THIS EAGLES TEAM IS POISED FOR GREATNESS
Before this post season started I firmly stated that the Eagles would breeze through the post season 4-0.
I simply thought that they were the best team over the past 4 months in the NFL. No glaring weaknesses and so much player development on both sides of the ball.
What I have recognized, and what all great teams can do is they can beat you in so many different ways.
They can run it better than anyone. They can take the ball away better than anyone and not turn it over, evidence that they have 10 takeaways in the postseason and have yet to come close to turning it over.
They can stop the run and defend the pass as well as anyone.
And when the game gets tight, they have guys who can close the game out like Jalen Carter did in
the finale against the Rams It’s been 21 long weeks thus far.
Since the all-important week five bye week this team has evolved from one that turned the ball over too often and had not set the defense the way they play now.
Jalen is a completely di erent QB since the Bye. Except for the week 16 loss to the Commanders, whereby he was concussed in the first quarter, he has gone 13-0, and has thrown 18 interceptions against 1 interception.
He has learned how costly it is to turn the ball over and while some fans want more passing yards and more passing attempts, he knows not to take too many chances with the ball.
I have not seen an o ensive
line this good in many years. No one has the size and athletic ability of this group since I don’t know when. They are very consistent and they can move bodies, big bodies, better than anyone. They make very few mistakes and can dominate in many ways.
In their first playo game against the Packers, Jalen threw a TD pass to Jahan Dotson and held the ball for almost 7 seconds.
It felt like 15 seconds, but the point is the OL near kept a clock in their heads and Jalen stayed in the pocket long enough to find a Dotson who uncovered in the back of the end zone.
Against Washington in the NFC Championship game the remarkable Saquon became even more remarkable by going 60 yards for a TD on their first play
from scrimmage. When that happened it removed any jitters that any player or coach might have had. They proceeded to do anything they wanted thereafter.
In the Super Bowl 2 years ago in Arizona I thought the Birds were a better team than the Chiefs. They went into the locker room at halftime up 10 points and they couldn’t put the Chiefs away in the second half.
The Chiefs are largely the same team they saw that day. Yes they have added some receivers that give the o ense a little more pop but otherwise they look pretty similar. The Birds know that they will be very well prepared and just as they did against Bu alo in the AFC Championship game.
They will have some new for-
BRIAN BALDINGER ON THE EAGLES
EAGLES HEAD TO NEW ORLEANS WITH A FULL HEAD OF STEAM
PHOTO BY TERENCE LEWIS
RHurts on playing Kansas City in New Orleans: “We have to beat a great football team to win the Super Bowl. That’s the task at hand.”
unning back Saquon Barkley took the pitch left from quarterback Jalen Hurts and as the o ensive line crushed the edge and Barkley picked up a block on the outside, he broke into the clear, spun away from a couple of defenders and ended up in the end zone 60 yards later.
Start the party.
The Philadelphia Eagles destroyed the Washing-
BY DAVE SPADARO
ton Commanders on this day, 55-23, winning their second NFC Championship Game in three seasons and earning a spot in Super Bowl LIX against the two-time defending champions, Kansas City.
The journey continues for an Eagles team that has done a 180-degree turn from 12 months ago, when the
2023 season ended with an ugly playo loss to Tampa Bay amid questions about head coach Nick Sirianni’s future.
Now the future is here and Sirianni has steered the Eagles to 15 wins in their last 16 games as they head into the Super Bowl rematch against the Chiefs, a team that seeks its third straight World Championship.
“This game is about overcoming adversity. There are going to be good plays in the game and there are going to be bad plays in the game. There will be good moments in a season and bad moments in a season,” Sirianni said. “It’s about
overcoming and embracing the adversity because really what we’ve talked about as a team is like adversity-- we’ve all had to have adversity to be in this moment where we are right now, so adversity is what makes you who you are.
“It’s been the story of the 2023 to the 2024 Eagles. As bad of a feeling we had about how last year ended, I think it makes you who you are. These guys are hungry, and we’ve got one more to go.”
Following that playo loss to Tampa Bay, the Eagles went about upgrading for 2024.
Jalen
EAGLES AMAZING DEFENSIVE TACKLE, JALEN CARTER
The Rams had the football on the Eagles 14-yard line with the Birds defense protecting a six-point lead against the NFC West Division Champs. The loser was going home and the winner would play in the NFC Championship game the following week.
With a packed house at Lincoln Financial Field, the Eagles were trying to sop the Rams from scoring with a minute and 14 seconds left to go in the
BY GARRY 'G' COBB
playo game.
On third-down and two, Eagles All-Pro defensive tackle Jalen Carter came o the ball and faked like he was going to run a pass rush game with one of his defensive line teammates to his right.
The fake made Rams center Beaux Limmer think that Carter was going to continue to his right (Limmer’s left), so the rookie looked to his left and took his eyes o Carter for a split-second.
The talented defensive tackle did a quick arm over on the young center as he came back to his left (Limmer’s right), then exploded through the open gap in the Rams o ensive line.
He made a B-line for Rams quarterback, Matthew Sta ord, and all the veteran signal caller could do was duck, as the 305-pound defensive tackle approached.
You couldn’t over-emphasize the importance of the play because this quarterback sack by Carter, put the Rams in a fourth and 11 situation with only 31 seconds to go in the game.
On the fourth down play, Carter repeated his move of faking to his right against the rookie center and again Limmer took the fake, hook line and sinker. For the
second time in a row, Carter was turned loose on the talented Rams quarterback.
The veteran QB threw the ball as quickly as he could in the direction of his favorite target, wide receiver Puka Nacua.
Unfortunately for the Sean McVay coached-squad, the ball sailed high over the receiver’s head and out of bounds.
The errant throw helped the Eagles secure their spot in the NFC Championship game and the Rams season was all over. Carter, the second-year defensive tackle had taken over the game and ended any chances the Rams had of coming back.
Before these key plays at the end of the game, Carter made a huge play at the start
PHOTO BY TERENCE LEWIS
Jalen Carter gets to Matthew Sta ord in the Eagles win over the Rams in the Divisional round of the playo s.
EAGLES CHASE FOR GREATNESS HEADS FOR THE HOME STRETCH
BY AL THOMPSON
The start to the Philadelphia Eagles season left a lot to be desired. The Birds started out having to board a plane to São Paulo, a ten-hour flight to play their league opener against the Green Bay Packers.
The Eagles won a turnover-plagued, poorly defended game 34-29.
Jalen Hurts threw two interceptions, fumbled twice, losing one during the game.
Things unraveled for the Birds over the next few weeks.
Philadelphia would go on to lose two
of the next three games including a 33-16 debacle to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Eagles were missing three key players but regardless, at the time, there were more questions than answers.
The first break these guys got was that their Bye week came right after the Bucs loss.
Head coach Nick Sirianni, still smarting from the collapse of 2023, used the bye to reboot his coordinators, himself and his players in a way rarely seen in pro sports.
Here is a look back on the NFC Championship game against the once red hot Washington Commanders and their brilliant rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.
See how Sirianni turned a turnover-plagued o ense to a clean one and a turnover-challenged defense into a turnover machine.
The Eagles were a plus-eleven during the regular season and now in just three playo games, the defense is a plus-ten with turnovers.
SLOW STARTS? NOT THIS TIME
The Eagles have been criticized for slow starts this season. Getting o to a slow start against the red hot Washington Commanders in the NFC championship and their talented rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels could be disastrous.
Daniels’ late heroics produced the only
loss for the Birds over the last 15 games going into Sunday’s conference championship.
On the game’s first drive, the Eagles up a Zane Gonzalez 34-yard field goal that capped an 18-play, 54 yard drive that featured two fourth down conversions.
It took just one play, a 60-yard bolt to the end zone by All Pro Saquon Barkley, to put the home team up 7-3 with 7:39 left in the first quarter.
The Eagles never looked back. The game was close for most of the first half.
The Commanders were a two-point conversion from tying the score with 7:05 left in the first half.
PHOTO BY TERENCE LEWIS
Saquon Barkley rushed for 205 yards against the Rams, setting a franchise record.
PHOTO BY TERENCE LEWIS
Jalen Hurts has been outstanding the entire postseason.
The attempt failed and the Eagles went on to take advantage of four Washington turnovers and end up crushing the Commanders 55-23 and punch their ticket to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans February 9, 2025 against the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs.
This will be the Eagles second trip to the Super Bowl in three years and a rematch between these two teams.
Jalen Hurts, who was sensational Sunday going 20 of 28 for 246 yards accounting four touchdowns (three rush, one run) was asked to look back on his first Super Bowl and talk about what lessons he is taking with him to the Big Easy.
“Hard to say right now, Hard to say right now,” Hurts said at his postgame press conference. “I just think you have to give a ton of gratitude. These are my personal testimonies, and I know my personal perspective is not always a reflection of what is most important to the team and what we’re trying to do as a team because every team is di erent.
“So then clearly, as a team, the mission is to go take advantage of the opportunities we present ourselves with. But also I have my history and the things that I’ve experienced that I can use as tools to help those around me and help myself.
“And so a lot of this stu is presented to us, and we all have that plateau to learn from all of our experiences. And a lot of guys that have not experienced some of these things got a lot of guys that, from these Georgia guys that have made a big impact on our team, to the young defensive backs that we’ve had.
“And not everyone was a part of that, but that’s why everyone, that’s why every team is di erent, and every year is new. So there’s been a sense of togetherness for us to all come together and try to achieve the ultimate team goal. And we’ve done a great job of that to this point of being able to put ourselves in this position.”
GAME WAS CLOSE FOR MOST OF THE FIRST HALF
After Barkley’s first touchdown, the Commanders took over at their own 27yard line.
Like they did for most of the game, The Commanders moved the ball well. But on the fourth play of this drive, Daniels hit Dyami Brown with a six-
yard pass to the right.
He was met with ill humor by linebacker Zack Baun and safety Cooper DeJean.
Baun was able to punch the ball from Brown’s hands, causing a fumble that safety Reed Blankenship recovered at the Washington 48.
Hurts was methodical hitting tight end Dallas Goedert for a 10-yard gain, then wide receiver DeVonta Smith for 20 yards, then A.J. Brown for 11 yards.
Barkley finished o the drive with a four-yard run to the end zone to make the score 14-3.
The Commanders made the score 1412 on a 36-yard touchdown pass from Daniels to Terry McLaurin with 7:15 to go in the first half. The two-point conversion failed.
That’s as close as the visitors got all day.
The Eagles made it 20-12 after a 12play, 72-yard drive ended with a tush push one-yard TD. The two-point conversion failed.
The Commanders would commit a turnover on the ensuing kick when Jeremy McNichols fumbled after getting hit by Eagles Will Shipley. The ball was recovered by Kenneth Gainwell at the Commanders 24-yard line.
Hurts finished the drive with a fouryard touchdown pass to A.J. Brown making the score 27-12 with 39 seconds left in the half.
Daniels showed again he could move the ball on the Birds with a five-play, 46-yard drive that ended with a 42-yard field goal. The score was 27-15 at the half.
All Pro linebacker Baun talked about the keys to getting these wins.
“Keep taking the ball away and playing complimentary football,” said Baun, who led the game with 12 tackles (eight solo). “I think the last game we played them they beat in the special teams battle and that really influenced the game.... and not take your foot o the gas.”
Baun elaborated on the value of complimentary football.
“The o ense was really clicking today,” Baun said. “I think that was the main point of [complimentary football]. Complimentary football is when we get a takeaway.
O ense takes advantage of the situation we put them in as well as special teams...winning the field position is huge.”
PHOTO BY AL THOMPSON
Cam Jurgens at his locker after winning the NFC Championship. The Pro Bowl center did not start because of back issues but was pressed into duty after Landon Dickerson, who started at center for Jurgens, had to leave the game with a knee injury at the half.
PHOTO BY AL THOMPSON
Former Eagles tight end Zach Ertz, now with the Commanders, caught 11 passes for 104 yards in defeat.
ROSEMAN DRIVEN BY THE SLINGS AND ARROWS OF HIS PAST
BY PAUL DOMOWITCH
Howie Roseman has a chip on his shoulder the size of the Rocky statue.
Even after winning the NFL Executive of the Year award in 2017 and again in 2022 and finishing a very close second to Lions GM Brad Holmes this year, even with his team about to make its third Super Bowl appearance in the last eight years, the chip ain’t going away anytime soon.
When you’ve dealt with the lack of respect from your peers and the media that Roseman has over much of his career, well, you never forget the way people treated you and talked about you.
I realized that seven years ago as I passed Roseman on the way out of the Eagles’ locker room at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis following the Birds’ 4133 win over Tom Brady’s New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
It was 90 minutes after the game and Howie clearly had had his fair share of victory champagne. Without breaking stride, he looked in my direction and said, “You can’t rip me anymore. We won the Super Bowl.”
That’s when I really realized how deep the scars ran from all of those years of being regarded – or rather disregarded -as a “non-football guy.” In the moment of his greatest triumph, all he could think about was the people who had disparaged him along the way.
The fact that Howie never played organized football shouldn’t necessarily have been a mark against him. But it was.
While other sports like baseball and basketball long ago opened their arms and front-o ces to numbers geeks and lawyers and others with limited or no playing experience, football was, for many years, di erent.
The evolution and popularity of analytics has changed that to a certain degree. But there still are a lot of football people who sneer at guys like Roseman who “never played the game.’’
“You can’t control that narrative,’’ Roseman told me several years ago.
“When you look at it, running a team
PHOTO BY ANDY LEWIS
and making decisions, you’ve got to get a lot of information.
“I’ve been very fortunate to be around a lot of good people who did play, who did take the time to sit down and talk about what they’re looking for in the position. The only way to answer all of those questions (about his ability) is to put together a good team and win.”
Roseman has done that. Not once, not
twice, but three times now. A man who just 10 years ago was demoted by Je rey Lurie after losing a power struggle to then head coach Chip Kelly, now is one of the most respected front-o ce czars in the NFL.
Perfect? No. His 2020 decision to take Jalen Reagor over Justin Je erson will live in infamy. But evaluating football flesh is an imperfect science. Every scout
and personnel executive makes mistakes. The key is keeping them to a minimum. And he has.
The job he did building the Eagles team that will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX on February 9 has been absolutely remarkable. Frankly, he got robbed when the PFWA gave the Executive of the Year award to Holmes for the
Howie Roseman has survived early challenges to build three Super Bowl rosters.
TWELVE-TEAM COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT IS IN THE BOOKSHOW DID IT DO?
Congratulations, college football fans, we’ve made it through the first 12-team College Football Playo at the FBS level and the Ohio State University claimed the championship, defeating Notre Dame 34 to 23. It’s the ninth national title for the Buckeyes in school history. Certainly, something that should be done after the first year is evaluation, what worked? What didn’t work? I was a big fan of the four-team format but obviously with all the money out there, the powers that be, made the change to 12 teams.
BY ROCK HOFFMAN COLLEGE FOOTBALL EDITOR
It was a rather unique format, with the four highest rated conference champions getting byes in the first round of the playo s, advancing to the bowl game round, if you will.
That led to a bit of controversy (stunning, I know) because there were a couple teams that weren’t the highest ranked overall (Arizona State and Boise State) receiving those byes.
With Clemson capturing the ACC and being ranked even lower, it allowed a Group of Five team – Boise State – to get
a bye. It’s likely that’s not going to happen most years, but this year it did. Go figure.
However, I join the chorus of people that don’t like that element of the tournament. Obviously, the conference champions deserve to be in the 12-team field but not necessarily with a first-round bye. The committee should just seed the teams one through 12 and let the chips fall where they may.
There’s already talk for 2026 of expanding to 14 teams, which to me doesn’t make sense if you’re going to expand, just make it 16.
Based on this year’s rankings, Alabama and Miami would have been those two extra teams to get in had it been a 14team tournament. Alabama made a lot of noise about not getting into the playo s, but you know what?
The first teams out always make a lot
of noise. This year, 37 teams will get at large bids to the Men’s and Women’s college basketball tournaments - March Madness. Do you think teams 38, 39, and 40 are going to just happily march o to the NIT?
No, they’re going to say we should have been one of those 37 teams. If it were a 14-team tournament this year, Ole Miss, South Carolina and BYU would say, ‘how come them, and not us?’ That’s just the nature of the beast. No matter how many teams.
As far as the tournament itself, the byes turned out to be worthless as all four of them lost to teams that played first-round games at home.
Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas and Penn State won to build momentum that carried them all on to the semifinals. Again, that won’t be the case every year but those teams that played home games in the playo s in the first round had the advantage over the teams that won their conference championship games then had a couple weeks o before they played a Bowl game at a neutral site
Looking at all the college football playo s this year. At the FCS level, home teams were 20 and 2. Division II was odd, with the home team going just 14 and 12, at Division III, it was 29 and 9 for the home team.
Overall, home teams won about 75% of those games, that’s a huge advantage. Is it an outlier? We don’t. This is only the first year of the format, things will change.
I looked at the NFL playo s, which had seven teams per conference format for five years now.
It started out with home teams going six and six in the first year, then seven and five followed by nine and three, the next two years.
This past season, home teams were nine and two, with the one game being a neutral site because of the California wildfires. In the last three years, home teams have. 77 percent of home playo games For now, we’ll just have to wait to see how things change because with college football, things will change. ••
PHOTO BY BOBAK HA’ERI - WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Former Footballstories Player of the Year (SEPA) was named MVP of the College playo tournament.
PHOTO BY AL THOMPSON
Former LaSalle College High School standout linebacker Abdul Carter led Penn State to a semi-final spot.
FIELD
FOOTBALLSTORIES FINAL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RANKINGS FOR 2024
Footballstories urges players across the Delaware Valley to play fair and clean.
Please be aware that there are many social media accounts that are recruiting young people to enter the dark side of steroid use.Listen to your parents, coaches and teachers for guidance.
SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA
TOP 20
1. St. Joe’s Prep (11-2)Won PIAA 6A Championship
2. Bonner/Prendie (12-2)Won PIAA 4A Championship
3. LaSalle (10-1)
4. Roman Catholic (11-5)PIAA 5A Runner up
5. Downingtown West (13-2)
6. Imhotep Institute (11-2)
7. North Penn (11-3)
8. Central Bucks South (12-1)
9. Malvern Prep (8-2)
10. Bayard Rustin (13-2)
11. Springfield (12-2)
12. Garnet Valley (9-4)
13. Central Bucks West (10-3)
14. Haverford (11-2)
15. Pope John Paul II (Royersford) (12-2)
16. Phoenixville (9-2)
17. Chester (10-2)
18. Strath Haven (10-2)
19. Plymouth Whitemarsh (9-3)
20. Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (8-2)
(Above)Camden’s Haleem Muhammad (TE/DE) helped the Panthers forge a 9-3 record in 2024.
PHOTO
(Left) Imhotep Institute running back Jabree Wallace-Coleman has committed to playing college football for Penn State.
20. Bishop Shanahan (8-3)
20. Haverford School (7-3)
ALSO HAVING GOOD SEASONS: Ridley (7-5), Neshaminy (6-5), Owen J. Roberts (9-3), Perkiomen Valley (7-4), Marple Newtown (8-4), William Penn Charter (7-3), Souderton (7-4), Downingtown East (6-5-1), Plymouth Whitemarsh (9-3), West Philadelphia (7-4).
Player of the Year: Noel Campbell jr QB Bonner/Prendie
PHOTO BY JESSE GARBER
Running back Josiah Coleman helped North Penn earn an 11-3 record and a No. 7 final ranking.
PHOTO BY AL THOMPSON
BY AL THOMPSON
DELAWARE TOP 10
1. Caravel (13-0) DIAA 2A Champions
2. Middletown (11-2) DIAA 3A Champions
3. Salesianum (11-2)
4. Sussex Central (9-3)
5. Appoquinimink (7-4)
6. Indian River (12-1) DIAA 1A Champions
6. Howard (9-4)
8. Red Lion Christian Academy (8-4).
9. Woodbridge (8-4)
10. Tatnall (12-1)
10. Delmar (9-2)
10. Archmere Academy (8-2)
10. Hodgson Vo-Tech (5-6)
HONORABLE MENTION: Smyrna (56), Cape Henlopen (5-6), Polytech (9-3), St. George’s Tech (6-6), Delaware Military Academy (5-5), Lake Forest-felton (6-5).
Player of the Year: Malik Bell, RB Sussex Central ••
For questions - corrections email al.thompson@footballstories.com
SOUTH JERSEY TOP 20
1. Winslow Township (14-0) won NJSIAA Group 4 Championship
2. Hun School (9-1)
3. Glassboro (13-0) won NJSIAA Group 1 Championship
4. Millville (10-3)
5. Holy Spirit (9-2)
6. Washington Township (10-3)
7. Mainland (10-3)
8. Camden (9-3)
9. Rancocas Valley (9-3)
10. Shawnee (9-4)
11. Kingsway (8-3)
12. St. Augustine (7-4)
13. Paul VI (8-3)
14. Atlantic City (8-3)
15. Woodstown (11-2)
16. Seneca (8-4)
17. Delsea (5-7)
18. Camden Catholic (9-2)
19. Burlington Township (8-2)
20. Cedar Creek (8-3)
20. Schalick (8-4)
20. Lawrenceville (7-2)
20. Hopewell Valley (10-1)
DESERVES A LOOK: Willingboro (7-4), Cherokee (5-6), Haddonfield (7-4), Oakcrest (6-4), Pennsauken (6-3), Cherry Hill East (9-1), Delran (9-2), Ocean City (6-5).
Player of the Year: Lotzeir
PHOTO BY AL THOMPSON
Wide receiver Cam Miller helped Winslow Township with a state title.
PHOTO BY JESSIE GARBER
Running back Kaden Kube of Central Bucks South.
Brooks WR Millville.
LONG TIME NESHAMINY FOOTBALL
COACH SAYS GOODBYE WITH A LETTER
Neshaminy’s Steve Wilmot calls it a career after 30 years coaching football at the Bucks County School
EAGLES OWNED THE SECOND HALF SO MUCH THEY WERE NEARLY AWARDED A TOUCHDOWN
Cam Jurgens did not start the game at center. The Pro Bowler was dealing with back issues.
Fellow Pro Bowler and All American center from Alabama Landon Dickerson started in his place. Tyler Steen started at left guard.
But Jurgens ended up playing the second half after Dickerson had to leave with a knee injury early in the second half. Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell was also taken out of the game with concussion symptoms.
Jurgens played well and the Birds piled on score after score. The home team outscored The Commanders 28-8 in the second half.
The Birds were 5 of 10 on third down and one for one on fourth down conversions. Two of Hurts’ touchdowns came from a one-yard “Tush push.” Several of the third down conversions with the Eagles now legendary quarterback sneak that is virtually unstoppable.
The Eagles had a first and goal from the one with 13:43 left in the fourth. The score was 34-23. Desperation time it seemed for Washington.
Knowing they weren’t stopping the “Philly Shove,” defensive coordinator Joe Whitt, Jr. tried something di erent.
Why not? A trip to the Super Bowl was on the line.
Defensive tackle Jonathon Allen and linebacker Frankie Luvu each took turns intentionally trying to draw false start penalties in an apparent e ort to either time the instant Jurgens snapped the ball and break up the play or simply hope to cause an Eagles mistake.
They knew the penalty was minimal… half the distance to the goal…from the one yard line? According to the law of physics, the Commanders could do this for eternity and the o ense would never score.
But there is a new rule in place where the referees can award a touchdown to the o ense it the o cials
Referee Shawn Hochuli started to warn the Commanders that these intentional penalties needed to stop. After the fourth penalty, the refs had seen enough.
“Encroachment, defense No. 93,” Hochuli said. “Washington has been advised
that at some point the referee can award a score if this type of behavior happens again.”
The Eagles scored on the next play to go up 41-23. Game-set-match at that point.
After the game, Jurgens seemed stunned that they almost had an NFL-first awarded touchdown.
“Is that what they said?” Jurgens said in amazement at his locker after the game. “I didn’t hear that.”
When told the incident and call by the referees was real and it was a change in the rules sparked by a similar tactic done by Von Miller in a big game several years ago, Jurgens said he didn’t hear what the referee said to the Commanders bench over the public address system simply because he was so focused on the play at hand.
“I said it earlier...when Lane went up on the conference (call) the other day...He said emotions don’t win games, talk don’t win games...execution wins games...they were talking, they were all fired up...we
PHOTO BY ANDY LEWIS
Saquon Barkley as well as all of Eagles Nation hope Pro Bowl guard Landon Dickerson (top) will be ready for the Super Bowl. Dickerson injured his knee in the first half of the NFC title game. Head coach Nick Sirianni said at his Tuesday press conference he believed he would be ready.
PHOTO BY TERENCE LEWIS
The Eagles defense went from worst to first since the start of the season and are the No. 1 reason they are in the Super Bowl.
of the fourth quarter when he approached Rams running back Kyron Williams, who was running through a hole in the middle of the Eagles defense. The defensive tackle and former first round pick of the Birds, caused a fumble by punching the football out of Williams grasp. The ball was picked up by his Birds teammate, cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, who subsequently raced down the sidelines until he reached the 10-yard line of the Rams.
The play set the Birds o ense up in excellent scoring position and they were able to get a field goal out of the turnover.
Earlier in the game, Carter had sacked Sta ord with another great pass rush move and held the quarterback up in his arms like the signal caller was a little toddler.
The Rams were throwing the ball to their receivers on short routes because they knew how di cult it was to keep the Birds young defensive tackle o their quarterback.
Although Carter’s regular season stats (25 solo tackles, 4.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles) weren’t very impressive, they don’t tell the story of how important he is to the
Philadelphia Eagles football team.
Most of the time Carter is double-teamed by the opposing o ensive lines. They do everything they can to stop him, but they still haven’t been able to prevent him from making a huge impact on the game.
Many times he’s able to diagnose the play that the o ense is getting ready to run based on the stances of the opposing o ensive linemen. We’ve seen him identify a guard, who is getting ready to pull therefore broadcasting the play that they’re getting ready to run.
He knows when the opponents are passing and when they’re running the football.
We’ve seen him beat double-teams and get pressure on the quarterback. He’s able to be a factor even when he’s double-teamed because he will stop at the line of scrimmage, then jump up and knock down passes. The young man has done that numerous times.
Carter gets penetration against running plays and makes tackles in the backfield. Many times he occupies numerous blockers thereby freeing up his teammates to make the tackle on ball carriers.
He’s been known to split a double-team and get through the blockers in order to make the tackle on the ball carrier. He is an amazing football player because he’s such a smart player in just his second-season.
The sky is is the limit for this second-year
defensive tackle who played for University of Georgia, which has been dominating college football in the last six or seven years. He was an amazing player in college and it seems that he’s even better at the pro level
PHOTO BY ANDY LEWIS
Jalen Carter has become one of the premier defensive tackles in the game.
because of his ability to use his football intelligence against his opponents.
Carter isn’t just a big, physical defensive tackle. He’s much more than that. He’s an amazing athlete with tremendous quickness, power and athleticism.
Like I said before, he’s able to decipher details about the o ensive line and make plays in the backfield. Carter knows when to take chances and go for a big play. He’s Irreplaceable in the middle of the Eagles defense.
The young man fell to the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.
The Birds were able to get him with the ninth pick in the first round of the draft, despite the fact that many NFL General Managers had been contemplating selecting him with the first pick in the first round of the draft.
Unfortunately, the young defensive tackle from Georgia had been involved in a racing accident that had cost two lives; one of his college football teammates and a young lady, who was a member of the Georgia football sta .
This tragedy made some teams drop
Carter o their draft boards and some dropped him totally o their draft boards all together.
Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman and crew took their time, looked closely into the disaster and examined Carter’s behavior.
They went down to the University of Georgia and talked to numerous people who know and have known the young defensive tackle. They came to the conclusion that this youngster clearly made a serious mistake, but that he was a young man who would learn from his error and not do it again.
This situation brings back some painful memories for me. I remember playing on the Eagles with Jerome Brown, an amazing young Pro Bowl defensive tackle, who loved to drive fast in his automobiles.
Unfortunately, early in Jerome’s NFL career, he died in a car that turned upside down and fell on him and his nephew, who was in the passenger seat. He was driving fast in a heavy rain and he lost control of the vehicle.
I went to his funeral down in Florida, alongside numerous members of a great Eagles team. We are all hoping Carter doesn’t make that same mistake.
So far, the young man has been free from any o the field problems, but he has been a headache for o ensive coaches throughout the National Football League.
Birds fans are loudly singing the praises of Roseman for trusting Carter’s character and drafting him with that first round pick. ••
How well Jalen Carter plays will likely determine who wins the Super Bowl February 9, 2025 in New Orleans.
Sat., Jan. 12; NFC Wild Card Playo Green Bay Packers W 22-10 Sunday, Jan. 19 –Eagles defeat the LA Rams 28-22. Sunday, Jan.26 –Eagles defeat Washington Commanders ... 55-23. Sunday, Feb. 9 –Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, LA (FOX) All games will be broadcast live on 94.1 WIP
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2024 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES SCHEDULE
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EAGLES FLY THROUGH THE PLAYOFFSTO THE SUPER BOWL
ACTION PHOTOS BY TERENCE LEWIS / LOCKER PHOTOS BY AL THOMPSON
FOOTBALLSTORIES SUPER BOWL PREVIEW
The dust from Championship weekend has finally settled and we now turn our sights to Super Bowl LIX and rematch from two years ago as the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs are set to square o in New Orleans on February 9.
BY MATT SANTOLERI
There are a lot of familiar faces from that classic game in which the Chiefs won 38-35 but plenty of new ones on both sidelines that could dramatically shape the outcome this time around.
Let’s dive in:
HOW DID THE EAGLES GET HERE?
The Philadelphia Eagles magical run to the Super Bowl began in the o -season, a much-needed reprieve from the horrors they faced to close out the 2023 season.
Franchise greats, and fan favorites, DT Fletcher Cox and C
Jason Kelce hanging up their cleats seemed like a bad omen for their ability to turn it around, yet here we are.
Fresh faces on the sidelines with OC Kellen Moore and DC Vic Fangio, along with impact acquisitions on the field like RB Saquon Barkley, LB Zack Baun, and the rookie tandem of CB’s Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, have the Eagles soaring high once again.
HC Nick Sirianni is entering his 4th year at the helm and will be coaching in his 2nd Super Bowl, something only Joe Gibbs and Mike Tomlin can ever say they have done in the NFL during that short time span.
To say the Sirianni experience has been polarizing would be underselling the levels of hot takes that flooded the Philly airwaves and water cooler conversations alike over these same four years.
Something that could also be said about QB Jalen Hurts who has earned the distinction of leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl twice in his career, something no other QB in franchise history could say.
While sports will always remain a debatable forum, one thing cannot be argued against and that is the strength of these individuals lies in the results, and last time I checked, we are a results-based industry.
Those results have certainly been helped by those previously mentioned new additions with
the head that wears a crown" but for this group that has the chance to win their NFL record third Super Bowl in a row, they look pretty comfortable.
QB Patrick Mahomes isn’t putting up the gaudy stats that we are used to seeing, but like the QB on the opposing team they’ll be squaring o against, he finds ways to simply just win games.
This was evident by the way they failed to score more than 30 points in any games this season until last week’s AFC Championship game and still only carry one loss on the year, besides a blowout loss in the regular season finale which featured all backups for KC.
10 straight playo berths, 9 straight AFC West titles, and 7 consecutive AFC Championship game appearances tell the story of a franchise that simply has picked up where the Brady and Belichick led Patriots left o in conference domination.
The story this time around though hasn’t been guided as much by Mahomes and HC Andy Reid’s o ensive genius, yet a stout and opportunistic defense helmed by longtime DC Steve Spagnuolo which held opposing teams to 18.3 PPG (minus that Week 18 matchup) but including the playo s.
Barkley becoming the best offensive weapon in the NFL and Fangio putting hand picked pieces like Baun, and rookie defensive backs alike, in a scheme that showcases their best talents.
The Eagles are threats to win games in many ways and finding those ways is a specialty of this group.
The exact type of team you hate to see on the opposing team’s sideline.
HOW DID THE CHIEFS GET HERE?
Shakespeare said “Uneasy lies
All-Pro’s DT Chris Jones and CB Trent McDu e have been big time playmakers along with MLB Nick Bolton and DE George Karlaftis III, who have all been in KC for the past two SB runs and are hungry for that third.
The dormant o ense from the first half of the season seems to be a thing of the past as well as they have turned a corner averaging 26.4 PPG over their last 5 meaningful games including playo s, getting hot at exactly the right time.
PHOTOS BY ANDY LEWIS
Eagles defenders will be chasing again, just like they did in 2023.
Jalen Hurts and Lane Johnson will be back going for the Lombari again.
Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert goes for a ball in the 2023 Super Bowl.
PHOTO BY TERENCE LEWIS
Instead of firing Sirianni, they kept him and improved around him with the additions of Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator and Kellen Moore as o ensive coordinator.
Instead of tearing apart the roster, the Eagles approached free agency aggressively, signing more than a dozen players including Barkley, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, linebacker Zack Baun, o ensive lineman Mekhi Becton and linebacker Oren Burks.
In the NFL Draft, the Eagles stayed put in Rounds 1 and 2 and selected cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, respectively.
The first four games of the season were split, 2-2, but from that point on the Eagles were almost unstoppable.
The only loss in the 16 games after the bye week came when Hurts su ered a concussion in the first quarter of a loss at Washington.
Otherwise, dominance.
“We’re a confident team, we’re
a mature team and we know what it takes to win. When one side of the ball hasn’t been at its best, the other side has picked it up,” All-Pro and Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson said. “That’s how you win football games week after week. We have depth. We believe in each other. You minimize mistakes and that’s how you win in the NFL and that’s what we’ve done.”
Of everything that has happened this season with the Eagles – Barkley’s magical run to 2,000 yards (and counting!), the way the newlook o ensive line has matured, the rise to No. 1 statistically for the defense with Baun coming from nowhere to All-Pro and finalist for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, to the rookie cornerbacks making an instant impact – nothing speaks more to the success of the Eagles than the way they’ve controlled the turnover story.
When the team was 2-2 at the bye week, the Eagles were at minus-6 in turnover ratio.
They then went plus-17 through
the remainder of the regular season to finish at plus-11 after 17 games, and they have been at plus-10 with zero giveaways and 10 takeaways in the three postseason victories over Green Bay, Los Angeles and Washington.
“When you aren’t turning the ball over and you’re taking it away on defense, you are going to win games,” defensive tackle Jalen Carter said. “That’s what we’re trying to do on defense – we’re all out there looking for the football.”
The Eagles also have been great at scoring after takeaways – they were third in the NFL in points o turnovers during the regular season and followed suit in the playo s, including 28 points from their four takeaways against Washington.
“Make it hurt. That’s the goal,” wide receiver A.J. Brown said.
Now it’s on to Super Bowl LIX and a rematch against the Chiefs, who are trying to win an unprecedented third Super Bowl in a row.
Some of the names are familiar:
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, defensive tackle Chris Jones, the coaching sta led by Andy Reid. Kansas City went 15-2 during the regular season, outscoring their opponents by only 59 points (the Eagles, by comparison, scored 160 more points than their opponents in the regular season).
The Chiefs play sound, disciplined football and the Eagles understand that to win on February 9, they have to play as perfect a football game as can be played: No giveaways, touchdowns in the red zone, good tackling, outstanding preparation against a blitz-heavy defense and the understanding that Kansas City will not beat itself.
Never, ever beat itself.
“To be in this position, one win away from a World Championship, it’s on us as it’s been the entire season,” Hurts said. “When you have this moment, you have to rise to the occasion and that is what we are preparing to do. We have to beat a great football team to win the Super Bowl. That’s the task at hand.” ••
PHOTO FROM THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Saquon Barkley has been a force since day one.
Brian wants you to train in such a way that translates most e ectively to your performance on the
MAKE GOOD PLANS FOR OFFSEASON TRAINING
It’s the o season… are you on or are you o ?
If you play high school ball, your season probably ended a couple months ago. College… you may have had a playo game or made it to a bowl. Pros?? At the time of this writing, we are still waiting to see who will make it to the Superdome. Regardless, there is a point when the regular season ends, and the work begins. O season work.
There is a quote by an unknown author that
muscle mass.
Although that’s not a bad thing and being our strongest is vital to the sport, you don’t necessarily need to be the biggest to be the best. Your strength, size and weight is relative to your position.
Train in such a way that translates most e ectively to your performance on the field.
Mobility: Something often overlooked in one’s training program. The ability to move freely and easily through a change of direction with a full range of motion. This is one of the many aspects that sets you apart from others. Having limited mobility will not only decrease your e ectiveness on the field but also decrease your movement during drills, lifts and ROM exercises. Not to mention increasing the risk of getting injured.
Power: Basically, the ability to apply the greatest amount of force, in the least amount of time.
This is where we take the strength we have, coupled with speed, to perform a movement with the most desirable outcome.
Think sprinting, jumping, throwing, pushing, etc. What is more e ective… someone punching you in the arm from just a few inches away or taking a long wind up before they strike? Exactly! Olympic lifts, med balls, and plyometrics are all good examples of ways to increase power.
Position Specific: The o season is a great time to really nail down your job description.
Depending on your role/position on the team, (and you may have more than one), being confident in your ability to play is vital to yours and the team’s successful outcome.
BY BRIAN LANGE
goes like this: “As one season ends, another one begins… the best athletes are made in the o season”.
Nick Saben says: “Champions are made in the o season”.
So… what are you doing during “your” o season? Do you have a plan? Have you set goals?
Are you motivated to be a better version of you for next year?
These are all questions you as an athlete
need to ask yourself. “Am I really happy where I am, or do I desire to strive to be so much more”?
The o season is a great time to rest, recover, heal, and evaluate.
It’s also the time to put in the work and position yourself to rise above the competition.
So, what does that look like?
During the regular season, you are focused on plays, drills, practice and games. The o season allows time to work on both the strong and weak aspects of your game and ability.
Let’s look at a few of those areas.
Strength: Many athletes run to the weight room during the o season trying to “bulk up” and put on that extra lean
This relates not only to strength, power, agility, speed etc. but your ability to run routes correctly, come o the ball and make contact or those first few steps.
To be able to cut, back pedal, pivot or adjust to your teammate’s movement beside you or your opponent in front of you.
I didn’t mention sleep, nutrition, recovery, and a few other aspects of making yourself the complete package. All those are just as important. Strive to be a better version of you in every area of your life. Get with your coach or trainer. Develop a plan and then put it into action. Don’t get to the end of the season next year and think, “what or who could I have become if I had just…”
Keep moving forward! ••
PHOTO FROM WIKIPEDIA Brian says Olympic style lifting is an ideal way to increase your power.
PHOTO SUBMITTED
field.
PHOTO BY ANDY LEWIS
EAGLES AUTISM FOUNDATION LAUNCHES ‘NFC CHAMPIONS MATCHING GIFT’
The $100,000 commitment will help Eagles Autism Challenge participants hit their fundraising goals for 2025
The Eagles Autism Foundation is excited to launch the NFC Champions Matching Gift in honor of the team winning the NFC Championship and advancing to Super Bowl LIX. This $100,000 commitment is part of Nancy C. Wolfe’s estate planning which will help 2025 Eagles Autism Challenge participants meet and exceed their fundraising goals. Nancy, a passionate Eagles fan, generously committed more than $550,000 to the Eagles autism community to date, as matching grants, that doubled through the response of our passionate supporters.
“The Eagles Autism Foundation is grateful to launch another matching gift in honor of Nancy, whose support continues to make a lasting impact in the autism
community,” said Ryan Hammond, Executive Director, Eagles Autism Foundation.
“With the Eagles winning the NFC Championship, this donation allows fans to celebrate that achievement, while also inspiring Eagles Autism Challenge participants to meet or even exceed their fundraising goals for the year. It is incredible to honor Nancy’s legacy in this historic postseason run and transform lives through her generosity.”
dollar. The matching gift applies to donations made to an individual’s EaglesAutismChallenge.org fundraising
page beginning Monday, January 27 at 3 p.m. et. Each donation will be matched up to $5,000.
Walk and the West Sensory Walk. All five routes end at Lincoln Financial Field with participants crossing the finish line on the field.
The NFC Champions Matching Gift is aimed at helping participants meet and exceed their Eagles Autism Challenge fundraising goals, where the first $100,000 in donations will be matched, dollar for
Championed by Eagles Chairman and CEO Je rey Lurie, the Eagles Autism Challenge presented by Lincoln Financial is a one-day bike ride and family-friendly 5K Run/Walk that begins and ends at Lincoln Financial Field. The event features three cycling routes – Wawa Classic 30Mile Ride, Wawa Shorti 10-Mile Ride, Wawa Junior 10-Mile Youth Ride (1317 years old) – the FreedomPay 5K Run/
The Foundation is o ering additional ways for fans to get involved during the 2025 NFL Playo s. The Eagles Autism Foundation 2025 NFL Playo Auction is currently live and will last in concurrence with the team’s participation in post-season play. All proceeds raised by the featured items up for bid will benefit the Eagles Autism Foundation.
For more information or to register for the Eagles Autism Challenge, visit EaglesAutismChallenge.org. New participants will have their registration fee waived by using promo code “LETSHUNT” when signing up. ••
Please visit EaglesAutismFoundation. org.
Verchio’s
executed. We were locked into what we were doing. That’s how you win.”
The only question no one in the press box could not answer was…who would get credit for o cially scoring the touchdown? Jurgens? He was holding the ball? Hurts?
Would it go down like an “own goal” as it’s called in soccer?
When asked who should get the score, Jurgens said with a smile, “I’d take it.”
After the game, PFWA Pool reporter Zach Berman spoke with Referee Shawn Hochuli:
Question: The sequence at the goal line with the quarterback sneaks, how was it determined that they were unfair acts by Frankie Luvu?
Hochuli: “Simply put, a team can’t commit multiple fouls in an e ort to prevent the score. So, No. 4 jumped the ball a couple of times, that was when the warning came in. Again, if it’s meant to prevent a score, we can essentially award the score.”
Question: The Eagles had used hard counts before. Is that taken into consideration?
Hochuli: “So in terms of a hard count, there’s a play clock that prevents them from doing that too many times. With the defense, since we deem it as an e ort to prevent the score – a repeated act – that’s where the potential for awarding the score comes in.”
NICK SIRANNI COACHES EAGLES TO A SECOND SUPER BOWL
According to notes provided by the Eagles, Nick Sirianni (5-3 in the postseason) has won five straight home playo games, which is the longest streak by a head coach in Eagles history.
Philadelphia has the second-longest active home playo winning streak in the NFL, behind San Francisco (seven).
Jurgens was asked how the Eagles have been such a force under the fourth-year coach.
“I’ve really got to credit Coach Sirianni and the way he leads this team,” Jurgens said at his locker. “He emphasizes connecting, being teammates, and going together.
“When you’ve got love for a team, when you’ve got love for your brothers... o ense, defense, special teams...everybody’s together, anything is possible. You
breeds confidence...it oozes out throughout the team. It’s easy to follow a guy like that.”
SAQUON’S DEEP THINKING AND ‘CHASING GREATNESS’
The Eagles All Pro running back is revealing to NFL fans that he is a deep thinker. He has become an Eagles historian. He has admitted he looks up team records as a way to motivate himself to achieve his goals.
After he rushed for 205 yards against the Los Angeles Rams, leading the Birds to a 28-22 win the Divisional round, Barkley admitted he looked up the franchise record for rushing yards in the playo game.
He said he knew the playo record was formerly held by Eagles legend Steve Van Buren (196 in the 1949 NFL Championship), But he did not know Van Buren’s record was also set against the Rams.
Against Washington, Barkley rushed 15 times for 118 yards and three touchdowns.
He talked about being in the field for the post game celebration for winning the NFC Championship.
“It was fun to be out there and see all the confetti and things you envisioned,” Barkley said. “The most special thing about it was being out there with my family. I wanted to have that moment with my family.”
Barkley said the experience was also like a dream.
“For me though, I know I’ve never been there, but I’ve been there so many times in my head,” Barkley said. “So it’s kind of expected.”
The former Penn State star said the postgame setting was like and unlike a dream at the same time.
He was asked about being compared to Wilbert Montgomery’s big 42-yard touchdown run to start the game against the Dallas Cowboys Jan. 11, 1981 at Veterans Stadium for the NFC title.
Montgomery would finish with 194 yards on 26 carries. The Birds would go one to get crushed by the Oakland Raiders 27-10 in the Super Bowl.
“It’s awesome,” Barkley said. “I didn’t get his record. He did it a little better than me...I think it was like 194 yards. But I do know that the Super Bowl was in New Orleans too and they came up short.
“It’s great to have great plays, but at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is winning football games. And we’ve got one more.’
Barkley was asked if this season has been a breakthrough for him. He said no.
“I’ve always known who I am, I’ve always known what type of player I would become...Sometimes it takes longer than others...I didn’t envision it would take seven years. I didn’t even envision being in Philly. I thought I’d be able to accomplish that with New York.
put your body on the line, you fight for your brother, we’ve got a tight team here.”
Jurgens also credited Hurts.
“He’s the hardest worker on the team,” Jurgens said. “When you got your leader..the guy getting paid the most money working harder than anyone else. It just
Barkley was asked why he looked up the franchise record.
“I felt like this week…you know… chase greatness,” Barkley said at his locker after the Rams game. “I felt that this week could be special. I had a good game last week. You want to build a legacy. I want to visualize stu , I was wondering what the record was…funny how that happened.”
“No time’s better than God’s time. I’ll hone in on that, take advantage of that. I’ll use these couple of days to take it all in and push the gear right to whoever we play.”
Barkley will no doubt be looking up all the stats from 2018 and all the numbers the Chiefs have put up winning three Super Bowls during the Andy Reid-Patrick Mahomes era.
And he will be ready to chase greatness. ••
PHOTO BY AL THOMPSON
Eagles linebacker Zack Baun went from playing special teams for the New Orleans Saints over the last few years to being named first team All Pro his first season with the Eagles.
PHOTO BY ANDY LEWIS
Will Saquon Barkley continue his incredible 2024/25 run and help the Birds capture Super Bowl 59?
BALDY’S WORLD FOOTBALL TOUR
BALDY’S WORLD FOOTBALL TOUR
BALDY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
mations and new plays that they have not shown anyone. They scored on 2 TD runs versus the Bills from a first time formation. They will have similar changes in New Orleans that the Birds must prepare for.
But the Eagles are completely rebuilt with a new coaching sta at many key positions and so much youthful talent sprinkled throughout the team. Vic Fangio coordinating this defense with the rookie additions of Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean cannot be overstated.
The finding of Zack Baun is one of the best stories in this year’s NFL. He is simply amazing and great at everything. The player development of Nolan Smith from unproductive backup to front line impactful starter is all you can hope for when you draft a player at the bottom of the first round.
Jalen Carter has morphed into a star that plays more snaps at his position than any defensive tackle in the game today. He requires a double team nearly every play or you risk the play of being blown up.
All of this team building has been remarkable. But I saved the best for last.
The addition of Saquon Barkley is why I believe the Birds will stop the Chiefs on their path to dynasty and their goal of threepeat.
We have never seen a running back that is more than capable of scoring from anywhere on the field at any time. His first 60-plus yard run came in week three in New Orleans.
He said to me that day on the field that he was close to breaking some runs in the first 2 weeks but he had not pressed the safety or linebacker enough before he made his cut and hit the gas pedal. He did that in the 4th quarter
when the Birds were desperate for a TD to eke out a narrow victory.
The Birds will head to the Crescent City in a few days and they should pack a great defense, a bonafide super star in Saquon and an extra-large suitcase full of confidence.
It has been a magical season thus far…one that not many had predicted considering the collapse from a year ago.
But Howie Roseman is a living wizard and he fixed the roster with free agents and youthful draft picks and added coaches that did a masterful job of developing young players.
The Super Bowl is the Crown Jewel in all of sports and the Birds have what it takes to celebrate that jewel with their legendary fans on another parade down Broad Street. I have no doubts that they finish this postseason 4-0 and SB 59 Champs.
PHOTO BY TERENCE LEWIS
Jalen Hurts is playing with poise and confidence.
PHOTO BY ANDY LEWIS
Saquan Barkley can score from anywhere and anytime.
PHOTO BY ANDY LEWIS
The Eagles defense, with Jalen Carter evolving into a star, is one of the best in franchise history.
DOMOWITCH
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 second straight year instead of him.
Drafting the two young corners – Quinyan Mitchell and Cooper DeJean – who have been such big factors in the Eagles’ defensive turnaround this season. Making the ballsy decision to sign a 27-yearold running back with an injury history – Saquon Barkley -- to a three-year, $37.5 million contract.
Signing the steal of 2024 free agency, linebacker Zack Baun. Bringing back safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
He ignored all of the raised eyebrows and did the whole Georgia Bulldawg thing in the 2022 and 2023 drafts with Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith and Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean and Kelee Ringo.
Found a capable center replacement for Kylie Kelcie’s husband in Cam Jergens. Drafted valuable backups like rookie edge rusher Jalyx Hunt, defensive tackle Moro Ojomo and versatile o ensive lineman Tyler Steen.
A graduate of Fordham Law School, Roseman started with the Eagles in 2000 as an entry-level salary cap intern and sta counsel, and eventually persuaded Andy Reid to give him a job in the Eagles’
personnel department.
He worked hard to learn everything he could about team-building and evaluating talent from Reid and the people in the Eagles’ personnel department. But when he became the league’s youngest general manager in 2010 at the age of 34, well, let’s just say there were a lot of people around the league who wondered what Je rey Lurie was putting in his co ee.
When he got demoted five years later, a lot of the same people said I told you so, including a guy who worked in the Eagles’ personnel department with Roseman for six years, ESPN football analyst Louis Riddick.
“The people who are doing what they should be doing are doing what they should be doing,” Riddick said after Roseman’s 2015 demotion. “And the people who shouldn’t be doing what they were doing are no longer doing it.”
That was Riddick’s not-so-subtle way of saying Roseman never had any business running an NFL football operation. It should be pointed out that Riddick wasn’t the most objective person in the world when it came to Roseman.
Roseman had beaten him out for the Eagles’ GM job in 2010 and later was fired by Howie in 2013 after three years
as the team’s pro personnel director. So, he had an ax to grind.
The Eagles made their fair share of personnel mistakes during Roseman’s first few years as GM – Danny Watkins, Marcus Smith, Jaiquawn Jarrett, Curtis Marsh.
But they also made some good moves, drafting Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox, future Hall of Famer Lane Johnson and Zach Ertz. Guys who had key roles in the Eagles’ 2017 Super Bowl run.
Roseman used his time away from the Eagles’ GM throne in 2015 to do some self-scouting. He came back smarter and a tad less arrogant. But only a tad. He recognized his weaknesses and hired experienced advisors who could help him minimize those weaknesses.
“The key thing in scouting, and Howie is good at this, is you have to keep an open mind and you have to be willing to have discussion and debate and say, ‘OK, let’s sit down and look at the tape together. What did you see? Here’s what I saw,’ Tom Donahue, who spent nearly a decade as a senior advisor to Roseman, told me once.
Roseman’s willingness to listen to the people around him never was more evident than last March before the Eagles
signed Zack Baun. Baun, an unrestricted free agent, had spent four years in obscurity with the Saints. Was primarily a core special-teamer and backup edge-rusher. Had played just 660 defensive snaps in four years. The Saints didn’t even try to re-sign him.
Roseman went to defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and told him he was thinking of signing Baun. Said he thought Baun could be a decent special-teamer and part-time edge rusher. Wanted to know what Fangio thought.
Vic watched the tape of Baun, watched his movement patterns, and saw something di erent. Something much more valuable. “When I evaluate players, there’s no checkbox, no things to check o ,” Fangio said in November. “You just watch the tape, watch the movement patterns, watch the player play. After I watched [Baun’s tape], I said I think he’s an inside linebacker.”
That was good enough for Roseman. He signed Baun, Fangio moved him to inside linebacker and a first-team All Pro and was born. The Eagles don’t make it to the Super Bowl without Baun.
So, the chip on Howie’s shoulder still is there. Will always be there.
And that’s good. ••
PHOTO BY ANDY LEWIS
Howie Roseman made the free agent signing of the year in linebacker Zack Baun.
PHOTO BY ANDY LEWIS
Howie Roseman with Giants Assistant General Manager Brandon Brown.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 2024 SCHEDULE
PHOTO BY TERENCE LEWIS
