Philadelphia’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday culminates July 4 with a free concert and fireworks on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
The One Philly: Unity Concert for America begins at 5 p.m. in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, featuring Christina Aguilera, Jill Scott, Meek Mill, Will Smith, The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Jordan Davis, Seal, State Property, Kathy Sledge, and more.
This year’s event is no longer part of the longtime Wawa Welcome America festival. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration took over production of the annual July Fourth concert, renamed it the One Philly: Unity Concert for America, and hired ESM Productions to produce the show.
Wanda Sykes will emcee the concert, which concludes with the city’s official fireworks display over the Parkway.
Here’s everything you need to know before you go.
Fans react to the music as the Wawa Welcome America Festival concluded on July 4, 2023, with a free concert featuring Ludacris on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Schedule and entry
Guests must enter through a secure checkpoint at 20th Street and Logan Circle, where security may search attendees and their bags. Gates open at 3p.m.
The concert will start around 5p.m., followed by the fireworks around 11:30 p.m., according to city officials.
Who is performing at Philadelphia’s Fourth of July Concert?
Headliners include Christina Aguilera, Jill Scott, Meek Mill, Will Smith, The Roots, and DJ Jazzy Jeff.
Other performers include Jordan Davis, Kathy Sledge, State Property, Seal, and several others.
Fireworks over the Philadelphia Museum of Art along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Friday, July 4, 2025.
Fireworks
Following the concert, the city’s official July Fourth fireworks display will begin at about 11:30 p.m. The show will be visible from throughout the Parkway and surrounding neighborhoods.
The concert and fireworks will also air live on NBC10 and Telemundo62.
Road closures
Unless otherwise noted, the following closures will be in effect from approximately 6 a.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Monday:
1900 Race Street
1800-1900 Vine Street
I-676 off-ramp at 22nd Street
I-676 on-ramp at 22nd Street
I-76 eastbound off-ramp at Spring Garden Street
Spring Garden Tunnel
Park Towne Place between 22nd and 24th Streets
20th Street between Arch Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
19th Street between Callowhill and Cherry Streets
Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 17th Street to Eakins Oval
Eakins Oval
Kelly Drive between Eakins Oval and Fairmount Avenue (inbound traffic closes at Fountain Green Drive beginning about 5 p.m.)
2000-2100 Winter Street
Spring Garden Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and 31st Street
23rd Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Eakins Oval
22nd Street between Winter Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
21st Street between Winter Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
All roads from Arch Street to Spring Garden Street between 18th and 22nd Streets (local access maintained for residents)
All roads from Arch Street to Fairmount Avenue between 22nd and Corinthian Streets (local access maintained for residents)
16th and 17th Streets between Arch Street and Spring Garden Street will close only if conditions warrant.
1600-1700 Benjamin Franklin Parkway will close only if conditions warrant.
Beginning at 4 a.m. Saturday, the following roads also will close:
Anne d’Harnoncourt Drive behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive from Falls Bridge to Eakins Oval
From 8 p.m. Saturday until approximately 1 a.m. Sunday, Kelly Drive between Fairmount Avenue and Fountain Green Drive and Waterworks Drive also will be closed because of the fireworks display.
Parking
Temporary no-parking signs will be posted along streets affected by closures. Vehicles left in those areas will be courtesy towed to another nearby location.
Most Regional Rail lines will offer additional inbound and outbound service before the fireworks. All Regional Rail lines except the Airport and Cynwyd lines will provide late-night outbound service from Jefferson Station, Suburban Station, and William H. Gray III 30th Street Station after the fireworks.
Other SEPTA service will operate on a Sunday schedule. Routes without Sunday service will not operate.
Routes 7, 32, 33, 38, 43, 48, and 49 will be detoured beginning at 5 a.m. Thursday through 5 p.m. Sunday because of road closures.
SEPTA ambassadors will be stationed at major transit hubs to help direct passengers after the July 4 FIFA World Cup match and the One Philly concert and fireworks.
PATCO will operate on a holiday schedule July 4, with trains running every 10 minutes throughout the day. More information is available at ridepatco.org.
Todd Marcocci (left) and Jeremy Williams work on a float on Monday for this year’s big Fourth of July parade, in Philadelphia.
Fourth of July celebrations happening elsewhere in the area
Fourth of July Freedom Festival at Pleasant Hill Park: 💵 Free, 🕒 July4, 5 to 9:30 p.m., 📍Linden Ave., Philadelphia, Pa 19136
Meek Mill will join headliners Christina Aguilera, Jill Scott, and The Roots to perform at the “One Philly: Unity Concert for America” on July 4 on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
ESM Productions and Live Nation Urban announced the addition of the Dreams and Nightmares rapper to the Parkway bill on Tuesday morning, hot off his Saturday night performance at “Lit in AC,” a hip-hop festival featuring early 2000s bling-era rappers T.I., Eve, Shyne, Havoc, and Ms. Jade.
Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff; Kathy Sledge, lead singer of ’70s R&B girl group Sister Sledge; and State Property, the Philly hip-hop collective that includes Beanie Sigel, Freeway, Peedi Crakk, and Chris and Neef, are also scheduled to perform.
While the bill includes mostly Philadelphia-area musicians — Aguilera grew up outside Pittsburgh — performers also include Seal, the Brit whose hit “Kiss From a Rose” still stops music fans in their tracks; Infinity Song, the Detroit-born soft rock and soul family; and Jordan Davis, the Louisiana-born country music singer.
Comedian and part-time Media resident Wanda Sykes is hosting. Gillie da Kid and Wallo267 are also slated to make an appearance.
The nearly seven-hour show will start at 5 p.m. and end just before midnight, with a fireworks finale to follow. Admission to the concert starts at 3 p.m.
The “One Philly: Unity Concert for America” is presented by the City of Philadelphia and produced by Center City-based ESM Productions with executive producers Scott Mirkin, Shawn Gee (The Roots’ manager and head of Live Nation Urban), and Roots frontman Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson.
Wawa is a sponsor of the concert, but the show is not part of Wawa Welcome America, the series of events leading up to the July 4 holiday, which this year will include concerts with Queen Latifah, Eve, Idina Menzel, and Pink Sweat$, among others.
The “One Philly: Unity Concert for America,” according to the news release announcing the event, is “designed as a non-partisan celebration of unity, diversity, and democracy” that brings together “voices, perspectives, and performances that reflect the richness of the American experience across generations and genres.”
The 2026 NFL free agency period begins on Monday, when “legal tampering” will give way to a number of reported deals across the league. Free agency will officially begin on Wednesday, and the Eagles will be players — though how aggressive general manager Howie Roseman and Co. will be remains to be seen. With limited available cap space and the specter of a possible A.J. Brown trade adding to the uncertainty, how the Eagles handle this period elicits a wide range of possibilities.
The Inquirer’s Eagles reporting team of Jeff McLane, Olivia Reiner, and Jeff Neiburg got together for a roundtable ahead of next week’s festivities.
What’s one practical free agent move you could see the Eagles making next week, given their cap space and personnel situation?
McLane: Dallas Goedert is slated to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, but even if he signs with another team, the Eagles won’t have a clean break from their longtime tight end. They still have an approximate $20 million dead money charge from a void year added to Goedert’s contract. That’s a lot of money to eat for a productive player they may want to keep. The Eagles, more than any other team, have been comfortable kicking cash into future years. But Roseman can’t be reckless, and if trading Brown becomes a reality, the general manager would have around $45 million more in dead money on the books.
Could franchise staple Dallas Goedert run it back in Philly after his career touchdown year?
Brown’s return, though, could warrant Goedert coming back for a ninth season. He put up solid numbers, catching 60 passes for 591 yards and a team-high 11 touchdowns, despite the Eagles’ pass offense inconsistencies.
Was Goedert as dynamic as in years past after the catch? No. But he wasn’t given as many chances to run in space. The new Shanahan-McVay parts of the offense could accentuate Goedert’s post-catch abilities. The bigger question is whether he can run block like he once did. The Eagles weren’t happy with his output there. You have to wonder if taking a $4.25 million pay cut last season affected his effort, or occasional lack thereof. Goedert will have suitors on the open market. Is he worth as much as the Ravens’ Mark Andrews, who signed a three-year, $39 million deal in December? If so, it seems unlikely the Eagles re-sign Goedert, unless he wants to end his career in Philly and takes less.
The draft is believed to be deep at the position and there are other avenues to finding a No. 1 tight end — perhaps a trade? — but there’s an argument to be made for keeping Goedert.
Reiner: Re-signing Braden Mann. This seems like the football equivalent of a layup (a check down, perhaps). Mann, 28, is coming off the single best season by an Eagles punter in franchise history. He averaged 49.9 gross yards per punt, making his Eagles career average a franchise-leading 49.5. His net yards per punt (subtracting return yardage) finished within the top 10 in the NFL (43.1; No. 9 in the NFL).
Mann often helped flip the field during a season in which he was forced to punt a lot (72 punts, tied for No. 4). He deserves an extension, which wouldn’t break the bank. The Eagles are just a few years removed from their previous punter woes and they shouldn’t go back down that path by starting over with new contenders for the gig.
Is Christian Kirk (13) a free agent wideout possibility for the Birds?
Neiburg: Signing Christian Kirk to a relatively cheap contract given his talent. This is with or without Brown on the roster. Kirk has been limited by injuries over the last few seasons and ran routes with a crowded receiving corps in Houston. But he had a stretch of really good football from 2021 through 2023, tallying 2,877 yards on 218 catches, 16 of them for touchdowns. Kirk’s alignment favors the slot, but he has played plenty on the outside. The Eagles need to infuse the unit with more young talent, but Kirk, 29, could help bridge the gap, and if Brown is traded he would give the Eagles an experienced running mate for DeVonta Smith.
What’s a bolder, but perhaps less likely move you could see the Eagles making?
McLane: Trade for Maxx Crosby. If the Eagles decide they can’t afford Jaelan Phillips, they could be in the market for a top-end edge rusher. Crosby qualifies as a difference maker and would be an upgrade over Phillips or the returning Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith. It would cost a lot, of course. The Raiders are said to want two first-rounders and a player (Smith?) in return. But elite edge rushers are rarely available and Crosby’s existing contract isn’t a backbreaker. He has four remaining years at around $29 million per season, but only next season’s $30 million base salary is guaranteed. (editor’s note: Crosby was traded to the Ravens Friday night).
Crosby has made it clear he wants out of Las Vegas. He has expressed his fondness for the Eagles and Philadelphia as a sports town. Perhaps he would be willing to adjust his deal to expedite a trade. Roseman may be cautious for various reasons. Crosby turns only 29 in August, but he’s logged more snaps than almost any defensive end over the last five seasons. He’s also coming off back-to-back season-ending injuries that required surgery to repair his ankle and a torn meniscus in his left knee. That’s why I think the Raiders’ reported asking price is unrealistic.
There will be competition for Crosby, but the Eagles aren’t likely to repeat the mistake of going into another season with just Hunt and Smith on the edge. Phillips was a good trade deadline acquisition, but a tepid pass rush was an under-the-radar reason why the Eagles defense struggled in the second half of the playoff loss to the 49ers.
Jaelan Phillips is a top-5 NFL free agent who could end up with a huge deal in a location other than Philadelphia.
Reiner: Re-signing Phillips. He might be the Eagles’ top priority among their own group of pending free agents, but he isn’t a slam dunk to return. At 26 years old, he slotted in nicely to Vic Fangio’s defense in a short period of time at a premium position. He made an impact on the pass rush despite posting unassuming sack numbers (two in eight games). He stayed healthy for all 17 games in 2025, with the Eagles and the Miami Dolphins, one year removed from a partially torn ACL (and two years removed from a torn Achilles).
But the Eagles ought to be realistic about a potential extension. Phillips was a net-positive addition last season, but he was not a game-wrecker. The Eagles likely won’t be inclined to pay him as such, given their lack of cap space in 2026 and their need to extend key defensive players both this offseason and in years to come. The Eagles will likely set a walkaway number for Phillips and move on if another team outbids them.
Neiburg: Trading Brown … and trading for his replacement. Trading Brown is pretty bold in itself, but if it happens, the Eagles have a big hole to fill. There’s no doubt DeVonta Smith can handle all that comes with being the focal point of the passing game, but the roster is bereft of receiver depth, and if the Eagles aren’t thrilled with the free agent market — like, say, Kirk or someone like Romeo Doubs are more expensive than they prefer — they could go the trade route and trade from their roster or draft picks to acquire a receiver. Who could be available? Here are a couple of names to target via trade: Jacksonville’s Brian Thomas Jr. and Buffalo’s Keon Coleman.
Does Sean Mannion scheme require a tailoring of the team’s offensive personnel?
How much do you think the team’s offensive staff changes will inform their free agent and draft approaches?
McLane: Aside from the quarterback position, the offensive line is the most likely to be affected by the expected scheme changes. New offensive coordinator Sean Mannion is bringing with him a Shanahan-McVay system that will alter blocking in the run game. Will there be a complete whitewash? No. But the Eagles are likely to shift from less mid-zone to more wide-zone blocking. Those terms might not indicate how different the techniques are, but the former emphasizes more reactionary blocking and winning at the point of attack, while the latter features O-linemen firing off the ball and blocking at an angle.
Asked how the changes may affect his evaluations, Roseman conceded he may be looking for more agile O-linemen. The Eagles already have athletic freaks up front, although injury-riddled left guard Landon Dickerson may not qualify as such.
I don’t think Roseman will do much at the position in free agency. He does have decisions on reserves Fred Johnson and Brett Toth. I don’t think the scheme change rules out either for a return. But they don’t have an advocate in former offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland anymore. His replacement, Chris Kuper, won’t likely have as big a voice as Stoutland in personnel. But the Eagles are almost guaranteed to expend a high draft pick on an O-lineman with right tackle Lane Johnson closer to retirement than ever.
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah recently projected seven first-round O-linemen in the 2026 draft and then a drop-off in terms of talent. Maybe one of the top guys slips into the second round and there’s a chance to pick up value, but I’d be surprised if Roseman didn’t expend the Eagles’ No. 23 overall pick — or more in a move up — to secure Lane Johnson’s expected successor.
Neiburg: It should inform the approach plenty. Especially when it comes to how they address the tight end position. Roseman knows he has long appreciated the receiving component of the tight end, but the new scheme will require a lot better blocking than the Eagles got last year and even in prior seasons from the players behind Goedert. As Jeff mentions, it’s possible Goedert returns in 2026 in free agency, but the Eagles would need to slot players behind him who block a lot better than Grant Calcaterra. One name I could see fitting in well is Jake Tonges, who doesn’t offer a ton in the pass game but was an elite blocker for the 49ers.
A.J. Brown’s situation could have an impact on the team’s free agency approach.
Reiner: Given the expected shift in run-game philosophy under Mannion, the tight end and offensive line additions could reflect those changes. I think the prospective wide receiver additions will have layered influences, especially as it relates to Brown’s future. Naturally, the Eagles’ need at receiver becomes much more pressing if (big if) they decide to move the star receiver before the start of the season.
Otherwise, aside from adding a WR3, the Eagles don’t need to overhaul their receiving corps to fit the scheme. If we’re looking to the Packers offense for clues about what the Eagles might look like in 2026, we can expect to see more under-center play action, pre-snap motion, and misdirection as a means of scheming open space in the passing game. That space helps receivers generate yards after the catch and explosive plays downfield.
The prosperity of the scheme seems to be rooted more in its design, not so much in the raw talent of its players, a departure from Eagles offenses past. That isn’t to say the Eagles aren’t looking for talented receivers, but more so that the prototype of a talented receiver isn’t likely to change dramatically.
Besides A.J. Brown, who else could the Eagles trade?
McLane: This may seem like a reach, but I could envision a world in which Nolan Smith is being floated on the trade market, assuming either Phillips, Crosby or some edge rusher equivalent is on the roster by the draft. Smith hasn’t been a bust — far from it. A shoulder injury limited him during his rookie season, but he blossomed in the second half of his sophomore year. Tricep woes sent him to injured reserve last season and he finished with just three sacks and 11 quarterback hits. He’s good at setting the edge and has a high motor, but he’s undersized and struggles to win consistently as a pass rusher.
Hunt has a higher ceiling, is one year younger and was drafted two rounds after Smith. It’s going to be tough for Roseman to pay both, especially with defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter slated for possible extensions this offseason.
Is Nolan Smith Jr.’s long-term future with the team set in stone?
The Eagles could pick up the fifth-year option (around $15 million) on Smith’s first-round rookie contract after the draft. That isn’t an exorbitant amount for a premium position player. He has potential he hasn’t tapped into. But I’d be worried about his durability. And there will be the occasional casualty after strong drafts on the defensive side and upcoming deals for All-Pro cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.
Reiner: Tanner McKee. Ahead of the combine, Roseman expressed just how much he values the backup quarterback position and the importance of having a competent player in the role. McKee certainly fits the bill despite his limited action in his lone year as the full-time backup. But the soon-to-be-26-year-old quarterback is going into the final year of his rookie deal. If Roseman doesn’t see a future for him in Philadelphia beyond next season, would he be inclined to move McKee at the peak of his value to the team?
This offseason is a seller’s market at quarterback. The draft lacks high-end talent beyond Fernando Mendoza, who doesn’t have the cachet of other recent No. 1 overall picks. The free-agent market is led by Kyler Murray and Malik Willis. If McKee has a market among teams that want him to compete for the starting gig, the Eagles ought to entertain offers. But Roseman would need to get a strong return for McKee, all the while feeling comfortable about a replacement plan in 2026 for Jalen Hurts’ backup. Perhaps they liked what they saw from Sam Howell in practice enough to warrant a low-cost extension and make him the full-time No. 2.
Neiburg: Sydney Brown. The Eagles have a few candidates in their secondary who are due for a change of scenery, and Brown might be at the top of the list. The Eagles need help at safety, but they won’t be lining up with Drew Mukuba and Brown at the back of the secondary to start the 2026 season. Brown, who has one year left on his rookie deal, will be a backup again, and will see some work on special teams. But if you can convince a team to part with a Day 3 pick to acquire a player who isn’t part of your long-term plans, you have to do it.
The defense was a strength for the Eagles for most of the 2025 season, though not so much in their playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Eagles got to 11-6 and won the NFC East in part because of their ability to win low-scoring games. Their defense bailed out the offense in a few marquee victories, like their 10-7 win over Green Bay, their 16-9 victory over Detroit, and when they squeaked by Buffalo, 13-12.
Vic Fangio’s unit lost a few key players from 2024 and dealt with an injured Jalen Carter, but still managed to finish fifth in points allowed per game despite a pretty tough schedule.
What does that mean for 2026, with a handful of key players set to be back? Here’s one compelling advanced stat for each starter, the second in a two-part series that previously analyzed the offense:
Quinyon Mitchell developed into one of the premier corners in the league in his second season.
Quinyon Mitchell
Let’s start with Mitchell, a first-team All-Pro selection in his second NFL season.
Mitchell emerged as one of the best cover corners in the NFL in 2025, as evidenced by his 42.4% catch percentage allowed, according to Next Gen Stats, a mark that led all corners who played a full season. Mitchell is so good it’s worth including another number: He led all NFL corners with an average target separation of 1.8 yards.
If you were ranking the list of spots on the depth chart you were least worried about, CB1 would probably be at the top.
Cooper DeJean dominated the slot during an All-Pro season.
Cooper DeJean
From one All-Pro to another. DeJean was named first-team All-Pro at nickel, and it’s worth noting that because that distinction is a key one. The Eagles like DeJean in the slot, and DeJean said it’s a spot he’d probably like to remain in.
Why? There’s enough data out there now to suggest that it’s his best spot.
After logging just nine snaps at outside corner during his rookie season (1.5% of his total snaps), DeJean, whom the Eagles kept on the field in their base package, aligned outside on 30.1% of his snaps in 2025.
He fared much better in the slot, where he allowed a .574 completion percentage and 5.9 yards per target, according to Next Gen. Both of those numbers ranked well below the league-average marks of .695 and 6.8, respectively. DeJean allowed a similar .588 completion percentage when he lined up outside, but his 10.9 yards per target ranked seventh among defenders to have faced at least 15 such targets. He was susceptible to the deep ball when facing top receivers outside.
We’ll count Jackson as a starter since the Eagles played more nickel than base and needed another outside corner not named DeJean on the field quite often.
It wasn’t always Jackson’s job. The second cornerback spot was a position with a lot of intrigue in training camp and even early in the season. It was Jackson’s job, then it wasn’t, then it was again.
Jackson was targeted at a higher clip (26.5% of his coverage snaps) through the first eight weeks of the season than any other cornerback in the NFL. After that, though, Jackson was targeted on just 16.5% of his coverage snaps while allowing a completion percentage of .585, slightly below the league average. He did not give up a touchdown during his last five games of the regular season or the playoff game.
Jackson, 30, is a free agent, and the Eagles may need a new cornerback opposite Mitchell next season. But Jackson’s play showed that even an aging and average player can be put in that spot, and the defense won’t fall apart, regardless of the preseason narrative about a certain spot on the depth chart.
Zack Baun generally lived up to his rich new contract in 2025.
Zack Baun
Baun proved he wasn’t a one-year wonder in his second season with the Eagles, who plucked him out of free agency last offseason and turned a player who had mostly been an edge rusher and special teamer into one of the best off-ball linebackers in the NFL.
Baun didn’t earn All-Pro honors like he did in 2024, but he was still really good in 2025. While his tackle total dropped from 151 to 123, his pass deflection number rose from four to seven, and he intercepted two passes in 2025, up from one in 2024. Pro Football Focus ranked Baun as the fifth-best linebacker in the NFL, and the second-best coverage linebacker.
His ability to cover ground may be his best trait. Baun was seventh in the NFL with 17 hustle stops, which Next Gen Stats defines as a tackle during a successful defensive play when a player covers 20-plus yards of distance from snap to tackle.
A quality 2025 season will serve Nakobe Dean well in his next contract.
Nakobe Dean
Has Dean played his last game with the Eagles? And, to that end, can Jihaad Campbell replace Dean’s production?
Because Dean was pretty productive in 2025 after he worked his way back onto the field after surgery to repair a patellar tendon injury, which he suffered in the wild-card round a year ago.
This is what the Eagles could be asking Campbell to replace should Dean not return: Dean’s catch percentage allowed of just 58.3% on targets ranked third among all NFL linebackers who played at least 200 snaps in coverage, according to Next Gen. And Dean was even better as a blitzer: He led all linebackers with a 40.7% pressure rate on his 27 pass rushes and got home for four sacks.
Injuries prevented Jalen Carter from demonstrating his full effectiveness for the NFC East champs.
Jalen Carter
The Eagles will be hoping Carter’s step back is easily explained by the shoulder injuries that limited his production and caused him to miss three games after undergoing procedures on both shoulders in late November.
Carter, according to Next Gen, had a career-low 7.7% pressure rate on the year despite facing fewer double teams (41.7%) than he ever has. Carter generated five pressures against 158 double teams after tallying 12 in 2023 and 15 in 2024. His average time to sack also dropped to 5.32 seconds from 4.85 year over year.
Notably, after Carter returned following his three-game break, he had five pressures and a sack vs. Buffalo and the same output in the playoff loss vs. San Francisco.
Will the shoulder injuries be revisited in the offseason? Will Carter’s slide allow the Eagles to secure him on a long-term deal at a lower price? Lots of intrigue there.
The emergence of Jordan Davis was one of the Eagles’ best stories of the year.
Jordan Davis
Davis was a revelation for the Eagles in 2025, and a big reason that the defense was so successful even as Carter’s play declined a bit.
Davis showed up to camp in much better shape and improved his play in every area. Mainly relied on as a run stopper in the past, Davis showed his pass rushing chops in 2025. Entering the year, Davis had just 3½ sacks on 559 pass rushes through his first three NFL seasons. This season, Davis racked up 4½ sacks on 355 pass rushes.
The run-stopping ability didn’t go away even though he showed up in July a little more svelte. Davis, according to Next Gen, had a career-high 50 run stops (run defenses that result in a negative play for the offense), which was second among all defensive linemen this season.
Davis is in line for an extension, and his play in 2025 earned him a big new deal that will probably come from the Eagles.
Jaelan Phillips played well but was not a sack machine for the Eagles.
Jaelan Phillips
Phillips helped steady the Eagles’ pass rush after he joined the team at the trade deadline, but while he and Jalyx Hunt formed an elite pass-rushing duo — their 61 combined pressures from Week 10 through Week 17 ranked fourth during that span — he had trouble converting his pressures into sacks.
Phillips led the Eagles with 34 pressures after joining the team, but he turned just two of those into a sack. His 5.9% pressure-to-sack conversion rate, according to Next Gen, ranked 10th-lowest among 97 defenders to have generated at least 15 pressures after the trade deadline. Some of that is bad luck. Fangio talks often about the importance of pressures and not getting too hyper-focused on sack numbers.
But the Eagles need a top-end talent at the top of the depth chart to pair with Hunt since Phillips is a free agent. Phillips wants to be back. Is the feeling mutual? We’ll see when free agency arrives.
Jalyx Hunt made an impact as a member of the linebacker rotation in 2025.
Jalyx Hunt
Hunt became the first player in Eagles history to lead the team in sacks (6½) and interceptions (3).
That’s an impressive stat, but this is a compilation of advanced numbers, so let’s point to this one instead: Hunt ranked seventh among all edge rushers who had at least 100 pass rushing snaps with a quarterback pressure rate of 17.3%.
The 2024 third-round pick broke out in a big way in his second NFL season, and the Eagles used his safety background to drop him into coverage with success.
Reed Blankenship was a team leader but the record shows that he struggled at times in coverage.
Reed Blankenship
Blankenship has been a leader on the defense for the last few seasons, but he’s now a free agent and it’s fair to wonder if he’ll be back next season.
Blankenship has been solid against the run, but he’s not great in pass coverage when he’s targeted. After a 2024 season in which he ranked fifth-worst among safeties with at least 500 coverage snaps with an 81.3% completion percentage allowed, Blankenship had the eighth-worst passer rating allowed (116.8) in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus.
It’s unclear what Blankenship’s market will look like in free agency, but it’s a position the Eagles could probably stand to upgrade.
Drew Mukuba’s return from a broken fibula figures to be a training camp storyline.
Drew Mukuba
Mukuba’s first season in the NFL was incomplete. The second-round pick was lost for the season after suffering a fractured fibula in the waning moments of a Week 12 loss to Dallas.
Mukuba wasn’t targeted often in coverage. Before his injury, he was targeted on just 4.2% of his snaps, according to Next Gen. That ranked fifth-lowest among all defenders in the NFL with a minimum of 150 coverage snaps. But when he was targeted, it was on deep balls. He had the fifth-highest total in yards per target allowed (13.5).
It’s awards season, and not just for those in showbiz. The Eagles fell short of a Super Bowl repeat, but they’re still eligible for the next best thing — The Inquirer’s 2025 EEOYAAOS (Eagles end-of-year awards and other superlatives).
The name is a work-in-progress and subject to change next season. All jokes aside, while the year ended in disappointment for the team, there were bright spots that can serve as sources of encouragement for seasons to come. Here are the winners of this season’s superlatives, unilaterally selected by yours truly:
Quinyon Mitchell, left, and Cooper DeJean both became All-Pros in 2025.
Most Valuable Player
Let’s start this exercise off strong by breaking the rules (that don’t exist). There are two most valuable players on this year’s team, and they’re both on defense: Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.
Not-so-coincidentally, both second-year cornerbacks were selected to their first All-Pro team and Pro Bowl this year.
In a short period of time, Mitchell and DeJean have become cornerstones of Vic Fangio’s defense. Mitchell, 24, took on more responsibility within the scheme in his second season. Before the Week 9 bye, the 2024 No. 22 overall pick out of Toledo was often tasked with shadowing the opposing team’s top receiver.
According to Next Gen Stats, going into Week 8, Mitchell had at least 10 man coverage matchups against Tampa Bay’s Emeka Egbuka (16 matchups), the Rams’ Davante Adams (15), Denver’s Courtland Sutton (15), and Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson (11). He conceded 43 receiving yards on four receptions against Sutton, but he held each of the other three receivers to 12 or fewer yards.
After the bye, Mitchell primarily aligned in the boundary, the short side of the field that typically garners less safety help. He had more passes defensed (9) than receptions allowed (6) across 29 targets and 233 coverage snaps in the boundary, per Next Gen Stats. His 20.7% completion percentage allowed in that alignment was three times lower than the season-long league average from that spot (65.5%).
DeJean was just as dominant from the slot, an important position in Fangio’s defense that is required to defend the run and pass. He finished the season with a 57.4% completion percentage and 5.9 yards per target from the slot. Both metrics rank below the league averages of 69.5% and 6.8, respectively.
They had their struggles (and successes) in the wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers, but their bodies of work throughout the year make them worthy recipients of the award.
If 2025 was his swan song in Philly, Dallas Goedert went out with a bang.
Offensive Player of the Year
This award nearly went to DeVonta Smith, but Dallas Goedert gets the slight edge. The 31-year-old tight end was Jalen Hurts’ most trusted receiver in the red zone, hauling in 10 touchdown passes inside the 20-yard line this season. That performance was particularly meaningful given the Eagles’ declining efficiency on the Tush Push.
Goedert’s 11 receiving touchdowns tied for the most among tight ends in 2025 and set a franchise record at the position. Goedert added two more touchdowns in the wild-card game — one rushing and one receiving — making him the first tight end in NFL history to rush for a touchdown in the playoffs.
This isn’t just about his red-zone performance, though. Goedert caught 73.2% of his targets, the most among the Eagles’ top three receivers (including Smith and A.J. Brown). He also started a career-high 15 games, which was particularly impressive coming off of an injury-riddled 2024 season.
He did not have his best year as a run blocker, although neither did any other player paving the way for Saquon Barkley. Still, it was a career-best year for Goedert in other areas heading into an offseason of uncertainty. He becomes an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year.
Jordan Davis was a force along the defensive line for the Eagles in 2025.
Defensive Player of the Year
Few Eagles players ascended as rapidly as Jordan Davis did this season. In his fourth year with the team, the 6-foot-6, 336-pound defensive tackle became the every-down player the Eagles sought when they drafted him No. 13 overall out of Georgia in 2022.
Davis played a career-high 61% of the defensive snaps in 2025, his first season playing more than half of them. Unsurprisingly, he was particularly effective against the run. According to Next Gen Stats, Davis notched a career-best 50 run stops, which are tackles in run defense that result in a negative play for the opposing offense. That total was the second-most among defensive linemen.
He showed some pop as a pass-rusher, too. Davis finished the year with a career-high 4½ sacks. His 22 pressures were a personal best, too, per Next Gen Stats. Davis could be in line for an extension this offseason as he enters the final year of his rookie deal.
Eagles punter Braden Mann has a strong leg and had a strong year.
Special Teams Player of the Year
There’s an argument to be made that Davis and Jalen Carter could share this award given their blocked field goals this season. But the unsung specialist of the season was Braden Mann,the 28-year-old punter. Some might even call him the Mann of the Year.
Mann, who signed with the Eagles in 2023 after spending the first three years of his career with the New York Jets, had the single best season by an Eagles punter in franchise history. He averaged 49.5 gross yards per punt, bringing his Eagles career average to a franchise-best 49.5.
In his Week 8 showing against the New York Giants, Mann averaged 57 net yards (subtracting return yardage) per punt, the most in a single game in franchise history. In a year where the Eagles offense punted a lot, Mann did his best to help out the defense and put opposing offenses in poor field position. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year and the Eagles would be wise to bring him back on a new deal.
Jihaad Campbell is off to an encouraging start to his career.
Rookie of the Year
Jihaad Campbell was the Eagles’ top rookie this season. He didn’t have much competition. Safety Drew Mukuba fractured his fibula in Week 12 against the Dallas Cowboys, prematurely ending his up-and-down rookie campaign.
Ty Robinson, Mac McWilliams, Smael Mondon, Drew Kendall, and Cameron Williams hardly played this year. Kyle McCord and Myles Hinton didn’t play this year.
Still, Campbell is a worthy recipient. He fared well as the starting inside linebacker alongside Zack Baun while Nakobe Dean recovered from his torn patellar tendon in his knee to start the season. In Weeks 1-6, Campbell played 94.3% of defensive snaps, then dropped off to 30.7% over the next eight games before Dean’s hamstring injury.
He flashed potential, especially in coverage. Going into Week 13, he had a 63% completion percentage when targeted, which ranked ninth-lowest rate among linebackers in 2025 (minimum of 15 targets) at the time, per Next Gen Stats. Campbell has plenty of room to grow, with more opportunities on the way in 2026, as Dean is a free agent this offseason.
Defensive backs coach Christian Parker’s talents have been recognized around the league.
Assistant Coach of the Year
It’s a big season for the Eagles defensive backs room at the EEOYAAOS. Christian Parker, the Eagles defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator, is earning his flowers as the team’s assistant coach of the year.
The 34-year-old assistant has helped Mitchell and DeJean reach great heights in their first two seasons in the league, especially this season in their All-Pro year. Parker also deserves some credit for the improved play of Adoree’ Jackson as the season progressed. The second outside cornerback spot seemed like a concern coming out of training camp, but the competition eventually stabilized as Jackson grew more comfortable in the defense.
How much longer will Fangio be able to keep Parker around in Philly? Parker is reportedly interviewing with the Dallas Cowboys for their vacant defensive coordinator job.
Jordan Davis celebrated a touchdown after running back a late fourth quarter blocked field goal against the Rams on Sept. 21.
Best play
Few plays brought more juice this season than Davis’ blocked field goal to seal the Eagles’ 33-26 Week 3 win over the Rams. Both Carter and Davis exploited the Rams’ weaknesses in their field goal unit to block a pair of three-point tries in the fourth quarter, but the image of the 6-foot-6, 336-pound Davis returning the loose ball to the end zone as time expired will live on in franchise history.
The play sustained the Eagles’ dominance over the Rams under Nick Sirianni, bringing their head-to-head record to 4-0 over the last three seasons (including the postseason).
Nolan Smith Jr. and the Eagles emphatically assisted Kenny Pickett and the Raiders to becoming the NFL’s worst team in 2025.
Best game
The Eagles offense was a tale of two halves for the majority of the season, making for some uneasy watches. One of the only exceptions was the 31-0 Week 15 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
In theory, the quality of the opponent should factor into consideration for this award. But the timing of this win is too important to ignore. This resounding victory came on the heels of the Eagles’ three-game losing streak, during which comparisons to the 2023 collapse intensified. The Eagles quelled some doubts by beating up on a bad team, although they ultimately faced the same postseason fate as the 2023 squad.
Fangio’s defense had never been more dominant. They limited the Raiders to 75 yards of offense, a new single-game franchise low for the Eagles and the fewest allowed by any defense during season at the time. Hurts bounced back from committing five turnovers the week prior in the loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. He went 12-for-15 for 175 yards and three touchdowns, earning a near-perfect 154.9 passer rating.
Tank Bigsby averaged nearly six yards per rush even as the Eagles’ rushing offense struggled at times.
Biggest surprise
It took some time, but Tank Bigsby proved to be a solid addition this season. Immediately after Howie Roseman acquired him from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for 2026 fifth- and sixth-round picks, he began the first four weeks of his Eagles career as a kick returner.
He wasn’t the right fit for the role. After a couple of muffed kicks, he was removed from the gig. But on offense, he made the most of his scant carries. He 58 rushes for 344 yards and two touchdowns. While the majority of his touches came against bad defenses (i.e. the Giants, Raiders, and Commanders), his 5.9 yards per carry ranked third in the league among running backs with at least 50 runs.
Bigsby is under contract through 2026, ensuring the Eagles have a solid RB2 option behind Barkley next season.
Jalen Hurts knows his way around a quote.
Best quote
Hurts is known for dropping bits of wisdom in his press conferences. He seems to have sayings for everything, including some of the hottest practices of training camp. After a sweltering practice on July 29, Hurts said, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all,” a quote that has been attributed to a variety of prominent figures including U.S. Army general George S. Patton and Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi.
Perhaps the second-best quote of the season came from Jordan Mailata, regarding another one of Hurts’ aphorisms: “That [stuff] is [freaking] hilarious. Like, how does one think of that?”
Jordan Davis: fun to cover.
Best locker room guy
Davis emerged both on the field and off of it this season. Not only was he dominant as a player in his fourth season, but his infectious personality also uplifted his teammates as he stepped into a leadership role.
No player was more gregarious in the locker room. Transcribing interviews was typically an exercise in trying to decipher quotes from a cacophony of laughter and yelling in the background, which stemmed from Davis. The 26-year-old defensive tackle earned the Eagles local media corps’ stand-up player of the year award, bestowed upon a player for their accessibility and honesty.
Plenty of others deserved the distinction, too. Jackson and Zack Baun landed on my ballot, in addition to Davis. Brown, Barkley, Dean, Brandon Graham, and Britain Covey are always insightful in their discussions with the press.
Best nonhuman source of positivity
Reggie the dog, the Eagles director of joy. Better luck next year, Positivity Rabbit.
In the days leading up to the Eagles’ Dec. 28 road game at the Buffalo Bills, defensive assistant Jeremiah Washburn, who coaches the Eagles edge rushers, handed out a new accessory to the entire defensive line.
The green bracelet has “Isaiah 6:8″ and the phrase “send me” written in white. In the Bible verse, the prophet Isaiah hears the voice of God ask: “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah responds: “Here I am. Send me.”
That, defensive tackle Moro Ojomo said, was the mindset of the entire defensive line. And the entire Eagles’ defense.
“Send us,” Ojomo said as he fiddled with the bracelet on his left wrist. “We want to be the ones to get the job done.”
For most of the 2025 season, especially after the Eagles’ Week 9 bye, the defense answered the call. Vic Fangio’s unit propped up an inconsistent offense. It stifled good offenses and carried the team to victories that maybe it didn’t deserve. The Eagles beat Green Bay 10-7. They beat Detroit 16-9. They won that Bills game, 13-12. They entered the postseason, in what was a wide-open NFL playoffs, with a puncher’s chance to repeat as Super Bowl champions in large part because they had the talent on defense and Fangio, the mastermind, calling the shots.
The season ended in abrupt fashion Sunday for myriad reasons, but the San Francisco 49ers advanced to the NFC’s divisional round in part because the Eagles didn’t have enough answers defensively down the stretch. The 49ers scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns. They had a 10-play, 66-yard touchdown drive that lasted more than five minutes and ended with less than three minutes on the clock.
The strength of the Eagles defense was its ability to limit explosive plays and clamp down in the red zone.
The 49ers threw the first haymaker. Lincoln Financial Field roared after Will Shipley crunched Brian Robinson on the opening kickoff and then the Eagles stuffed Christian McCaffrey’s first rushing attempt on San Francisco’s first play for a loss of one yard. But then Quinyon Mitchell allowed a 61-yard catch-and-run from Brock Purdy to Demarcus Robinson that set the 49ers up in the red zone at the Eagles’ 16-yard line. Four plays later, Purdy hit Robinson, who beat Mitchell for a 2-yard touchdown and the game’s first points.
“I got to start the game off faster,” Mitchell said. “Maybe that could’ve changed the game in a way.”
Mitchell would eventually atone. The Eagles forced punts on the next two San Francisco drives before allowing a field goal and then later stopping the 49ers as the second quarter ended. Mitchell then picked Purdy off on the 49ers’ first drive of the second half. He had another interception in the fourth quarter, too, but after the 49ers added another score.
San Francisco, which was already banged up and lost star tight end George Kittle to an Achilles injury in the second quarter, dipped into the bag of tricks to open the fourth quarter. Out of the timeout, Kyle Shanahan dialed up a trick play, a reverse that found the ball in the hands of Jauan Jennings, who threw on the move to a streaking and wide-open McCaffrey for a 29-yard score.
“We knew they liked to do some sort of trickery down in the red zone,” safety Reed Blankenship said. “We were just in a different call that allowed him to sneak through.”
The Eagles took the lead back on a Jake Elliott field goal with eight minutes to play. The defense needed to deliver one final stop. Instead, the 49ers moved the ball with ease. The Eagles, who sacked Purdy once on the day, applied pressure at times, but not enough. Purdy felt the pressure and was excellent in escaping it. The 49ers didn’t face a third down on that 10-play, game-winning drive until the play they scored on, a 4-yard pass from Purdy to McCaffrey on third-and-goal. The 49ers converted six of their 11 third-down attempts.
“They just made more plays than we did,” Blankenship said.
Shanahan, Ojomo said, “is a hell of an offensive play-caller.”
“At the end of the day, he kind of had a better plan and we should have executed at a higher level,” Ojomo said. “You got to play complementary football. After our scores, we needed to stop them. When we get turnovers, we need scores. We didn’t do that at a high enough level to win. That’s kind of the result when you’re in the playoffs. You’re playing good teams every week. You can’t have any hiccups.”
Jordan Davis (90) and Moro Ojomo (97) were encouraging pieces of a fine Eagles defense in 2025.
Especially not with an offense that rarely allowed for wiggle room. It was a lot to ask if the Eagles were going to try to repeat. The offense did not permit much in the way of a margin for error. It is a taxing way to play football, and it’s taxing on a defense that got better as the year went on. Ojomo, though, wanted to look only internally.
“You could always get one more stop, one more turnover,” he said. “At the end of the day, we fell short as a defense. They don’t score, they don’t win. We didn’t get the job done.”
The defense will look different next season. Blankenship is one of a few key free agents. The loss, he said, was tough.
“This is one of the toughest things about football and about life,” he said. “You go through the challenges throughout the year, training camp, whatever. You create this relationship and these bonds and it ends so fast. You’re not really prepared for it and it’s tough.”
How will the 2025 defense be remembered? It was the year of Jordan Davis’ breakout. Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, both second-year players, were named first-team All-Pros. Brandon Graham came out of retirement. Ojomo stepped in for a key free agent, Milton Williams, and shined.
“I think everybody will just remember this game,” Blankenship said. “That’s the last game we played in and it wasn’t us.”
You’re only as good as your last, they say.
“You lose in the first round of the playoffs, I don’t think you’re remembered much,” Ojomo said. “That’s effed up. This defense played our tail off all year, young and hungry and filled with a bunch of guys who are selfless.”
Washburn, Ojomo said, handed those bracelets out to provide some perspective. The message, he said, was received. The defense wanted to be the unit that carried the Eagles.
“It’s sad,” Ojomo said. “I loved being on this defense.”
Hard Knocks ushered in the new year on Tuesday, with the HBO documentary series showcasing the Eagles’ preparations for both their Week 18 matchup against the Washington Commanders and the playoffs.
The sixth episode focused on Nick Sirianni’s field goal superstitions, Jordan Davis’ impact on the team, DeVonta Smith securing another 1,000-yard season, and more.
Here’s what you may have missed from this week’s episode of Hard Knocks: In Season with the NFC East …
Just like us
Many fans have their game-day traditions, especially when it comes to field goals. If you have ever been mocked for blowing on the screen in an attempt to disrupt an opposing player’s kick, don’t be ashamed — even Sirianni has his rituals.
The Eagles coach revealed that he asked special teams coordinator Michael Clay the same question before Davis’ game-winning field goal block against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3 and Jalen Carter’s consequential extra point block against the Buffalo Bills in Week 17.
“The last time I was superstitious was during the [expletive] Rams game,” Sirianni said. “I go, ‘Clay, can we block this?’ And that was actually the first time we blocked a kick … because we needed a big play right there. I did it again in the Buffalo game. And that’s why superstitions are stupid, because that had nothing to do with why we blocked the kick.”
Whether or not the question “Can we block this?” joins the pantheon of Eagles’ fans’ game-day superstitions is yet to be seen, but don’t be surprised if you hear them asking one another the same question this weekend.
Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean (left) and safety Reed Blankenship warm up before Sunday’s game against the Commanders, but neither saw the field.
Some rest for the weary
The talk of the town following Sunday’s loss was Sirianni’s decision to rest most of the Eagles’ starters against the Commanders — despite still having a chance to capture the NFC’s second seed by securing a win (thanks to the Chicago Bears’ loss).
While fans were able to see Sirianni’s explanation to the media before the game, Hard Knocks provided a glimpse into how the Eagles coach broke the news to his players. Sirianni said that some players would be fully off — like Jalaen Phillips, who hadn’t yet had a bye week after his in-season trade from the Miami Dolphins — while some might dress and play a little, or dress and be ready just in case. Others, however, would get a chance to shine in their place.
“Some guys are going to have a great opportunity to play more than you have,” Sirianni said. “And make no mistake about it, we are going out there to win this [expletive] game. We are going out there to win this [expletive] game.”
Several resting starters decided to flip to the other side of the ball while not getting their normal first-team reps in practice, including Jordan Mailata and Cooper DeJean, who were shown joining the Eagles’ scout team as a pass rusher and wide receiver, respectively.
“Look at all our guys that are on scout team,” Sirianni said to a smiling Connor Barwin. “It’s helping on defense. Look, the whole defense is in on it. [It’s] a sign of a good team.”
However, without their starters, the Birds lost to the Commanders, 24-17, forfeiting their shot at the No. 2 seed, which would have guaranteed a second home playoff game if they survive their first-round matchup against the Brock Purdy-led San Francisco 49ers.
The episode ends with Davis and right guard Tyler Steen walking off the field together while discussing the team’s next steps.
“We’ve got to make this run now,” Davis said following the game. “Its crunch time now, boy.”
“We would’ve had the two seed,” Steen said.
“As long as we get in and win every single one, that’s all that matters, bro,” Davis said. “Don’t matter if it be home or away.”
Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis got in much better shape this offseason.
Davis in the spotlight
Davis has had a stellar year at defensive tackle for the Eagles, ranking fourth in the league in combined tackles by a defensive lineman.
In the latest episode, the 6-foot-6 former Georgia star was open about his difficult first few years in the NFL, specifically his struggles with his weight and attitude.
“I want to genuinely be the best person I can be,” Davis said. “And that’s why I’m going so hard in terms of how my body is changing, and my weightlifting and my conditioning and stuff like that, because I want to do this for me. I want to look sexy. I want to be skinny, selfishly, but, at the same time, the more that I do that, and the more that I see progress and I see results, I’m even more motivated.”
Defensive line coach Clint Hurtt — who in a previous episode referred to Davis as a “big [expletive] Care Bear” — believes the 25-year-old lineman started this path to improvement during the team’s Super Bowl run last year, focusing on his sleep patterns, extra conditioning, including a healthy Peloton habit, and cutting out sweets. Davis went as far as saying that the biggest difference between the player he was two years ago in comparison to now is that he “learned how to say no.”
“You can’t be entitled,” Davis said. “Entitlement is like going through life thinking that you can do no wrong. Not that I was ever entitled, but there are definitely traits that I reflected a little bit and looked upon myself like, ‘Damn, that kind of sounds entitled.’ It’s just little small stuff like that that I want to change.”
Davis also plays an important role off the field for the Eagles, as he believes it’s his role to “keep things light.”
“JD is bigger than life, man,” edge rusher Nolan Smith said. “I call him the giant dancing bear. JD is just amazing. He’s fun, he’s energetic, he always makes you laugh, man. He’s one of those guys that just has a big presence.”
Pun intended or not, Davis’ cultural impact on the team can’t be overstated, from his joyful rendition of Rod Wave’s “Street Runner” during practice to inviting his fellow defensive linemen to South Philly restaurant Aliceto celebrate the new year.
Eagles edge rusher Jaelan Phillips (right) made sure to show off photos of his cats during the defensive line’s New Year’s dinner.
During dinner, the players were in high spirits, discussing everything from whether cats have souls to the questionable origins of Phillips’ favorite quote, before Davis officially rang in the new year for his teammates.
”To whom much is given, much is required,” Phillips said.
“Shout out, Uncle Ben,” Jaylx Hunt replied, in reference to the character from Marvel’s Spider-Man.
“Is that the Uncle Ben quote?” Phillips responded. “I thought Jesus said that, [expletive]. I’ve been telling my girl — I swear to God, I thought the bible said that [expletive].”
For those wondering, that is an actual bible quote — Luke 12:48 — and the Uncle Ben quote in question is just a little different, but it sends a similar message: “With great power comes great responsibility.”
“Man, Stan Lee was dropping bombs,” Phillips joked.
On Sunday, there was one major offensive starter still on the field for the Eagles: DeVonta Smith.
Smith, who reached 1,000 receiving yards in each of his previous two seasons with the Birds, entered the regular-season finale 44 yards away from reaching the mark for a third straight year.
The star receiver only needed the first quarter to get his yards, and finished the game with 52 total. Sirianni pulled the former Heisman Trophy winner early to help keep him ready for the playoffs — but not before jokingly criticizing Smith’s on field decision-making.
“You didn’t run out of bounds,” Sirianni said to Smith after being pulled from the game. “You took a hit and didn’t run out of bounds.”
“When?” Smith responded.
“On that first play,” Sirianni said. “You lying son of a …”
On the field, though, the Bills were storming back. A 13-0 Eagles lead had nearly evaporated. The Bills scored a touchdown with Josh Allen on a Tush Push to cut the deficit to one. Sean McDermott opted to go for two. Enter the eye.
“While everything else is swirling around us, we’re in the middle,” Davis said. “We’re calm. Everything can be messy as hell, but when we’re in the eye of the storm, everything is calm. We have to keep ourselves composed, can’t let the moment get too big.
“It comes down to that one play. What are you going to do then? It’s not like you’re out there and playing a whole drive. You’ve got one more play to play.”
Davis felt the calmness from the sideline. Then he watched his teammates execute. Vic Fangio called a simulated pressure. Cooper DeJean rushed off the left side, but Jalyx Hunt dropped into coverage from the right side of the line. Jalen Carter, whose hands were all over the end of Sunday’s game, ran a stunt with Jaelan Phillips, who got past right tackle Spencer Brown and into the backfield.
Allen had an open receiver, but the pressure made him backpedal and throw off-balance. The ball bounced in front of Khalil Shakir and out of the end zone.
“It was like slo-mo turning my head to see what happened,” Phillips said.
“It’s what we play the game for. In clutch moments like that, it’s what all the preparation, all the conditioning, all the hard work, it’s for moments like that.”
The Eagles bent but didn’t break. It was why they won Sunday. It is why they’ve won a chunk of their 11 victories this season. It’s why they won’t be a desirable opponent in January. The failed two-point conversion sealed the game, but the Eagles also had a fourth-down stop near the goal line. They allowed 120 rushing yards to the top rushing offense in the NFL, but they were good enough when it mattered. Buffalo was just 6-for-15 on third down.
“I think that’s just the character of our defense,” Phillips said. “We’re just sturdy, in any situation.
“I think it doesn’t fluster us when things like this happen. I think that’s crucial. The moment you start panicking, good offenses are going to take advantage of it.”
Phillips credited the pass rush being disciplined in its rushing lanes with making sure Allen wasn’t able to beat the Eagles with his legs. Allen rushed seven times for 27 yards. He had one 17-yard rush and 10 yards on his other six attempts.
“We got after him and made him one-dimensional,” Phillips said.
Get after him, they did.
Carter’s return had an instant impact. He had one of the five Eagles sacks and also deflected a pass. Jalyx Hunt had two sacks, and Moro Ojomo and Phillips each had one.
The Bills wouldn’t have had a reason to go for two and the win if not for Carter’s earlier heroics. Allen’s 2-yard touchdown put the Bills on the board with more than five minutes left on the clock. But there was Carter leaping to block Michael Badgley’s point-after attempt. Nick Sirianni said the Eagles knew he had a lower trajectory. It was a similar story when Carter and Davis each blocked Joshua Karty in the fourth quarter of the Week 3 win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Carter, like he did in September, credited assistant special teams coach Joe Pannunzio with identifying the opposing team’s “fish,” or the player to target. The fish, Carter said, was on his side of the line, and the Eagles made the Bills pay.
Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (right) flexes at the Buffalo Bills offense late in the fourth quarter on Sunday.
Carter is back, and a defense that has returned to championship-level form appears to be more than ready for postseason football.
“We’re getting better every week, every day,” Carter said. “I don’t want to throw that out there, Super Bowl this, Super Bowl that. We’re playing a game at a time. When we get to the playoffs it’s all restarted. Win or go home.”
Said Phillips: “Gritty games like that are things you need to have to prepare yourself for the long haul.”
In other words, to get through the storm, whatever it may look like.
The Eagles offense provided little help for its defense in the second half. That inconsistency may matter at some point, but it didn’t in the end on Sunday.
“We say on defense, we want to have one more point than the other team,” Davis said. “It’s on us. Whether they score a billion or they score two. It doesn’t matter. We just want to go out there and have one more point than the other team, and we went out there and we did that.”
“I’m like, hmm,” Davis said Tuesday. “That’s very selfish of me.”
His initial reaction might have seemed selfish to Davis, but it was also relatable. Every player aspires to be the best. Davis, who is finally hitting his stride in Year 4, is no different from his high-achieving counterparts.
But the Pro Bowl is an individual accolade within a team sport. Davis said he doesn’t need the external validation to know he’s a star player — all he needs is to keep working and supporting his teammates.
“Selfishly, you want to get all the accolades, you want to be the best, you want to be considered one of the top guys in the league,” the defensive tackle said. “But at the end of the day, when you take a step back and you play selflessly, I’m satisfied. I’m more than satisfied, because I know I’m adding and I’m contributing and I’m being a force and I’m being dominant, and I can sleep at night with that.”
Davis ought to be well-rested. The No. 13 pick in the 2022 draft out of Georgia is having the best season of his career, even if he doesn’t have the gaudy sack stats to curry favor with the fans, coaches, and fellow NFL players who make up the Pro Bowl voting pool. Davis is playing a career-high 62% of the defensive snaps as he evolves into the every-down pass rusher that the Eagles had hoped he would become when they drafted him.
Even Vic Fangio, the Eagles defensive coordinator known for his brief responses, used Davis’ case to call for an overhaul of the Pro Bowl voting process.
“He should have, for sure,” Fangio said about whether Davis should have made the team. “I think they need to form a committee for the Pro Bowl. Get a couple retired coaches, couple retired personnel guys, couple retired players that will take pride in it and they name it, not all … everybody and their mother’s got a vote.”
Jordan Davis has been instrumental in the defense’s success this season.
Saturday’s win over the Washington Commanders typified the success Davis has had this season. He was a force against the run, posting six stops, including two tackles for losses and two for no gain.
The Commanders learned the hard way what happens when one player is tasked with blocking Davis. On three of his four tackles for losses or no gain, Davis beat a solo block. On the other, he penetrated the backfield on a stunt.
Davis is the mountain at the center of the Eagles’ operation on defense. According to linebacker Zack Baun, the 25-year-old defensive tackle makes the whole operation go.
“I feel like everything we do is built around him,” Baun said. “First, stopping the run. He’s able to two-gap. If he’s single-blocked, he’s getting off and making the play every time. He played a terrific game last week, by the way. Just such a big part of this defense.”
Davis is worthy of earning a spot on the Pro Bowl roster, Baun said.
“He’s definitely playing at that level,” said Baun, a 2025 Pro Bowler himself. “It’s definitely recognized by us, the linebackers, the DBs, everyone in this building. If you talk to him, he doesn’t really care about Pro Bowl or All-Pro. I’m sure he would like to have that honor. But he just wants to see the team succeed. Pro Bowls and All-Pros come with it.”
Zack Baun (left) has seen the growth and impact of Jordan Davis firsthand.
Perhaps Davis hid his initial dismay from his teammates. But the fourth-year defensive tackle concurred that his focus is on the immediate future for the 2025 Eagles, an accomplishment that Pro Bowlers on teams that have been eliminated from playoff contention can’t claim.
“We’ve got more things that we’re fighting for,” Davis said. “We’ve got bigger and better things. We’ve got fish to fry. We’re actually going to the playoffs. I know there’s a couple Pro Bowlers on there that’s not going to the playoffs. So, not a diss at them, but it’s just an opportunity for us to grow and get better, and we’re going to be playing our best ball in a couple weeks. So we just have to get ready for that.”
Davis is eager for more. As he looked up at the digital clock affixed to the wall of the locker room in the NovaCare Complex, Davis noted at 4:54 p.m. that he would stay in the facility for another four hours, long after the conclusion of practice.
He takes pride in the after-hours work. His growth this season has been fueled by the extra time poured into perfecting his craft, not necessarily the promise of an award.
“I spend a lot of time here because I want to get better,” Davis said. “I want to be the best I can be. I don’t think I would be at this point in my career, I wouldn’t be at this point in this season, if I didn’t spend that extra time getting better.”
Davis sees his investment paying off. His teammates and coaches feel his impact. It’s only a matter of time before the greater NFL ecosystem notices it, too.
Last year, Jordan Davis often was not in the room.
Reporters typically are inside the Eagles locker room three days per week for 45 minutes during the regular season, but Davis typically would be anywhere else in the building but at his locker stall. Who could blame him? He was a third-year defensive tackle whose playing time had been cut, who wasn’t in good enough shape.
Vic Fangio’s defense was ascending, but Davis, the 13th overall pick in 2022, mostly was an afterthought. The Eagles had Jalen Carter and Milton Williams leading the way in the interior, a group of edge rushers that got after opposing quarterbacks, revelations at linebacker in Nakobe Dean and Zack Baun, and two rookies in the secondary, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, who made an immediate impact.
Then there was Davis, who basically was just one of the guys, a rotational defensive tackle who wasn’t overly interested in talking about the ups and downs and all that comes with not living up to your perceived potential.
This year? It’s hard to miss Davis. He is often the loudest voice in the room, bouncing around and joking with his teammates. He holds court in front of cameras at his locker. He is one of the faces and voices of a defense that hasn’t allowed a touchdown in 20 consecutive drives.
Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis (right) walks onto the field before facing the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 10.
“I had to make sure that everything around me was good,” Davis said Wednesday. “Had to make sure my body was right, I was living right, before I could really speak my voice. I’ve been this way since I got here, but now I think everybody is kind of just rallying behind me because they’ve seen the work that’s been put in, they’ve seen the work that’s being put in daily, and they see the consistency.
“It’s one thing to just hear it from a voice. But it’s another thing when he’s really believing, when he’s really living it, and he’s making decisions, making progress in terms of the way he wants to live his life.”
This Davis, the one the public gets to see more, has always been there, Davis said.
“I’ve always been happy-go-lucky, always been jovial,” he said. “It’s just now everyone is seeing it because I’m so confident in the person I am.”
‘He’s able to be himself’
Baun can see the changes in Davis, and he recognizes where it has come from because he saw the same thing with his own path last year. Baun was at a crossroads when the Eagles signed him to a one-year deal. Was he an edge rusher? Was he a linebacker? Would he be a special teamer and backup?
Fangio thought he’d work best as an off-ball linebacker — and was right — but it wasn’t until Baun got into a groove that the then-27-year-old on a young defense felt comfortable being a leader.
“I think it happens to anyone, even not playing a sport,” Baun said. “As soon as you start feeling more confident in yourself — for him, whether it was playing better or losing weight and then playing better — then you start adding stuff to your plate. But you have to take care of yourself and do what you need to do first. Then you can be a leader.”
Zack Baun and Jordan Davis have found their voices as leaders on the Eagles defense.
Defensive tackle Byron Young said he began to notice a change in Davis toward the end of last year when he started to lose weight. Davis struggled for large stretches of the 2024 season. After Week 14, he played more than 18 snaps in a game just once, in Week 18, when the Eagles were playing their backups. Davis’ work on himself had already started, and his confidence, Young said, “was obvious.”
Despite his limited workload, Davis produced. He had three pressures and a sack in the NFC championship game, then another sack in the Super Bowl.
Davis then showed up for training camp with a new body, a new level of confidence, and a bigger voice.
“He always has so much more energy,” Young said. “He’s able to be himself out there because he’s not worried about being tired all the time. He’s been a lot more vocal, a lot more of himself, and that’s something that’s good to see. You want to see guys being confident and being themselves.”
Davis usually is joking around in the locker room, but he knows when to turn it off and get serious, Young said. Other times, he might need a gentle reminder from defensive line coach Clint Hurtt.
Davis’ energy has a domino effect, Young said.
“It feeds into everybody else because everybody else feels how confident he is in himself and how confident he is in everyone else,” Young said. “Then you see how much fun he has when he’s out there playing, it makes everyone have fun. I think it’s something that has helped our defense a lot this year.”
‘Reflection comes at the end’
Rewind to the start of training camp. Williams left in free agency for a big payday, and the Eagles didn’t do much in the way of backfilling. Now imagine Carter missing games in the homestretch of the season. Back then, scary hypothetical. Now, with Carter recovering from procedures on his shoulders, the emergence of Davis and Moro Ojomo has the defensive line barely missing Carter’s presence.
Nolan Smith sacked Kenny Pickett on Sunday, but he was one-on-one partially because of the bodies Davis occupied in the middle of the line. A week earlier vs. the Los Angeles Chargers, Davis tallied a career-high six pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. It was the first game that Davis registered more than four pressures in a game, and he’s already at 23 pressures on the season, eight more than he had in all of 2024.
Jordan Davis returns a field goal block for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sept. 21.
“I think he’s definitely taken a step,” Baun said. “He’s confident in himself and he knows the plays he can make, what he’s good at, what he’s not good at, and he’s taking advantage.”
Davis took a more intentional approach with him into the 2025 season, he said.
“This year,” Davis said, “I was like, ‘All right, I’m the oldest guy in the room. I got to do something different. I want to do something different so I can be different, so I can lead different.’ This was just the year to do it, and hopefully there are many more years to come.”
The Eagles picked up Davis’ fifth-year option in the offseason, keeping him under team control through the 2026 season. Davis has spent the 2025 season making that decision look like the right one, and probably earning himself a lot of money on his next deal in the process.
He’s played in all 14 games and has six pass deflections, 4½ sacks, 59 tackles (seven for loss), and six quarterback hits. He has played 62% of the defensive snaps after only playing 37% last season. All of those numbers are career-highs. Davis has a legitimate Pro Bowl case.
Has he stopped at all to ruminate in all that’s happened over the past year?
“Reflection comes at the end,” Davis said. “For right now, just keep chugging. Keep trucking.”
When the time to reflect comes, you’ll know where to find him. He won’t be hiding.
