Eagles DE Josh Sweat Addresses Pending Free Agency
Josh Sweat had a strong end to his 2024 season, posting 2.5 sacks in Super Bowl LIX. His attention will now turn to free agency, where he will have the option of remaining with the Eagles or joining a new team for the first time in his career. 
Sweat racked up eight sacks during the regular season, the second-highest total of his seven-year career. Combined with his play on Sunday, the 27-year-old could therefore be in line for a notable payday on the open market. Sweat recently changed agents in preparation for his free agency.
One year ago, the former fourth-rounder’s Eagles future was uncertain. Short-term clarity emerged in the form of a restructured deal, though, which made 2025 a walk year and saw Sweat reduce his base salary. Given the guarantees present in the new pact, Philadelphia will be hit with a $16.39MM dead cap charge once it voids next week. That figure is separate from the cap charges which will be present from any new Eagles contract, something Sweat has not ruled out.
“Money’s important, sure, but I want to be in the right situation,” the Florida State product said (via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer). “I don’t know what it looks like for me now, but I’m happy.”
Sweat is one of the top options amongst pending free agent edge rushers considering his age and consistent production (at least six sacks in each of the past five years). The Eagles could look to keep him in the fold considering Brandon Graham is a strong candidate to retire and Milton Williams is also a pending free agent. Losing those two in addition to Sweat would leave the Eagles in need of finding multiple replacements along the defensive front.
Nolan Smith took on a starting role this season, and the 2023 first-rounder will be expected to be a key figure along the edge moving forward (especially given the poor return on investment seen from last year’s signing of Bryce Huff). It will be interesting to see if Sweat remains in the fold for the Eagles in 2025 and beyond or if free agency presents him with a strong fit elsewhere.
Saints Hire Kellen Moore As HC
As expected, the Kellen Moore hire is moving forward. He is finalizing a deal to become the next head coach of the Saints, as first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. The agreement is now in place, per Rapoport. 
Moore’s tenure as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator will wind up lasting only one year. The 35-year-old returned to Philadelphia after the team’s Super Bowl win (at the Superdome), but he will now fly back to New Orleans to sign a contract. This will mark Moore’s first head coaching opportunity at the college or NFL levels.
After his playing career came to an end, the former quarterback joined the Cowboys’ coaching staff. One season as Dallas’ QBs coach was followed by a four-year run as the team’s offensive coordinator. Moore’s success in that capacity helped his stock, although then-head coach Mike McCarthy elected to take over play-calling duties in the 2023 offseason. Moore found himself on the move for the first time in his brief coaching career as a result.
The Chargers brought Moore in as their OC for 2023, the only season in Justin Herbert‘s career in which he missed time due to injury. Overall, Los Angeles ranked just 18th in yards and 21st in scoring, and the arrival of new head coach Jim Harbaugh led to Moore changing teams once again. The Eagles – having replaced Shane Steichen with Brian Johnson at the offensive coordinator spot in 2023 – were again in the market for a hire at that position.
Moore helped lead the Eagles to a strong showing on the ground in particular, with the free agent signing of Saquon Barkley proving to be a sound offseason investment. Philadelphia’s passing attack was inconsistent during the campaign, but Moore’s unit was stellar in the postseason. The Eagles scored an NFL-record 145 playoff points en route to winning the Super Bowl, something which helped cement him as the favorite for the Saints’ HC position.
New Orleans was unable to attract serious interest from some of the top candidates in this year’s cycle, with Kliff Kingsbury withdrawing to remain with the Commanders. Aaron Glenn – who previously coached with the Saints – lined up a second interview, but his top choice on that front was the Jets and he ultimately landed the gig with New York. McCarthy was seen as a strong contender for a time, but once he elected to step away from coaching in 2025 Moore moved into pole position.
The latter has drawn head coaching interest in the past, and this deal is expected to come with a considerable raise compared to his Eagles earnings. Still, Moore will face a tall task in his new gig considering where the Saints find themselves. New Orleans has not managed to remain a Super Bowl contender in the wake of Drew Brees‘ retirement and Sean Payton‘s departure, and returning to that level will be challenging. Dennis Allen was promoted to head coach as Payton’s replacement, but he went 18-25 before being dismissed midway through the 2024 campaign.
Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi took over from Allen on an interim basis, and he interviewed for the position on a full-time basis. Rizzi’s fate – along with that of Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver – remained undetermined leading up to the Super Bowl with Moore looming as a potential hire. By rule, teams cannot make a head coaching hire with a staffer taking part in the Super Bowl until after the game is played. Now, in Rizzi’s case, a reunion with Payton on the Broncos’ staff can be expected.
The Saints have Derek Carr atop the quarterback depth chart for the time being, but on the whole his two-year New Orleans tenure has not gone according to plan. General manager Mickey Loomis made it clear the team’s head coaching hire would have a role in deciding how to proceed with Carr, 33. The four-time Pro Bowler is set to have his base salary guaranteed at the start of the new league year in March, and he is not prepared to take a pay cut. If New Orleans elected to move on, a trade market would likely exist.
Moore and Co. could prefer to keep Carr in the fold for 2025, but in either case adding cost-effective talent and managing yet another case of salary cap gymnastics will be needed this offseason. Still, expectations will be high from a big-picture perspective for Moore to guide the team through a transition back to efficiency on offense given his track record as a coordinator. He will look to move quickly in filling out his staff while the Eagles prepare to use a fourth different OC in as many years.
Philadelphia quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier could be a strong internal candidate to replace Moore, but he is seen as a leading option to join Moore in New Orleans. Brandon Staley – who worked alongside Moore during their time together with the Chargers – is also a staffer to watch closely over the coming days as a potential defensive coordinator hire. In any case, the final head coaching vacancy of the 2025 hiring cycle has been filled and the Saints aim to have found a long-term answer on the sidelines.
Kevin Patullo On Eagles, Saints’ OC Radars
Even as Kellen Moore‘s stock climbed after Super Bowl LIX, the Eagles‘ OC did not opt to join the handful of coaches in rejecting the Saints to hold out for a potentially better job down the road. Moore is officially in place as the New Orleans HC, and he will now get to work on building a staff.
One of the names expected to be in play may soon have a decision to make. Both the Eagles and Saints are expected to show “strong” interest in Kevin Patullo for OC, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. Patullo works as Philadelphia’s pass-game coordinator, making him a natural fit to climb into Moore’s role or follow him to New Orleans for the same role.
The Eagles did not have success when they last promoted from within at OC, firing Brian Johnson after one season on the job. Like Johnson, Patullo arrived on Nick Sirianni‘s staff during the HC’s first offseason in charge (2021). He was mentioned as a candidate to replace Shane Steichen two years ago, but the Eagles did not promote Patullo over Johnson. Patullo, 43, also met with the Jets that offseason. That marks his lone coordinator interview to date. More appear likely to come soon.
Unlike Johnson, Patullo has been an NFL staffer for many years. He previously coached Jets QBs and Colts wide receivers, also enjoying stints with the Chiefs, Bills and Titans since 2007. The Eagles bumped him up to associate HC upon losing Steichen. After Moore led the charge to revitalize Philly’s offense, Patullo clearly played a big role in assisting him — to the point a one-and-done Eagles staffer looks to have hopes of bringing him along.
An offer from the Eagles would seemingly be more intriguing than one from Moore, however, as the Super Bowl champions once again need a new play-caller. Sirianni has not called plays since early during his first season as HC, which would open the door to Patullo taking a major step forward. A play-calling gig on an offense housing Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith would stand to rocket Patullo onto the HC carousel in 2026, depending on how the team’s title defense goes. Bigger questions loom in New Orleans, which will have Moore calling plays. Both teams must satisfy the Rooney Rule, which mandates one external minority interview in-person for the gig.
Additionally, the Saints will be starting on filling out a staff much later than the other six HC-needy teams this offseason. Waiting until after the Super Bowl to make their hire, the Saints are behind on the coordinator carousels. Brandon Staley is in the mix for DC. Moore worked under Staley in 2023 with the Chargers, which would make for an interesting arrangement should a reunion come to pass. Moore oversaw Patullo for one season as well, with most of the new Saints HC’s contacts coming from the Cowboys, who employed him as OC for four seasons.
Brandon Graham To Contemplate Retirement; Mekhi Becton Open To Remaining With Eagles
Brandon Graham managed to rehab in time to play in last night’s Super Bowl. The Eagles stalwart may well have played his final game in New Orleans on Sunday, but a final decision has yet to be made on the retirement front. 
Graham said in July he would hang up his cleats after the 2024 campaign was over. This past season represented his 15th with the organization, something which is without precedent in Eagles history. As a result, it appeared the 36-year-old’s NFL tenure was over when he suffered a triceps tear in November. Graham did not confirm his retirement plans at that point, and that remained the case this past weekend.
The former first-rounder is expected to take roughly one week to contemplate his future, as noted by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (video link). A retirement decision would come as no surprise in the wake of his second career Super Bowl victory, but it would mark another major loss for the Eagles in terms of experience. Two of the franchise’s ‘Core Four’ players (Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox) retired last offseason, leaving Graham and Lane Johnson in the fold.
There is now a strong chance Philadelphia’s right tackle starter will be the final remaining member of the team’s decorated quartet. If Graham – who signed a two-year pact in 2021 and inked one-year deals for 2023 and ’24 – does indeed call it a career, the Eagles will have a notable void along the edge. With over $98MM in career earnings and now a pair of titles, though, he certainly has cause to turn down the chance of playing in 2025 to begin his post-playing days.
Another pending Eagles free agent is right guard Mekhi Becton. The former Jets first-rounder struggled with injuries during his New York tenure, and his first trip to the open market resulted in only a $2.75MM pact on a one-year Eagles commitment. The decision to move Becton inside to guard (after seeing time at both tackle spots) proved to be effective, as he handled starting duties all season and thrived in that role.
As a result, the 25-year-old is on track to have a much stronger free agent market this time around. Garafolo notes Becton seems to be open to a new Eagles contract, although a raise will obviously be needed for that to be feasible. As the team begins its offseason preparation in the wake of its Super Bowl LIX victory, Graham and Becton will be among the players worth monitoring over the coming days and weeks.
Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order
With Super Bowl LIX in the books, the 2024 campaign has come to a close. The final first-round order for April’s draft is now set as a result.
All 32 teams currently own a Day 1 selection, leaving the door open to each one adding a prospect in the first round for the first time since expansion in 2002. Any number of trades will no doubt take place between now and the draft, though, and it will be interesting to see how teams maneuver in the lead-in to the event. Of course, Tennessee in particular will be worth watching closely with a move to sell off the No. 1 pick being seen as a distinct possibility.
A weak quarterback class will leave teams like the Titans, Browns, Giants and Raiders with plenty of key offseason decisions. The free agent and trade markets do not offer many short-term alternatives which are seen as surefire additions, and teams which do not make moves in March will rely on the incoming group of rookies as part of their efforts to find a long-term solution under center. The two prospects seen as the clear-cut top options in 2025, however, are two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2024 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is a final look at the first-round order:
- Tennessee Titans (3-14)
- Cleveland Browns (3-14)
- New York Giants (3-14)
- New England Patriots (4-13)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13)
- Las Vegas Raiders (4-13)
- New York Jets (5-12)
- Carolina Panthers (5-12)
- New Orleans Saints (5-12)
- Chicago Bears (5-12)
- San Francisco 49ers (6-11)
- Dallas Cowboys (7-10)
- Miami Dolphins (8-9)
- Indianapolis Colts (8-9)
- Atlanta Falcons (8-9)
- Arizona Cardinals (8-9)
- Cincinnati Bengals (9-8)
- Seattle Seahawks (10-7)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)
- Denver Broncos (10-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
- Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
- Green Bay Packers (11-6)
- Minnesota Vikings (14-3)
- Houston Texans (10-7)
- Los Angeles Rams (10-7)
- Baltimore Ravens (12-5)
- Detroit Lions (15-2)
- Washington Commanders (12-5)
- Buffalo Bills (13-4)
- Kansas City Chiefs (15-2)
- Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
Philadelphia Eagles Win Super Bowl LIX
And, with that, the 2024 NFL season has come to an end. The clock has hit four zeroes, and the Philadelphia Eagles are the Super Bowl LIX champions beating the Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22.
After earning their first ever championship since before the 1970 AFL-NFL merger back in 2017, the Eagles have now won two Super Bowls in eight years, not to mention an additional appearance in the game two years ago. That last appearance, a Super Bowl LVII loss to the Chiefs, 38-35, was avenged tonight thanks to a dominant performance from Philadelphia’s defense.
Following that previous Super Bowl loss, the Eagles were a first-round exit last year. This led to a busy offseason that saw them extend the contracts of key offensive players like wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, left tackle Jordan Mailata, and left guard Landon Dickerson. Perhaps most important was the free agent signing of division-rival running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley led the league in rushing, accomplishing the NFL’s first 2,000-yard rushing season since 2020. With the production he had in the offseason, as well, including tonight’s win, Barkley broke the record for most single-season rushing yards including the postseason with 2,504 yards.
The team’s front office did big work on the defensive side of the ball, as well. First, they hired Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator to replace Sean Desai, whom they decided not to retain. Then, they reworked defensive end Josh Sweat‘s contract to keep him around for the year, added free agent pass rusher Bryce Huff across from him, and signed huge contributors in linebacker Zack Baun and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Perhaps most crucial to the defense were the first- and second-round draft additions of cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, the former of which finished second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting and the latter of which returned a Patrick Mahomes interception 38 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter of tonight’s game.
The Eagles’ dominance on defense was felt not only in the secondary but all over the field. In addition to interceptions by DeJean and Baun, Philadelphia racked up six sacks, 11 quarterback hits, and six tackles for loss without blitzing a single snap, per James Palmer of Bleacher Report. The offense spread out the ball well but, ultimately, didn’t do much, as they weren’t really asked to. Fangio and his unit were the unofficial MVPs of the game; quarterback Jalen Hurts was the official Super Bowl LIX Most Valuable Player.
The Eagles season had an up and down start. They opened up the year with a win over the Packers in Sao Paulo, Brazil, before dropping two of their next three games. Following an early Week 5 bye, Philadelphia established what their identity would be, rattling off 10 straight wins. An injury to Hurts resulted in their only loss after September as backups Kenny Pickett and Tanner McKee took over for the remainder of the season. A loss at quarterback wasn’t too detrimental, though, as the NFL’s No. 2 rushing offense was able to continue carrying the NFL’s 29th-best passing offense.
Tonight’s Super Bowl win was a microcosm of what the team’s defense had done all year. Fangio’s defense finished second in the NFL in scoring defense and was the top defense in total yards thanks to a passing defense that had the Eagles as the only team in the NFL not to allow 3,000 passing yards this year. The Eagles blitzed at a rate that was the fifth-least in the NFL in 2024, but that strategy didn’t really pay dividends until tonight as the team was fifth-worst in pressures during the regular season, as well.
This year, the Chiefs were the Chiefs. Despite a down year from Mahomes and injuries that held the team without one or both of wide receivers Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown for most of the season, the Chiefs won 15 games. They were buoyed a bit by a top-four scoring defense and the ninth-best total defense, but Mahomes’ clutch abilities were able to extend an already existing streak of wins in one-score games to 17 straight. 
The Chiefs’ goals of being the first threepeat in NFL history will now start over. They’ll expect to return Rice alongside this year’s first-round rookie, Xavier Worthy, next year, but receivers DeAndre Hopkins, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman, and Brown are all destined for the free agent market. Also, with Kareem Hunt and Samaje Perine both in contract years, the Chiefs will have to decide how to approach the running backs group with only Isiah Pacheco and Carson Steele returning. Aside from that, a number of aging veterans like tight end Travis Kelce (36), left tackle Joe Thuney (33), and defensive tackle Chris Jones (31) may be starting to mull ideas about their future in the NFL.
As for the Eagles, while they will undoubtedly bask in the glow of this victory a little longer, their offseason awaits, as well. Key defenders like Sweat, Baun, cornerback Avonte Maddox, and defensive tackle Milton Williams are all facing free agency, not to mention veteran defensive end Brandon Graham, who, at 36 years old, has already indicated that retirement is in the cards. On offense, starting guard Mekhi Becton will be a free agent, and similar to Graham, right tackle Lane Johnson is 35 and could be thinking about walking out on top, as well. You can add 34-year-old cornerback Darius Slay and maybe even 32-year-old safety James Bradberry to that conversation, as well. Though, Slay spoke of wanting to play one more season.
For now, though, the Eagles will celebrate the accomplishments of the group they have. Led by stars familiar (Hurts, Brown, Smith) and new (Barkley) on offense, and a stout defense with consistent defensive line play, surprise contributors in the second level, and rising stars in the secondary.
While offensive coordinator Kellen Moore may end up getting poached to become the new head coach in New Orleans, the city that just got a front-row seat to see him win a Super Bowl, the rest of the staff, including Fangio and Super Bowl-winning head coach Nick Sirianni will focus on reloading and taking a shot at being the first NFC team to repeat as Super Bowl Champions since the Cowboys did so in the 1992 and 1993 seasons.
Final Transactions Of The 2024 NFL Season; Eagles Activate DE Brandon Graham From IR
FEBARUARY 9: With Graham active for tonight, Huff is amongst the Eagles’ healthy scratches. The latter had played in two of Philadelphia’s postseason games, and after signing a $17MM-per-year pact the fact he is not in the team’s Super Bowl lineup is a rather notable development. Most of Huff’s 2025 compensation is guaranteed, but his next action for Philadelphia will come next year.
FEBRUARY 8: The biggest game of the year will take place tomorrow night as the Chiefs are looking to threepeat for the first time in NFL history. The Eagles, on the other hand, are looking to avenge their Super Bowl loss to Patrick Mahomes and company from just two years ago. As has been the case all year, each team is allowed to elevate two players from their practice squad. Philadelphia has also taken the additional step to activate defensive end Brandon Graham from injured reserve. 
Graham suffered a triceps tear in November, and it immediately became clear that he would not play again during the regular season. Triceps tears come with lengthy recovery timetables, and the 36-year-old said in the aftermath of the game in which his took place that he would be out for the rest of the year. As the season went on and the postseason drew nearer, hope began to rise that Graham would be able to make a return if the Eagles could last long enough to play in the Super Bowl.
To add on to that, Graham, who has spent his entire 15-year tenure in Philadelphia, said in July that he would retire following the 2024 campaign. If he is going to hold true to his word, he needed the team to keep winning in order to play one more game in green.
Luckily for Graham, his team held up their end of the bargain, and now, he’ll be able to hold up his. A Graham comeback will be significant for the Eagles, who have dealt with injuries to both he and Bryce Huff this season. Huff has since returned, though he is playing behind starters Josh Sweat and Nolan Smith in Vic Fangio‘s defense. At the time of his injury, Graham had already topped his 2023 full-season totals for sacks and QB hits in 11 games this season. The longest-tenured player in Eagles history was sitting on 3.5 and seven, respectively, in those categories when he went down against the Rams.
In order to make room on the roster, the Eagles have placed backup center Nick Gates on injured reserve. For their two practice squad callups, the Eagles have tabbed fullback Khari Blasingame and linebacker Nicholas Morrow. Blasingame has been elevated for all three of the team’s playoff games so far, while Morrow has been elevated for each of the last two.
The Chiefs only made standard gameday practice squad elevations today. Linebacker Swayze Bozeman and cornerback Steven Nelson will join the active roster for the final game of the season. Bozeman has played in two playoff games already for Kansas City, while Nelson will be making his 2024 debut.
Injured Reserve Return Tracker
This offseason brought a change in how teams could construct their 53-man rosters while retaining flexibility with injured players. Clubs were permitted to attach return designations to two players (in total) placed on IR or an NFI list before setting their initial rosters.
In prior years, anyone placed on IR before a team set its initial 53-man roster could not be activated in-season. All August 27 IR- or NFI-return designations, however, already count against teams’ regular-season limit of eight. This introduces more strategy for teams, who will be tasked with determining which players injured in-season will factor into activation puzzles as the year progresses.
All players designated for return on August 27 were eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, though any player placed on IR after a team set its initial 53 has not been designated for return and therefore does not yet count toward a club’s eight-activation limit. Players who receive return designations after Week 5 also appear on this list.
This offseason also brought a second adjustment, with teams who qualify for the playoffs set to have two additional activations at their disposals. With the playoffs upon us, the two additional activations have been added to each team’s ledger. Here is how the Chiefs and Eagles’ activation puzzles look going into Super Bowl LIX:
Kansas City Chiefs
Designated for return:
- WR Skyy Moore (Jan. 30)
Reverted to season-ending IR
- WR Mecole Hardman (Jan. 22)
Eligible for activation:
Activated:
- WR Marquise Brown (Week 16)
- K Harrison Butker (Week 15)
- RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Week 7)
- TE Peyton Hendershot (Week 17)
- RB Isiah Pacheco (Week 13)
- CB Jaylen Watson (divisional round)
Activations remaining: 4
Philadelphia Eagles
Designated for return from IR (August 27):
- TE Albert Okwuegbunam (released Nov. 5)
Designated for return:
- WR Britain Covey (Jan. 22)
- TE C.J. Uzomah (Jan. 30)
Reverted to season-ending IR:
- DT Byron Young
Activated:
- WR Britain Covey (Week 12; later placed on IR a second time)
- TE Dallas Goedert (Week 18)
- DE Brandon Graham (Super Bowl)
- DE Bryce Huff (Week 17)
- LT Jordan Mailata (Week 11)
- WR Ainias Smith (Week 8)
Activations remaining: 3
Poll: Who Will Win Super Bowl LIX?
After outscoring opponents by 211 points in a 14-game 1975 season, the Steelers pitched five shutouts in 1976. Pittsburgh’s regular-season-ending nine-game win streak featured only two touchdowns allowed. As the 1989 49ers outscored playoff opposition 126-26, their 1990 edition went 14-2 and rostered back-to-back MVP Joe Montana. The Cowboys’ 1994 threepeat attempt saw both the Jerry Jones-Jimmy Johnson separation and a free agent-laden 49ers team play featured roles in their season.
All three dynasties saw their efforts at a third straight Super Bowl win stall in the conference championship round. The Packers did win three straight titles in the 1960s, though the first — in 1965 — came before the Super Bowl’s launch. This Chiefs run, for myriad reasons, has not brought the level of reverence compared to the above-referenced dynasties. While Kansas City’s effort has largely lacked the dominance the aforementioned operations displayed, Andy Reid‘s crew is the closest in the Super Bowl era to completing a signature NFL accomplishment.
The Chiefs are the first threepeat-seeking team to reach a Super Bowl. Although many would probably have a difficult time reconciling this Kansas City tightrope walk as the blueprint that pulls off this historic feat, as none of the Chiefs’ past three teams probably come too close to the juggernauts that headline lists of the league’s all-time greatest teams. However, even if the Chiefs’ present form does not exactly remind of the explosive start to their dynasty (as back-to-back 15th-place offensive rankings show), no team had even managed to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the 2003-04 Patriots.
Regardless of how the Chiefs made it here, they have shown historic reliability. The Reid- and Patrick Mahomes-fueled superpower has secured this opportunity due to unprecedented execution in close games. The Chiefs have won their past 17 one-score contests, setting a record. Will the Eagles wreck their well-crafted threepeat bid?
Although the Chiefs’ one-score streak does not quite stretch back to Super Bowl LVII, they emerged victorious in that matchup. A hotly debated holding call on James Bradberry denied the NFC champions a chance at a potential game-winning drive, but that Eagles team saw its top-10 defense unravel in the second half. Even as Jalen Hurts carved up a well-regarded Chiefs defense that night, the Eagles fell just short largely because of mistakes on defense and special teams. After last season’s Sean Desai–Matt Patricia defense cratered to do enough to create Nick Sirianni hot-seat rumors, the Eagles have stabilized this unit via their Vic Fangio hire.
Not as reliant on sacks as the 2022 team was, the Eagles allowed fewer yards per play (4.7) with 41 sacks than they did with 70 two years ago (4.8). The team has seen emergences from All-Pros Jalen Carter and Zack Baun, the latter reaching first-team status on a one-year, $3.5MM deal, fuel its first two levels while rookie cornerback investments Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean have been quick studies on the back end. The team’s decision to give Bryce Huff a $17MM-per-year deal has not paid off yet, but agreeing to a rework with Josh Sweat — before trading Haason Reddick — has benefited a defense that ranked first in yardage and second in scoring this season.
Philadelphia also carries a far more imposing run game into this matchup compared to 2022, as the three-year, $37.75MM Saquon Barkley pact — a zag after several years passed without the team allocating much at running back — has provided tremendous value. The NFL’s ninth 2,000-yard rusher already sits seventh for ground yards in a single postseason (442). Only two RBs (John Riggins, Terrell Davis) have amassed 500 in one playoff journey. The Eagles’ extensions for Landon Dickerson and Jordan Mailata, and Jason Kelce succession plan featuring Cam Jurgens, each preceded All-Pro or Pro Bowl accolades.
As Barkley has soared in Philly, Hurts has not factored in as prominently into Kellen Moore‘s offense. The high-priced QB threw 361 passes — 99 fewer than his 2022 output in the same number of games — but cut down on interceptions from 2023 (15 down to five) while matching his per attempt figure (8.0) from his breakthrough season. The pass-game volume decreasing has impacted A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith following their extensions, however. While Hurts does not rival Mahomes in terms of stature in the game, he is the more interesting component in Sunday’s matchup due to the latter’s big-game dependability.
Even when their 38-0 Broncos result is removed, the Chiefs’ point differential is worse than any 15- or 14-win team in NFL history. The first 14-plus-win team to outscore opponents by less than 100 continued to get by with late-game execution, though officiating in these close games certainly became a hot-button topic as well.
The Chiefs are here without Mahomes earning a Pro Bowl nod and as Travis Kelce averaged a career-low 8.5 yards per reception. But the Chiefs finished as the NFL’s second-best third-down team. As Mahomes has become more short- and mid-range merchant than deep-ball assassin, Kansas City has made this setup work without reliable tackle play; All-Pro LG Joe Thuney is expected to start there as a stopgap again Sunday.
Ex-Eagles assistant Steve Spagnuolo‘s defense ranks in the top 10 for the fifth time in six years, however, and it held the Bills to one first down on a potential go-ahead fourth-quarter drive. The decision to give Chris Jones a DT-record $95MM guaranteed, rather than take their chances in free agency, has paid off as well. The top prize from the Tyreek Hill trade, versatile CB Trent McDuffie has remained an elite cover man — on a rookie contract, which the Chiefs effectively mandate at corner — and operates as their second-most important defender.
Although the Eagles may again have more talent top to bottom, the Chiefs’ Reid-Mahomes-Kelce-Jones setup — which is 3-1 in Super Bowls — has elevated them to a slight favorite. Do the Eagles have enough to nix a Chiefs coronation or will this Kansas City dynasty, via a fourth title in six years, keep moving up the all-time ranks? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on Super Bowl LIX in the comments section.
2025 Hall Of Fame Class Unveiled
As part of tonight’s NFL Honors program, the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class has been revealed. It consists of just four players this year. Here is the full breakdown of the 2025 class:
Eric Allen, cornerback (1988-2001)
Playing long enough to be part of the Reggie White–Jerome Brown Eagles defenses to Jon Gruden‘s Raiders teams, Allen excelled well into his 30s and is one of the great playmaking cornerbacks in NFL history. Allen is responsible for eight pick-sixes, cramming seven of them between the 1993 and 2001 seasons. Allen finished his 14-year career with 54 INTs, which is tied for 21st in NFL history.
The Eagles drafted Allen in the 1988 second round and installed him as a starter on Buddy Ryan‘s defense in Week 1 of his rookie season. Allen intercepted 13 passes over his first two years, helping the Eagles — with White at the wheel — form a dominant defensive nucleus. The Eagles won the NFC East in Allen’s rookie season, ending a five-year playoff drought. As Randall Cunningham soared on offense, Allen patrolled the back line of a defense geared around one of the NFL’s all-time greats. Allen joins White as the Hall of Famers from that unit.
Allen notched four pick-sixes during the 1993 season, including this gem against the Jets, but the Eagles fell short of the playoffs that year and dipped a bit as the Cunningham years waned. Allen still made the Pro Bowl each year from 1991-95, following a first-team All-Pro honor in 1989. He signed with the Saints as a free agent in 1995, playing three years in New Orleans, before joining the Raiders in Gruden’s first offseason at the controls.
As the Raiders hoarded aging players who still had plenty left in the tank during Gruden’s first stint as HC, Allen was among the most productive. He nabbed six INTs at age 35 in 2000, returning three for scores. That season snapped a seven-year Raiders playoff skid and produced a run to the AFC championship game — the franchise’s first in 17 years. Allen retired after the ’01 season, starting 214 games. Among pure corners, that ranks third all time. While the turnover counts aided Allen, his longevity will send him to Canton nearly 25 years after his retirement.
Jared Allen, defensive end (2004-15)
One of the best sack artists of his era, Jared Allen will make this a two-Allen class (on a big night for NFL Allens). Jared excelled for the Chiefs and Vikings, being part of a win-win trade in 2008, and then retired after playing in Super Bowl 50 as a Panther. Allen sits 12th in the sack era (1982-present) in QB drops, racking up 136 despite playing only 12 seasons.
The Chiefs drafted Allen in the 2004 fourth round out of Division I-FCS Idaho State. He immediately became an impact edge rusher but joined a team in transition. As Kansas City’s offense-oriented team aged, Allen ascended and became a star for a franchise in decline. After the Chiefs made the playoffs in 2006 under first-year HC Herm Edwards, Allen led the NFL with 15.5 sacks in his fourth season. The 2007 Chiefs went 4-12, losing their final nine games. The Chiefs cashed out on a player who had encountered off-field trouble, in the form of two 2006 DUIs, early in his career. The trade equipped both the Chiefs and Vikings.
During the 2008 draft, Kansas City dealt Allen to Minnesota for first- and third-round picks. A win-win swap sent tackle Branden Albert and running back Jamaal Charles to the Chiefs in the ’08 draft, while Allen landed an extension (six years, $73.26MM) enjoyed his prime in the Twin Cities. Registering 14.5 sacks in back-to-back seasons, the second effort falling just short of a Super Bowl after Minnesota’s Brett Favre-led team lost in overtime in the NFC championship game, Allen then made a run at the NFL record in 2011. Allen tallied 22 sacks during the ’11 season, falling a half-sack short of Michael Strahan‘s official record.
Allen played out his Vikings contract in 2013, signing with the Bears. Chicago then traded him to Carolina for a conditional sixth-round pick during the 2015 season, as he joined fellow former Bear Charles Tillman in going for a championship with the Panthers. Although Carolina went 15-1 and ranked sixth defensively, the team’s high-powered offense fell to a superior Denver defense in Super Bowl 50. Allen needed to wait a bit before his induction, but he has gained entry in this year’s unusually small class.
Antonio Gates, tight end (2003-18)
Gates remains the NFL’s leader among touchdown receptions by a tight end. The longtime Philip Rivers target totaled 116 TD grabs during his 16-year career, bettering Tony Gonzalez‘s mark by five. Gonzalez also played 17 seasons (to Gates’ 16). Gates tied Gonzalez’s then-record in 2016, posting five TDs across his final two seasons. The converted basketball player’s mid-2000s surge helped the Chargers win four straight AFC West titles to close the decade.
The Chargers made Gates an integral part of that climb, which remains the franchise’s best sustained stretch since its Air Coryell years. LaDainian Tomlinson shattered the single-season touchdown record, which still stands nearly 20 years later, and Gates broke through as an impact tight end. The Chargers built their passing attack around Gates for many years, and he helped anchor the team’s skill-position group in between Tomlinson’s exit and Keenan Allen‘s arrival.
Initially playing alongside Drew Brees, the ex-Kent State hooper earned first-team All-Pro honors in his second, third and fourth seasons. Gates only suited up for the Chargers, walking away after his age-38 season. The Bolts and Gates agreed to five contracts, the most lucrative a five-year, $36.2MM extension in 2010.
Although Gates needed to wait a year before being enshrined, he is one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history. His 116 TD receptions rank seventh all time at any position. While his production tailed off as he hit his mid-30s, after making eight consecutive Pro Bowls from 2004-11, the former UDFA remained a solid red zone target for Rivers.
Sterling Sharpe, wide receiver (1988-94)
If the NFL had a No. 1 contender status to Jerry Rice during his peak, Sharpe would have been the best answer. The star Packers pass catcher was 5-for-7 in Pro Bowl nods, during an era where that meant more, and raced to three All-Pro first teams during a career cut short by a neck injury.
Sharpe was close to doing enough for Hall entry by the time he retired at 29, and he exited just before Favre grew into MVP form. In Favre’s early years, however, Sharpe helped the Green Bay trade acquisition become one of the game’s best.
The No. 7 overall pick in a 1988 draft that also included Hall of Famers Michael Irvin and Tim Brown, Pro Bowler Anthony Miller and single-game receiving yardage king Flipper Anderson, Sharpe was the first wideout off the board. The physical South Carolina product, who entered the league two years before brother Shannon (and with much greater fanfare), posted a 1,400-yard season in 1989, helping QB Don Majkowski finish second in MVP voting. Sharpe added another 1,100-yard year in 1990 and soared back to the All-Pro level when the Pack landed Favre in ’92.
Sharpe’s first year with Favre featured the wideout break Art Monk’s single-season record by catching 108 passes. Becoming the first receiver to post back-to-back seasons with 100 catches, Sharpe broke his own mark with 112 grabs in 1993. Sharpe led the NFL in touchdown receptions in 1992 (13) and ’94 (18), reaching the latter perch despite dealing with the neck injury and other ailments.
The Favre-Sharpe connection played a central role in the Packers snapping a 10-year playoff drought, and in the duo’s first playoff game, they hooked up on a game-winning score to beat the Lions in Detroit. Sharpe scored three touchdowns in Green Bay’s wild-card win. Sharpe never missed a game and retired ranking 13th in career catches (595) and 18th all time in TD receptions (65).