ORLANDO, Fla. — NBA official Bill Kennedy left the court in a wheelchair after suffering an apparent leg injury during the first quarter of the Sixers at Orlando Magic game on Friday night.
Kennedy appeared to start limping as he was running down the court during a 76ers fastbreak with about 2 1/2 minutes remaining in the first quarter. He was seen hopping on the baseline as Paul George made a layup to cut Orlando’s lead to 22-20. He then called for assistance as the Magic called a timeout.
His right leg was tended to for several minutes before he was wheeled off the court.
Kennedy’s departure left officials James Williams and Michael Smith to work the rest of the game. The 76ers won the game 103-91.
The Eagles will host the San Francisco 49ers to open the first round of the playoffs on Sunday. The last time both teams met was on Dec. 3 of the 2023 regular season, when the 49ers avenged an NFC championship loss to the Eagles a year prior.
Now, the Eagles enter as 4.5-point favorites. Will quarterback Brock Purdy lead the 49ers to a win in the postseason? Or will the Eagles back-to-back hopes stay alive?
Here’s what the 49ers players and coaches are saying about the Eagles …
‘Obviously, we know Philly’
Almost three years ago, the 49ers and the Eagles met in the NFC championship game. The Eagles dominated the 49ers at home in a 31-7 victory to secure their spot in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs.
In the loss, Purdy tore his UCL in the first quarter, but returned to the field after the team’s backup quarterback, Josh Johnson, suffered a third-quarter concussion. Entering Sunday’s game, Purdy isn’t focused on his past encounters with the team.
“More than anything, it’s our 2025 season and we’re trying to finish strong and compete against a new team, scheme, kind of feel,” Purdy told reporters. “That’s where my mindset is at with that. Obviously, we know Philly, being there, their environment, their fans, all the things. It’s about getting prepared for that right now, rather than having flashbacks or anything like that.
“I already went in there in 2023 and played after what had happened in 2022. So, I feel like that’s out of the way and we’re ready to move on.”
The following season, the 49ers traveled back to Lincoln Financial Field during Week 13 and avenged the NFC championship loss with a 42-19 win over the Birds.
“Two completely different outcomes,” George Kittle told reporters this week. “They whooped up on us the first time. Then we did it the next year. I try not to think too much about that. I try not to hold onto grudges or anything like that because I think that just kind of clouds your judgment and you’re thinking about all this stuff that doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters to us is beating the Eagles who we haven’t played in two years.”
Although both teams have history with one another, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is only focused on one thing.
“We have history with the team, but this is about executing, it’s about controlling what you can control, and going out there and playing extremely hard,” McCaffrey said.
Eagles fans can be hostile, but some 49ers players prefer it that way.
‘They hate us all equally’
And when it comes to traveling to the Linc, the 49ers are just as familiar with the Philly fan base. On Thursday, Kittle reflected on his past experiences in the city.
“The one thing that’s really unique about Philly is that they don’t really — I mean, maybe like a division rival is different, but any other road team that comes in there, they hate all of us equally and I just appreciate that,” Kittle said. “It’s incredibly loud, they flip you off, they moon you on your bus ride in.
“But, they do that to everybody. It doesn’t matter if you’re the 49ers, if you’re the Jacksonville Jaguars. It doesn’t matter. They just give you that no matter what and I appreciate that because you can tell how much they love their team.”
The veteran tight end has played four times in Philly, including that 2023 playoff game, but appreciates each one. “I just thoroughly enjoy it because it’s so unique every single time,” Kittle said.
However, there was one moment that really stood out to the seven-time Pro Bowler.
“I’ll never forget my rookie season, the year they won the Super Bowl, it was my first time playing in the Linc,” Kittle recalled. “There were like four 10-year-old kids holding a seven-foot-tall papier-mâché middle finger that had a rotating thing on it that made the middle finger come up. That was the coolest thing, I’ll never forget it. That was my rookie year and I was like this is excellent.”
Playing on the road in the postseason may be a tough challenge for the 49ers, but it’s one that fullback Kyle Juszczyk is ready to take on, especially in Philly.
“It’s more difficult [going into a hostile environment] but the payoff is better,” Juszczyk told reporters. “There’s nothing like that feeling of going into a hostile territory and getting a win. Yeah, it’s a little bit more difficult but it’ll be worth it in the end.”
Vic Fangio’s defense allowed the fifth fewest point in the NFL this season.
‘It’s a big challenge’
Sunday’s game likely hinges on Vic Fangio’s Eagles defense vs. Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers offense. Shanahan spoke earlier this week about how much respect he has for Fangio — and how he’s tried to hire him multiple times — but he’s not the only member of the Niners who appreciate the test they’ll face Sunday.
“I feel like Kyle does a good job at making sure we all understand what kind of game it’s going to be,” Purdy said. “If they’re going to load the box, what our answer is. If they’re not, let’s do our job — whether it’s still throwing the ball or running the ball efficiently.
“I feel like the Eagles do a really good job at switching things up and making it hard to run the ball with the front that they have and dropping guys back in coverage. So, we respect the heck out of what they do. But, we also have to be on top of our job and have success in what we’ve always done.”
The Eagles defense has been dominant this season, especially down the stretch, and 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak credits much of its success to coaching — and a physical defensive line.
“It always starts with the players,” Kubiak told reporters. “They’re super talented on defense, up front especially. It starts with 98, he’s one of the most talented interior players that we’ve gone against. All three levels, they’re talented. Extremely well coached and coordinated.
“Vic [Fangio] knows how to identify what you’re trying to do and take away those things that your offense is trying to exploit. That’s why they’re a top defense. We’re going on the road. So, the environment is going to make it harder. So, it’s a big challenge.”
On the opposite side of the ball, the Eagles have struggled to find an identity. But 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is well aware of the threat that Saquon Barkley still possesses.
“I still think he’s elite,” Saleh said. “I know his production isn’t what it was a year ago. But he’s still a damn good football player. He’s still a threat to break it anytime he touches the ball. [Jeff] Stoutland is still one of the best O-line coaches in all of football, creating good angles and creating space for the backs. They can still run the ball as good as anybody.”
The Eagles have listed Lane Johnson, who suffered a Lisfranc foot injury in Week 11, as questionable to play in Sunday’s wild-card game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Johnson, the 35-year-old right tackle, was a limited participant in all three practices this week. He hadn’t practiced since mid-November, as he missed the last seven games of the regular season after his injury against the Detroit Lions.
“Obviously, Lane’s a phenomenal football player, so anytime he’s on the field, you are pumped about that,” Nick Sirianni said of Johnson’s participation in practice. “He’s continuing to grind through and he’s a warrior. He does everything he can possibly do to be out there with us. It’s always good to have him back on the field.”
Johnson’s potential return could provide a boost to an Eagles offense that has been plagued by inconsistency this season. In his seven-game absence, the Eagles went 3-4. The team has a 18-28 record in games in which Johnson does not play during his 13 seasons with the team.
Johnson has missed just one career playoff game, that coming as a result of a high-ankle sprain in the Eagles’ 2019 wild-card loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Otherwise, the two-time All-Pro right tackle has suited up for 15 postseason games.
If Johnson plays, the Eagles could have 21 of their 22 starters active against the 49ers. The lone player missing is rookie safety Drew Mukuba, who injured his ankle in the Week 12 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
In addition to Johnson, the Eagles listed Brett Toth (concussion) and Azeez Ojulari (hamstring; injured reserve) as questionable to play against the 49ers. Toth was a limited participant in Friday’s practice after sitting out on Wednesday and Thursday.
Everyone else on the Eagles’ active roster is available to play, including Grant Calcaterra (ankle), Jalen Carter (hip), Nakobe Dean (hamstring), Landon Dickerson (rest), Marcus Epps (concussion), Dallas Goedert (knee), and Jaelan Phillips (ankle).
Dean, the 25-year-old inside linebacker, is set to suit up for his first game in three weeks. He was sidelined for the final two games of the season with a hamstring injury he suffered in Week 16 against the Washington Commanders.
Dean revealed his intention to play against the 49ers earlier in the week. Dean last appeared in the postseason last season in the wild-card round win over the Green Bay Packers, when he tore the patellar tendon in his knee.
“I never lost faith in [the fact that] everything would be great,” Dean said of his yearlong journey on Wednesday. “My prayer, everything, I never lost faith. I never lost confidence in myself. I knew I put in the work and just take it a day at a time.”
The 49ers are listing five starters as questionable, including left tackle Trent Williams (hamstring), wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee/ankle), inside linebacker Dee Winters (ankle), outside linebacker Luke Gifford (quadricep), and cornerback Renardo Green (foot).
Williams, the three-time All-Pro tackle, was a limited participant in practice all week. Pearsall did not practice, but head coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday that he could still play. Green had not been listed on the injury report going into Friday’s practice.
Depth players defensive lineman Keion White (groin/hamstring) and Jacob Cowing (hamstring; injured reserve)are also questionable to play.
A common refrain from the NovaCare Complex during the Eagles’ up-and-down 2025 regular season has been that finding ways to win, regardless of style or circumstance, is the team’s greatest strength. Based on the group’s track record, especially the past two years, the claim would be hard to dismiss. The Eagles’ belief in themselves, however, will be put to the test this weekend, when the playoffs begin Sunday with a Wild Card matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles might not be entering the postseason looking like the world-beaters that romped in last year’s Super Bowl, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of pulling off another title run. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane shares his reasons for hope and doubt for the possibility of a repeat.
00:00 Which version of the Eagles will show up Sunday? 02:22 Top reason for hope: Uncle Vic
09:06 Could Jalen Hurts run more?
13:05 The Lane Johnson effect
18:17 The biggest reason for concern…
27:43 About Kevin Patullo, and his future
unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.
NEW YORK — Free agent and recent Phillies outfielder Max Kepler was suspended for 80 games on Friday following a positive test for a banned performance-enhancing substance in violation of Major League Baseball’s drug program.
Kepler tested positive for Epitrenbolone, a substance that led to a suspension in 2018 for boxer Manuel Charr. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced the following year that a positive test for the substance caused it to disqualify 90-year-old cyclist Carl Grove from a world record he had set at the 2018 Masters Track National Championship.
Epitrenbolone is a metabolite of Trenbolone, which is contained in some products used in body-building stores and had been used in products to promote cattle growth. Kepler is the first player suspended by MLB for the substance since public announcements of the penalty details began in 2005.
Phillies left fielder Max Kepler catches Dodgers Tommy Edman line drive during the second inning of Game 4 of baseball’s NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Los Angeles.
There was no immediate comment from the players’ association or his agency.
Kepler accepted the suspension without contesting the discipline in a grievance, a person familiar with the process told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because that detail was not announced.
Kepler, who turns 33 next month, is an 11-year major league veteran who spent last season with the Phillies after playing his first 10 seasons with the Minnesota Twins. He became a free agent after the World Series.
Even if Kepler doesn’t have a contract by opening day in March, MLB and the union usually allow a suspended free agent to serve his penalty as long as he is attempting to reach a deal with teams.
Kepler hit .216 with 18 homers and 52 RBIs last year after agreeing to a $10 million, one-year contract. He was slowed in 2024 by left patellar tendinitis and had core surgery after the season to repair a sports hernia.
Kepler grew up in Germany and signed with the Twins at age 16 in 2009. He has a .235 average with 179 homers and 560 RBIs in his big league career.
The Flyers’ power play has slipped to 31st in the NHL, with a paltry 15% success rate.
(You may want to look away at this moment.)
It ties last year’s percentage through 82 games, but is worse than 2022-23, the first year former coach John Tortorella and Rocky Thompson were in charge. On the plus side, it is better than the 2023-24 season (12.2%).
While some of the puck movement has looked good, the man advantage is having trouble converting — and it’s costing the Flyers games. They couldn’t score when they faced the league’s worst penalty kill, the Seattle Kraken, in a losing effort despite three-man advantages right after the holiday break.
And on Thursday, the Flyers lost 2-1 in overtime to the Toronto Maple Leafs despite having more than three minutes of power-play time in the third period. They were up 1-0 in the third period when Toronto’s Matthew Knies was called for slashing Denver Barkey, and 68 seconds later, Troy Stecher tripped Owen Tippett.
The Flyers’ power play had 11 shot attempts in the third period but couldn’t get the puck past Maple Leafs goalie Dennis Hildeby.
Two minutes of the man advantage were a five-on-three, and they even had a six-on-three when Dan Vladař went to the bench during the delayed call on the second penalty. But they still couldn’t score — kinda.
“I mean, on the other hand, against Anaheim … we had quite a few looks, quite a few shots,” said Travis Sanheim about Tuesday’s game, when the Flyers went 1-for-8. “Just got to keep working away at it, and keep trying to get better each day, and hope that we can start putting some in. Obviously, it’s a big part of good teams, and something that we obviously got to be better at.”
With Knies in the box, out came Trevor Zegras, Cam York, Christian Dvorak, Matvei Michkov, and Tippett. Zegras and York have finally been united, and Dvorak has one objective: to stand in front of the goalie. Usually, Travis Konecny is with this unit, but he did not return for the third period due to an upper-body injury.
The opening faceoff saw Dvorak lose to none other than former Flyer Scott Laughton, who was a top penalty killer during his days in Philly. The Flyers were able to regroup quickly in the neutral zone and reenter with 1:53 left in the power play.
They were able to set up, and Michkov, now on the left side with Konecny out and Zegras a threat in the right circle — the normal spot for the Russian winger on the other unit — got the puck down low to Tippett. One of the best Flyers on the night, and the past few weeks, spun and got a shot on goal from atop the crease.
Owen Tippett is among the Flyers who have had chances but not been able to convert.
With 1:39 left on the penalty to Knies, that unit stayed on the ice and again Laughton beat Dvorak in the faceoff circle — Laughton was 19-for-20 on the night. The puck was sent down the ice, and the Flyers started their breakout.
York scooped up the puck and dropped it back to Tippett, who sent it over to Zegras. Tippett got it back as he skated through the neutral zone and took off. Using his greatest asset, his speed, he flew past Maple Leafs defenseman Troy Stecher, and his wraparound hit the post.
Dvorak got a great rebound attempt, and Zegras thought he then jammed the puck in — and maybe it was with Hildeby’s arm half into the goal and half out, and the goalie deftly moving to hide where the puck was — but it was reviewed and ruled the puck did not cross the line.
With 1:14 left, the unit stayed out, and Laughton won another faceoff, but this time, Tippett hustled to get to the puck first along the end boards and was pulled down by Stecher. Vladař went right to the bench for an extra attacker, and Sean Couturier came on and went right to the net. York sent a shot on goal that was deflected wide, and the Leafs touched up.
Flyers defenseman Cam York passes the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.
It gave the Flyers a 52-second two-man advantage. The only change was Rasmus Ristolainen swapping with York. Laughton once again beat Dvorak in the circle, and the Flyers had to regroup, knocking off 11 seconds before they got back in the offensive zone.
Herein lies the problem. They started moving the puck around the perimeter — on a five-on-three — and eventually Zegras got a one-timer deflected out by Toronto defenseman Simon Benoit.
The Flyers have been controlling the puck better and sustaining pressure, and NHL Edge has them up to 59.4% of offensive-zone time with the man advantage; they have risen from 24th on Nov. 15 to 17th in the NHL in offensive-zone time on the power play.
But they still need to get to the net. According to Natural Stat Trick, they are tied for the sixth-fewest high-danger chances on the power play (82).
With 25 seconds left on the two-man advantage, Laughton won another draw, and they didn’t get back in until 10 seconds were left. Benoit lost his stick with six seconds left, leaving him vulnerable. Ristolainen put a shot on goal from that side of the ice, but it hit a teammate in front, and with 64 seconds left in power-play time, Cowan got back into the play from the penalty box.
But then Michkov scooped up the puck and made a really nice move when he was able to bounce Laughton off him as he cut through the slot. He avoided the rest of the Leafs and got a shot on goal after his first shot was blocked by Benoit — who still didn’t have a stick — as he drove to the net.
Flyers right wing Matvei Michkov couldn’t put it home against the Leafs at a critical moment.
Flyers coach Rick Tocchet expressed frustration after the game about the power play, noting his team is missing reads.
“They had two guys on one side, and if we made one pass, somebody would have been wide-open. But we’re looking for plays instead of organically playing,” he said of the five-on-three.
“Yeah, you want to roll [around the zone] and all that stuff, but sometimes a team will just be all in. They had a guy with no stick, and we had the puck on the other side. That’s a hard one for me to swallow, because you want the puck on the side of the guy with no stick, right? You want to pick on him, but we have the puck on the other side.”
“I don’t know if it’s the pressure with the power play; sometimes I think guys are squeezing it so much,” he added. “But we need some guys to kind of understand the pressure and convert.”
Flyers center Sean Couturier on the ice against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night.
After a shift that lasted 2:08, the next unit came out with Couturier, Sanheim, York, Denver Barkey, and Noah Cates. Couturier didn’t have to face Laughton and won the draw against Nicolas Roy, allowing the Flyers to set up.
It was now a five-on-four, and after some perimeter work, York put a shot on goal that Couturier — who went to the net right after the faceoff and never left — tipped in front. Hildeby was able to pounce on the puck. Couturier got tossed, and Cates took the faceoff, lost it, but the Flyers recovered it in the offensive zone.
Couturier, who was, like Tippett, heavily engaged on the power play, got the puck on the half-wall and put another good shot on goal with Cates screening. The Leafs were able to clear, and with time ticking down, after getting back into the zone, Sanheim sent a shot wide that led to Laughton’s short-handed goal to tie the game.
“Sanny can’t miss the net on that one,” Tocchet said. “You have to hit the net, or at least take it a little bit off. We had people going to the net, and they score that goal. … I still think the guys played hard. I mean, that’s a hard game to play, second [game] coming off the road, emotional [against Anaheim] and stuff, so I give them a lot of credit, yeah. The special [teams] stuff, yeah. Do you wish some guys converted? Yeah.”
On Friday, defenseman Jamie Drysdale was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury retroactive to Jan. 6, and announced forwards Bobby Brink and Travis Konecny are day-to-day with upper-body injuries. In a corresponding move, defenseman Adam Ginning has been recalled from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League.
Drysdale was injured in Tuesday’s win against his former team, the Anaheim Ducks, by a hit well away from the puck by forward Ross Johnston in the second period. There was no supplemental discipline or fine handed out by the NHL’s department of player safety.
Brink also suffered his injury in the game on a blindsided hit in the first period by forward Jansen Harkins. He did not play on Thursday.
“Still getting evaluated, type of thing,” coach Rick Tocchet said on Wednesday, adding he didn’t have an update after the team’s morning skate on Thursday. “I don’t want to say it’s a day-to-day. I don’t know yet. So it’s kind of one of those things. … I really don’t know. I talked to them today; they’re in a half-decent mood. Still being evaluated, so we’ll see.”
Drysdale was curling in the offensive zone and did not see Johnston, who was skating into the zone, as the puck was deep in the Ducks’ end. They collided, and Johnston appeared to claim to officials that it was incidental contact or just a collision between two players who didn’t see one another.
However, the video indicates that Johnston not only had enough time to avoid Drysdale but also stuck out an arm and threw it into the defenseless blueliner. Drysdale lay on the ice and did not move for a considerable amount of time before doctors and a stretcher arrived on the ice. He eventually sat up and skated off with help.
Johnston was given a five-minute major for interference and a game misconduct.
“Yeah, it’s tough. Anytime you see the stretcher come out, for either team, it’s not a good situation,” defenseman Cam York, who is a good friend of Drysdale’s, told The Inquirer on Thursday. “So it’s obviously not an ideal situation, but he’s OK now. So obviously that’s really good. I talked to him after that second intermission.”
Konecny was injured on Thursday in the Flyers’ 2-1 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He scored the team’s lone goal in the second period but did not return for the third period. Konecny was interviewed during the second intermission by NBCSP, but appeared to be uncomfortable and winced as he walked off.
Tocchet said after the game he did not have an update, but that “something was bugging him, I guess, early on. I think he fell or something. I don’t know [all of] the whole details.”
The Flyers have a tough stretch ahead, and without Drysdale, and if Brink and Konecny, who is second on the team in points, cannot play, it will make it a tall task. Philly is home for games Saturday (7 p.m., NBCSP) and Monday, both against a Tampa Bay Lightning team that has won eight straight while outscoring opponents 38-22. The Flyers travel to play the Buffalo Sabres, winners of 12 of their last 13, Wednesday, and the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have won six straight Thursday.
Ginning made the Flyers out of training camp and played in five games in October. Before being assigned to the Phantoms on Dec. 1, after clearing waivers, he was loaned to the Phantoms on a conditioning stint Nov. 18. In 17 games with Lehigh Valley, the defensive defenseman has one goal and three points.
Veteran blueliner Noah Juulsen played with Emil Andare on Thursday. According to Natural Stat Trick, when they were on the ice together at five-on-five, the Flyers had 64.29% of the shot attempts and four scoring chances to one for the Maple Leafs.
Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale on the ice against the Vancouver Canucks on Dec. 22.
The loss of Drysdale, however, is huge as he was having a breakout year. Known for his offensive abilities with questionable acumen on the defensive side of the puck, the 23-year-old has built his game from the ground up to become a blueliner who can play a complete 200-foot game.
This season, he had 18 points (three goals, 15 assists) in 41 games, and before the Anaheim game, he was averaging 21 minutes, 35 seconds, tying his career high and ranking third on the Flyers. He also had a plus-minus of plus-1, the highest of his career.
“One hundred percent,” he told The Inquirer on Monday when asked if he has pride in how his defensive game has grown. “I mean, at the same time, it [stinks] to kind of have the results on the other end from the last few years. Definitely take pride in it.
“And I think that it’s also just coming to me more naturally now; I would say that’s kind of one way to put it. So that feels good. And I think it’s just building my game, and just taking it to another level. I think it can get there, so just going to keep working at it.”
After being acquired in the deal for Cutter Gauthier in January 2024, he played just 24 games for Philly, missing time with a shoulder injury sustained against the Penguins at the end of February. In April 2024, he underwent surgery to repair a core injury he suffered while playing for the Ducks. And he missed time last season with an upper-body injury.
Entering 2024-25, he had played in just 147 games across four NHL seasons, missing significant time with shoulder injuries, including a torn labrum that required an operation in 2022. Since playing 81 games in his first full NHL season in 2021-22, he has never played more than the 70 he skated in last year.
Heading into the Eagles’ wild-card matchup with the San Francisco 49ers, fans have plenty of questions surrounding the team’s offense, adjustments they could make in the playoffs, and players who may step up in the postseason.
Before Sunday’s game at Lincoln Financial Field, The Inquirer’s Olivia Reiner took to Reddit for an AMA — or “Ask Me Anything” — to answer reader questions about the team … and the future of its offensive coordinator.
The following has been edited for length and clarity.
Despite the 11-win season, the offense has felt ‘enigmatic’ (and at times dysfunctional) compared to the defense this year. In your opinion, is the disconnect primarily viewed as a play-calling issue with Kevin Patullo, or are there deeper issues with the offensive players this year?
Reiner: It would be very easy to chalk all of the offense’s dysfunction up to one thing, but I don’t think that’s fair. The blame deserves to be spread around. But just anecdotally speaking, I feel like there have been too many instances this year where Hurts doesn’t have anywhere to go with the ball. He’s been forced to make plays out of structure, whether he’s scrambling for yardage or extending the play.
I think we saw in the season finale with Tanner McKee and the backups what happens when the Eagles don’t have a quarterback who can do those things. Re: the lack of answers, how much is that on Patullo for the play call? How much is that on Hurts for not changing the play if he has the freedom to do so based on what the defense presents before the snap? Or on the offense for not getting to the line fast enough for Hurts to make a change? Only the Eagles really know.
Jalen Hurts’ designed runs have been more frequent during the second half of the season.
What adjustments could we hope to see for the offense to finally get going in the playoffs
Reiner: I’m curious to see if Kevin Patullo calls more designed runs for Jalen Hurts now that the team is in the playoffs and they could be a little less concerned with the self-preservation aspect of it. Hurts has insisted throughout the season that his designed rushes being down are more of a product of the offense, not so much an issue of keeping him healthy, though, although Nick Sirianni has acknowledged the health aspect of it.
I wrote about Hurts’ designed rushes being down this year last month. His rushing ability has the power to help keep defenses honest and open up opportunities for his teammates. That could be the most logical tweak to the offense this late in the game. I wouldn’t expect wholesale changes at this point.
Do you think the eagles offense will be able to get it done if they don’t put together four solid quarters in four straight games?
Reiner: Well, that’s how they’ve won most games this season! Many games have come down to Vic Fangio’s defense playing nearly flawless to bail out an inconsistent offense. A.J. Brown referred to it earlier in the season as the defense putting a “Band-Aid” over the offense’s inability to produce over a full four quarters.
I’m not sure if that method will fly in the playoffs. The competition, of course, gets better in the postseason. But can the Eagles offense suddenly become this consistent, well-oiled machine after sputtering so many times throughout the regular season? I think they’re still going to need the defense to bail them out, and that doesn’t sound like a recipe for success going forward.
Jahan Dotson has just 18 catches on the season. Could he be more impactful in the postseason?
If you had to pick a player likely to take a big step forward in production in the playoffs, who would it be? Is anyone unexpected going to break out?
Reiner: Jahan Dotson was kind of that player last postseason, especially in the Super Bowl. I’m more surprised that he hasn’t been more of a factor in the passing game during the regular season given his contributions in February. Maybe he comes down with a couple of key catches in the postseason. Even if it’s just a couple, that would be notable, given that he has just 18 catches on the season (one fewer than 2024).
Regardless of Sunday’s outcome, do you expect major changes to the coordinator staff this offseason? Hopefully that change involves Kevin Patullo.
Reiner: This is pure speculation and not reporting: I would think that Sunday’s outcome has to be taken into consideration regarding any changes at the offensive coordinator position, and the outcome of any additional playoff games. A wild-card exit wouldn’t reflect well on anybody. Another Super Bowl win would. This postseason run is important for Kevin Patullo, as my colleague David Murphy wrote about this morning.
To check out the rest of Olivia’s AMA, click here.
If they made a movie about the Phillies as 2026 begins, the climactic scene would feature Bryce Harper at the plate, flipping his Victus bat, and shouting four words at a bloodthirsty crowd.
It’s a fair question. Because the Phillies have a $300-plus-million payroll and as many stars as a planetarium. They won more games in the last three seasons than all but two teams (Dodgers, Brewers). And only the Dodgers have a streak of playoff appearances longer than the Phillies’ four-year run.
Surely, the 3.3 million fans who surged through the gates of Citizens Bank Park last season enjoyed all that.
Except, well, you know what keeps happening to the Phillies in October: divisional-round ousters in 2024 and ’25 after the Game 6 and 7 soul-crushers at home in the 2023 National League Championship Series. That’s eight losses in 10 playoff games — and nothing to show for so much regular-season success.
So, when the Phillies re-signed Kyle Schwarber last month and made an offer to bring back franchise catcher J.T. Realmuto, it mostly was met with a shrug from fans who are more wary than they should be about keeping together the guts of a roster that chased 90 wins three years ago with 95 and then 96.
But before channeling our inner Gladiator and questioning the entertainment value of yet another winning summer spent with the cast that disappoints every autumn, the Phillies went and set up a meeting next week with star free-agent infielder Bo Bichette, a major league source said Thursday, confirming a report by The Athletic.
Entertaining? Maybe. Interesting? Definitely.
Free-agent infielder Bo Bichette is scheduled to meet with the Phillies over video next week, according to a major league source.
Bichette, who will be 28 next season and twice led the American League in hits, would bring a high contact rate and right-handed power to the Phillies’ lineup. Imagine a batting order that looked like this:
But the real explanation for the fans’ collective endorphin rush is that Bichette — son of former major leaguer Dante Bichette, godson of ex-Phillies manager Joe Girardi — would represent the biggest change of the mix since Turner’s arrival as a free agent in December 2022. And let’s be clear: Signing Bichette would be like taking a blender to the roster.
Not only would the Phillies need to teach Bichette a new position (third base), but to squeeze him into the budget — with the payroll pushing up against the highest luxury-tax threshold — they must move third baseman Alec Bohm’s $10.2 million salary and say goodbye to Realmuto.
Are the Phillies really better off with Bichette? Maybe. Realmuto is older (35 this season) and amid a three-year decline at the plate. But he still has more wins above replacement over the last three seasons (9.0, as calculated by Baseball-Reference) than Bichette (8.0). And he’s beloved by the pitchers for his leadership and game-calling.
The Phillies remain hopeful of retaining Realmuto, but the sides have been locked in a contractual staring contest for a month. There isn’t a Phillies story — and depending how things go Sunday at the Linc, maybe not a Philadelphia sports story — that will dominate the news more than the Bichette-Realmuto saga for as long as it lasts.
But 2026 will bring several entertaining Phillies storylines, such as:
Phillies ace Zack Wheeler is seeking to return from thoracic outlet decompression surgery.
Whither Wheeler?
When we last heard from Zack Wheeler, it was August, and he was where he normally is, smack dab in the conversation with Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal, and maybe Garrett Crochet for the best pitcher in baseball.
Then, in the flash of his fastball, he was gone, diagnosed with a blood clot near his right shoulder.
The clot was brought on by venous thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition in which the subclavian vein gets compressed between the collarbone and rib cage. Wheeler had season-ending surgery to remove the clot, then another procedure in late September in which his top rib was removed to relieve the pressure on the vein.
(Aside: It’s difficult not to wonder if the divisional series against the Dodgers would’ve turned out differently if the Phillies had Wheeler and reliever José Alvarado. Then again, they scored only seven runs in the three losses — and lost by a total of four runs. Pitching wasn’t the problem.)
Wheeler is throwing again — from 75 feet, manager Rob Thomson said before seeing him in person this week. The Phillies are optimistic he won’t miss much of the season. As one major league source put it, his recovery is “going great.”
“The trainers seem to think he’s doing very well,” Thomson said, purposely not venturing a guess for Wheeler’s return.
But thoracic outlet syndrome isn’t as common as, say, Tommy John surgery, and the return isn’t always as smooth. Maybe Wheeler, 35 in May, will make a full recovery, à la Diamondbacks righty Merrill Kelly, who was in his 30s when he returned from TOS. Maybe he will need to reinvent himself on the mound.
Either way, it won’t be as automatic as winding up Wheeler and watching him dominate for 200 innings. And the rest of the starting rotation, still the Phillies’ backbone, must be adjusted accordingly.
Bryce Harper finished with an .844 OPS last season, 11th among qualified National League hitters.
But there are tangible things that Harper can improve.
Start here: Harper swung at 35.6% of pitches out of the strike zone last season, 129th among 144 qualified hitters, according to Statcast. Not only was it worse than the league average (28.4%) but also his career mark (29.3%).
Harper was hampered in the first half of the season by an inflamed right wrist, which eventually sidelined him for 23 games. And he did still finish with an .844 OPS, 11th among NL hitters who qualified for the batting title.
Not bad. Just not … elite.
There’s that word again.
“He expanded a little bit more than we’re accustomed to,” hitting coach Kevin Long said in November on Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast. “I don’t know what his actual chase rate ended up being, but it was probably 35%. That’s high. If he gets that number down to 32, just drop it 3%, now he’s swinging at better pitches, [and] he’s going to do more damage.”
Justin Crawford (left), Andrew Painter, and Aidan Miller are among the Phillies’ top prospects.
Will the kids be all right?
The Phillies had 12 players make their major league debuts in the last three seasons — fewer than any team, based on FanGraphs research.
That’s about to change.
Barring a spring training from hell, Justin Crawford will be part of the Phillies’ opening-day outfield, likely in center, on March 26 against the Rangers. There’s a decent chance Andrew Painter will be in the season-opening rotation, especially if Wheeler misses the first few weeks.
And if infielder Aidan Miller plays well for a few months in triple A, he could accelerate the Phillies’ timetable to call him up.
The existing core is aging, though not yet old. Harper and Schwarber will play at 33 all season; Turner and Aaron Nola will turn 33 in June. And if this is the year that the Phillies finally scale the October mountain, their stars will have led the charge.
But it’s imperative that the Phillies’ trio of top prospects graduate to majors and provide at least as much impact, if not more, than the last wave of young players.
“I’ve said this all along, and I still believe this: We need to start working our young players into our [roster],” Dombrowski said last month. “We have good young players, and we’ll be better for it. I do think that good organizations can blend young players with veterans.”
Speaking of the Phillies’ previous youth brigade, Stott and Marsh finally got better results at the plate last season after making midyear changes. Stott hit .294 with an .855 OPS after the All-Star break; Marsh batted .303 with an .836 OPS after a hitless April. Can they build on that success?
And will reliever Orion Kerkering bounce back from his devastating season-ending throwing error?
File them away among the subplots in the Phillies’ 2026 soap opera.
After finishing the regular season with an 11-6 record, the Eagles are preparing for the first round of the NFL playoffs, where they’ll will host Christian McCaffrey and the San Francisco 49ers in what is expected to be a windy wild-card matchup.
Here’s how those in the local and national media are predicting Sunday’s game …
Inquirer predictions
As always, we start with our own writers. Here’s an excerpt from Jeff Neiburg’s prediction:
To see what our other beat writers are expecting from this NFC playoff matchup, check out our full Eagles-49ers predictions here.
Eagles safety Sydney Brown (left) tackles 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey during the two teams’ last meeting at the Linc in 2023.
National media predictions
Here’s a look at who the national media is picking for Sunday’s game …
ESPN: Six of nine panelists are picking the Eagles to win and advance.
CBS Sports: CBS Sports is also leaning toward the home team, with four of seven experts choosing the Birds.
USA Today: In a clear sweep, all six panelists like the Eagles Sunday.
The Athletic: They turned their picks over to a panel of 11 NFL insiders — coaches and high-ranking executives — and the majority (six) think the 49ers will upset the Eagles.
Bleacher Report: Bleacher Report picks against the spread, and their crew is leaning toward the 49ers, with five of seven analysts taking the away team and the 4.5 points they’ll be getting from the Eagles.
Yahoo! Sports: Frank Schwab has the Birds beating the Niners, 20-14.
Sporting News: Vinnie Iyer is picking the Eagles to win, 23-20.
Sports Illustrated: Six of the 10 MMQB writers have the Eagles advancing past the 49ers, and two (Gilberto Manzano and Andrew Brandt) have the Birds advancing to the Super Bowl, with Brandt picking them to win.
