Christmas in September: The Birds are back
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Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown are no longer teammates. That might be better for the Birds. Photo: Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Christmas comes twice a year in Philadelphia — in December and September.
Why it matters: The start of football season is the gift that Eagles fans hope keeps on giving deep into the year.
Driving the news: The Eagles open the season Sunday against NFC East rival Washington at Lincoln Financial Field.
- The Birds split last year's matchups with the Commanders, a team they beat handily in the 2025 NFC Championship en route to the franchise's second Super Bowl.
The big picture: The Eagles have a new offensive coordinator and shipped out star wide receiver A.J. Brown to New England in the offseason.
- They hope the move gives quarterback Jalen Hurts the space he needs to focus on returning the team to its championship-winning ways.
Catch up quick: Brown spent most of last season complaining about not being an offensive focal point, creating headaches for the Birds' front office and causing on-field problems between him and Hurts that hamstrung the team's chemistry and performance.
Yes, but: The two superstars downplayed any lingering friction, saying they remained good friends.
Reality check: It was probably best — for the Birds and for Brown — to go their separate ways.
Zoom in: Without the background noise, Hurts has locked in on learning Sean Mannion's playbook — the fifth offensive coordinator Hurts has played under in his time with the Eagles.
- That'll allow Hurts to get back to what he does best: being a dual-threat quarterback who no longer has to worry about whether he's feeding enough balls to his star wideout.
Between the lines: The Birds will replace Brown by committee after adding a stable of wide receivers in the offseason, including Dontayvion Wicks.
- They already have a reliable No. 1 in DeVonta Smith, who may have more chances to make big plays with the addition by subtraction of Brown.
What we're watching: Eagles fans might be willing to give Hurts a little more grace this season if he encounters some early struggles.
- But with the 76ers' offseason acquisitions of superstars LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, the real showdown for the Phillies might be the fight to remain at the center of Philly sports fans' attention.
If you go: Kickoff is at 4:25pm. Tickets: $212+