In a season of ups and downs, the Philadelphia Eagles’ roster is proving that resilience can come from unexpected places. From a rough kickoff return to a veteran’s comeback, the team’s story this year is one of learning and adaptation.
Shipley’s Rough Day and the Road to Recovery
Will Shipley, the Eagles’ second-year running back, had a rough game in Washington. The rookie made a couple of mistakes as the team’s kick returner, fumbling on the opening kickoff and later costing the Eagles valuable field position with indecision. “Just reset and remove yourself from the clouds, seeing everything as a fact,” Shipley said. “And ultimately just not wanting to control the output. Taking the output as a fact and being able to go back and adjust my input. Everything is not always going to go the way you want it. But at the end of the day, you can either take it for an advantage or you can let it be a deficit.”
Those two mistakes in Week 16 are a small part of Shipley’s overall performance. He has returned 25 kickoffs for an average of 26.9 yards. Of the 32 players in the NFL who have returned at least 20 kickoffs this season, Shipley’s average ranks eighth. Not elite, but definitely above average. The Eagles have rotated the other kick returner spot, but it would make sense for them to keep Shipley.
Shipley also expressed gratitude for the coaching staff’s continued trust. “It definitely feels good,” he said. “I think at the end of the day, being afraid of mistakes is just not a way to play this game. They’re gonna come. I think any football player has faced mistakes at a multitude of different levels. I’m not afraid to make mistakes. I’m here to use them to my advantage.”
Special teams coordinator Michael Clay echoed that sentiment. “It’s one of those things where you try to tell these guys, you’re almost like a duck,” Clay said. “Keep the water off of your feathers right there. Let it roll off your back and next play in.”
Zack Baun’s Pro Bowl Journey and the Cost of Attention
Zack Baun made the Pro Bowl for the second straight year, a milestone that feels special after a season where teams began to focus more on him. “I always want to get better,” Baun said. “I think last year I had a lot of opportunities because teams didn’t really know who I was or what my game would consist of. This year, I never thought that teams would be scheming against me or trying to cover me up on certain plays. But that was the case. And to still get Pro Bowl despite that was really cool.”
Baun’s stats reflect the shift in attention. In 2024, over 16 games, he recorded 151 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 5 quarterback hits, 4 forced passes, 5 forced fumbles, and 1 interception. In 2025, over 15 games, he tallied 117 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 5 quarterback hits, 7 forced passes, 1 forced fumble, and 2 interceptions.
When asked how it feels to be the focus of defensive game plans, Baun explained, “You never know if it was because of you. You’re just like, ‘Dang, I’m getting blocked on every single play.’ I’m not having the splash run-throughs that I’m having last year or the crazy tackles that I did last year. I just stay consistent and understand that I’m doing my job and don’t really care about the stats. I just want the team to win and to play well.”
Brandon Graham’s Longevity Under Vic Fangio
Defensive end Brandon Graham, 37, had retired after Super Bowl LIX but returned during the season when the Eagles needed a boost at edge rusher. Without Jalen Carter’s shoulder injury, Graham has been contributing quality snaps at defensive tackle. Vic Fangio, who has long experience with older players, praised Graham’s continued effectiveness.
“That may sound corny and not relevant,” Fangio said, “but as guys get older in their career, they lose their stinger a little bit for the real nut-cutting and contact of the game. He hasn’t.” Fangio noted that Graham still looks very similar to how he looked in 2024. “Maybe I’ll be his agent,” Fangio joked. “Yeah, we might,” he added. “Maybe I’ll be his agent.”
Rushing Momentum and the Role of the Line
The Eagles’ rushing attack, which was explosive in 2024, struggled early in 2025 but has begun to improve in recent weeks. “We know who we have in this locker room,” left tackle Jordan Mailata said. “The turnover from this year to last year is pretty similar. We just carry that confidence into this year and even into the last couple of weeks. We’ve just kept humming with the game plan and bought into it. It helps. That certainly helps.”
Through Week 13, the Eagles were 22nd in overall rushing with 1,302 yards and 24th in average yards per carry at 4.0. In the last three weeks, they are third in rushing with 524 yards and eighth in average at 4.9. While the sample size is small, the trend suggests the line is blocking better and Saquon Barkley is showing more of what the team expects from him.
Barkley spoke about staying confident amid a rough start: “Training. The work I put in, always having a positive mindset,” he said. “If you have a negative mindset when stuff is going bad, nothing is going to change. The way you change is by coming to work with the right mindset and pushing yourself to get better every single day. Using all that as an opportunity to rise. That’s what we’ve been doing. Right now, we’re seeing the benefits of it. But always got room to improve and that’s something we’re going to continue to work on.”
DeVonta Smith’s Road Game Anticipation
The Eagles’ star receiver DeVonta Smith is looking forward to his first trip to Orchard Park, New York, where the team will face the Buffalo Bills. “I like going into different places,” Smith said on Friday. “Me personally, I want to be able to play in every stadium that there is just to say that I’ve done it. It’s good to have this one checked off. Wish it would have been earlier in the year but …”
Smith added, “I think it’s just cool to play in different environments, get kind of the feel of how it is. I heard this is a great place to play. Heard a lot about their fanbase and things like that. Just want to experience it.” He also highlighted his remaining road venues: Buffalo, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Miami, Baltimore, Tennessee, and San Francisco. “I think this might be the last one that I haven’t played in that I actually want to go to,” Smith said. “I think all the other ones I’ve played in pretty much.”
Key Takeaways
- Will Shipley’s kickoff return average of 26.9 yards ranks eighth among players with at least 20 returns this season, keeping his spot on the roster.
- Zack Baun’s Pro Bowl nod came despite increased defensive focus, with his 2025 stats showing a shift toward more forced passes and interceptions.
- Brandon Graham remains a valuable veteran presence under Vic Fangio, continuing to perform at a high level after a brief retirement.
- The Eagles’ rushing attack has improved in the final weeks of the season, moving from 22nd to 3rd in total yards and from 24th to 8th in average yards per carry.
- DeVonta Smith is eager to complete his road-game checklist, including a first appearance at Highmark Stadium.
The 2025 season has tested the Eagles’ depth and resilience, but the stories of Shipley, Baun, Graham, and Smith illustrate how the team is adapting and finding new momentum as the playoffs loom.
