If you own a business in Philadelphia and you’re looking for financing, one little known resource is the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp. or PIDC. Don’t be put off by the word industrial. The public-private organization was formed as a nonprofit by the City of Philadelphia and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce to provide financing to all sorts of businesses to create jobs and revitalize neighborhoods.
For example, Milk Jawn, an ice cream shop in East Passyunk used PIDC financing to help with its expansion.
“PIDC was our first type of institutional financing,” said Amy Wilson, Milk Jawn’s founder. “Our early growth was friends and family and some crowdfunding. PIDC then helped fund our build out and kitchen construction.”
The organization says it’s focused on helping companies expand, and many different types of businesses would qualify for financing.
“PIDC is Philadelphia’s partner for business growth,” said Kevin Lessard, a senior vice president at the organization. “We help businesses, nonprofits, and developers overcome barriers to expansion by providing financing and real estate solutions that make starting, staying, and scaling in the city possible.”
To qualify for a loan through PIDC, your business must be located within the city, have operated for at least two years, and earn at least $100,000 in annual revenues. Special considerations may be made based on what the funds will be used for (i.e. building in a low-income area) or whether you’re a “disadvantaged” business owner. Personal guarantees and collateral are also normally required.
Loans can be used for equipment and property as well as working capital needs and “soft” costs like legal, accounting, permits, and appraisals. One of the more popular uses of the loans is for commercial real estate financing, where financing can be used to acquire and renovate property or to fund new construction.
Philly success stories
For Alexander Sherack, a co-owner of Korea Taqueria, an eatery with several locations in Philadelphia, PIDC financing fit the kind of deal he was looking for.
“We needed a property that was zoned commercial and mixed-use plus working capital so it wasn’t a typical path for a traditional bank loan,” he said. “We went with PIDC because it helped us replace rent with ownership — and our property turned out to be a hidden gem.”
Businesses can apply online and will then go through an underwriting and due diligence process which usually includes submitting financial reports, bank statements, and tax returns, along with a business plan and forecast. Corporate documents such as bylaws and articles of incorporation are also required. Once the loan is received, there’s ongoing reporting and other compliance requirements, which include regular submission of financial information and updating any major changes in the business.
Kia Jones owns Past Your Bedtime childcare in West Philadelphia and used PIDC financing for both working capital and renovations.
“The staff there made it very easy,” she said. “Any questions that I had, they were right on it.”
Pros of PIDC loans
PIDC funding can be a great bridge to a traditional bank loan. Some applicants who may find themselves turned down for a bank loan may still be able to receive funding from the PIDC.
PIDC takes more of a holistic, mission-driven approach. If a traditional bank turns you down, PIDC may still structure a deal — particularly if your project creates jobs or revitalizes neighborhoods. Getting PIDC involved may also encourage traditional banks to offer additional funding both now and in the future.
PIDC loans generally have much lower interest rates than a traditional bank loan. Milk Jawn’s Wilson, for example, accessed a special 0% interest program in early 2022 through PIDC, a major cost savings in a time of rising interest rates. (This was part of a one-time pandemic relief program.)
Finally, the PIDC provides education, support, and networking programs to help their community of borrowers manage and grow their businesses. And the connections can pay off.
“We were able to meet partners of the PIDC,” Jones said. “One partner program called Boost Your Business got us a $50,000 forgivable loan. The organization is also very familiar with city grants and other local funding options.”
Real talk
As helpful as the organization can be, business owners shouldn’t expect to get immediate funding.
Sherack recommends starting early and “building a transaction timeline” into any agreement where property is being purchased.
“Don’t assume quick money,” he said. “Submit your documents fast and press for clarity on timing so you don’t lose the deal.”
Wilson agrees and said she had to get a loan from a family member while she waited for the application process to complete.
“We’re a mission-driven lender using public and public-private capital, so every deal requires careful underwriting and a clear path to economic impact,” Lessard said. “Unlike conventional lenders, we tailor each financing package to the business.”
The University of Pennsylvania is getting $7.8 million over the next two years to study an overlooked aspect of human health: the lymphatic system.
Often described as the body’s sewer system, its main job is to maintain the body’s balance of fluid and filter out waste. Millions of Americans live with dysfunction in the system, often unknowingly.
The time to diagnose some lymphatic disorders is at least five years, said Maxim Itkin, an interventional radiologist who directs Penn’s center specializing in lymphatic disorders.
He’s even had a patient who experienced unexplained symptoms for 50 years before getting treatment.
“Right now, most healthcare providers simply aren’t equipped — or trained — to recognize lymphatic dysfunction, and the tools they need are virtually nonexistent,” said Kimberley Steele, a program manager at the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), the federal agency organizing the research effort.
That’s why the government, through ARPA-H, is investing $135.7 million toward research headed by 11 institutions in the U.S. and Canada, including Penn, to improve detection of issues in the lymphatic system.
With its slice of funding, the team at Penn will develop ways to image the network and identify hidden signs of disease.
An inside look
Similar to plumbing, fluids in the lymphatic system can be flowing, obstructed, or leaking.
Doctors are able to “close” these leaks and even “open” obstructed areas, but the problem is knowing when those procedures are needed.
Existing contrast agents — substances used to increase visibility of tissues during imaging — for the lymphatic system are largely considered obsolete and offer poor resolution, said Itkin, who is leading the Penn project, which started last October.
When he began researching the system 20 years ago, he “started to realize that it’s of enormous importance, and it’s forgotten primarily because nobody can image [it] and do interventions,” he said.
Maxim Itkin, an interventional radiologist at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, found a way to track the flow of lymphatic fluid using X-ray imaging equipment.
Itkin and his team have come up with ways of imaging by injecting dye into lymph nodes and tissues and tracing the dye’s location. This has enabled him to diagnose hidden conditions and develop new treatment methods.
The ARPA-H funding will allow them to go even further, developing imaging agents that focus on the parts of the lymphatic system in the liver and gut — organs that generate the majority of the network’s flow in the body.
These will be used for CT (computed tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans.
One of the imagingcandidates is designed to be swallowed and absorbed in the intestine, so doctors can see the lymphatic system in the gut. The second imaging agent will be administered via IV to show the system in the liver.
“It was my dream to see the lymphatic system from inside by itself,” Itkin said.
They’ll be using an approach called AI-driven multi-omics, where AI will analyze samples for unique molecules being excreted by the lymphatic system in the liver.
Penn and several other funded groups are working with the New York-based nonprofit Lymphatic Education and Research Network to help with research and patient recruitment.
Current funding is for two years, with the potential to extend for another three years.
Itkin says seeing the lymphatic system in the liver will be a thrill.
Every year, Ramadan seems to catch me by surprise. Maybe it’s because the month-long holiday’s start date fluctuates 10 to 12 days following the lunar calendar. Or maybe it’s my disbelief that another year has come and gone. No matter the reason, Ramadan always comes back around when I need it the most.
For many Muslims, the holy month is one of spiritual renewal. It’s a month where we get to practice patience, abstinence, gratitude, and charity. This year, the month of observance runs from the evening of Feb. 17 to March 19, which means no food and drink — yes, even water — for about 12 to 14 hours for 30 days.
The key is good food and community before and after fasting. And in Philadelphia, that’s easy to find.
Here’s my guide to observing and celebrating Ramadan in the city I call home.
Falafel’s at Cilantro.
What does it mean to fast for Ramadan?
My day begins at 4 a.m. with suhoor, the meal that begins the fast. Typically, I roll out of bed and grab the first thing I can eat (a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, most days) and chug half a liter of water. Once the athan, or call to prayer, chimes on my phone close to 5:40 a.m., I abstain from eating and drinking until after the sun goes down.
After sunset, I break my fast with a date — a spiritual tradition rooted in teaching by the Prophet Muhammed — then dinner and lots of water.
Growing up, this end-of-fast meal, iftar, started with a quick snack that was followed by prayer and dinner. Now as an adult, I’m making my own traditions and breaking my fast all in one go, then praying afterward.
Muhammad Williams and Nyeem P. eat the iftar meal at Masjidullah in Philadelphia in March 2024. Ramadan is observed by Muslims with a month of fasting. The fast is broken each day with a nightly feast, called iftar.
Where can you celebrate in community in Philadelphia?
This year, I’m meal-prepping to save money, making jars of oatmeal and smoothies to start my fast and keep me full and stocking frozen marinated meats to pull out and cook before the athan signals the end of the fast.
Philly’s Muslim-owned restaurants are also celebrating with holiday buffets — think chicken mandi and maqluba at Alamodak or chicken briyani and goat korma at Wah Gi Wah — and special additions, like soups, samosas, and dates.
There are 24-hour establishments to gather with friends for suhoor — consider Plov House in the Northeast for fried meaty turnovers and sweet crepes or Liberty Bell Diner for pancakes, omelets, and waffles around the clock.
Tables filled up around 3 a.m. at the 24-hour Plov House, where diners shared hot teas alongside plates of manti and shurpa soup.
But they are not the only ones offering spreads of delicious foods to break fast in community.
When I moved to Philadelphia, iftars hosted by mosques were my North Star for finding community. I discovered a blend of Philly natives and immigrants from the city’s Muslim diaspora, from Afghanistan to Uzbekistan, breaking fast together at mosques, kitchen tables, and 24-hour diners across the city. Ramadan isn’t complete without a mosque iftar.
You could also shake things up and embark on an all-night food crawl — a ritual that’s been a highlight of my Ramadan calendar for four years now. Each year, my friends and I travel to New York City for one night during the holiday month, exploring the city’s late-night food scene from iftar to suhoor.
Last year, I realized that it was possible to crawl in Philadelphia, too, even ifPhilly has only a few establishments open past midnight and a handful of 24-hour diners left. But, as we found out, Ramadan brings a different kind of energy to the night.
What to do if you get invited to an iftar?
I’m a social butterfly, so hosting iftars is something I’m quite good at. I love gathering my community to yap and munch. (Pro-tip: Take it easy and host a potluck — unless you’re insanely talented like my mom, who can still whip up a spread of perfect dishes for over 30 people while fasting.)
Gulab jamun and gajar ka halwa are favorites for the holiday.
One question I hear from my lovely non-Muslim guests: What do I do if I get invited to an iftar? The answer is simple. Eat, a lot. The joy of Ramadan hosting is spending time with loved ones over good food. Seeing my guests enjoy food and company makes the day’s fast worth it.
If it’s a potluck, bring a dish you love to share. That’s what my very cool friend Kelsey McKinney did for an iftar I hosted last year. (Yes, I was fangirling that Philly’s very own gossip queen came to my potluck!) A competitor on The Not-So-Great Defector Bake Off, McKinney baked a spiral pastry that looked like the sun and tasted like herby olives in buttery, flaky puff pastry.
“I could have rolled up with like a bag of delicious pistachios, and it would have been fine,” McKinney wrote. “But the bar for myself is so high! I wanted to bring something celebratory to the Hot Girl Iftar!”
Just remember: Don’t bring alcohol, and use halal ingredients.
If Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and City Council needed more convincing about why Philadelphia should no longer elect a register of wills, they now have $900,000 worth of reasons.
That is the amount taxpayers have shelled out in recent years to settle lawsuits by former employees who refused to play the shopworn patronage game.
This appalling waste would not happen if the city stopped electing a register of wills.
There is no logical reason for this to be an elected position. It is a back-office function that issues marriage licenses, probates wills, and maintains records of residents who got married and died.
In most world-class cities, such as New York and Los Angeles, a clerk or court office handles these mundane tasks. But in Philadelphia, the register of wills stands as a relic from the city’s corrupt and contented era of machine politics.
The sooner the elected post goes away, the sooner Philadelphia can move into the modern era. The problem is that no elected official in a one-party town has the courage to do what is right by taxpayers and push to eliminate the so-called row offices, which include the register of wills and the sheriff, another elected post with a long history of corruption and inefficiency.
Former Mayor Michael Nutter, who served from 2008 to 2016, was one of the few elected leaders in recent times who supported eliminating the row offices. He was successful in folding the obscure Clerk of Quarter Sessions office into the Philadelphia court system, but City Council refused to eliminate the other two row offices.
In the past decade, there has been scant talk about reforming city government or increasing efficiency — even as Philadelphia’s budget ballooned by roughly 75%.
The register of wills stands as Philly’s patronage poster child.
For four decades, the office was run by Ron Donatucci and was staffed with ward leaders, committee members, friends, and family members connected to different power players in the Democratic Party.
Tracey Gordon, former register of wills for the city of Philadelphia.
In 2019, Donatucci was defeated by Tracey Gordon, who previously ran for City Council, city commissioner, and state representative. Things didn’t exactly improve.
Gordon lasted only one term, but left taxpayers with a trail of lawsuits by former employees who said they were pressured to donate to her campaign.
Last week, the city agreed to pay $250,000 to a former clerk who said he was fired for refusing to contribute $150 to Gordon’s campaign. Several other former employees received six-figure payments after filing similar complaints.
Gordon was defeated in the 2023 Democratic primary by John Sabatina Sr., a ward leader from the Northeast. He began swapping out old patronage hires for new ones, which led to more lawsuits.
The city has paid out $256,000 in settlements to nine former register of wills employees who filed lawsuits alleging Sabatina fired them.
Five cases are still pending, which means taxpayers will keep paying.
This Editorial Board has long called for the elimination of the register of wills and the sheriff’s office, moves that would save the city tax dollars and unending embarrassment.
The Committee of Seventy and the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Agency both issued reports in 2009 calling for the elimination of row offices. (The title of one was “Needless Jobs.” The title of the other was “A history we can no longer afford: Consolidating Philadelphia’s Row Offices.”)
But until voters demand change, the inefficient patronage system will grind on.
LOS ANGELES — VJ Edgecombe did not want to waste Tyrese Maxey’s time once he took his courtside seat for the Rising Stars event at NBA All-Star Weekend.
And Maxey wanted Edgecombe to answer his simple question.
“I said, ‘Listen, what you going to do? You going for MVP or not?’” Maxey recalled. “He said he was going to go for it, and that’s what he did. That’s just who VJ is. He plays every single game the same way.”
The 76ers guards were in sync during their time together in Los Angeles, mirroring how they have instantly become an electric duo during their first 54 games as NBA teammates. Their presence at All-Star Weekend — Maxey as a contender to wind up on MVP ballots, Edgecombe as one of the league’s top rookies — was warranted. Edgecombe winning MVP of the Rising Stars event, before Maxey helped spearhead Sunday’s championship-winning Team Stars, made the weekend a success.
Now, the two Sixers who both rank in the league’s top 10 in minutes logged must recharge for the regular season’s stretch run. The Sixers sit sixth in a competitive middle of the Eastern Conference. And with Paul George still serving a 25-game suspension and Joel Embiid’s health still a wild card — the former MVP center missed the final two games before the break with knee soreness — Maxey and Edgecombe are going to continue leading the charge.
Before the NBA season resumes, here are some other Philly basketball-related nuggets from All-Star Weekend.
Carter pegged Edgecombe as Rising Stars ‘closer’
Edgecombe may now have a new mentor in Hall of Famer Vince Carter, his fiery coach during the Rising Stars tournament.
Carter said Saturday morning that he already “[gravitates] to young talent that wants to be great, that’s willing to listen, that wants to learn. Because I was that guy.” And Kyle Lowry, a friend of Carter’s and Edgecombe’s teammate, had already requested that Carter spend additional time with the Sixers rookie. Yet Carter had an inkling that Edgecombe initially thought his motivational tactics were “just talk” — until that carried from conversations, to the practice court, to Friday’s games.
“Now that I think that he knows me, I mean what I say,” Carter said. “ … I’m going to turn my volume up and I’m going to get on your ass a little bit, and he appreciated that.”
Team Vince guard VJ Edgecombe opens his arms before embracing Sixers teammate Tyrese Maxey.
So when Edgecombe scored 10 consecutive points — including the game-winning jumper — to secure their team’s first win of the night, it was no accident.
“Once it came down to [needing a] closer,” Carter said, “I pulled him aside and said, ‘This is what we’re going to do. I’m going to put you in position. Let’s go.’”
The ‘tanking’ debate
“Tanking” was the first topic addressed during NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s news conference, after the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers received fines of $500,000 and $100,000, respectively, for violating the player participation policy and “conduct detrimental to the league.” Both teams either rested or prematurely removed healthy key players to, presumably, increase their chances of losing the basketball game and improving their draft lottery odds.
“Are we seeing behavior that is worse this year than we’ve seen in recent memory? Yes, is my view,” Silver said Saturday afternoon. “Which was what led to those fines. And not just those fines, but to my statement that we’re going to be looking more closely at the totality of all the circumstances this season in terms of teams’ behavior, and very intentionally wanted teams to be on notice.”
Maxey has a unique perspective on the tanking conundrum, following a 2024-25 Sixers season that began with championship aspirations but abruptly face-planted into an injury-riddled disaster.
During his All-Star media day news conference, Maxey reiterated how much last season taught him about mentally handling constant losing for the first time in his life. He was eventually shut down for the season with a finger injury, and other rotation players were held out of down-the-stretch games. The Sixers were also fined $100,000 during that period.
But Maxey also could not deny that “the outcome was VJ Edgecombe,” after the Sixers landed the No. 3 overall pick in a dramatic draft lottery. Edgecombe became an immediate starter and impact player on both ends of the floor while averaging 14.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
Sixers guards Tyrese Maxey (left) and VJ Edgecombe are among the leaders in minutes played this season.
“He’s great, man,” Maxey said of Edgecombe. “Not just basketball-wise, but for our team personality-wise and culture-wise for our organization and things that we’re trying to turn around.”
The Sixers will play 10 of their final 28 games against opponents expected to be tanking, including two apiece against the Jazz and Pacers.
Brunson’s weekend a family affair
Jalen Brunson, the New York Knicks guard and former Villanova standout, has become an All-Star regular, earning a spot on the more veteran U.S. Team Stripes.
He was part of Kawhi Leonard’s monster 31-point outburst to beat Team World, understandably deploying the point-guard strategy of “feed him the ball, and get out of the way.” Brunson at one point in that game also got matched up against Knicks teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, which Brunson deadpanned meant, “No matter what shot I shot, the ball was going in.”
Yet Brunson’s highlight of the weekend was winning Saturday’s Shooting Stars contest alongside Towns and Knicks legend Allan Houston. Their designated passer for the event? Rick Brunson, Jalen’s father and a Knicks assistant coach.
“Spending time with my family in an atmosphere like this, in a place like this,” Brunson said, “it really means the world to me.”
After a run to the Eastern Conference finals last spring, the Knicks season has been up-and-down. When asked which team is the biggest threat to New York in the conference, Brunson said one can “obviously” point to the two teams currently ahead of them in the East standings: the second-place Boston Celtics and first-place Detroit Pistons.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson’s highlight of the weekend was spending time with family, including his father Rick Brunson, a Knicks assistant.
But Brunson also cautioned that “the East is better than what people think it is.”
“So you can’t really look ahead and you can’t really be focused on one or two teams,” Brunson said. “You have to prepare for everybody.”
Duren’s All-Star debut
Jalen Duren looked perfectly comfortable in the All-Star limelight, rocking sunglasses during Sunday’s postgame media session.
As a first-time All-Star, the Sharon Hill native and Roman Catholic product took in all the weekend’s extracurriculars — including “pictures, after pictures, after pictures, after pictures.” He also flashed what makes him an interior force for the East-leading Pistons, totaling six points and four rebounds in Team Stars’ dominant championship-game victory.
The 22-year-old Duren also found value in observing how his fellow All-Stars carried themselves through the weekend.
“Being part of this group of guys, you’ve got to walk with a certain type of pride and responsibility,” he said. “I think my perspective changed a little bit of how I approach the game and the rest of my career.”
VJ, meet Kareem
When asked about favorite parts of his first All-Star experience, Edgecombe enthusiastically mentioned the moment he wound up shaking hands with and sitting next to the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
“That was fire,” Edgecombe said.
That reaction demonstrates the reverence Edgecombe has for the game’s history, a trait Sixers coach Nick Nurse has mentioned when speaking about the rookie’s beyond-his-years basketball IQ.
“Just [to] be in the same room as [Abdul-Jabbar] is a blessing,” Edgecombe said following the Rising Stars tournament. “Obviously, when we go on the floor, we try to honor everyone that came before us by playing hard, doing all the little things in the game. Grow it in the community off the floor. …
“Shout out to all the ‘OGs’ that came before me. Everyone. It’s all love from me.”
The city’s teachers union has significant concerns with the Philadelphia School District’s sweeping facilities plan, and it has taken them to a City Council committee.
Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr.’s $2.8 billion proposal “does not provide sufficient detail or data to inform binding decisions about school closures, co-location, re-purposing, or widespread impact and disruption that will be incurred,” Philadelphia Federation of Teachers president Arthur Steinberg wrote in a letter to Council’s education committee obtained by The Inquirer.
The appeal, sent late last week, comes as the district prepares for a Tuesday Council hearing on the school blueprint, which currently calls for 20 school closings, six colocations, and 159 modernization projects.
Council members are not the decision-makers — Philadelphia’s school board will ultimately vote on the plan sometime this winter — but as one of the district’s main funders, “you hold powerful levers that may be used to encourage the district to craft a more equitable [plan] that achieves our shared goals of improving student learning conditions and educators’ working conditions,” Steinberg wrote.
About 40% of the district’s nearly $2 billion budget comes from local revenue and city funding, which City Council and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker must approve in the annual city budget by the end of June.
What does the PFT letter say?
Before any decisions are made about what to do with the district’s buildings, the PFT wants system officials to do better by “showing their work and providing all data used to reach their determinations and recommendations for school improvement,” Steinberg wrote.
The teachers union also flagged compliance inconsistencies with the district’s own standards, implementation questions, and “substantial problems with data interpretation and application.”
The conclusions came after Jerry Roseman, the PFT’s longtime director of environmental science, scrutinized the plan. Roseman has decades of experience working with district officials on environmental issues.
The PFT and Roseman want access to all data. The district has released some details officials used to make their calls, but some remain opaque.
“How is the district ensuring that decisions regarding closing and receiving schools are based on comprehensive, up-to-date, and easily verifiable facility data (e.g., lead, asbestos, ventilation, overall condition)?” Steinberg wrote.
The PFT also wants to “definitively show that the facility condition of receiving schools is not, in fact, worse than the facilities thatare slated to close. If students are moving to a facility with worse current conditions, what will happen at the facility to improve it prior to students being moved there?”
District officials outlined some modernization and renovation plans ahead of Tuesday’s Council hearing, but some remain a mystery to the public. Watlington has promised all projects will be detailed before Feb. 26, when he’s scheduled to formally present the plan to the school board.
Don’t close schools or displace students based on incomplete data, PFT says
The school system’s own data contains some inconsistencies, Steinberg said — including some schools judged to be in “good” or “fair” building condition by the district’s metrics that have “severely inadequate” critical systems, such as roofing, windows, or electrical and plumbing systems.
And though the district said it could modernize all 85 school buildings currently in poor or unsatisfactory condition for $2.8 billion, the PFT questioned that price tag as overly optimistic. (City and district officials had previously put the system’s total deferred maintenance cost at $7 billion or more.)
“The cost to fully repair poor-inadequate buildings and systems could actually exceed $3.5 billion,” the PFT said.
The teachers union also highlighted the inequitable distribution of adverse conditions, noting that “Black and brown children and children from economically disadvantaged families are more vulnerable — to health risks, learning disruptions, and the long-term effects of instability and displacement.”
While the information the district has made public is “useful and has value as a ‘baseline,’ it is insufficient for its use in supporting the proposed conclusions, recommendations and other plan details released,” Steinberg said.
When evaluating NFL prospects, a player’s past performance is often the best predictor of future performance. The same can be said for the act of scouting itself.
Howie Roseman, who began serving as Eagles general manager in 2010, has an extensive draft history that can be used to project his future prospect preferences. Roseman has had personnel control during 15 draft cycles, not including 2015 when Chip Kelly was in charge of those decisions. Those 15 draft classes offer windows into Roseman’s valued traits and abilities at each position.
For years, the Eagles’ player personnel department has been gathering information about the 2026 draft class. At the scouting combine next week, Roseman and his staff will continue to learn about the scores of NFL hopefuls and determine their prospective fit within the organization.
What can the Eagles’ draft history tell us about the questions they will seek to answer about some of the top prospects at three positions of need next week?
Will new Eagles offensive line coach Chris Kuper have the same impact on the team’s draft board as did his predecessor Jeff Stoutland?
‘Critical factors’ on the offensive line
Jeff Stoutland is no longer the Eagles offensive line coach, but will his philosophies in scouting prospective talent linger within the front office?
Throughout his 13-year tenure, Stoutland often emphasized the importance of his players possessing “critical factors” — traits that make them unusual (in a positive way) — to fit in on the Eagles line. Those factors were essential for everyone, from free-agent additions to Day 3 draft picks.
The Eagles may still take his approach in identifying offensive line talent, which is one of their key responsibilities this offseason. Given the uncertain future of Lane Johnson, regardless of whether he returns for the upcoming season or not, the Eagles could look to bolster their prospects at tackle.
For Johnson and Jordan Mailata — Roseman’s biggest draft success stories at tackle — “critical factors” trumped time on task. Johnson, the No. 4 overall pick out of Oklahoma in 2013, had three seasons of tackle experience going into the draft. Mailata, the Eagles’ 2018 seventh-rounder, had none.
They were remarkable athletes at their size, though. Johnson flaunted his athleticism at the combine, ranking in the 99th percentile in the 40-yard dash (4.72 seconds). But most offensive linemen aren’t running 40 yards unabated downfield. His 98th percentile 10-yard split (1.61 seconds) was a reflection of the short-area burst that would help provide the foundation for his All-Pro career.
This tackle class is top-heavy with talent that could interest the Eagles. Kadyn Proctor, the 6-foot-7, 366-pound tackle from Alabama, stands out for his movement skills at his hulking size. He can reinforce that notion with a strong performance at the combine. In addition to athleticism, Stoutland valued versatility along the offensive line. Proctor has the skill set to line up at guard, too, giving the Eagles another interior option if Johnson returns for a 14th season.
After a standout week at the Senior Bowl, Max Iheanachor, the 6-6, 330-pound tackle out of Arizona State, could be on the Eagles’ radar. He’s a rawer prospect than Proctor, beginning his football career in junior college only five years ago. Iheanachor has the requisite size and quickness at the position, though, and he could continue to improve his draft stock with eye-catching numbers at the combine.
However, without Stoutland on the staff developing the offensive linemen, it will be interesting to see if the Eagles gravitate toward a tackle prospect with a higher floor.
Zach Ertz (left) and Dallas Goedert were productive college tight ends who were selected by the Eagles beyond the first round.
Tight end production
Come the start of the new league year next month, the Eagles will likely put up their “help wanted” sign at tight end. After eight seasons in Philadelphia, Dallas Goedert is set to become a free agent, and his asking price may be too steep for the Eagles to meet. Grant Calcaterra, the Eagles’ second-string tight end, is poised to hit the open market, too.
The Eagles will likely draft a tight end in April, but how early? Goedert was a 2018 second-rounder (No. 49 overall) out of South Dakota State. Zach Ertz was drafted in the second round, No. 35 overall, out of Stanford in 2013. With Roseman at the helm, the Eagles have never selected a tight end in the first round, but could that change in 2026?
Kenyon Sadiq, the 20-year-old out of Oregon, is the consensus top tight end in this year’s draft class who could come off the board within the Eagles’ range (potentially earlier) at No. 23 overall. His speed and athleticism are his strengths, and he will likely continue to turn heads at the combine workouts.
Sadiq doesn’t boast the college production that most first-round pass-catchers have achieved, though, a group that includes the Eagles’ pair of second-round tight ends. In three seasons at Oregon, Sadiq posted 892 yards and 11 touchdowns on 80 receptions. Since the turn of the century, only one offensive skill player with at least 40 games played and fewer than 1,000 yards from scrimmage has been drafted in the first round — tight end Benjamin Watson (by the New England Patriots in 2004, No. 32 overall out of Georgia).
Goedert and Ertz were their respective teams’ top weapons by the end of their collegiate careers. Sadiq, who declared for the draft after his junior season, was not. Why? That’s the question the Eagles must answer as they mull the decision to use a first-round pick on the versatile hybrid tight end.
At 6-3, 245 pounds, Sadiq is smaller than Goedert (6-5, 256) and Ertz (6-5, 249). Still, Sadiq makes for an intriguing fit in the Shanahan-esque scheme that new Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion is expected to bring to Philadelphia. The speedy Sadiq has the ability to exploit mismatches in the passing game, given his ability to outrun linebackers. He excels at making plays with the ball in his hands, which could be a benefit to the Eagles in the screen game.
Realistically, Days 2 and 3 could be the ideal spots to draft a tight end given the depth at the position in this year’s draft class. But Sadiq, a better athlete than Goedert or Ertz, could quell some doubts about his college production by dazzling at the combine.
Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell (tackling SMU wide receiver Jordan Hudson) is a player who has been linked to the Eagles in multiple mock drafts.
Need for speed, skill at cornerback
The cornerback position is a reminder that Roseman’s track record isn’t always predictive. Going into the 2024 draft, he had never drafted a cornerback in the first round. That year, he bucked the trend with the selection of Quinyon Mitchell with the No. 22 overall pick.
One of the biggest questions about Mitchell’s future in the NFL as CB1 was answered at the Senior Bowl. He had mostly played in off coverage and zone at Toledo, but he performed well in press-man against other top prospects in Mobile, Ala. Roseman said after the first night of the draft that Mitchell’s Senior Bowl showing helped him see his “diverse array of skill sets.”
Mitchell also helped his draft stock at the combine. He ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash, the second-fastest speed by a cornerback that year. Unsurprisingly, speed seems to be one of the priorities for the Eagles at the position, with their cornerback selections over the last three draft classes running at most a 4.41 in the 40 at the combine. Cooper DeJean, who did not participate at the combine because of an injury, ran a 4.42 at his pro day.
Could Roseman go back to the cornerback well in the first round again? The Eagles have a need at CB2, with Adoree’ Jackson set to become a free agent in March.
Some notable draft analysts seem to think so. Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks, NFL Network draft analysts, tabbed Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell to go to the Eagles in their first mock drafts of the year.
The 5-11, 180-pound Terrell is relatively undersized at the position, although that might not necessarily be a deal-breaker. By comparison, Mitchell has fairly average size at 6 feet, 195 pounds, but his 34th-percentile arms (31 inches long) haven’t seemed to hold him back in the NFL.
Regardless of his size, Terrell has solidified himself among the top cornerbacks in this year’s draft class with his smart instincts and competitive spirit, a pair of traits that would be coveted by Vic Fangio. He also has inside-outside versatility if the Eagles ever decide to move DeJean outside full-time. If Terrell tests well at the combine, he could get his foot in the door of the late first round.
U.S. figure skaters Isabeau Levito, Alysa Liu, and Amber Glenn will take the ice Tuesday during NBC’s coverage of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
The American trio, who call themselves the “Blade Angels,” will compete in the short program, which will be televised live beginning at 12:45 p.m. Philadelphia time on USA Network. Coverage will move to NBC at about 2:40 p.m.
Levito, Liu, and Glenn will skate in the fifth and final group. Here’s when they’re scheduled to take the ice:
4:20 p.m.: Liu
4:27 p.m.: Levito
4:46 p.m.: Glenn
The free skate, the second part of the event, is scheduled to take place beginning at 1 p.m. Thursday.
The three U.S. skaters are trying to end a two-decade medal drought in the women’s event. The last American to medal was Sasha Cohen, who took home a silver in Turin, Italy, in 2006. Sarah Hughes won the gold for Team USA during the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.
Liu and Glenn have already won gold medals in Milan after the U.S. edged Japan by one point in the team figure skating team event last week.
As a general rule, our schedules include all live broadcasts on TV, but not tape-delayed broadcasts on cable channels. We’ll let you know what’s on NBC’s broadcasts, whether they’re live or not.
NBC
Noon: Freestyle skiing — Women’s and men’s aerials qualifying (tape-delayed)
12:45 p.m.: Snowboarding — Women’s slopestyle final
1:30 p.m.: Freestyle skiing — Men’s big air final
2:40 p.m.: Figure skating — Women’s short program
8 p.m.: Prime-time highlights include women’s figure skating
11:35 p.m.: Late night highlights
CNBC
7 a.m.: Snowboarding — Women’s slopestyle final
8:30 a.m.: Speedskating — Men’s and women’s team pursuit semifinals
9:05 a.m.: Biathlon — Men’s 4×7.5 kilometer relay
10:20 a.m.: Speedskating — Men’s and women’s team pursuit finals
12:15 p.m.: Men’s hockey — Czechia vs. Denmark, playoff
12:45 p.m.: Figure skating — Women’s short program
3:10 p.m.: Men’s hockey — Sweden vs. Latvia, playoff
How to watch the Olympics on TV and stream online
NBC’s TV coverage will have live events from noon to 5 p.m. Philadelphia time on weekdays and starting in the mornings on the weekends. There’s a six-hour time difference between Italy and here. The traditional prime-time coverage will have highlights of the day and storytelling features.
As far as the TV channels, the Olympics are airing on NBC, USA, CNBC, and NBCSN. Spanish coverage can be found on Telemundo and Universo.
NBCSN is carrying the Gold Zone whip-around show that was so popular during the Summer Olympics in 2024, with hosts including Scott Hanson of NFL RedZone. It used to be just on Peacock, NBC’s online streaming service, but now is on TV, too.
Every event is available to stream live on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app. You’ll have to log in with your pay-TV provider, whether cable, satellite, or streaming platforms including YouTube TV, FuboTV, and Sling TV.
On Peacock, the events are on the platform’s premium subscription tier, which starts at $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year.
One night in early December, the phones of Radnor High School students started buzzing. Some freshmen girls were getting disturbing messages: A male classmate, they were told, had made pornographic videos of them.
When one of the girls walked into school the next morning, “she said everyone was staring at her,” said her mother, who requested anonymity to protect her daughter’s identity. “All the kids knew. It spread like wildfire.”
So-called AI deepfakes — pictures of a real person manipulated with artificial intelligence,sometimes with “nudify” features that can convert clothed photos into naked ones — have become the talk of school hallways and Snapchat conversations in some area schools.
As Pennsylvania lawmakers have pushed new restrictions cracking down on deepfakes — defining explicit images as child sexual abuse material, and advancing another measure that would require schools to immediately alert law enforcement about AI incidents — schools say they have no role in criminal investigations, and are limited in their ability to police students off campus.
But some parents say schools should be taking a more proactive stance to prepare for AI abuse — and are failing to protect victims when it happens, further harming students who have been violated by their peers.
In the Council Rock School District, where AI-generated deepfakes were reported last March, parents of targeted girls said administrators waited five days to contact the police about the allegations and never notified the community, even after two boys were charged with crimes.
“They denied everything and kind of shoved it under the rug and failed to acknowledge it,” said a mother in Council Rock, who also requested anonymity to protect her daughter’s identity. “Everybody thought it was a rumor,” rather than real damage done to girls, the mother said.
Council Rock spokesperson Andrea Mangoldsaid that the district “recognizes and understands the deep frustration and concern expressed by parents,” and that a police investigation “began promptly upon the district’s notification.”
Mangold said that current laws were “insufficient to fully prevent or deter these incidents,” and that the district was “limited in what we know and what we can legally share publicly” due to student privacy laws.
In Radnor, parents also said the district minimized the December incident. A district message last month said a student had created images of classmates that “move and dance,” and reported that police had not found evidence of “anything inappropriate” — even though police later saidthey had charged a student with harassment after an investigation into alleged sexualized images of multiple girls.
A Radnor spokesperson said the alleged images were never discovered and the district’s message was cowritten by Radnor police, who declined to comment.
The district “approaches all student-related matters with care and sensitivity for those involved,” said the spokesperson, Theji Brennan. She said the district was limited in what it could share about minors.
In both Radnor and Council Rock, parents said their daughters were offered little support — and were told that if they were uncomfortable, they could go to quiet rooms or leave classes early to avoid crossing paths with boys involved in the incidents.
“She just felt like no one believed her,” the Radnor mother said of her daughter.
How an investigation unfolded in Radnor
In Radnor, five freshman girls first heard they were victims of deepfakes on Dec. 2, according to parents of two of the victims who requested anonymity to protect their daughters’ identities. They said boys told their daughters that a male classmate had made videosdepicting them sexually.
In a Snapchat conversation that night, one boy said, “‘Nobody tell their parents,’” a mother of one of the victims recalled. Reading her daughter’s texts, “it quickly went from high school drama to ‘Wow, this is serious.’”
The girls and their parents never saw the videos. In an email to school officials the next morning, parents asked for an investigation, discipline for the students involved, and efforts to stop any sharing of videos. They also asked for support for their daughters.
Schooladministrators began interviewing students. The mother of one of the victims said her daughter was interviewed alone by the male assistant principal — an uncomfortable dynamic, given the subject matter, she said.
One mother said the principal told her daughter that it was the boys’ word against hers, and that he was “so glad nothing was shared” on social media — even though no one knew at that point where videos had been shared, the mother said.
The principal said the school had no authority over kids’ phones, so the girl and her family would need to call the police if they wanted phones searched, the mother said.
Brennan, the Radnor spokesperson, said that administrators contacted Radnor police and child welfare authorities the same day they spoke with families. “The district’s and the police department’s investigations have found no evidence that the images remain or were shared, posted, or otherwise circulated,” she said.
The male classmate acknowledged making videos of the girls dancing in thong bikinis, the parents said police told them. But the app he used was deleted from his phone, and the videos were not on it, the police told them.
The parents didn’t believe the admission.
“I don’t think a 14-year-boy would report a TikTok video of girls in bikinis,” said one of the mothers, who said her daughter was told she was naked and touching herself in videos.
The police told parents they did not subpoena the app or any social media companies, making it impossible to know what was created.
Radnor Police Chief Chris Flanagan declined to comment, as did the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office.
In a message sent to the district community Jan. 16 announcing the end of the police investigation, officials said a student, outside of school hours, had taken “publicly available” photos of other students and “used an app that animates images, making them appear to move and dance.”
“No evidence shared with law enforcement depicted anything inappropriate or any other related crime,” the message said.
A week later, the police released a statement saying a juvenile was charged with harassment after an investigation into “the possible use of AI to generate non-consensual sexualized imagery of numerous juveniles.”
Asked why the district’s statement had omitted the criminal charge or mention of sexualized imagery, Brennan said the statement was also signed by Flanagan, who declined to comment on the discrepancy.
Brennan said the district had provided ongoing support to students, including access to a counselor and social worker.
Parents said the district had erred in failing to initiate a Title IX sexual harassment investigation, instead telling parents they needed to file their own complaints.
“They kept saying, ‘This is off campus,’” the mother said. But “my daughter could not walk around without crying and feeling ashamed.”
Parents say girls were ‘not supported’ in Council Rock
In Council Rock, a girl came home from Newtown Middle School on March 17 and told her mother a classmate had created naked images of her.
“I’m like, ‘Excuse me? Nobody contacted me,’” said the mother, who requested anonymity to protect her daughter’s identity. She called the school’s principal, who she said told her: “‘Oh, my God, I meant to reach out to you. I have a list of parents, I just have not gotten to it’ — you know, really downplaying it.”
The mother and other victims’parents later learned that administrators were alerted to the images on March 14, when boys reported them to the principal. But instead of calling the police, the principal met with the accused boy and his father, according to parents. Police told parents they were contacted by the school five days later. The Newtown police did not respond to a request for comment.
Mangold, the Council Rock spokesperson, declined to comment on the specific timing of the school’s contact with police.
Police ultimately obtained images after issuing a subpoena to Snapchat; in total, there were 11 victims, the parents said.
Through the Snapchat data, police learned that a second boy was involved, the parents said, which made them question what was created and how far it spread.
Parents said they believe there are more pictures and videos than police saw, based on what their daughters were told — and because the delayed reporting to police could have given boys an opportunity to delete evidence.
“That’s kind of what the fear of our daughters is — like, what was actually out there?” said one mother, who also requested anonymity to protect her child’s identity.
Manuel Gamiz, a spokesperson for the Bucks County district attorney, said Newtown Township police had charged two juveniles with unlawful dissemination of sexually explicit material by a minor. Gamiz said the office could not provide further information because the case involved juveniles.
Juvenile cases are not public, but victims’ parents said both boys were adjudicated delinquent. While the boys had been attending Council Rock North High School with their daughters, the district agreed to transfer both after their cases were resolved, according to a lawyer representing four of the parents, Matthew Faranda-Diedrich.
“How can you let this person be roaming the halls?” said Faranda-Diedrich, who said it took formal demand letters in order for the district to transfer the boys.
He accused the district of mishandling the incident and “protecting the institution” rather than the victimized girls.
“They’re putting themselves above these students,” Faranda-Diedrich said.
Parents said school leaders warned their daughters against spreading rumors, and never sent a districtwide message about the incident.
“These girls were victims,” one of the mothers said, “and they were not supported.”
She and the other mothers who spoke to The Inquirer said the incident has deeply affected their daughters, from anxiety around what images may have been created — and how many people saw them — to a loss of trust in school leaders.
Some of the girls are considering switching schools, one mother said.
State law changes and a debate around education about deepfakes
Those changes came in 2024 and 2025, after a scandal over deepfakes of nearly 50 girls at a Lancaster private school.
Another bill that passed the state Senate unanimously in November would require school staff and other mandated reporters to report AI-generated explicit images of minors as child abuse — closing what prosecutors had cited as a loophole when they declined to bring charges against Lancaster Country Day School for failing to report AI images to the police. That legislation is now pending in the House.
Schools can also do more, said Faranda-Diedrich, who also represented parents of victims in the Lancaster Country Day School incident. He has pressed schools to conduct mandated reporter training for staff. “By and large they refuse,” he said.
In Radnor, parents urged the school board at last week’s committee meeting to make changes.
Parent Luciana Librandi walks back to her seat after speaking during a Radnor school board committee meeting last week.
Luciana Librandi, a parent of a freshman who said she had been “directly impacted by the misuse of generative AI,” called for timelines for contacting police following an AI incident, safeguards during student questioning, and annual education for students and parents on AI.
Others called for the district to communicate the criminal charge to families, to enforce existing policies against harassment, and to independently review its response to the recent incident.
Radnor officials said they are planning educational programming on the dangers of making AI images without a person’s consent.
There is somedebate on whether to teach children about “nudify” apps and their dangers, said Riana Pfefferkorn, policy fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, who has researched the prevalence of AI-generated child sexual abuse material. Alerting kids to the apps’ existence could cause them “to make a beeline for it,” Pfefferkorn said.
While “this isn’t something that is epidemic levels in schools just yet,” Pfefferkorn said, “is this a secret we can keep from children?”
One of the victims’ parents in Radnor said education on the topic is overdue.
“It’s clearly in school,” the mother said. “The fact there’s no video being shown on the big screen in your cafeteria — we don’t live in that world anymore.”
The Phillies have changed things up in their outfield now that Nick Castellanos and Harrison Bader are gone. Rookie Justin Crawford and free-agent signee Adolis García (who batted .227 last season) are in, leading some critics to believe this outfield will be among the worst in the majors.
Which brings us to Brandon Marsh, who is suddenly the Phillies’ longest-tenured outfielder. He still can’t hit left-handed pitching, which means he’s likely to be a platoon player, but he is putting a positive face on things. After all, Marsh went 0-for-29 last April and still salvaged his season, finishing with a .280 batting average.
“I’m glad that bad stretch happened because it showed just to myself what I could crawl out of,” said Marsh, 28, who has two seasons before he reaches free agency. “I have that self-confidence now of feeling like you’re a dude, like you’re supposed to be here. That’s kind of where I’m at.”
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey helped lead his team to victory in a surprisingly competitive All-Star Game.
Tyrese Maxey admitted that he was nervous as a first-time All-Star in 2024. He said he didn’t know “when to talk, when not to talk.” But two years later he was a veteran among peers at the three-point contest and All-Star Game, and the leading American vote-getter ahead of legends like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant. He was recognized all over Los Angeles, appeared on a billboard alongside San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, and was assigned to a formal news conference room reserved for the most in-demand players.
Maxey is long beloved in Philly, but the weekend served as a reminder that he has arrived as a national star.
Phillies shortstop Trea Turner won the National League batting title last season with a .304 average.
The last time they played the World Baseball Classic, in 2023, Trea Turner smacked five home runs. This time around, the Phillies shortstop did not get an invitation to play for Team USA. Turner says he’s OK with that. It gives him more time to prepare this spring for a season when he hopes to stay healthy. He missed time each of the last two years with hamstring strains.
This spring also will give the Phillies time to fine-tune how they’ll handle the automated ball-strike challenge system, which goes into effect this season.
Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell (tackling SMU’s Jordan Hudson) is a player who has been linked to the Eagles in multiple mock drafts.
The NFL scouting combine returns to Indianapolis next week, giving the Eagles a chance to kick the tires on several top prospects for the draft. They’re likely to take a hard look at offensive linemen, tight ends, and defensive backs, three areas of need. Olivia Reiner examines how the Eagles are likely to handle their wish list at the combine.
The Union paid a team record $4.5 million to sign Ezekiel Alladoh.
The Union will begin their season Wednesday in the Concacaf Champions Cup at Defence Force FC of Trinidad & Tobago (6 p.m., FS2, TUDN). Here’s a look at every player who will stock their roster.
Sports snapshot
Figure skater Isabeau Levito is competing in her first Olympics at age 18.
We asked: What kind of season do you expect out of Bryce Harper this year? Among your responses:
Harper should have a very good year. He is capable of anything. I believe the team is unhappy with its performance in the last two playoff seasons and will come out battling to prove they can do it. Should be fun. — Gerard B.
Staying healthy and having protection in the order should yield a typical .285, 30 HRs and 90 RBI season line. The past couple of years he has been chasing pitches outside the strike zone and simply forcing the issue. Hopefully Harper will focus, relax and stay healthy. — Bob C.
Bryce Harper practices during the Phillies’ first full-squad workout of spring training Monday in Clearwater, Fla.
Hopefully better than last year — Bill M.
Above-avg OPS, but not elite. Dombrowski was right. — Tom M.
If healthy I think Bryce will have an outstanding season. … I think Dombrowski was right to say it was not an elite season because it was not. Bryce went from 145 games played to 132 and his batting average, RBIs, and home runs were all down from 2024. And in 4 playoff games he hit .200 with no home runs and no RBIs. I think the “not elite” comment should drive him to have one of his best years ever and hopefully lead the Phillies back to the top. — Everett S.
Harper is planning for the rest of his career, he wants to be a club general manager. I do not believe that he is fully motivated for the upcoming season. — John M.
Bryce will be fine & bounce back to the player we love to see come to bat in the big moments. Even Hall of Famers have an off year. Dombrowski’s comments aside, he is still driven to bring more championships to the Phillies. Sometimes maybe too much. Last year he often looked like he had to hit a HR each AB. Maybe he needs to add some relaxation & mind control techniques to his game.
My one concern. … What he can’t control is every year he seems to get hit, causing lost time. Maybe the Phils could do more to protect him? Any of our pitchers know how to pitch inside? — Janice M.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Scott Lauber, Lochlahn March, Gina Mizell, DeAntae Prince, Olivia Reiner, Rob Tornoe, Jonathan Tannenwald, Matt Breen, and Colin Schofield.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
Thank you for reading our newsletter. Bella will be at the controls tomorrow. — Jim
