unCovering the Birds with Jeff McLane

Jeffrey Lurie has owned the Philadelphia Eagles, which he purchased in 1994, longer than his son, Julian, has been alive. But in recent years, the younger Lurie, heir to the franchise and now 31, has assumed a more pervasive and influential role in the organization. While the Eagles have made no secret about Julian’s increased involvement with the team, specifics about his role have been scant. In recent months, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane spoke to nearly two dozen sources on and off the record to gain a better understanding of not just who Julian Lurie is and what he does, but - most important of all - whether he’ll be ready to assume the reins as Eagles Chairman and CEO, whenever the time comes. Jeff shares the biggest takeaways from his reporting with Inquirer columnist Mike Sielski in this companion episode to Jeff’s feature article about the Eagles' succession plan, linked here: https://www.inquirer.com/eagles/a/julian-lurie-influence-eagles-ownership-succession-plan-20260617.html unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Following this episode, the podcast will be on hiatus until the start of training camp.

There was a lot said during the Eagles’ end-of-season news conference, but nothing stood out more to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane than a comment general manager Howie Roseman made about his head coach, Nick Sirianni. What did Roseman say, and why was it so noteworthy? McLane and Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes read between the lines in this recap of Roseman and Sirianni’s Q&A with reporters. 00:00 What did Howie Roseman say? 17:43 Front office power dynamics between Roseman, Nick Sirianni, and Jeffrey Lurie 23:24 Kevin Patullo, Jalen Hurts, and the blame game 33:17 Will A.J. Brown be here next year? unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the offseason, including breaking news updates and reactions.

A common refrain from the NovaCare Complex during the Eagles’ up-and-down 2025 regular season has been that finding ways to win, regardless of style or circumstance, is the team’s greatest strength. Based on the group’s track record, especially the past two years, the claim would be hard to dismiss. The Eagles’ belief in themselves, however, will be put to the test this weekend, when the playoffs begin Sunday with a Wild Card matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles might not be entering the postseason looking like the world-beaters that romped in last year’s Super Bowl, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of pulling off another title run. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane shares his reasons for hope and doubt for the possibility of a repeat. 00:00 Which version of the Eagles will show up Sunday? 02:22 Top reason for hope: Uncle Vic 09:06 Could Jalen Hurts run more? 13:05 The Lane Johnson effect 18:17 The biggest reason for concern... 27:43 About Kevin Patullo, and his future unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

With only one game to go in the regular season and the playoffs looming, there’s little reason to think the Eagles’ offense will or is capable of changing its stripes. The defense, on the other hand, continues to prove its dominance (as it did again in Buffalo), regardless of which players it has available, or the opponent it faces. This combination, while imperfect, has still positioned the Eagles for a top-three postseason seed. But will the formula be enough for the franchise to duplicate last winter’s Super Bowl run this year? The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Olivia Reiner weigh in. 00:00 Acceptance; this is what the Eagles are 02:14 What the heck happened to the offense in the second half? 09:35 How should the Eagles approach their offense moving forward? 14:10 A defense capable of carrying a team 19:20 To rest or not; the tradeoffs unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

Nakobe Dean’s value to the Eagles is as clear as the team’s improved defense performance since his return to play. Coming off his best game of the season in last week’s shutout win over the Raiders, the linebacker has made a remarkable turnaround from a serious knee injury that knocked him out of the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX championship run. But what's Dean's future in Philadelphia beyond this season? The 25-year old is an unrestricted free agent, and for the first time in what feels like forever, the Eagles have depth in the linebacker rotation. With only three games left before the playoffs, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane looks at the likelihood of the Eagles keeping Dean, as well as several other players whose contracts expire whenever this season ends. 00:00 Can the Eagles keep Nakobe Dean? Should they? 14:30 Tiering other key unrestricted free agents on the roster, like Dallas Goedert, Jaelan Phillips, and Reed Blankenship. unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

While cute and novel, the Positivity Bunny proved nothing short of an unceremonious bust. As soon as they could following a brutal overtime loss to the Chargers, the Eagles gave the preposterous 10-foot locker room inflatable the boot. It was not the good-luck charm they hoped for, and served as a reminder that, instead of wishing its woes away, this team will actually have to put in real work to turn the season around. With a potential soft spot in the schedule emerging this Sunday vs. the Raiders, there might not be any better time than the present for the Eagles to breathe some life back into themselves. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane touches base with a few trusted veterans, who share their perspective on the state of the club and the direction they think it’s headed. 00:00 The swift arrival and demise of the Eagles’ “Positivity Bunny” 03:48 What’s with the “awful” sideline vibes? 07:20 Different strokes for different folks 10:18 Jordan Davis and the importance of an optimistic mindset unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.