons. In 2023, Wilson had 80 tackles and an interception. He had 117 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions in the next season. He earned second-team All-AAC honors in 2024 for an SMU team that appeared in the College Football Playoff. Wilson did not receive an NFL opportunity in 2025.
Christian Braswell
Jaguars cornerback Christian Braswell tackles Detroit’s Trinity Benson during a preseason game on Aug. 19, 2023.
Braswell was a rotational cornerback from 2018-20 at Temple, where he recorded 61 tackles, three interceptions, and 16 passes defended. The Washington native entered the portal after the 2020 season and committed to Rutgers.
He did not see game action in 2021, but the next season, Braswell had five starts and recorded three interceptions and 37 passes defended, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors from Pro Football Focus.
The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Braswell in the sixth round of the 2023 draft and he played in all 17 games this season.
For the first time since he was a teenager, Ranger Suárez is not a Phillie.
The left-hander agreed to a five-year, $130 million contract with the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, according to multiple reports, including the New York Post.
The Phillies signed Suárez out of Venezuela as a 16-year-old, and he developed into an All-Star and key member of their starting rotation, known for his unflappable nature on the mound. In 2022, he threw the pitch that clinched the Phillies’ National League pennant. Suárez, 30, owns a 1.48 career postseason ERA.
Despite a fastball that averaged just 90.5 mph in 2025, Suárez was extremely effective at limiting hard contact, with just a 5.5% barrel rate and a 31.3% hard-hit rate.
However, with Andrew Painter expected to compete for a rotation spot in 2026 and Suárez primed for a payday as one of the top lefties on the market, a reunion with the Phillies always seemed unlikely.
Suárez also has past injury concerns. His 157⅓ innings in 2025 were a career high after he started the season on the injured list with back stiffness.
Now he’ll head to the American League East. The Red Sox pivoted to improving their rotation after third baseman Alex Bregman signed a five-year deal with the Chicago Cubs.
Since Suárez declined the Phillies’ qualifying offer, they will receive a compensatory draft pick after the fourth round in the 2026 draft.
Fellow left-hander Jesús Luzardo is entering his final year of team control in 2026. During an appearance this week on Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast, Luzardo said he would be “really interested in” a contract extension with the Phillies.
Penn sprint football coach Jerry McConnell will not return next season, the school announced Wednesday in a release.
McConnell served as the program’s head coach since 2019 and posted a 17-18 career record. Penn finished 2-6 this season, losing all three contests in conference play. Penn failed to win a Collegiate Sprint Football League title during McConnell’s tenure.
In sprint football, players must weigh under 178 pounds to participate. The sport is played at nine colleges in the nation and has been at Penn since 1931.
“We are grateful for Jerry’s nearly two decades of service and dedication to our student-athletes in the Penn sprint football program, both as head coach and offensive coordinator,” Penn athletic director Alanna Wren said in the statement.
“This leadership change is an important step toward elevating the program’s competitive success and enhancing the overall experience for our student-athletes. We wish Jerry the very best in his next chapter.”
BREAKING – Penn sprint football coach Jerry McConnell will not be returning next season, per release.
McConnell has been with the program since 2007, taking over head coach responsibilities in 2019. He posted a 17-18 as head coach.
McConnell joined the sprint coaching staff in 2007, serving as the team’s offensive coordinator under longtime coach Bill Wagner. Penn won two CSFL championships during McConnell’s time as offensive coordinator.
Ezekiel Alladoh is a man of few words, at least so far.
Then again, the Union’s record signing just got to town this week, and won’t have been here long when the team leaves for Spain on Saturday.
“I’m just here for two days now — let’s [go] easy,” he said at practice Wednesday in his first interview with local media. “It’s cold, but it’s not cold like in Sweden. And the time [zone] changing is a little bit hard for me, but it will be OK.”
The 20-year-old striker from Ghana arrived with a $4.5 million transfer fee, which creates immediate expectations. Last year, reports in Europe said he had interest from Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton of the English Premier League, Leicester City of the second-tier Championship, and Belgium’s Club Brugge, Cercle Brugge, and Westerlo.
With the Commodore Barry Bridge as a backdrop, Ezekiel Alladoh practices with the Union on Tuesday in Chester.
After the Union announced his signing in November, they sold Tai Baribo and said goodbye to Mikael Uhre as a free agent. That leaves Bruno Damiani as the only starting-caliber striker returning this season, so it’s natural to expect Alladoh to take the other starting spot.
Alladoh isn’t talking himself up too much, though.
“They talked to me about the way they’re going to help me to make it in the league,” he said. “They have a good project here.”
Manager Bradley Carnell (left) welcomed Ezekiel Alladoh to the Union when the striker signed his contract on Dec. 3.
Asked if the impact of global stars like Lionel Messi made MLS more attractive, Alladoh said: “It’s not a factor. I’m coming here to make my name.”
He has also become fast friends with Cameroon native Olivier Mbaizo. Though Mbaizo doesn’t play much, it’s a sign of his stature in the locker room that he’s part of the unofficial welcoming committee. The same happened with fellow French speaker Danley Jean Jacques of Haiti last year.
“He talked to me about the club, that it’s like family,” Alladoh said of Mbaizo.
As for the tactical side of things, Alladoh is still getting used to that here. But he cited speed as one of his top assets, and he looks the part of a target player too: 6-foot-3 and 170 pounds.
He came to the Union from Swedish first division club Brommapojkarna, where he scored eight goals in 32 games over a year. BP, as the club is nicknamed, has had three of its products become big names in the English Premier League: Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres and Tottenham Hotspur’s Lucas Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski.
Alladoh said he wasn’t under pressure to follow in their footsteps, and that the club “just let me make my name.”
Arsenal striker Viktor Gyökeres is one of three English Premier League players who played previously with Sweden’s Brommapojkarna.
He also praised the Union for having “the same project like the team in Sweden: taking young guys and improving them.”
If Alladoh can be successful — obviously if he can score goals — he will be the latest Union player to prove that true.
“Be first in the league again,” he said when asked what success this year would mean to him. “Help the team to have more trophies.”
HBO released its final episode of Hard Knocks covering the NFC East on Tuesday after the Eagles’ season-ending wild-card playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
The finale of the docuseries, which unlike past episodes spent the majority of its 45-minute run time focusing solely on the Eagles, covered Saquon Barkley’s new favorite motivational movie, Nick Sirianni’s home life, and what the team talked about after the loss. (Don’t worry, we tried to keep the parts about the actual game to a minimum.)
Here’s what you may have missed from the final episode of Hard Knocks: In Season With the NFC East …
Not quite my tempo
Most people likely know that actor Miles Teller is also a huge Eagles fan. But did you know that one member of the Eagles is a huge fan of his?
Saquon Barkley was caught speaking to backup quarterback Tanner McKee, detailing how he was motivated by Teller’s hit film Whiplash ahead of the Eagles’ first practice leading up to the team’s wild-card game.
“I feel good,” Barkley said. “And I watched this movie called Whiplash. That [expletive] had me doing sit-ups and push-ups in my house. I went outside, and I was running hills. Like, I got to chill out, bro.”
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley found inspiration in a Miles Teller movie.
The 2014 film won a trio of Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor for J.K. Simmons, who plays an uncompromising professor at the prestigious music academy Teller’s character attends. It stresses the need to push back against mediocrity in pursuit of greatness, a theme that Barkley applied to the Birds offense as a whole.
“I do feel like there’s potential that we haven’t tapped into, especially on the offensive side of the ball,” Barkley said, with a Whiplash-style drumbeat playing in the background. “I am excited about that. That we still get to go out there and put in a complete game. I believe that with the men and people we have in this facility, it’s time, and we are going to get it going.”
The extra motivation led the reigning offensive player of the year to his fourth 100-yard game of the season with Barkley rushing for 106 yards, 35 above his average.
‘Effort is free’
Speaking of tempo, Hard Knocks revealed a moment during practice in which Jalen Hurts implored his offensive teammates to get to the huddle quicker so they have more time at the line to assess the defense and change the play if need be.
During the final episode of Hard Knocks, Jalen Hurts talked to his teammates about how to speed up the often criticized operation:
“Get back to the huddle. Focus on getting back to the huddle, that helps the operation.” pic.twitter.com/JllsWhwbRs
Barkley and Hurts also spoke of their different approaches to practice, with the running back keeping things light while the quarterback is all business. Barkley called it “a beautiful mix.”
“It’s not anything new in terms of the habits I’ve built,” Hurts said of his stoic demeanor. “It’s just a matter of doing those things consistently. That’s how I’ve always known to get myself ready to go out there and play.”
Hurts, the son of a football coach, explained why he prepares and carries himself the way he does, saying one of his father’s lines that stuck with him is “Effort is free.”
“Effort is something that you can control,” Hurts said. “And so, as a quarterback, what’s my effort in the way I execute? What’s my effort in the way I lead? What’s my effort in the example that I set? And trying to put yourself in positions to get ready for whatever the moment may demand. And so, you like to take your mind to a place where you can see it or visualize it, and then you can go out there and react with an intense and competitive mindset, and find a way to win.”
As tensions rose inside the Eagles organization, with a playoff game looming and many calling for the job of offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, who was removed from his position Tuesday, Hard Knocks did a great job of reminding viewers that coaches are people, too.
Halfway through the episode, Sirianni, who has also come under fire from Eagles fans, is featured alongside his wife, Brett, and their three children, Jacob, 10, Taylor, 8, and Miles, 5. The Eagles head coach seems to be training his children to be wide receivers, following in their father’s footsteps. Sirianni was a receiver himself in college at Division III Mount Union, as the series highlighted in an earlier episode.
“All right, now we do this last game,” Sirianni says. “I throw as hard as I can, and then you throw as hard as you can, whoever drops first.”
His youngest, Miles, is wearing the jersey of A.J. Brown, who got in a sideline spat with the Eagles coach on Sunday.
With Sirianni and his wife sitting on the couch, the coach has his children running routes and directs Taylor into open space, where she catches the pass over her two brothers.
“Are you as competitive at home as you are at the facility?” one of the filmmakers asks off camera as Sirianni smirks.
“Yeah, he is,” Brett says with a laugh and little hesitation. “With everything possible.”
Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham leaves the field after the playoff loss to San Francisco.
Letting down BG
Brandon Graham may be an Eagles legend, but he is for sure not a fortuneteller.
The 15-year vet who came out of retirement to rejoin the Birds was mic’d up during practice, exuding his trademark enthusiasm while optimistically predicting the outcome of the playoff game.
“I ain’t going to lie, I’m hype for the offense,” Graham said. “Things just about to keep building, we’ve just got to stay locked in and have fun out there and run to the ball. I ain’t going to lie, that clip when they was running to that sidelines right there, I said, boy, we fly like that, we’re going to be smothering.”
Graham doubled and tripled down on this prediction, going as far as saying that he’d come back after winning the Super Bowl in 2026 just so he could win it in 2027.
“Man, let’s go get us another one, man,” Graham said to defensive line coach Clint Hurtt. “Why not? I mean, I’m coming right back. I say 3-for-3, come on, let’s go! Let’s just get this one, but I’m with you, though.”
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and linebacker Zack Baun in happier times: a Sept. 28 win against the Buccaneers.
The Bald Eagle
All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun got a special highlight leading into the Eagles’ final game of the season, starting in practice when some friendly razzing was caught on tape.
“Hey Zack, let me see your head,” rookie Jihaad Campbell asked during practice.
“Nah,” Baun said. “I haven’t shaved in a couple of days, man.”
“The thing about being a bald guy is you either are ashamed of it or you own it, and that’s just your personality,” Baun said. “So I’m a bald guy. What can I say?”
Baun is also seen at home with his wife, Ali, and son, Elian, flipping through a scrapbook Ali made to celebrate his “storybook” 2024, a year in which he went from a special-teams player to an All-Pro and Super Bowl champion.
Baun also spoke on his fan-given nickname, the Bald Eagle, saying that he and his wife approve of the name. But the real star of this segment? Baun’s son, who was shown on the field adorably celebrating the Eagles’ NFC championship game victory last year.
Hard Knocks offered some insight into the Eagles’ season-ending loss, including Baun taking blame for the 49ers trick-play touchdown — “That’s me; I lost him,” Baun admitted — and Sirianni exerting himself in the offensive play-calling.
“Hey, what about [deep] shots, Kevin?” Sirianni asked Patullo before a third-and-9 shot to Brown, who dropped the ball.
But the moment that got the most attention from fans came after Sirianni’s final meeting with his players.
“We didn’t end the way we wanted to end,” Sirianni told his team. “I know that’s tough. I can feel it in the room, you can feel it. We all feel the same feeling. Use that adversity, use that pain. All that is necessary for our growth. I have no doubt in my mind that we will get better from this.”
The episode then cuts to just two men remaining in the auditorium at the NovaCare Complex: coach and quarterback.
Since Denise Dillon’s playing days at Villanova, much has changed in the Big East — and college basketball in general. But one constant has been the presence of Geno Auriemma.
Auriemma has been the head women’s basketball coach at Connecticut since 1985, so he already was well-established by the time Dillon was playing for Villanova from 1992 to 1996. Dillon has continued to face Auriemma, who grew up in Norristown, since she took over as Villanova’s coach in the 2020-21 season.
Denise Dillon played for Villanova from 1992-96.
As the winningest coach in college basketball, Auriemma has been both an opponent and a mentor for Dillon over the years.
“I have the utmost respect for Geno,” Dillon said. “The wins column speaks for itself, but also just what he’s done for the game. He was a women’s basketball coach before it was popular and has seen how it’s evolved. But he’s always given back to the game, and by giving back to the game, he’s given to coaches.”
Villanova (14-3, 7-1 Big East) is second in the conference as it enters its biggest test of the season yet. The Wildcats head to Storrs, Conn., on Thursday for their first matchup this season with the Huskies (7 p.m., FS1).
No. 1 UConn (17-0, 8-0) looms over the Big East, with an average scoring margin of 38.1 points.
The defending national champions are led by the returning duo of sophomore forward Sarah Strong and graduate guard Azzi Fudd. Strong, the Big East’s leading scorer, averages 18.4 points and 8.1 rebounds.
UConn’s Sarah Strong, here being guarded by Villanova’s Ryanne Allen in a game at Finneran Pavilion last season, currently is the Big East’s leading scorer.
Auriemma’s characteristic high-pressure defense has overwhelmed opponents this season. The Huskies have limited opponents to just 51.8 points per game.
The Huskies won soundly in each of last year’s meetings with the Wildcats. Their last regular-season matchup was a 100-57 rout on Jan. 22, 2025, in Storrs. UConn also has knocked Villanova out of the Big East tournament in three of the last four seasons.
Under Dillon’s leadership, Villanova has posted a 1-9 record against UConn, which has claimed the conference title every year since rejoining the Big East in 2020-21, the season when Dillon took over on the Main Line.
Villanova veterans like graduate forward Denae Carter and sophomore guard Jasmine Bascoe anticipate the intensity of a matchup at a loud UConn home court.
“Playing [UConn] at any point is a challenge, but seeing them the first time this year on the road will be one that we’re going to rely on some of those who have experienced it, just to prepare the others,” Dillon said.
When it comes to attacking UConn’s press, Villanova aims to utilize the depth that has led to success in conference play.
With the additions of junior forward Brynn McCurry, who missed last season with an injury, and graduate forward Kylee Watson, a Notre Dame transfer, the Wildcats have a much different look than the last time they traveled to Storrs.
“A key point for us has always been having those versatile post players, with Denae Carter, Brynn McCurry, and Kylee Watson, and making sure that they are ready and willing to initiate the offense for us, being there with the press break,” Dillon said.
From left, Denae Carter, Jasmine Bascoe, and Brynn McCurry will be key players for Villanova in Thursday’s matchup with UConn.
Since UConn has a grip on the top spot in the conference, stacking wins over other Big East rivals has been crucial for Villanova. A 85-69 loss to Marquette on Jan. 4 provided what Dillon called a “wake-up call” for the team.
“There were lessons learned out there in Milwaukee against a very good Marquette team,” Dillon said. “It just shows that if you don’t come in mentally ready for the battle of the Big East, you’re going to get taken advantage of.”
Auriemma and the Huskies continue to uphold top-tier standards for the Big East. In Dillon’s view, Thursday’s trip to Storrs will be a chance for Villanova to compete against the nation’s best and show its program-wide improvement.
“It does start with that mental prep of where we need to be in order to embrace some of the blows we’re going to take in the game,” Dillon said. “That’s what we want this group to recognize: You have an opportunity to get better together every time you step on the floor. So take it in one possession at a time, as we say with every game, and see where we stand. Fight till the end.”
Nearly eight years after retiring, former Eagles tight end Brent Celek is finding ways to educate the community. The Super Bowl champion is speaking out to raise awareness about men’s health.
“I think it’s important for men to talk more about their health,” Celek, 40, said. “I think it’s actually happening more. Like, I see it with athletes. I think historically, it’s just been something where men are supposed to be tough and you’re not supposed to talk about your problems and issues.
“And I think more and more people are starting to do that. And it’s good because it shows other men that they’re not alone. Other people are out here dealing with the same issues. And it’s OK, there’s ways to get through it. There’s therapy and there’s solutions to some of the problems.”
Celek is partnering up with the incontinence brand TENA for a video series touring the streets of Philadelphia.
In the series, Celek challenged men to put their sporting mettle to the test. With a football, basketball, and a court on hand, Celek and TENA tested how confident each man would be in catching a pass in a professional football game and shooting a three-pointer in a pro basketball game. Afterward, they engaged in a conversation about their health.
In a recent TENA survey, 46.71% of men said they were confident they could catch a pass in a professional football game and 41.92% said they could make a three in a pro basketball game. Celek hopes they can bring that same confidence when it comes to talking about their health.
Former Eagles tight end Brent Celek challenged Philadelphia men to put their sporting mettle to the test as a way to promote awareness for men’s health.
“Seeing others [talking about their health] allows them to be more comfortable talking about it,” Celek said. “If you see your peers talking about things that may be uncomfortable for them, but it works out, you think in your own mind, ‘I can do the same thing.’”
Celek battled a number of injuries in his 11-season NFL career, including torn labrums, ankle sprains, torn thumb ligaments, a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee, a torn right biceps, a double sports hernia, and a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Since then, he’s taken a more hands-on approach when it comes to his health.
“I’m definitely more proactive,” Celek said. “When I was younger I relied on experts and doctors — and I still do now. But I would say as I’m getting older and we have access to everything at our fingertips with our phone, I’m more proactive in my own health. … And nobody knows you more than you know yourself. So I think it’s important for people to be proactive and to continue to look for things that will work for them.”
It doesn’t look like Aaron Rodgers will be back with the Steelers
Steelers owner Art Rooney on how Mike Tomlin leaving could impact Aaron Rodgers' retirement decision: "Aaron came here to play for Mike, so I think it'll most likely effect his decision."
Cowboys request to interview Eagles’ defensive coach: reports
Christian Parker, Eagles passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach, seen here ahead of last year’s Super Bowl.
The Dallas Cowboys are on the market for a new defensive coordinator, and it looks like one of their candidates is right here in Philly.
According to multiple reports, the Cowboys have requested permission to interview Christian Parker, the Birds’ passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach. It’s unclear if the Eagles will grant a divisional rival permission to interview one of their coaches.
Parker, who just finished his second season with the Eagles, has been credited with helping improve the Birds’ secondary and the development of Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell, both of whom were named All-Pros this season.
Teams were told Mike Tomlin isn’t coaching next season: NFL Network
In the hours after Mike Tomlin told the #Steelers he was stepping downs, teams have contacted Tomlin to express their interest, sources say.
PIT has his rights and draft compensation would be necessary. That said, teams were told Tomlin does not plan to coach next year. pic.twitter.com/Gx1a7grjg7
Kevin Stefanski has completed coaching interviews with three different teams
Kevin Stefanski has now interviewed for three head coaching jobs.
The Miami Dolphins have completed their interview with former Cleveland Browns head coach and Philadelphia native Kevin Stefanski, the team announced Wednesday morning.
Stefanski, among those mentioned as a possible Eagles offensive coordinator candidate, was fired by the Browns after six seasons (45-46) and two NFL Coach of the Year awards. Stefanski’s three playoff games was the most for the franchise since Marty Schottenheimer’s tenure during the mid-1980s.
Stefanski interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons (and new team president Matt Ryan) Sunday. He also had an interview with the Tennessee Titans.
On the NFL Network Wednesday morning, Ian Rapoport didn’t mention any specific candidates to replace offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. But the long-time NFL insider did offer a somewhat cryptic clue about the direction the Eagles could take in their coaching search.
“I would expect the Eagles to swing big,” Rapoport said. “I would also expect them to maybe not go with something that Sirianni has done before, something of a clean break there.”
A “big swing” would be going for an established playcaller, someone like former Giants head coach Brian Daboll, former Cleveland Browns head coach (and Philly native) Kevin Stefanski, or former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel (whom columnist David Murphy prefers).
It could also mean someone who has experience calling plays, like former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury or current Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
Nick Foles breakdown of final Eagles’ play of the season is worth listening to
Super Bowl LII MVP Nick Foles knows a thing or two about running a successful offense, and the former Birds quarterback had a few interesting observations about the Eagles’ widely-criticized final play during their wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
This 4 minute breakdown of the Eagles final play from Nick Foles is the best I’ve heard & is absolutely worth a listen.
Potential candidates for Eagles offensive coordinator opening
Former Dolphins Mike McDaniel is among the potential candidates to replace Kevin Patullo.
Jalen Hurts will begin his sixth season as the Eagles’ starting quarterback in September. He is about to have his seventh play-caller.
Kevin Patullo, the 44-year-old, first-time offensive coordinator, was removed from his position on Tuesday in the aftermath of the Eagles’ wild-card exit. Now, Nick Sirianni and the Eagles will be tasked with hiring the team’s next offensive play-caller. The team’s last two internal promotions — Patullo and Brian Johnson — were finished after one season.
If the team decides to fill the vacancy with an outside voice, here are some candidates they could consider:
Brian Daboll, former Giants head coach
Kliff Kingsbury, former Commanders offensive coordinator
McDaniel is one of three coaches on this list have been vetted by the team as far back as the the last regime, according to Jeff McLane: McDaniel, Kingsbury, and Monken.
“Doesn’t mean they’ll interview or even be under consideration — and may not even be available — but would expect the list to be heavily tilted toward proven commodities,” McLane wrote on social media.
Which free agents will the Eagles focus on keeping?
Tight end Dallas Goedert is among a group of high-profile free agents.
As Reed Blankenship noted Sunday in the locker room: “It’s not going to be the same.”
“Who knows where we all end up?” the safety said. “That’s just part of the business side of it. They can’t keep us all. I wish they could.”
Blankenship is one of the Eagles’ nearly two dozen free agents. Like Blankenship, a few are notable players who may not be back.
Let’s start with Dallas Goedert, who had a career year — the most prolific touchdown season in the history of Eagles tight ends. There are zero tight ends on next season’s roster as it stands. Along the offensive line, reserves Fred Johnson, Brett Toth, and Matt Pryor are free agents. So is wide receiver Jahan Dotson. Deeper reserves like running back AJ Dillon, quarterback Sam Howell, and injured fullback Ben VanSumeren are set to hit the market, too.
Blankenship, linebacker Nakobe Dean, and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips are the marquee names among the defensive free agents. Two more starters from Sunday’s game are also scheduled to be free agents: safety Marcus Epps and cornerback Adoree’ Jackson. Other free agents include edge rushers Brandon Graham, Joshua Uche, Azeez Ojulari, and Ogbo Okoronkwo. Punter Braden Mann’s contract also is up.
As for which players the Eagles will prioritize, it’s not hard to imagine them wanting to rework something with Goedert before they look elsewhere for a tight end. Phillips will be at or near the top of the priority list, too. The Eagles are thin at edge rusher and could use an impact player like Phillips at the top of the depth chart to pair with Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith. Blankenship’s position is a priority, but it remains to be seen what his market looks like and what the Eagles decide to do at safety. Rookie Drew Mukuba will be coming off a season-ending injury at one of the safety spots.
As for Dean, he may be the most expendable among the top free-agents-to-be with Jihaad Campbell waiting in the wings.
The worst kind of mob is the one that is displacing its aggression. Then again, maybe every mob is that kind of mob. The more unhinged the vitriol, the more concentrated its direction, the more likely it is driven by fears and frustrations that are much more difficult to reconcile than the ones that have bubbled to the surface. The easier the target, the more likely it is the wrong one. Because the fixes are rarely easy.
Kevin Patullo isn’t the first person to experience the downside of this city’s manic emotional instability when it comes to professional sports. He might be the first one to have his house egged, and he almost certainly is the first one to have his image offered as a target by a golf simulator company. But the general phenomenon is something that we see any time a Philly sports team underperforms expectations to the extent that the Eagles offense did this season. Frustration is a lot easier to process if you can convince yourself that it would not exist but for the gross incompetence of one person. It is even easier when that person has a job that is relatively easy to replace.
My point here isn’t to shame anybody. Actually, my point is to lobby the Eagles to spend whatever it takes to hire Mike McDaniel as their offensive coordinator. It’s a move that would give them a radical upgrade in play-calling and game-planning expertise and that would give them a fighting chance at reinventing a scheme that has stagnated under Patullo and Nick Sirianni and may be obsolete due to some serious personnel regression. But I also feel a little bit guilty expressing an opinion that legitimizes or adds to the unrestrained and oftentimes unthinking pile-on of poor Patullo that we’ve witnessed here over the last month-plus. It should be possible to criticize and/or question a person’s professional performance without disregarding the person part of it, especially when that person is someone who lives among us in the community and whose kids attend our schools.
I’m not suggesting that everybody, or even most people, have crossed the line into gratuitous abuse/humiliation. It sure feels that way in the aggregate, though. I don’t have a personal relationship with Patullo. If I did, I would certainly apologize to him on the city’s behalf. I actually think most people would do the same if they randomly found themselves talking to him one-on-one, maybe in an airport bar, or at their kid’s CYO game. I suppose that’s another funny characteristic of mobs.
I wasn’t going to bring up any of this. Mostly because I don’t want a mob to come after me. I know I’ll be accused of saying something I’m not actually saying, a common mob tactic that serves to stake out a defensible rhetorical position and reframe an argument into one that can actually be won. So, although it won’t matter, I will say it again. I agree with a lot of the criticisms of the Eagles’ offense, and that Sirianni’s decision to make a change at offensive coordinator is both warranted and necessary.
Kevin Patullo (center) talks with quarterback Jalen Hurts on Sunday in what was his final game calling plays for the Eagles.
That said, Eagles fans and media will be setting themselves up for a self-perpetuating cycle of offseasons like this one if they will not acknowledge the very obvious structural problems that exist well below the play-calling level on this Eagles offense. Even when this unit was at its best, it was trying to score points the same way it did under Patullo this season. The formula is the same as it was under Sirianni or Shane Steichen or Brian Johnson or Kellen Moore. The scheme and the personnel structure are built to stay ahead of the sticks with dominant run-blocking and to fill in the blanks with big plays from their elite talent at wide receiver and running back.
Listen to what DeVonta Smith said on Sunday when somebody asked him if the Eagles’ scheme needed to change after their season-ending loss to the 49ers.
“This the scheme that we’ve been in the whole time [since I’ve been here],” the receiver said. “Whatever anybody thinks, nothing changed. It’s the same scheme.”
Other players and coaches have said it countless times. Nobody seems to want to accept it. Yes, the Eagles have had four offensive coordinators in four seasons. And, yes, the offense was markedly worse this season than it was in the past. But it was the same scheme. It was the same philosophy.
The biggest difference between the Eagles offense this season and last season? On Sunday against the 49ers, Eagles running backs had eight carries that gained zero or negative yards. They had 20 such carries all last postseason, over four games. Eight on 30 carries against the dilapidated 49ers defense vs. 20 on 108 carries against the Rams, Packers, Chiefs, and Commanders last year.
Lane Johnson, one of the NFL’s ultimate warriors, is battling a foot injury that kept him from playing Sunday. Landon Dickerson basically shrugged when somebody asked him if he could get his body back to where it was last season. Cam Jurgens was pushed around all afternoon against the 49ers.
Mike McDaniel spent four seasons as Miami’s head coach and is a highly coveted candidate for several head coaching and offensive coordinator openings.
The Eagles’ only option is to bring in a fresh set of eyes and a proven track record of inventive run-scheming. They need to reinvent this offense, and McDaniel is the perfect mind to do it. Since he arrived in Miami in 2022, the Dolphins rank sixth in rushing average at 4.5 yards per attempt. He did this while also calling an offense that saw quarterback Tua Tagovailoa throw for 4,624 yards and go 11-6 in 2023.
There are all kinds of reasons to think it won’t happen. McDaniel is an eccentric personality who has spent the last four seasons with total control. Vic Fangio lasted less than one season as his defensive coordinator. McDaniel already reportedly has an interview scheduled with the Lions, who can offer him a good offensive line, excellent pass-catchers, and a running back that has the Devon Achane mold in Jahmyr Gibbs. That’s if McDaniel doesn’t land one of the remarkable nine head-coaching jobs that are currently open.
All the more reason for the Eagles to be aggressive. Howie Roseman and Jeffrey Lurie pride themselves on being ahead of the curve. They’d rather be a year early than a year late. Right now, it is getting late early. McDaniel or not, they need a new voice, an inventive mind, and a fresh set of eyes. Anybody else will end up right where Patullo is. And that’s not fair to anybody.
