Nick Sirianni reportedly apologized to Zach Ertz for mocking him after the Commanders game

Nick Sirianni called Zach Ertz to apologize after a high five led to a post-game separation – Hogs Haven
Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported yesterday that the two had to be separated by Eagles chief security officer Dom DiSandro. […] “But according to sources close to the incident. Here’s what really happened. Ertz went to shake Sirianni’s hand and could tell the coach was agitated, so instead gave him a high five. Sirianni didn’t like the intensity of Ertz’s hand slap and mocked him because he had only one catch and told him he essentially did nothing to contribute to the Commanders’ win. Ertz took exception and got in Sirianni’s face, but the coaches escort, as always Dom DiSandro, jumped in and held Ertz back and ushered a defeated Sirianni to the tunnel. Sirianni later called Ertz and apologized over a Zoom conference call.”

Eagles sign quarterback to practice squad ahead of Cowboys game – BGN
The Philadelphia Eagles are signing free agent quarterback Ian Book to their practice squad, according to a report from NFL insider Mike Garafolo. The news has since been confirmed by an official team announcement. The Eagles had an opening after releasing practice squad tight end Kevin Foelsch earlier this week. The Eagles signing Book points to the team having significant concerns about QB availability in their game against the Dallas Cowboys this week.

Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield among NFL stars up for bonuses – ESPN
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley. After leaving the New York Giants and signing with the rival Eagles in free agency, Barkley proved that he has plenty left in the tank. He currently leads the NFL with 2,114 yards from scrimmage, which will earn him $500,000. A Pro Bowl nod nets Barkley an additional $250,000, and an All-Pro selection earns him $500,000. Barkley will also benefit if the Eagles go on a deep playoff run. He is set to earn $250,000 in bonus money with an NFC championship win and $500,000 with a Super Bowl victory.

Week 17 NFL picks: Can Bears knock off Seahawks on ‘TNF’? Broncos or Bengals in huge AFC clash? – NFL.com
Why Ali picked the Eagles: I waited as long as I could to make this pick, hoping to glean some insights as to who would, or perhaps more importantly, who wouldn’t be suiting up for this NFC East battle. The unknowns related to Jalen Hurts (concussion) and Ceedee Lamb (shoulder) are particularly challenging to navigate, as neither team’s offense looks remotely the same without its respective superstar on the field. The same could be said for the Cowboys’ defense, which was a mess while Micah Parsons was sidelined earlier this season. But since Week 12, the unit has been among the NFL’s most opportunistic, tied for first in takeaways and leading the league outright in sacks. I expect the Cowboys to carry a massive chip into this division contest, one that’s been building since the beating the Eagles put on them back in Week 10. That desire for revenge helps to keep this game close, but not enough to keep Saquon Barkley and the Eagles’ top-ranked defense at bay for 60 minutes.

Are Eagles mulling kickoff change after debacle vs. Commanders? – NBCSP
Michael Clay didn’t even wait until anybody asked a question about kickoffs and kickoff coverage. At his weekly media chat Tuesday, the Eagles’ special teams coach addressed it before he even took any questions. And he hinted that the Eagles may be considering a change to try and prevent what happened Sunday in the loss to the Commanders. “We didn’t play well enough, special-teams wise, especially in the coverage phase, primarily on kickoff coverage,” he said. “We put our defense in terrible situations. One, starting off the game with a penalty. Not what our standard is and then coming back and letting them have a big return. … Overall, wasn’t up to our standard. We put our defense in a bad spot. Kudos to Vic (Fangio) and (the defense) for getting some turnovers right after those bad spots. But we’ve got to be better, especially as we’re ending this regular season and getting into playoff football-time mode, especially going against Dallas. We all know KaVontae Turpin is a dangerous returner. But not up to our standards when we played against Washington.” It was a bad day all around on kickoffs.

Eagles mourn the passing of Bill Bergey, NFC Champion and member of the franchise’s Hall of Fame – PE.com
The Eagles are saddened to learn of the passing of Bill Bergey, one of the franchise’s greatest linebackers and a member of the Eagles Hall of Fame. He fought valiantly and bravely against cancer for three years. He died peacefully on Christmas morning at the age of 79, surrounded by his loving family. “We are saddened to learn of the passing of Bill Bergey. An Eagles all-time great, Bill was a legendary linebacker who gained the respect of players and coaches across the league for his blue-collar work ethic and hard-nosed play,” said Eagles Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie. “He was rightfully inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame in 1988. Bill exemplified what it meant to be an Eagle in every way, and proudly represented the team in the community well after his playing days were over. We will all miss him dearly and extend our deepest condolences to the entire Bergey family.” Bergey is survived by his wife of 55 years, Micky, three sons – Jason, Jake, and Josh, 10 grandkids whom he loved and cherished every day, and two siblings – his brother, Bruce, and sister, Sylvia. He was a man who loved his family to the end. His bear hugs will be missed.

Cowboys roundtable: Defensive players, the Dallas offense, and the Philly game – Blogging The Boys
Howman: I’ll start with my hot take: everyone is saying Dallas has a legit shot to win if Kenny Pickett has to play again, but I think the odds are better if Jalen Hurts ends up playing. Hurts has been terrible under pressure this year, with a dismal -0.39 EPA/dropback when pressured. That’s behind the likes of Bryce Young, Sam Darnold, and Aaron Rodgers, and just barely ahead of Kirk Cousins, who just got benched. Stopping Saquon Barkley is going to be its own challenge no matter what, but I like the prospects of this red hot Mike Zimmer defense going up against Hurts. […] Tom: The Cowboys know Barkley well. It’s probably the one facet that will determine the game. If Dallas forces Philadelphia to go to the air, there’s a chance. As for a hot take, I think this turns out to be a battle of the back, with Dowdle rebounding in a big way. […] RJ: It is hard to know how this will go with the question mark surrounding Jalen Hurts. Ultimately I think the Cowboys probably lose in a tough fight which will please Team Tank. My hot take is that CeeDee Lamb has a hat trick’s worth of touchdowns in his final performance of the calendar year 2024.

2024 Giants year in review: Big Blue View’s most-read posts of the past year – Big Blue View
No. 6 — Saquon Barkley signs with the Philadelphia Eagles — what it means for the Giants. This was the biggest news of the year. If we were ranking the top 10 stories, Barkley to the Eagles would be No. 1.

Full list of Week 17 straight-up picks with confidence levels – SB Nation
High confidence (38-13): Eagles over Cowboys, Colts over Giants, Bills over Jets.

The Miami Dolphins decided to waive edge rusher Shaq Barrett — what’s next? – The Phinsider
The Shaq Barrett era with the Miami Dolphins is over after roughly nine months. ESPN’s Adam Schefter shared that the franchise is waiving the former Super Bowl champion off the Reserve/Retired list on Thursday. Barrett, who abruptly retired on July 20 after signing a one-year, $7 million deal with the Dolphins in March, can play again this season — if he clears waivers on Friday. If a team claims Barrett, he’ll be ineligible to play this season.