The NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles will begin the 2023 season on the road against the Patriots, the league announced on Thursday.
The Eagles begin the season with an away game for the fourth straight year, which marks the team’s longest such streak since doing so in six consecutive seasons from 1983-88.
Last season, the Eagles lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 57.
2023 Philadelphia Eagles Schedule:
Preseason
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Friday, August 11
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at Baltimore Ravens
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7:00 p.m.
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NBC10
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Thursday, August 17
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Cleveland Browns
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7:30 p.m.
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NBC10
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Thursday, August 24
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Indianapolis Colts
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8:00 p.m.
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Prime Video^
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Regular Season
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Sunday, September 10
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at New England Patriots
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4:25 p.m.
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CBS
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Thursday, September 14
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Minnesota Vikings
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8:15 p.m.
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Prime Video^
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Monday, September 25
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at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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7:15 p.m.
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ABC^
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Sunday, October 1
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Washington Commanders
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1:00 p.m.
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FOX
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Sunday, October 8
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at Los Angeles Rams
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4:05 p.m.+
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FOX
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Sunday, October 15
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at New York Jets
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4:25 p.m.+
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FOX
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Sunday, October 22
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Miami Dolphins
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8:20 p.m.+
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NBC^
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Sunday, October 29
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at Washington Commanders
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1:00 p.m.+
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FOX
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Sunday, November 5
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Dallas Cowboys
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4:25 p.m.+
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FOX
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BYE
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Monday, November 20
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at Kansas City Chiefs
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8:15 p.m.+
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ESPN/ABC^
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Sunday, November 26
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Buffalo Bills
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4:25 p.m.+
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CBS
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Sunday, December 3
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San Francisco 49ers
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4:25 p.m.+
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FOX
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Sunday, December 10
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at Dallas Cowboys
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8:20 p.m.+
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NBC^
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Sunday, December 17
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at Seattle Seahawks
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4:25 p.m.+
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FOX
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Monday, December 25
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New York Giants
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4:30 p.m.+
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FOX
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Sunday, December 31
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Arizona Cardinals
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1:00 p.m.+
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FOX
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TBD*
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at New York Giants
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TBD
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TBD
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Schedule Highlights:
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Philadelphia has five scheduled primetime contests for the second year in a row. The Eagles have appeared in the second-most primetime games (99, tied) in the NFL dating back to 2000.
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Philadelphia will travel to Kansas City in Week 11 for a rematch of Super Bowl LVII on Monday Night Football. It then hosts an NFC Championship rematch vs. San Francisco in Week 13.
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A national audience will once again be treated to an Eagles-Cowboys matchup in Week 14 on Sunday Night Football. With the exception of a nationally televised 2014 Thanksgiving afternoon contest, the division rivals have squared off in primetime every season since 2007.
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In Week 16, Philadelphia will take on the New York Giants on Christmas at Lincoln Financial Field. This marks the Eagles’ first Christmas game since facing the Raiders at home in 2017.
On Monday, the Philadelphia Eagles signed their quarterback Jalen Hurts to a lucrative contract extension, as he signed a five-year deal worth $255 million, including $179 million guaranteed($110 million at signing).
The Eagles have their franchise quarterback locked up for the next few seasons. On Thursday, Eagles Executive Vice President/GM Howie Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni met the media and discussed Hurts’ new contract.
Roseman gave credit to Hurts and his agent Nicole Lynn, and he believes this is a good deal for both sides.
“Really just the way that everyone kind of made an effort to do this in a way that was really win-win,” Roseman said. “I think it’s a heck of a deal for Jalen. I think it’s a heck of a deal for the Eagles. I think those are really the best kind of deals.
“Really, when I think about Jalen coming here, there are so many people that deserve a lot of credit for where we are right now. It starts with Jalen and his work ethic and his determination. From the first day we drafted him, he had a vision of what kind of player he was going to be, and then just everyone who has been around him who’s rallied around him. It’s a great story. We’re certainly not at the end of the story. I think we’re really at the beginning of the story.”
Sirianni added on the contract: “I was juiced. I was excited. Jalen and I have a great relationship, and as a coach to player and player to coach, I really value those relationships that we have. Obviously, his play has spoken for itself. So, you’re getting a guy that you — one of my favorite things is –, and I felt like when I left Indy, I missed out on this — there were a lot of guys that signed contracts in Indy after I left. I was like, man, I always really liked that part of it where guys get rewarded for what they’ve done, and I’m able to be there with them and be happy for them and still be able to coach them.”
The 24-year-old Hurts has not had many injuries, but last season, he did miss two games due to a shoulder injury. Hurts developed as a passer last season, but he relies on his legs, which is okay; however, the Eagles want to protect their investment, which Sirianni discussed.
“We just have to continue to do a good job of developing,” Sirianni said. “I’ll just answer it for both of us. [Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman] is going to say, we’re going to bring in guys to help [QB] Jalen [Hurts] do his job better, and I’m going to say the guys that Howie brings in, I’m going to do my best, and our coaching staff is going to do our best to maximize their potential as far as how we develop them fundamentally and as a football player and putting them in positions to be able to make plays. That’s our job, is to do that.”
Patricia joins the coaching staff
The Eagles announced on Thursday that they had added Matt Patricia to the coaching staff as a senior defensive assistant. Last season, Patricia, who was a head coach with the Lions from 2018-2020 after being a defensive coordinator with New England, return to the Patriots as an assistant coach.
Sirianni believes Patricia will add some more experience to the coaching staff.
“Obviously, his resume speaks for itself,” Sirianni said. “It gives you a great mind in there that’s done it at the highest level, and so it gives you great ability to bounce ideas off of with the defensive staff. Then also it gives me another former head coach that I can bounce ideas off of, as well, with things, which I think will be very helpful.”
After having a career year and leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl, it was clear that Jalen Hurts would get paid, and on Monday, he got his money.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Hurts signed a five-year deal worth $255 million, including $179 million guaranteed($110 million at signing); the $51 million average annual value is the largest in league history.
In addition, the third-year quarterback has a no-trade clause, which is the first time the Eagles have added that to a contract in team history. Clearly, team president/GM Howie Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni believe in Hurts.
Last season, Hurts, who was drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, had career-highs in passing yards(3701), passing touchdowns(22), and rushing touchdowns(13). Hurts made his first Pro Bowl and was the runner-up to Patrick Mahomes for league MVP. In the regular season, Hurts finished the year with a 14-1 record (.933 winning percentage) as a starter, and at 24 years old, he became the second youngest QB in NFL history to win 14 regular-season games.
In Super Bowl 57, Hurts was spectacular as he threw for 304 yards and a touchdown and ran for a Super Bowl record 70 yards and three more touchdowns.
The deal is reportedly team-friendly and gives the Eagles financial flexibility moving forward , which will allow Philadelphia to build a solid roster around their quarterback, and according to Schefter, here are the first four seasons of the contract.
2023: $6.15 million
2024: $13.56 million
2025: $21.77 million
2026: $31.77 million
Hurts appears to have the goods. Everyone was shocked when the Eagles drafted Hurts because they had Carson Wentz, who had a long-term deal with the team. However, Philly had enough confidence in Hurts and ultimately moved on from the struggling Wentz.
No one questioned Hurts’ intangibles or his ability to run, but they questioned his ability to throw the ball at a high level and questioned whether he could be a franchise quarterback. He has answered those questions.
He proved the doubters wrong in college; he’s proven them wrong in the NFL, and now he’s a star.
In 2022, the Philadelphia Eagles won a franchise-record 14 regular-season games and had a 10-point lead at halftime of Super Bowl 57.
However, the Kansas City Chiefs would score on four-straight second-half possessions and would defeat the Eagles 38-35.
Despite the loss, so many great things happened for the Eagles in 2022. Jalen Hurts became a star, the defense sacked the quarterback a lot(78 times), and they had two one-thousand-yard receivers, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.
With great success comes changes. The offensive coordinator(Shane Steichen) and defensive coordinator(Jonathan Gannon) took head coaching jobs. They have 20 free agents, including 10 starters, so things will look slightly different in Philadelphia next season.
Much can be learned from a loss, and on Thursday, at the end of the season press conference, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni discussed the most significant piece of wisdom he learned from the Super Bowl.
“The wisdom is that I think we were there; we were close,” Sirianni said. “And all that does to me is make me hungrier to get back at it; that’s about the last time you’ll hear me say get back because what you’re going to hear me say is we’re going to do it one day at a time one day at a time because that’s the right mindset. But that doesn’t stop you from when you see the red and yellow confetti fall or you have a piece of it stuck on your shirt, that you don’t think to yourself, I have to do everything I can to help our guys get back to this moment.
“Maybe that’s not a wisdom thing, maybe that’s more of my drive, and I know our players’ drive, and I know Howie’s drive to be like, oh, my God, we were there. We talk about climbing the mountain. We climbed the mountain. We’d look one step at a time, one step at a time, one step at a time, and then we slip right before we were able to put our flag at the top of the mountain.
“All that does is make you more determined, driven, to make that climb again, to get back to the top and hopefully stand at the top.
“Like Rocky, before he fought Drago, and he’s yelling out “Drago,” over the top of Moscow — I use too many Rocky analogies, I get it. But that’s the wisdom that happens.
“The other part of it is that half the fun of this thing, half the reason we do this, and a big part of the reason is the journey. So, without getting sentimental here, that is the last time that that group of men will be together.
“So you know you’re going to — like Howie said, not everybody — it’s not going to be the same team. There’s going to be draft picks. Jonathan [Gannon] is gone. Shane [Steichen] is gone. Different things are going to happen. But you look back. You always cherish that journey. It didn’t end the way you wanted it to, but the journey was special.
“The men involved in the journey were special. The relationships that were built will last forever.”
It’s hard to get a Super Bowl and to get one is an accomplishment, but when you don’t get the victory in the big game, it’s tough, but there’s still a lot of talent on this roster, so maybe they can get back to the Super Bowl, but nothing is guaranteed.
On the biggest stage, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts shined the brightest. Against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, the third-year quarterback threw for 304 yards and a touchdown, and he ran for 70 yards and three touchdowns. The 70 yards and three rushing touchdowns are records for a quarterback in Super Bowl play.
In addition, he converted on the game-tying two-point conversion, and when he stepped off the field for the final time in the fourth quarter, the game was tied at 35.
However, Super Bowl LVII MVP Patrick Mahomes would lead Kansas City on a game-winning drive, which ended with a 27-yard Harrison Butker field goal with eight seconds left as the Chiefs defeated the Eagles 38-35 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Hurts was great, but he had one blemish, a second-quarter fumble that Chiefs safety Nick Bolton returned 36 yards for a touchdown, but all in all, he was special.
According to Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, this was Hurts’ best game as a pro.
“That was the best game I saw Jalen Hurts play,” Sirianni said. “It was awesome for the NFL to see the two best QBs in the league on the big stage.”
Hurts, despite the loss, is proud of his team.
“I think you want to cherish these moments,” he said. “You want to cherish these moments with the people that you come so far with. Your family, your loved ones, your teammates, your peers, everyone you do it with and do it for. I’m so proud of this team. I’m so proud of this team for everything we’ve been able to overcome. Obviously we had a big time goal at the end that we wanted to accomplish and we came up short.”
Mahomes was impressed by Hurts and believed the Eagles star silenced the doubters with this performance.
“If there were any doubters left, there shouldn’t be now,” Mahomes said. “I mean the way he stepped on this stage and ran, threw the ball, whatever it took for his team to win, I mean, that was a special performance that I don’t want it to get lost in the loss that they had.”
The 24-year-old Hurts most definitely silenced the doubters with this performance. However, he and the Eagles, who led 24-14 at halftime, will see this game as a missed opportunity.
On Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles are hoping to win the franchise’s second Super Bowl when they battle the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 57 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Coming into this game, the Eagles are favored by 1.5 points.
Here are three reasons why the Eagles will win Super Bowl 57.
Eagles’ pass rush:
The Eagles get after the quarterback at a high level. In the regular season, they led the NFL with 70 sacks, and in two games in the playoffs, they’ve had eight sacks and knocked out two quarterbacks. The Eagles are the only NFL team to have four different players – Haason Reddick (16.0), Brandon Graham (11.0), Javon Hargrave (11.0) and Josh Sweat (11.0) (all career highs for everyone) – record 10.0+ sacks in the same season
This pass rush, led by Reddick, will test Patrick Mahomes’ injured ankle, and if the Eagles do what they’ve done all season long, Mahomes will be under duress.
In addition, Philadelphia has the number one pass defense in the NFL and have allowed only 14 points in these playoffs.
Brown and Smith:
This season, Eagles wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith combined for 183 receptions with 2692 yards and 18 touchdowns. They were a dynamic duo and maybe the best wide receiver tandem in the NFL.
Interestingly, Kansas City has allowed the most receiving touchdowns(33). In addition, Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert is a stud and is a big part of Philly’s passing game.
Expect Brown and Smith to get their yards on Sunday.
Jalen Hurts:
When you talk about Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts(35 combined touchdowns), it’s not what he does with his arm(22 TD passes); it’s what he does with his legs(13 rushing touchdowns) and how he impacts the running game.
The Eagles have rushed 488 yards(4.7 ypc) and seven touchdowns in the playoffs. The offensive line is excellent, and the running backs are solid, but Hurts makes it all go.
The chip has been on his shoulder for a long time, and he’s played in many big games at Alabama and Oklahoma. The Super Bowl is more significant than all those games, but he’s built for this moment.
Prediction:
Kansas City has league MVP Patrick Mahomes, and he’s special. They get after the quarterback(55 sacks this season). Furthermore, experience is on their side(Andy Reid’s fourth Super Bowl and Mahomes’ third Super Bowl), but the Eagles have the most complete team in football, and if Philadelphia protects the ball and plays a clean game, they win Super Bowl 57.
Eagles win 34-20; Hurts is named Super Bowl MVP.
The last time Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 57 in Arizona, started a game against the Chiefs was October 3, 2021.
In that contest, the Eagles would fall to Kansas City 42-30 at Lincoln Financial Field.
However, Hurts had career-highs of 32 completions and 387 yards in that game. He also threw two touchdowns and no interceptions. Hurts had 434 yards of total offense (including 47 rushing yards on eight attempts). The 387 passing yards were the most by an Eagles quarterback since 2018.
That was one of Hurts’ best games of 2021, and the Eagles’ offense went toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, but they fell short.
On Tuesday, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni discussed Hurts’ performance against the Chiefs.
“I thought he played really well that game,” he said. “Actually, that was one of the things we’re doing too right now, is just rewatching some of that, just like I know they are, just watching some of the things that happened in that game. I thought Jalen played a really good game. I know everybody did, and then just to see him, how he’s continued to grow each day since then.
“That’s some of the things you see there, too, are like, man, he continues to get better. He had a great game this day, but he continues to get better. That’s the kind of guy he is. He just strives to get better each day.
“I don’t have any particular plays that stick out or anything like that from the game, again, just watching it, looking at some things from it. But just Jalen, his leadership, his ability to improve each day, you’ll definitely see that, and you’ve definitely seen him improve since that day.”
That game feels like ages ago, and a lot has changed. Last season, the Chiefs were 27th in total defense, while Philadelphia’s offense was 14th overall. However, in 2022, the Eagles were third in offense, and the Chiefs were 11th in total defense, so both units have improved, but it seems the Eagles would have the edge.
We shall see…
The Eagles will return to the Super Bowl after defeating the 49ers 31-7 in the NFC title game at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.
With the win, the Eagles, who won Super Bowl in the 2017 season, will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII in Arizona on February 12.
The man doubted in college at Alabama and Oklahoma, and in his first two seasons in the league, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has proven that he can lead a team to a Super Bowl.
Hurts, who finished 15/25 for 121 yards and ran for 39 yards and a touchdown against San Francisco, says there’s still more work to be done.
“I said early in the week that this is not a time for reflection,” he said. “It’s really hard for me to do that. I try to enjoy the moment, but my joy comes in winning. I know the job isn’t done. I never knew how far we would come, I never knew how far we’d go, but I never said it couldn’t be done.”
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said he saw the potential in Hurts when Philly drafted him in the second round back in 2020.
“He is a great young leader,” Lurie said. “He is a terrific young quarterback. When we drafted him, it was the upside we were banking on. We thought he had a huge upside. It takes a couple years. And somebody so dedicated as [QB] Jalen [Hurts] and such a great teammate. Inevitably he is going to maximize everything he has, and that’s what he’s done.”
When the Eagles drafted Hurts, many were shocked because they had just signed Carson Wentz to a big contract the season before. Hurts reflected on that moment after the win.
“It was a big surprise to many,” he said about Philly drafting him. “My favorite [bible] verse, I went through a lot of stuff in college, and it kind of stuck with me, John 13:7: ‘You may not know now, but later you’ll understand.’ Hopefully, people understand.”
To think Hurts would lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl after how he looked in the playoffs against the Buccaneers last season is quite remarkable, but as he said, the job isn’t done.
Notes:
–Jalen Hurts recorded his 15th rushing touchdown on Sunday to set the new single-season record for a quarterback.
-This is the third Super Bowl appearance under Jeffrey Lurie’s ownership, having previously reached the league’s championship game during the 2004 and 2017 seasons.
-Currently, Philadelphia is the fourth NFL team to reach three Super Bowls dating back to 2004, joining New England (seven), Pittsburgh (three) and Seattle (three). The Eagles are also the fourth franchise to appear in multiple Super Bowls since 2017, joining Kansas City (two), L.A. Rams (two) and New England (two) in that span.
-Philadelphia is the first NFL team to allow 7-or-fewer points multiple times in the same postseason since the 2000 Baltimore Ravens (also W, 38-7 vs. N.Y. Giants). Philadelphia outscored their opponents 69-14 in these playoffs.
-The Eagles scored a franchise-playoff-record 4 rushing TDs in today’s game (2 TDs by Miles Sanders and 1 TD apiece by Jalen Hurts and Boston Scott). Philadelphia’s 4 rushing TDs were the most allowed by San Francisco’s No. 2-ranked rushing defense this season.
-Haason Reddick finished the game with 2.0 sacks, 1 FF and 1 FR. Reddick now has totaled 3.5 sacks this postseason, which are the most by an individual Eagle during a single playoff run. Overall, Reddick has recorded 19.5 sacks in 19 games this season (including playoffs).
In 2022, the Philadelphia Eagles(14-3) had the best record in football in the regular season and are one game away(battle the 49ers in the NFC title game at the Linc on Sunday) from getting to the Super Bowl.
The Eagles have a league-best eight Pro Bowlers and, from top to bottom, have one of the best rosters in the NFL.
According to Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, who has been around the NFL as a coach since 2009, the 2022 Philadelphia Eagles is the most complete team he’s been around.
“We had some good Mount Union(University) teams. I mean, we had some really good Mount Union teams, that’s for darn sure,'” Sirianni said on Thursday. “But, yeah, in the NFL, this is the most complete team that I’ve ever been around.
“The thing that makes you say that is that I’ve been taught from very young that it’s O-line, D-line, O-line, D-line, O-line, D-line. It doesn’t matter if it’s my son’s pee wee game, it doesn’t matter if it’s a high school game, it doesn’t matter if it’s a college game, it doesn’t matter if it’s a pro game, the O-line, D-line, wins games and sets the tone.
“We have a great defensive line. We have a great offensive line. And not only do we have these pieces in place there, we also understand that we have backups, and we have rotations, guys ready to step in and make plays, and guys that have stepped in to make plays.
“We also know this about San Francisco: They have a great O-line and D-line. You get to the NFC Championship game, that’s what it’s going to look like. I haven’t looked at Cincinnati or Kansas City, but I am assuming it is similar traits.
“So, it’ll be a battle. Yeah, a lot of credit to our O-line, D-line. A lot of credit to [Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman], and how he’s put this roster together and his staff and [Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line] coach Stout [Jeff Stoutland] and [Defensive Line] coach [Tracy] Rocker and [Defensive Ends/Outside Linebackers] coach Wash [Jeremiah Washburn]. We have a lot of guys in place that are making it possible with those guys.”
Sirianni is right; the Eagles are a complete team and may have the most complete team in the NFL, but none of that means a thing if they don’t get the ring.
Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the greatest player in NBA history. In 15 NBA seasons, Jordan won six NBA titles, six NBA Finals MVPs, and five-time regular-season MVPs.
Anytime you compare any player to Jordan, you’re saying that player is special.
After Philadelphia’s 38-7 win over the Giants on Saturday night, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni compared Hurts to Jordan. The third-year quarterback is playing like an MVP this season and have the Eagles one game away from the Super Bowl.
On Monday, Sirianni explained the Jordan comparison.
“You know, when you compare something like that, you’re thinking about — I mean, Michael Jordan is the best basketball player of all time, and I get in arguments back and forth with our players,” Sirianni said. “In my opinion, right, because my height of watching basketball — I’m not trying to start a debate here or anything like that, but in my opinion, my height of watching basketball and who I always wanted to be as a kid growing up was Michael Jordan. I don’t think I’m going to get in many arguments that he’s the best basketball player of all time.
“But the things that Michael Jordan, you were able to see a lot of things about him in “The Last Dance” about his competitiveness and about just his desire and will to win.
“So when you make that comparison, you think — again, when you guys ask me about Jalen, the first thing, as good as he’s played this year, as well as he’s run the football, as well as he’s thrown the football, reading defenses, accurate throws, as well as he’s done all that, what you notice first about him is his will to win, his competitive drive.
“That comparison is kind of in that aspect of it. Again, was I around Michael Jordan? No, but I was able to watch from afar when I was a kid, but then also you’re able to watch these documentaries, and you see that common denominator of those things — the first thing you asked me about Jalen, I always talk about all those things, all the intangibles that he has.
“That’s where that’s coming from is just that will to win. It’s at a different level. He had that big chain on. What did it say? A breed of one. He’s a breed of one. That’s who he is. He’s unlike anybody I’ve been around just with how much he loves this game, how much winning drives him, how much getting better every day drives him, how much leading drives him. He’s special. He is a special dude.
“That’s where really I was coming from with that, in the sense of, like man, these guys, they’re built different. They’re built different as far as how they go about their business and how they go about prepping for games and compete in games and steady during games. That’s what I was speaking of there.”
You can see Hurts’ competitive fire in his demeanor; as Sirianni said, he’s never fazed. However, Jordan won, and he won big, so for this comparison to stick, Hurts has to win on Sunday against the 49ers, which won’t be easy, but if he’s really Jordan-like, the Eagles will be in Arizona for Super Bowl LVII.
