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  • Rick Tocchet jumbles up his forward lines in the wake of Tyson Foerster’s injury

    Rick Tocchet jumbles up his forward lines in the wake of Tyson Foerster’s injury

    The Flyers will be without Tyson Foerster, the team’s leading goal scorer, for the next two to three months after he suffered an upper-body injury in Monday night’s loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins and was placed on injured reserve Wednesday.

    It is a major blow to a team that is averaging 2.76 goals this season, the seventh-lowest total in the NHL. But as coach Rick Tocchet said, “The poor-is-me stuff, that can’t linger in that room.”

    And with that, the bench boss whipped up some new line combinations at Wednesday’s morning skate. Tocchet likes to keep pairs together, and Trevor Zegras and Christian Dvorak are a duo that is working well. They will now have Travis Konecny on their wing. According to Natural Stat Trick, they’ve played as a line for just 97 seconds at five-on-five this season.

    Flyers’ top goal scorer Tyson Foerster out 2-3 months with upper-body injury

    The fourth line remained somewhat the same, with Rodrigo Ābols, Garnet Hathaway, and Nic Deslauriers skating together. Deslauriers, who started his career with Wednesday’s opponent, the Buffalo Sabres, last played Nov. 24 in Tampa Bay. Carl Grundström was recalled on Tuesday from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League, but it looks like he will be a healthy scratch against the Sabres (7:30 p.m., TNT).

    Speedy winger Owen Tippett was moved alongside Matvei Michkov and Sean Couturier. The trio has not played together this season, but did last year, skating almost 125 minutes together. With that line on the ice, the Flyers had a 52.57% Corsi For, 56.36% of the scoring chances, 60% of the high-danger chances, outshot opponents, 76-51, and outscored their opponents, 10-8.

    Not too shabby. However, there is one difference now: Tippett will be on the right wing, with Tocchet liking the speed and north-south game Michkov plays on the left.

    “The last two or three years I’ve played left more consistently, so obviously I’ve gotten more comfortable with it,” Tippett said about playing the right side. “But again, I’ve played right my whole life, and even now, there’s been some shifts or some periods where I’ve had to go back to the left. I think I’m ready for it whenever it happens.”

    And of course, the biggest move of the day involves Nikita Grebenkin, who — some would say, finally — has been moved into the top nine. He is playing with Bobby Brink and Noah Cates.

    “Tyson [has an] injury now. It’s bad for the team [because] Tyson, big guy for Flyers. It’s bad, but now I have maybe more time [and it] is good for me,” Grebenkin said. “It’s a big chance for me, and I want to help the team every time. Let’s go Flyers.”

    Acquired in the deal that sent Scott Laughton to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Grebenkin has played in 16 of the Flyers’ 25 games, mostly on the fourth line. He has one goal and three points while averaging 9 minutes, 52 seconds.

    Nikita Grebenkin, 22, will get first crack at trying to replace Tyson Foerster in the Flyers’ top nine.

    Some of the critiques from Tocchet have focused on Grebenkin’s decision-making. He wants him to be “sticky” and stay in piles. On Wednesday, Tocchet wants to see the 22-year-old make good decisions, play mind free — he’s mentioned in the past the Russian has told him he’s overthinking — and move his feet more.

    “In practice, when he has two-on-ones, he slows down, and he tries to pass the puck. So against Pittsburgh [on Monday night], he had all day to go in and fire the puck, but he waited, and he tried to make the pass, and it got picked off,” Tocchet said.

    “So we talked about it, and today his two-on-ones were outstanding. Hopefully, he can apply that in a real game. To be an NHL player, you’ve got to take that information, so hopefully he gets a two-on-one tonight and he moves his feet. I think he will because he did it today in practice.”

    Grebenkin has not officially been on a line with Brink this season, but according to Natural Stat Trick, he has skated more than 25 minutes on Cates’ wing during five-on-five action this season.

    Flyers activate Oliver Bonk from injured reserve, assign him to Lehigh Valley

    It has worked well.

    Without Cates as his center, Grebenkin has been on the ice for seven goals against, to just his first career NHL goal, scored against the Montreal Canadiens in early November. But when they’re on the ice together, the Flyers have outshot opponents 16-7 and outscored them 2-1.

    “Obviously, a ton of skill and some speed from him. He’s been working at his game and getting a lot of good looks,” Cates said.

    “I think we can work with each other and make some good give-and-go plays or cycle plays,” said Cates, who, like Grebenkin, excels below the hash marks. “I’ll get to the net, I think that’s the biggest thing. So he makes really good plays down there, and I just have to create some space when we’re getting to the net because he’ll find me.”

    Grebenkin agrees that he’s been overthinking at times during games, but he has been working at it. He is looking forward to more minutes, helping the team excel, and wants to play better consistently.

    But Tocchet knows it takes time for players to develop.

    “He’s got to do the process. But do I feel like he’s ready for it? Yeah, I do,” Tocchet said when asked about Grebenkin being in the top nine. “I think he’s ready for it, but there’s a process to it, the way you practice, the way you take information, that’s the way it is.”

    Breakaways

    Sam Ersson (4-2-2, .859 save percentage) will start against the Sabres. He is 3-1-0 with a 1.83 goals-against average, .913 save percentage, and one shutout against the Sabres in four career games. … Defenseman Egor Zamula will play in place of Noah Juulsen. … Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen was on the ice in a non-contact jersey for morning skate. It is the first time he has skated with the group since he suffered an elbow injury in March. He underwent surgery on a right triceps tendon rupture later that month. In 2024, Ristolainen underwent two surgeries, including a repair to a ruptured triceps tendon. According to Flyers general manager Danny Brière in April 2025, the injury was similar, although he wouldn’t confirm whether he tore the tendon again. Tocchet wouldn’t put a timeline on his return to game action but said, “It’s not a month, it’s not a week. What’s that sweet spot? I don’t know.”

  • What to know about the hepatitis B vaccine schedule debate

    What to know about the hepatitis B vaccine schedule debate

    The nation’s top vaccine advisory panel is expected to debate whether to delay the first dose of the hepatitis B shot on Thursday.

    The immunization, developed in Philadelphia and long recommended for all U.S. infants at birth, protects against a disease that can do permanent damage to the liver, and for which there is no cure.

    The shot is widely considered safe and effective, but who should receive it, and when, has come under scrutiny by President Donald Trump’s administration.

    The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), an independent panel of experts reconstituted this past summer to include several vaccine skeptics, had tabled a vote on this topic in September. It is now scheduled to spend Thursday discussing the vaccine, according to a draft agenda of the group’s two-day December meeting.

    Vaccine experts and patient advocates have previously advocated against delaying the birth dose, citing concerns that unvaccinated children could be at risk of contracting the highly contagious virus.

    Here’s what to know about the vaccine.

    The hepatitis B vaccine, a ‘Philadelphia story,’ is being scrutinized.

    It’s recommended for all newborns at birth.

    Starting in 1991, the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine has been universally recommended for all newborns within 24 hours of birth. Rates of infection among children and teens have since dropped by 99%.

    Prior to the universal birth dose recommendation, about half of infections in children were acquired from mothers infected with the virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.

    The virus spreads through contact with blood and other body fluids.

    The virus can be transmitted from mother to baby, as well as through a variety of household sources, such as personal items like toothbrushes and razors that become contaminated with blood.

    The virus cannot be spread through casual contact such as hugging, touching, or sharing utensils, but it can be spread through open wounds.

    The disease is incurable.

    Hepatitis B is the most common chronic viral infection in the world. Over time, the disease can cause cirrhosis or severe scarring of the liver, liver failure, and liver cancer.

    Patients can take antiviral treatments to help control the virus, but there is no cure.

    The panel has previously considered delaying the birth dose until one month of age.

    ACIP previously debated delaying the first dose of the vaccine until one month of age for most babies.

    Some members had suggested the dose for newborns should instead be given only to the populations most at risk.

    The ACIP considered recommending doctors vaccinate only those newborns whose mothers test positive for the virus, and having the other babies wait a month for their first dose.

    Trump separately stated in a news conference, without citing scientific evidence, that he thinks newborns should no longer universally receive the shot and children should wait until age 12. Experts criticized Trump for incorrectly suggesting that hepatitis B is only transmitted sexually.

    Experts are concerned about a potential change to the guidelines.

    Leading medical societies and infectious-disease experts say there is no scientific evidence for changing the current guidelines.

    Experts worry that delaying the vaccine could affect its ability to prevent transmission of the virus from mother to baby. “If you wait longer than 24 hours, then the vaccine doesn’t work as well,” Chari Cohen, president of the Hepatitis B Foundation, told The Inquirer in an interview earlier this fall.

    Even if the ACIP were to recommend vaccinating only babies whose mothers have the virus, some cases could be missed. Universal testing for the virus has been recommended since the 1990s, but 15% to 16% of women still do not get tested.

    Such a policy also would not account for other exposures. Su Wang, a New Jersey physician who treats patients with hepatitis B and herself has the disease, told The Inquirer earlier this year that she likely caught hepatitis B as a child living with her grandparents. Her parents tested negative. “There are a lot of exposures that we aren’t testing for,” she said.

    The vaccine is a Philadelphia success story.

    The hepatitis B virus was first discovered by Baruch Blumberg, a scientist at Fox Chase Cancer Center, in 1967.

    He went on to win a Nobel Prize for that work, and later cocreated and developed the vaccine, which continues to be manufactured in and around the region.

    The Hepatitis B Foundation is also locally based, in Doylestown.

  • A Philly tax loophole allows refunds for people who steal homes. A Council bill would direct that money to victims.

    A Philly tax loophole allows refunds for people who steal homes. A Council bill would direct that money to victims.

    City officials and housing advocates want Philadelphia to close a loophole in its tax code that allows people who forge deeds and steal homes to get a refund for taxes they paid to commit their crimes.

    Thieves commit deed fraud when they illegally transfer a property’s ownership and record a fraudulent deed with the city.

    This fraud often occurs after a homeowner dies but remains the legal owner of a property. Thieves use deceptive means, such as posing as fake heirs and forging documents, to take and sell properties, often flipping them to developers for large profits.

    To record a deed, property owners — including fraudsters — need to pay a realty transfer tax. If a judge later determines that a sale was fraudulent, the person who paid the tax can request a refund from the city. That includes thieves.

    A bill introduced by City Council Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson would allow the city to give refund money to deed fraud victims, who can spend thousands of dollars fighting to regain ownership of their properties.

    “It’s a nightmare for victims of deed fraud, and while we can’t necessarily improve the situation, we can help to ease some of their financial burden,” Gilmore Richardson said during a Council hearing Wednesday.

    Philadelphia’s portion of the realty transfer tax is 3.578% of the value of a home sold. So for a stolen $100,000 home, a victim could receive a refund of about $3,500.

    A longstanding issue

    Deed fraud is a persistent problem in Philadelphia. The city’s records department received about 130 reports of deed fraud in 2023 and about 110 reports in 2024.

    Investigations by The Inquirer have shown that deed theft grew alongside gentrification in Philadelphia, as property values rose in neighborhoods that became more desirable. Victims of deed fraud disproportionately are people of color and seniors.

    City officials earlier this year launched a system that checks whether a home seller is dead in order to prevent deed thieves from stealing homes legally owned by dead people. Philadelphia was the first local government to roll out such a system, according to Mayor Cherelle L. Parker.

    James Leonard, commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Records, said the Parker administration supports the Council bill, which “addresses a gap in how we help victims of deed fraud.”

    “We see these cases regularly,” he said. “They devastate families, they undermine confidence in our property system, and they impose significant costs on victims, who must fight in court to reclaim what was always rightfully theirs.”

    Victims face a long legal battle in which they must prove that a deed is fraudulent and often must pay attorney fees. And they have to keep paying mortgages while they fight to reclaim properties.

    “When they finally win, they get their property back. But they’re often financially and emotionally devastated by the process,” Leonard said.

    The new Council legislation allows a victim who gets a court order that voids a fraudulent deed to request a refund of the realty transfer taxes that a thief paid. Leonard estimates the city will see at most 25 to 50 cases per year, a “modest” fiscal impact for the city.

    And under current law, the city keeps tax payments that it never would have received if not for the deed fraud, he said, so the city has been benefiting from fraudsters’ payments.

    “From an equity standpoint, this bill is the right thing to do,” he said.

    Vincent Gilliam and his family were victims of deed fraud when his deceased mother’s home in North Philadelphia was stolen. Between the belongings that deed thieves took and the fight to reclaim the home, he estimates that the ordeal cost his family at least $5,000.

    He told Council members that getting some money back from the city through a realty transfer tax refund “would be a tremendous help.”

    Kate Dugan, a divisional supervising attorney at the legal aid nonprofit Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, said the problem of deed theft “is expensive and complicated to fix.”

    “Even when free representation is available, which is normally not the case, victims are stuck paying for costs like repairs, changing locks, filing fees … out of their own pockets,” she said. “It’s rare for a deed fraud victim to collect any meaningful money damages or restitution.”

    On Wednesday, Council’s Finance Committee sent the bill to the full Council for consideration.

  • The Union’s latest signing offers insight into who’s making decisions in absence of sporting director Ernst Tanner

    The Union’s latest signing offers insight into who’s making decisions in absence of sporting director Ernst Tanner

    After he rattled off a slew of regular-season accomplishments, it was time for Union manager Bradley Carnell to get down to the prevailing question in the room:

    Who is making player decisions now in the absence of sporting director Ernst Tanner, who remains embroiled in multiple allegations of misconduct?

    And for how long?

    In many ways, it appeared Carnell knew that would be the question on everyone’s minds before the Union’s final news conference of 2025 on Wednesday.

    Union manager Bradley Carnell had his first season with the club end with the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Coach of the Year honors.

    It’s why he chose to lead with a statement that divulged the plan of attack before reiterating highlights like the club winning the Supporters’ Shield for the second time or the fact that defenders Jakob Glesnes and Kai Wagner were named to Major League Soccer’s Best XI.

    All great reminders, just not what anyone in the room was feverishly writing down.

    It’s clear the Union already knew that, too, as Jon Scheer, the club’s director of academy and professional development sat alongside Carnell. Carnell revealed that alongside himself, Scheer, scouting director Chris Zitterbart, and assistant sporting director Matt Ratajczak will be the brain trust on player comings and goings for “the foreseeable future.”

    FIFA’s World Cup draw is this week. Here’s what to know before, during, and after Friday’s event

    “We’ve established an internal structure that brings together myself, Jon Scheer, Matt Ratajczak, [and] Chris Zitterbart all working in close collaboration with our ownership group,” Carnell said as part of his opening statement. “This is a collective and collaborative effort … to remain prepared, deliberate, and focused on making the strongest possible decisions for the club.”

    How long this setup will continue remains a mystery, as neither the club nor the league has offered any clarity regarding Tanner as an investigation continues into his alleged racial, homophobic, and sexist behavior over seven years with the Union.

    Scheer noted that decisions on players have always been a “collaborative and data-driven” effort by the club, which is known for being more of a developmental franchise than one ready to spend cash on high-value talent.

    “I would say having worked in the club for seven years, I’ve seen the day-to-day and how that’s evolved,” said Scheer, who noted that the new group doesn’t change much in the process of how things work, despite Tanner being the architect of multiple player brokerages. “Every decision that’s been made over the last several years has been a collaborative effort with multiple people involved.

    Jon Scheer (far right) has been with the club for seven seasons, playing a key role in pipelining players from the club’s youth academy to the professional ranks.

    “We’re a very data-driven club, I think that’s been well documented. I think we’ve done a really good job of empowering our people across different domains. And that’s something that’s not going to change. We’re looking to take a step forward as a club and [continue] the on-field success. However, there’s a lot that’s going to remain the same in terms of decision-making and what that process looks like across the board.”

    A high-value transaction made waves in Wednesday’s proceedings, as earlier that morning, the Union confirmed that they secured Ghanaian forward Ekeziel Alladoh via transfer from Brommapojkarna of Sweden’s top flight for a club-record $4.5 million fee, with incentives. Alladoh, 20, is locked up through the 2028 season with option years in 2029 and 2030.

    Alladoh had been rumored to be joining the club for weeks and it’s believed that before his leave of absence, Tanner played a major part in bringing Alladoh to Chester.

    “He really suits and fits our style of play,” Carnell said. ”He’s very aggressive, runs very vertical in transition, and with our game model intact, [I think he] shows exactly what type of striker we were looking for to complement [forwards] Tai [Baribo] and Bruno [Damiani] at this stage.”

    Ezekiel Alladoh holds up his new Union jersey at the team’s practice facility in Chester.

    It’s unknown how long the Union’s decentralized approach to player decisions will last. Despite the comments from Scheer and Carnell about the group effort, someone ultimately makes the final decision in the role of sporting director — a role currently unfilled.

    “We were all involved in these decisions and processes to begin with, and this is just a look at how collaborative we need to be as a club,” Scheer said. “We are a development club, and we’re always looking from within first … so there’s so much natural overlap already.”

    When it came to any insight into the impact of Tanner’s absence, Scheer deflected.

    “No comments as it relates to an ongoing investigation that our club is collaborating with, so we’re just focusing on day-to-day and doing the best job that we can in terms of our decision-making process and the path forward,” he said.

    Which Union players should stay…or go? You decide.

    More on Alladoh

    “I think being proactive in the market is always a sign of intent, especially coming off of a successful season where we look to continue to maintain those standards,” Carnell said of Alladoh’s signing.

    Said Scheer: “It shows the ambition of our club and our ownership group.”

    Though Alladoh’s transfer fee qualifies him as a designated player, his age means he can be classified as an under-22 signing and not count as a DP. The Union’s announcement didn’t give him a label, and Scheer said the team would not pick one until the league’s 2026 roster compliance deadline in February.

    The Union announced they will return to Marbella, Spain, for training camp in January.

    Preseason news

    The Union’s preseason will begin Jan. 17, with plans for a trip to Spain, which the team took last year. Carnell said they’ll play two scrimmages there, then make their annual trip to Clearwater, Fla., where they are expected to play FC Cincinnati and CF Montréal.

    The Union return to the Concacaf Champions Cup in mid-February, and the regular season begins Feb. 21 at D.C. United.

    The Union’s Mikael Uhre (left) and Jovan Lukic celebrate Uhre’s goal against New York City FC on Oct. 4.

    Other notables

    Carnell reiterated that the club is in negotiations with forward Mikael Uhre about a new deal, but he was coy about the team’s desired outcome.

    “There’s no denying the fact that Mikael, within the game model, has a certain quality, right?” Carnell said. “So I think one [factor] of that is family, what do his family want; what does Mikael want; and what does the club want? And I think if all of those come together and find the best possible solution for player, family, and club — ‘Mika’ had a good end to the season and showed exactly what made him so strong here over the years.”

    As the Union announce end-of-year roster moves, they haven’t closed the door to Mikael Uhre yet

    Carnell said that form “sparks a lot of interest” to consider a deal. He also paid the Danish striker what felt like a notable compliment.

    “Mikael was one of the nicest teammates you could ever imagine, and we have had a good working relationship,” Carnell said. “So we’ll see what happens over the next due course.”

    Union academy director Jon Scheer says the club still is high on young defender Neil Pierre.

    There also was talk about Neil Pierre, the 18-year-old centerback with a high ceiling. He played regularly for the Union’s reserve squad this year but hasn’t yet reached the physical maturity he needs for the top level.

    “We’re really high on the potential of Neil Pierre, but we’re also going to make sure that he’s in the best possible environment to reach and maximize that potential,” Scheer said. “I think you’ll see here soon we’re still looking at other centerback options. But Neil, for the future, is one we still have a lot of belief in, and we’re looking forward to seeing what the best environment to continue to develop him in will be.”

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of Union soccer right here!

  • Kevin Patullo still loves Eagles fans and Philly as he endures a season of hate

    Kevin Patullo still loves Eagles fans and Philly as he endures a season of hate

    For a husband and father who had just experienced an act of vandalism that impacted his wife and family, Kevin Patullo didn’t just take the high road. He took the highest of all possible roads.

    He complimented the overwhelming majority of fans and media who have called for his dismissal and created an environment that can provoke inexcusable attacks.

    “I’ve been here for five years now, and it’s been awesome,” Patullo said. “We all know that part of our job is to handle criticism. … But when it involves your family, it crosses the line. That happened. At this point, we’ve just got to move on.”

    Patullo is the first-year offensive coordinator for an 8-4 Eagles team that is the reigning Super Bowl champion, occupies first place in the NFC East, and would be the No. 3 seed in the conference if the playoffs began today. After a home loss Friday to Chicago, around 3 a.m. on Saturday, his home in New Jersey was pelted with eggs by what a posted TikTok video indicates was a group of boys. The incident is being investigated by the Moorestown Police Department.

    I asked him Wednesday if he was angry about the incident or fearful for himself, his wife, or his son and daughter. I told him I certainly would be both angry and scared. It’s natural.

    Eagles coach Nick Sirianni (right) has stood by offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo.

    “You want to separate the job from your family,” he replied. “Us, as a family, we know we’ve got to stick together. To be honest, there’s a lot of great people in the community. I have great neighbors. There’s so many people who have reached out to my wife and I. …

    “We’ve just got to move on. No, you’re not uncomfortable … being in that neighborhood. You’re not uncomfortable with sort of continuing with things as they are. … We’ve had a great experience here in Philadelphia. It’s a very special, unique place.”

    You can say that again.

    Perhaps Patullo is being so gracious because, according to one Eagles source, far worse things have happened to people in the Eagles organization in the past four years. I shudder to think what those things might be.

    Perhaps Patullo feels so secure because, as a high-ranking figure in an $8.3 billion franchise that belongs to a league that annually generates more than $20 billion in revenue, those entities take stringent measures to protect their own. Copycats, beware.

    Saquon Barkley and the Eagles running game have struggled this season.

    You might consider the use of “terrorism” overwrought in this case, but consider Merriam-Webster’s definition:

    “The systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion.”

    A single house-egging might not be “systematic,” but, as the Eagles offense continues to sputter, Patullo has, for months, been the most viciously criticized of eligible targets. There have been calls for his dismissal since the Eagles began the season 4-0. No, that’s not a misprint.

    Yes, Jalen Hurts is the ‘problem’ for the Eagles, not Kevin Patullo: So what?

    This, despite the inconsistent play of quarterback Jalen Hurts and the disappearance of running back Saquon Barkley. This, despite the continual injury issues along the offensive line. This, despite A.J. Brown, Hurts, Barkley, and the offensive line saying it’s not Patullo; not primarily, at any rate.

    Patullo might not exactly be Bill Walsh, but he’s not Dana Bible, either.

    Also: Vic Fangio’s defense collapsed in Dallas and got gashed by the Bears, but nobody egged his house. Take one look at Vic. I dare you to vandalize that man’s house.

    Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio during training camp in August.

    You might use the tireless excuse that Patullo’s home was violated by that vague minority of so-called supporters intent on perpetuating the stereotype of Philly fans being venomous cretins who would gladly eat their own. You know, the fans who, in April 1999, booed the drafting of Donovan McNabb, then, that October in Veterans Stadium, cheered when an ambulance drove onto the field to take Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin to the hospital.

    But how many of those fans — your friends and neighbors — dismissed this act of vandalism as “boys being boys”? How many shook their heads and said, “That’s too bad, but fire his butt anyway”?

    How many? Too many.

    I’m a transplant to Philadelphia, but that was 30 years ago, so this is my home. However, I still marvel at how folks choose to revel in sports misery; how many choose to bemoan what is imperfect, and what might go wrong, and the fixation on blaming one particular villain.

    Nick Sirianni, Kevin Patullo struggle as Eagles lose again due to poor focus, fundamentals

    I take full responsibility for my part in the critical nature of Philadelphia sports coverage, especially in the 15 years I’ve been a columnist, a television panelist, and a radio personality, and I’ve criticized Patullo when it was warranted, but I strive to keep my criticisms impersonal, unless the person in question has acted in a manner that reveals flaws in his character.

    There seem to be few flaws in Patullo’s character.

    “When you look at the big picture, it’s just a piece of who I am, who my family is. Ultimately, you know, it’s fine.”

    No. No, it’s not fine.

    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is at the helm of an inconsistent offense.

    Objective criticism is fine. Targeted criticism — the sort Patullo is enduring — is not. Not when there are so many other issues.

    There’s a difference between criticism and toxicity. Toxicity can lead to violence. Violence always is abhorrent.

    The Eagles rank 24th in average yardage. They are 23rd in average passing yardage — which is six spots better than 2024 — and 19th in scoring.

    They are 22nd in rushing yardage, which is the real issue, since they were second last season. That can be blamed not only on Patullo’s sometimes clunky sequencing and predictability, but also on teams selling out to stop the run and a clear falloff by both the offensive line and Barkley.

    The offense has health issues, but every team has to deal with injuries. The Eagles spend more than twice as much on the offense as they spend on the defense. Nick Sirianni is a former offensive coordinator with the Colts, and Patullo has been his right-hand man since Sirianni hired him as his receivers coach in Indianapolis eight years ago.

    Hurts has been a Pro Bowl quarterback and a Super Bowl MVP. Barkley, Brown, DeVonta Smith, and several of the linemen have Hall of Fame talent.

    Should the offense be better? Absolutely.

    But if you expect Patullo and the offense to be better, why can’t you?

  • More than 65,000 immigrants are being held in federal detention, a big increase from when Trump took office

    More than 65,000 immigrants are being held in federal detention, a big increase from when Trump took office

    The number of immigrants confined in federal detention facilities has surged past 65,000, perhaps the highest figure ever and a two-thirds increase since President Donald Trump took office in January.

    The 65,135 in custody across the nation represents a shattering of the 60,000 threshold, which was last passed briefly in August before dropping back down. The new figure is up from 39,238 when Trump was inaugurated, as his administration quickly undertook an unprecedented campaign to arrest, detain, and deport immigrants.

    “It’s quite stunning,” said Jonah Eaton, a Philadelphia immigration attorney who teaches about detention at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law. “They are dead serious about moving as many people out of the country as possible, and keeping them detained while they do it.”

    The data, current as of Nov. 16, come from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, an information-and-research organization that obtains information from ICE and other federal agencies.

    An ICE spokesperson said the agency could not comment on statistics compiled by third parties.

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    The Trump administration says it is arresting the “worst of the worst,” criminal immigrants who have committed serious and sometimes violent offenses. But the new data show ― as they consistently have ― that 74% of those in detention have no criminal convictions.

    “The question is ‘What’s going to be the ceiling for this?’ as the administration has designs to expand the capacity to detain individuals as arrests increase,” said Cris Ramon, an independent immigration consultant in Washington. “If the goal is to remove as many people as possible, they’re going to be leaning on the detention centers to be, first and foremost, a staging ground.”

    Ramon said he was not surprised by the high detention numbers, given the Trump administration’s determination to carry out large-scale operations in cities like Charlotte, N.C., and Chicago.

    The Moshannon Valley Processing Center outside Philipsburg, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania that is privately operated by the GEO Group under contract with ICE. It is the largest ICE detention center in the Northeast United States.

    The new figures show that more of those in custody are being arrested by ICE, rather than by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency that conducts inspections at airports and other ports of entry and includes the Border Patrol.

    Today 81% of people in detention were arrested by ICE, up from 38% when Trump took office. The president has demanded that Immigration and Customs Enforcement make more arrests more quickly, and won new funding to encourage that.

    The agency generally operates in the interior United States.

    Many of those arrested in Pennsylvania are sent to the largest detention center in the Northeast, the Moshannon Valley Processing Center near Philipsburg, Pa. Moshannon, as it is known, is a private, 1,876-bed immigration prison operated by the Florida-based GEO Group Inc.

    ICE also holds detainees at the Clinton County Correctional Facility and the Pike County Correctional Facility. And this year the agency began confining people at the Philadelphia Federal Detention Center in Center City.

    New Jersey has two detention facilities, in Newark and Elizabeth, and might be getting a third, in South Jersey. The administration plans to hold detainees at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, one of two military sites that have been designated for that purpose. The other is Camp Atterbury in Indiana.

    Many of those in custody are subject to “mandatory detention,” meaning they are not allowed to seek release on bond. In the summer, the administration announced a policy change that prevented immigration judges from granting bond to anyone in detention who had entered the United States without documentation.

    The result, according to the National Immigration Law Center, is that the Trump administration has ensured that migrants have almost no way out of detention “other than death or deportation.”

    ICE is arresting, detaining, and refusing to release far more people than before, the law center said, including many who rarely would have been held in the past.

    In Philadelphia and elsewhere, some immigrants have showed up for routine in-person appointments or check-ins, only to be handcuffed and taken into detention. Green-card applicants, asylum-seekers, and others who have ongoing legal or visa cases have been unexpectedly detained.

    Immigration detention is civil in nature, to hold people as they progress through their court cases or await deportation. It is not supposed to be a punishment.

    When Joe Biden assumed the presidency in 2021, there were 14,195 people in immigration detention. That figure more than doubled during his term and eventually topped 39,000.

    “Trump’s cruel mass detention and deportation agenda has reached a previously unimaginable scope and scale,” Carly Pérez Fernández, communications director at Detention Watch Network in Washington, said in a statement.

    She called the new detention figure “a grim reminder” of a larger plan that is “targeting people based on where they work and what they look like, destabilizing communities, separating families, and putting people’s lives at risk.”

    ICE holds detainees across the country, in ICE facilities, in federal prisons, in privately owned lockups, and in state and local jails. As detentions have surged, so has the need for places to house people.

    As of this summer, ICE detained people in all 50 states as well as in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to the Vera Institute of Justice in New York.

    Texas had the most facilities with 69, and Florida was second with 40, the institute said.

  • Marcus Epps’ return, Jalen Carter’s injury could be factors for Vic Fangio’s defense vs. Chargers

    Marcus Epps’ return, Jalen Carter’s injury could be factors for Vic Fangio’s defense vs. Chargers

    Vic Fangio’s defense could feature a different starting safety on Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers.

    On Tuesday, the Eagles opened the 21-day practice window for Marcus Epps, who has been on injured reserve with an undisclosed ailment for the last month. Fangio answered affirmatively on Wednesday when asked if Epps would be ready to play on Monday and if he was in contention to start.

    “He’s an experienced safety,” Fangio said. “He’s got good instincts. Got [a] good feel for the game. We’ll have to get a feel and a barometer about where he’s at missing the last four, five weeks, whatever it was where he couldn’t practice, anyway.”

    Kevin Patullo on egging incident: ‘When it involves your family, it obviously crosses the line’

    Epps, 29, returned for a second stint with the Eagles when he signed to the practice squad in late August. Epps appeared in 59 games as an Eagle, including playoffs, from 2019-22. He had been elevated from the practice squad to the game day roster for the first three weeks of the 2025 season before he signed to the active roster in late September.

    Before going on injured reserve, Epps was the third safety behind Reed Blankenship and Drew Mukuba, who went on injured reserve with an ankle injury last week. When Blankenship was injured in the Week 6 loss to the New York Giants, Epps entered the game in the third quarter ahead of Sydney Brown, the Eagles’ 2023 third-rounder out of Illinois.

    With Epps out for the last four weeks, Brown earned his first full-time start of the season in place of Mukuba in Friday’s loss to the Chicago Bears. According to Pro Football Focus, Brown finished with six tackles and one missed tackle. He also conceded two receptions on five targets for 13 yards. Fangio equated Brown’s individual performance to the rest of the defense’s.

    “It was a lot like the rest of us,” Fangio said. “Some good, some bad.”

    Fangio could prioritize Epps’ experience if he decides to make a change at safety. Epps was a starter on the 2022 Eagles team that fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. He first joined the Eagles in November 2019 after he was waived by the Minnesota Vikings, the team that drafted him that year in the sixth round out of Wyoming.

    Epps spent 3½ seasons (one as a full-time starter) in his first stint in Philadelphia before moving on to the Las Vegas Raiders from 2023-24. He played just three games last season before he suffered a torn ACL.

    Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter has been dealing with a shoulder injury, which coordinator Vic Fangio acknowledged Wednesday.

    Carter still nursing shoulder injury

    Speaking of players who had some good and some bad moments against the Bears, Fangio discussed Jalen Carter.

    Carter played just 70.1% of the defensive snaps, his second-lowest share of the season. But Carter’s issues run deeper than one off game. In the locker room afterward, the 24-year-old defensive tackle said he didn’t want to get into what he has been “going through,” seeming to allude to a shoulder injury that he had been playing through earlier in the season.

    Fangio confirmed Wednesday that the ailment is still plaguing Carter.

    “He does have a shoulder issue,” Fangio said. “He’s been playing with it. Late in the game, he had a great play with it. But, yeah, it’s definitely something there.”

    The injury limited Carter’s playing time and his effectiveness on the field, especially while the Eagles conceded a season-worst 281 rushing yards. He still managed to sack Caleb Williams in the second quarter and finish the game with four tackles (including two for losses) and two batted passes.

    Before Friday’s game, Carter had played a single-season career-high 87.5% of the defensive snaps. When asked whether Carter can continue to play the high volume of snaps that he had previously been accustomed to this season, Fangio said, “We’ll see.”

  • Man and woman shot dead in Kensington murder-suicide, authorities say

    Man and woman shot dead in Kensington murder-suicide, authorities say

    A man and woman were shot and killed Wednesday afternoon in Kensington in what police believe was a murder-suicide, according to a law enforcement source who asked not to be identified to discuss an ongoing investigation.

    The two, whom police did not identify, were shot on the 3400 block of Hartville Street around 1:15 p.m., according to the department. They were pronounced dead just after 2 p.m.

    Investigators believe the man shot the woman with a shotgun, according to the police source.

    Police continue to investigate.

  • National signing day: Local high school football stars join Notre Dame, Missouri, Syracuse and more

    National signing day: Local high school football stars join Notre Dame, Missouri, Syracuse and more

    The NCAA’s early signing period began Wednesday, which means high school seniors across the nation can sign letters of intent and make their commitments to college football programs official.

    In the Philadelphia area, a number of talented recruits in the class of 2026 are heading to FBS programs.

    Eight players from the Philly area plan to join coach Fran Brown in Syracuse, while Temple coach K.C. Keeler landed nine local signees in his first full recruiting year. Amid uncertainty at Penn State, which has yet to name its next head coach, it had just two signees — and lost a four-star commitment from Coatesville linebacker Terry Wiggins.

    Here’s more about where the area’s prospects are heading:

    Top prospects

    La Salle College High School’s Joey O’Brien, a two-way star at wide receiver and cornerback, is the No. 1 player in Pennsylvania, according to 247Sports. He signed his letter of intent to Notre Dame after his commitment in June.

    The five-star pledge plans to play both positions for the Fighting Irish, and he’ll have a familiar face joining him next year in South Bend, Ind. His teammate, Grayson McKeogh, a 6-foot-8 left tackle, also made his commitment official after announcing his pledge on the same day as O’Brien.

    McKeogh, who began playing offensive tackle just last season, is considered among the best in the nation at his position in the class of 2026.

    Explorers quarterback Gavin Sidwar signed with Missouri, a school he’s been committed to since April, and tight end/linebacker John-Patrick Oates decided Wednesday to flip his pledge from James Madison to James Franklin’s Virginia Tech.

    St. Joseph’s Prep’s Alex Haskell, a 6-4 defensive tackle, initially planned to play for the Nittany Lions, but the coaching change — and “uncertainty surrounding the program,” he wrote on X — led Haskell to withdraw his pledge.

    On Oct. 22, a day after reopening his recruitment, Haskell, who’s ranked No. 10 among all players in the state, announced his commitment to Syracuse. The four-star recruit is one of the top signees in the Orange’s 2026 class.

    On Wednesday, Malvern Prep edge rusher Jackson Ford, who’s ranked No. 8 in the state, became the one of the two signees for the Nittany Lions during the early period.

    The biggest twist came when Wiggins, ranked No. 4 in the state, flipped his commitment from Penn State to sign with Virginia Tech.

    The 6-3, 210-pound linebacker made his pledge to Penn State in May, but told 247Sports on Wednesday that “me and Coach Franklin built a very strong relationship.” He added that when he visited the Hokies, “it felt like Penn State 2.0.”

    Other FBS signees

    • Imhotep Charter offensive tackle Jesse Moody to Maryland
    • Neumann Goretti tight end/defensive end Carter Bashir to Syracuse
    • Kennett Square kicker Shay Barker to Syracuse
    • Burlington Township linebacker Gemaus Sackie to Syracuse
    • Camden offensive lineman Jojo White to Syracuse
    • Camden safety Ibn Muhammad to Syracuse
    • Chester offensive tackle Shemaj Henry to Syracuse
    • Haverford School defensive tackle Walt Frazier to Syracuse
    • Chester safety Daron Harris to Temple
    • Roman Catholic receiver/defensive back Eyan Stead Jr. to Temple
    • Roman Catholic receiver Ash Roberts to Temple
    • Roman Catholic quarterback Semaj Beals to Akron
    • Lower Merion tackle/defensive tackle Kechan Miller to Temple
    • Salem defensive end/tight end Antwuan Rogers to Temple
    • Bonner-Prendergast receiver/defensive back Dylan Abram to Temple
    • Bonner-Prendie defensive lineman Chibuzo Amobi to UMass
    • Pennsauken running back Randall Blount Jr. to Temple
    • Upper Moreland punter Luke Sword to Temple
    • Penn Charter tight end Tom McGlinchey to Northwestern
    • Malvern Prep linebacker Max Mohring to Northwestern
    • Malvern Prep running back Ezekiel Bates to Minnesota
    • Winslow Township receiver Quayd Hendryx to Minnesota
    • Winslow running back Nakeem Powell to Delaware
    • Winslow receiver Nyqir Helton to North Carolina
    • Winslow cornerback Julian Peterson to North Carolina
    • Timber Creek offensive tackle Roseby Lubintus to Virginia Tech
    • Glassboro defensive lineman Brandon Simmons Jr. to Eastern Michigan
    • Springside Chestnut Hill receiver Aaron Clark to Buffalo
    • St. Joe’s Prep cornerback Simaj Hill to West Virginia
    • West Chester East offensive tackle Tyler Duell to Rutgers
    • Germantown Academy quarterback Xavier Stearn to Rutgers

  • Northeast Philly’s Franklin Mills mall is for sale

    Northeast Philly’s Franklin Mills mall is for sale

    Northeast Philadelphia’s Franklin Mall — better known by its original name, Franklin Mills — is for sale after years of plummeting valuation, occupancy, and visitor numbers.

    A listing on the website of real estate brokerage Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) includes possible uses a new owner can consider, including industrial and office development. The parcels including Sam’s Club and Walmart are not included in the sale.

    “Franklin Mall presents the opportunity to acquire meaningful control of more than 137 acres … in a densely populated location that may support additional densification and redevelopment,” the listing reads.

    The move comes amid a wave of mall sales and redevelopments in the region, with demolition and residential construction a common fate for many struggling shopping centers.

    Over 68% of Franklin Mall is occupied, which could be an incentive for continued retail operations. But sales and visitor numbers have been falling for years, and JLL reports the average existing lease lasts for only another 1.7 years.

    If a new use is sought, the mile-long, one-story structure would be difficult to repurpose.

    “I think it’s unlikely to be a shopping mall” again, said Jerry Roller, founder of the design firm JKRP and a longtime architect in Philadelphia. “What could it be? Obviously, residential. It might be a warehouse. It’s essentially a large vacant piece of land. It was fairly inexpensive when it was built, so it’s not hard to demolish.”

    The hundred acres of land that Franklin Mills sits on at the edge of Far Northeast Philadelphia is zoned for auto-oriented commercial use.

    JLL’s listing advertises the site’s suitability for industrial redevelopment.

    “The property’s infill location and highway access make it a strong candidate for redevelopment into a modern industrial facility,” the listing reads. The zoning “could provide a basis for an investor to pursue the development of up to 1.4 million square feet of new warehouse space.”

    The residential redevelopment opportunities for the site could be aided by a promised 20-year property tax abatement for the conversion or demolition of outmoded commercial buildings into housing, which Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration promises next year following enabling legislation from Harrisburg.

    But the existing zoning would not allow that, so a residential project would need to win the permission of the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment or have the land-use rules changed legislatively by Councilmember Brian O’Neill.

    The mile-long Franklin Mills mall drew Christmas-size crowds at its opening in May of 1989.

    Tribulations of a Northeast Philly icon

    The 36-year-old, 1.8-million-square-foot facility at Knights and Woodhaven Roads is the second largest mall in the Philadelphia area after King of Prussia. But while its larger cousin remains a dominant retail force, Franklin Mall has been struggling for years.

    The mall opened in 1989 to great fanfare as the largest outlet mall ever, with an iconic zigzag-shaped concourse that stretched for 1.2 miles.

    In its 1990s heyday, it attracted 20 million visitors annually. The latest numbers, provided by JLL, are 5.6 million visitors a year.

    In 2007, in retrospect near the end of Franklin Mills’ golden era, the property and the rest of the Mills Corp. was taken over by Simon Property Group, the largest mall owner in the country. The new ownership group rehabbed the property in 2014, although there were already signs Simon was distancing itself by moving Franklin Mills (renamed Philadelphia Mills) into a different balance sheet category than its core properties.

    Simon’s loan on the property had been intermittently distressed since 2012. An April 2024 report from real estate analytics firm Morningstar Credit was headlined “Legacy Philly Mall Back to Special Servicing for the Umpteenth Time.”

    Shoppers stroll through the Franklin Mills mall in 2014.

    The 2007 loan still had an outstanding balance of almost $250 million when it came to maturity in July 2024. Simon stepped away from the day-to-day operations at that time, with Philadelphia-based OPEX CRE Management appointed as receiver of the distressed property. The name was changed to Franklin Mall because Mills was trademarked by Simon.

    Last year Franklin Mall’s appraised value was $76 million, a precipitous decline from its $201 million valuation in 2012 and $370 million in 2007. According to Morningstar Credit, a new appraisal is likely in the next month.

    Full financials haven’t been publicly updated since last year, but at that time, the cash flow for the property was $9.5 million, the lowest since Simon took over in 2007. That’s down from 2019, when cash flow was $17.5 million, according to Morningstar, and from $11 million in 2022.

    According to Morningstar, the latest reports from the special servicer for the property, Greystone Servicing Co., say cash flow is even lower this year and occupancy has fallen to 65.4%.

    Possible reuses for Franklin Mills

    Franklin Mall’s for-sale status comes as some old-school regional shopping destinations are declining.

    While some of its counterparts like King of Prussia and the Cherry Hill Mall are still thriving, there has been a wave of sales and redevelopments of area malls as the nature of retail evolves.

    Some ailing malls have been purchased on the cheap, allowing their new owners to reinvest and refurbish the property in its previous mold.

    “In terms of using the buildings that are there, it’s a challenge because they are generally big box retail, and they’ve got a center mall, which is completely out of fashion,” Roller said. “Could somebody, if they had the right tenants, recreate the mall? Turn it inside out, open the thing up?”

    “Maybe it’s possible,” Roller said. But “I don’t see a lot of uses for the buildings that are there right now.”

    The redevelopment of Exton Square Mall is in legal limbo.

    When regional malls are redeveloped, more commonly, the retail options are reduced with much of the old structure demolished. Diverse new uses often take a faded shopping center’s place.

    Two weeks ago, the sale of Plymouth Meeting Mall was announced with the new owner planning residential development. The contentious redevelopment of the Exton Square Mall would also see a burst of residential development and expanded healthcare options — if the owner can win a lawsuit against the township.

    In New Jersey, the Echelon, Moorestown, and Burlington Center malls have or are going through a variety of demolition and redevelopment options. The commonality is that residential building is a part of all three plans.

    At Franklin Mall, redevelopment would likely require demolition of the existing building.

    “Ultimately, it may just be a piece of land” for sale, said Roller.

    JLL’s listing, however, pitches the property as either redevelopment or continued mall use.

    “This offering presents prospective purchasers with the opportunity to acquire a strategically positioned super regional shopping center with significant upside potential and/or redevelopment opportunity,” it reads.

    JLL’s managing directors on the sale are John Plower, David Monahan, and Jim Galbally.