Eagles Schedule 2025: Potential Opponents for NFL Opening Night After Super Bowl Win
Feb 10, 2025
Football: Super Bowl LIX: Philadelphia Eagles Jalen Hurts (1) victorious with the Vince Lombardi trophy following victory vs Kansas City Chiefs at Caesar's Superdome.
New Orleans, LA 2/9/2025
CREDIT: Erick W. Rasco (Photo by Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
(Set Number: X164676 TK1)
The Philadelphia Eagles are celebrating the team's Super Bowl 59 victory, but it's never too early to take a look at the 2025 season.
The opponent that the Eagles will play to start their title defense isn't official just yet. They can face a variety of teams at home including the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders (h/t NFL.com's Kevin Patra).
Here's the full list of eligible opponents that Philadelphia can matchup with to kick off its 2025 campaign.
Eagles' Potential 2025 Week 1 Opponents
Chicago Bears
Dallas Cowboys
Denver Broncos
Detroit Lions
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Rams
New York Giants
Washington Commanders
This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis.
Saquon Barkley Reflects on Eagles' Super Bowl Win: Next Year Will Be 'My Best Year'
Feb 10, 2025
NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 09: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles carries the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome on February 9, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Saquon Barkley won a Super Bowl title and the Offensive Player of the Year while nearly breaking Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards this past season.
But the best is apparently yet to come.
Barkley took to social media Monday after helping lead the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl title and said the 2025 campaign will "probably be my best year."
It's safe to say that I'ma take the cake for this year I would say try again next year But next year will probably be my best year… GOD IS GREAT🖤🖤🖤 pic.twitter.com/Qijb8qFaH2
While the Penn State product was always a dangerous playmaker during his first six years with the New York Giants, he elevated his game to another level in his first year in Philadelphia. He finished the regular season with 2,005 rushing yards, 278 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns and could have broken Dickerson's record if he played the last game.
His individual momentum didn't stop in the playoffs, as Barkley ran for 205 yards and two touchdowns in the NFC Divisional Round win over the Los Angeles Rams and 118 yards and three touchdowns in the NFC Championship Game win over the Washington Commanders.
If there is any room for improvement, it might be in the Super Bowl itself.
Barkley posted just 57 rushing yards on 2.3 yards per carry against the Kansas City Chiefs, although he also had six receptions for 40 yards in the aerial attack. He took a backseat at times to Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia defense, which he was surely fine with since it resulted in a Lombardi Trophy.
Maybe next season he will cap off a new individual best effort with a Super Bowl MVP.
Video: Tom Brady Warns Jalen Hurts to Not Let Eagles' Super Bowl Jersey Get Stolen
Feb 10, 2025
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 16: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles talk after the NFC Wild Card playoff game at Raymond James Stadium on January 16, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Tom Brady offered Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts some helpful advice immediately after the Philadelphia Eagles' 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.
Brady told Hurts to keep close tabs on his game jersey, saying that "I had a few of those stolen over the years."
The locker room of the winning team is a frenzied place at the Super Bowl. Players and coaches are celebrating the triumph. Some are getting pulled aside for interviews and media hits. Nobody is focused too much on their lockers.
As Brady can attest, that opens the door wide open for something bad to happen.
In one famous example, the FBI led an investigation in 2017 that pointed to an international media member taking two of Brady's jerseys and a helmet potentially belonging former Denver Broncos star Von Miller while covering the Super Bowl.
Of course, entering and exiting the Eagles locker room means going through "Big" Dom DiSandro, the team's chief security officer. Good luck trying to sneak one of Hurts' jerseys past him.
CJGJ Reposts 2023 Prediction Eagles DL Would 'SMASH' Chiefs in Super Bowl on Grass
Feb 10, 2025
The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII just two years ago in a game that generated headlines for the playing surface.
Eagles defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson took to social media in the months after that loss and suggested Philadelphia's defensive line would have dominated the game with a better playing surface.
Well, Gardner-Johnson kept the receipts and brought them out after helping lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl LIX title over the Chiefs on Sunday:
His prediction about the defensive line proved prescient, as the NFC representative generated a 38.1 percent pressure rate without blitzing during Sunday's win, per Next Gen Stats. Patrick Mahomes was sacked six times and consistently chased out of the pocket, which made life particularly difficult on the Kansas City offense as it fell behind 40-6 before garbage-time scores made the final score 40-22.
Gardner-Johnson finished with three tackles, and fellow defensive back Cooper DeJean had a pick-six in the second quarter that largely started Philadelphia's onslaught.
It was much different than the matchup two years ago when the Chiefs won 38-35 as players from both teams struggled with their footing and slipped. Longtime groundskeeper George Toma criticized the way the field was prepared, and it became a talking point long after the game.
Fortunately for the Eagles, there were no excuses this time around.
They dominated from the start and left no doubt who the better team was all while preventing the Chiefs from making history as the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
Eagles DT Rips 'B.S.' Chiefs 3-Peat Copyright Pursuit: 'Throw That S--t in the Trash'
Feb 10, 2025
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 09: Milton Williams #93 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates after recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams reveled in denying the Kansas City Chiefs their place in NFL history.
Williams said he was "definitely" motivated by the general conversations around the Chiefs' three-peat bid.
"They were talking about getting the copyright and all that B.S." he said, per ESPN's Tim McManus. "Throw that s--t in the trash."
Defensive end Brandon Graham conveyed a similar sentiment.
"That was motivation because it was kind of a slap to us," he said. "It was like, they ain't seen us yet. So, we heard that all week. And when the game came, execution was on point and together."
Thanks to some incredibly savvy thinking by NBA coaching legend Pat Riley decades ago, any team's pursuit of three straight championships inevitably hits on the fact that the phrase "Three-Peat" and "3-Peat" officially trademarked. Their usage for commercial purposes requires Riley's approval.
Securing the necessary agreements needs to be done in advance in order to have championship apparel and memorabilia available as soon as a game is over. That meant the NFL prepared for the Chiefs' three-peat well before Super Bowl LIX.
It's no different than how the league produces hats and T-shirts for both teams competing in the Super Bowl, with half of that inventory never seeing the light of day in the United States.
But athletes and coaches never turn down a possible source of inspiration ahead of a big game. For the Eagles, hearing about the Chiefs' quest to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls weighed squarely on their minds.
Xavier Worthy Sets NFL Super Bowl Rookie Record in Chiefs' Loss to Eagles
Feb 10, 2025
It is likely of little solace following a 40-22 loss in Sunday's Super Bowl LIX, but Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy at least put his name in the records book.
Worthy tallied eight catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns in the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, which Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports noted was a rookie record for receiving yards on the sport's biggest stage.
He surpassed the 109 receiving yards that Chris Matthews finished with for the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX and Torry Holt finished with for the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV.
This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis.
Tom Brady Calls Patrick Mahomes 'the Ultimate Competitor' as Chiefs Lose Super Bowl
Feb 10, 2025
Retired football player and Fox analyst Tom Brady walks the sidelines before the start of Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 9, 2025. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
NFL legend Tom Brady empathized with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the final stages of Kansas City's 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.
As the outcome was clear midway through the fourth quarter, Brady said from the broadcast booth that he lingers over his three Super Bowl defeats "probably more than I think about the seven wins" (via Matt Geagan of WBZ News).
"It hurts to lose this game," the Fox Sports analyst said. "We lost to the Giants in 2007. That was 17 years ago. We were on the precipice of history and we faced a Giants team that played their hearts out that day and beat us. I still haven't really lived it down, because you care so deeply. And I know that this Chiefs team does as well. Patrick is the ultimate competitor. The reality of a loss in this game is you don't ever get over them."
That's exactly what Mahomes conveyed in his postgame press conference. He told reporters that a defeat in the Super Bowl is "the worst feeling in the world."
"Anytime you lose the Super Bowl, it's the worst feeling in the world. It'll stick with you the rest of your career... they hurt -- probably more than the wins feel good."
The frustration for Mahomes is probably magnified because of how poorly he played Sunday night.
Hardly anyone blamed the two-time MVP when Kansas City came up short against Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV. The Chiefs offensive line had no answer for the Bucs' pass rush, so it was a minor miracle Mahomes even managed to throw for 270 yards on that occasion.
While the Eagles applied steady pressure in Super Bowl LIX, that doesn't fully account for Mahomes' performance. He finished 21-of-32 for 257 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, with two of those TDs and a lot of yards coming in garbage time. He made some questionable decisions and simply didn't look comfortable in the pocket.
It's safe to say Mahomes will be stewing on this game all offseason, and it will probably remain in the back of his mind for a long time to come.
Giants Trolled by NFL Fans as Saquon Barkley Wins Super Bowl with Eagles in 1st Year
Feb 10, 2025
NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 09: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs with the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome on February 9, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
New York Giants owner John Mara might be having nightmares right now.
If he can even sleep at all.
Hard Knocks cameras famously captured Mara saying he would have a hard time sleeping if star running back Saquon Barkley ended up with the Philadelphia Eagles when it was clear he wasn't returning to the Giants.
All Barkley did in his first year with New York's NFC East rival was win a Super Bowl.
Naturally, social media didn't waste an opportunity to poke fun at the Giants as the Eagles put the finishing touches on their 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday:
SAQUON GETS SUPER BOWL RING IN HIS FIRST SEASON WITH THE EAGLES 🔥💪
• Saquon 2k yards, Eagles win SB • McKinney all-pro, 8 INT’s • Daniel Jones last 1.5 years on contract • Giants go 3-14 • Giants franchise record losing streak • Blow the 1st overall pick in week 17#Giants100pic.twitter.com/5ENp3fT3i4
Saquon Barkley was under appreciated on the Giants, started questioning himself, his confidence, is chased away by a new GM and then goes to the Eagles and absolutely crushes it leading a team to a Super Bowl win year 1. PSU legend. pic.twitter.com/P0jiJfNzH5
For as dominant as Barkley was throughout the season, he was relatively quiet in the Super Bowl.
He averaged just 2.3 yards per carry on the way to 57 rushing yards and didn't find the end zone. He was more dangerous as a pass-catcher with six receptions for 40 yards, although it was DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown who caught the two touchdown passes from Jalen Hurts.
Hurts finished a game-high 72 rushing yards and a score on the ground as well and took home Super Bowl MVP honors.
Still, the Eagles likely wouldn't have even been in the Super Bowl without Barkley.
The Penn State product threatened Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards on his way to 2,005 rushing yards, 278 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns. Had he played in the final game of the regular season, he may have set the record.
Barkley also ran for 205 yards and two scores in the NFC Divisional Round win over the Los Angeles Rams before tallying 118 yards and three touchdowns on the ground in the NFC Championship Game win over the Washington Commanders.
It was a dream season for the former face of the franchise for the Giants, which is exactly what Mara feared.
Serena Williams Defends Taylor Swift After NFL Fans Boo Singer During Super Bowl 59
Feb 10, 2025
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 09: Serena Williams performs during the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation)
Tennis legend Serena Williams consoled Taylor Swift after the music star received a frosty reception from the crowd at Super Bowl LIX.
In a post on X, Williams advised Swift to tune out the boos she received inside Caesars Superdome:
This ultimately may have come down to the fact the 14-time Grammy winner is the most famous Chiefs fan on the planet, and the Superdome seemed to be predominantly Eagles fans.
Compare and contrast how the crowd responded to the pregame intros, which featured actors Bradley Cooper and Jon Hamm. Cooper drew large cheers as he brought the Eagles onto the field, while boos were audible with Hamm announcing the Chiefs' entrance:
Listen, we're talking about a fanbase that once threw snowballs at a man dressed in a Santa Claus costume because they were so disgusted with the state of the Eagles at the time.
It shouldn't be a shock Eagles partisans didn't roll out the red carpet for a celebrity so closely associated with the Chiefs during the biggest game of the season.
Roseman, Eagles Celebrate to 'F--k a Budget' Song in Locker Room After Super Bowl Win
Feb 10, 2025
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 09: General manager Howie Roseman of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates after beating the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 to win Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia Eagles seem to keenly understand their fans care about championships, not balance sheets.
Following Philly's 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, The Athletic's Brooks Kubena wrote that Eagles general manager Howie Roseman partook in the team's locker room celebration, during which Future's "Lil Demon" played from the speakers. One line from that song is "Go platinum, f--k a budget."
Kubena laid out how "f--k a budget" has to some extent been Philadelphia's approach to building its roster.
The NFL is a hard-capped league, so it's not as though a team can spend its way to success in the same way you theoretically can in the NBA or MLB. But there is room to be more aggressive than your peers in the short term, and that's exactly what the Eagles have been.
The three-year contract they gave to Saquon Barkley is a prime example. At a time when a lot of teams are shying away from bigger multiyear deals for running backs in free agency, Philly didn't hesitate with Barkley, and he proceeded to perform at an MVP-type level.
Then there are the extensions the Eagles have paid out to players who were already on the roster. Quarterback Jalen Hurts, wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, offensive tackles Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson and offensive guard Landon Dickerson all have average salaries of at least $20 million.
The Chiefs, by comparison, have three players averaging $20 million or more.
Savvy drafting by Roseman and the front office has perfectly complemented the massive spending on proven talent.
Cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean both made immediate impacts as rookies this year, with DeJean getting a pick-six in the Super Bowl.
Defensive tackle Jalen Carter has grown to become a game-wrecker as well. He had two hits on Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl, which doesn't do justice to how much he influenced the contest.
Linebacker Zack Baun wasn't drafted by the Eagles, but his one-year, $3.5 million contract was one of the biggest bargains in the league as he went on to be an All-Pro.
There will come a time when Roseman has to make some difficult decisions with the current roster, choices that are largely fueled by financial concerns. But that day is not today.
For now, Roseman deserves all the credit for being the architect for what's clearly the NFL's strongest squad.
