At the NovaCare Complex on July 23, the Philadelphia Eagles began their 2025 training camp. The team, fresh off its Super Bowl LIX win, gathered with a unified mindset: focus on the present. Just five days earlier, the organization held its Super Bowl ring ceremony, officially closing the chapter on the 2024 season. Quarterback Jalen Hurts declined to wear his ring at the event, stating, “It was a moment, and now that moment is behind us.” He added, “It’s a new journey. It’s a new season… We have to stay in the present and worry about right now.”
The same theme echoed throughout the first day of camp. Saquon Barkley, who returned to Pennsylvania in 2024 and rushed for 2,005 yards, becoming only the ninth player in NFL history to exceed 2,000 rushing yards in a single season, was among those setting the tone. Barkley led the league’s top rushing offense and was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Despite his historic season, Barkley was clear: “What you did the year prior, it has nothing to do with this year coming up.”
Offensive tackle Jordan Mailata delivered the message bluntly. “We’re not the defending champs,” he said. “We just won the title, and now we got to go win it again.”
The Eagles’ core offensive group remains intact, with 10 of 11 starters returning. Kevin Patullo has been promoted to offensive coordinator, though he has been on Nick Sirianni’s staff since 2021. With familiarity already built into the system, the unit aims to maintain its rhythm. In the Super Bowl, Kansas City’s defense keyed in on Barkley, limiting him to 57 yards on 25 carries. Reflecting on that performance, Barkley remarked, “I was in hell, for sure.” Despite the focus on Barkley, Hurts rushed for 72 yards and opened up the passing game, allowing Philadelphia to take a 34-0 lead before winning 40-22.
Clearly, the offensive efficiency has contributed to sustained betting confidence in Philadelphia. According to BetMGM, the Eagles currently have +650 odds to win Super Bowl 60, the shortest among all teams. Oddsshark lists them at +750, alongside other contenders like the Ravens and Bills. Across major sportsbooks, including FanDuel and Caesars, the Eagles remain a top favorite. Their projected win total stands at 11.5, with the over listed at +110 and under at –130. NFC East odds range from –150 to –170, while their NFC championship odds sit between +325 and +370.
Barkley is also featured prominently in the betting markets. He leads all players in current odds for NFL Offensive Player of the Year at +650, ahead of Jahmyr Gibbs and Derrick Henry. While MVP odds are dominated by quarterbacks—Lamar Jackson (+550), Josh Allen (+600), Joe Burrow (+750), and Patrick Mahomes (+800)—Barkley stands at +5000 among non-quarterbacks.
As training camp opened, A.J. Brown and Hurts connected on a long completion during practice. Brown said it only took “two things” between them to execute the play, attributing it to experience and familiarity. “That’s why it’s important to have those guys in the offense, familiar faces… you know the body language,” Brown explained.
The Eagles’ defense, meanwhile, has at least five new starters and features one of the youngest cores in the NFL. Young players like Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, Jordan Davis, Quinyon Mitchell, and Cooper DeJean are expected to play big roles. Brown took it upon himself to challenge Mitchell in coverage during drills, saying a pass breakup Mitchell made on a deep ball intended for him. While a flag was thrown for defensive pass interference, Brown said the play was clean.
He also referred to DeJean by a nickname, “I call him All Pro Coop, APC, because it’s gonna be a year for him… I’m not trying to put pressure on him, but I tell him all the time, I’ll make you All-Pro, and that starts in camp, every day.”
That competitive spirit and mentorship are all part of general manager Howie Roseman’s long-term vision. Roseman has built the current Eagles roster around a blend of star talent and young, promising players, quite different from the strategy after the 2017 Super Bowl win, when the team leaned on aging veterans and fell into decline by 2020. “There are teams that are improving throughout the offseason that we gotta keep up with,” Roseman said. “We made some changes.”
One of those changes came in the backfield. With Kenny Gainwell now in Pittsburgh, rookie Will Shipley, a fourth-round pick, is the leading candidate for the RB2 role. Barkley believes Shipley is ready. “He’s a really good back. Great hands, great feet, can run routes,” Barkley said. He added, “He’s probably the smartest back in the room. It kinda pisses me off how smart he is.”
At 28 years old, Barkley continues to find motivation in competition. “You gotta always find somebody to go out there and compete with,” he said. On Wednesday, veteran A.J. Dillon received more reps than Shipley, though both are expected to support Barkley based on game situations. Shipley may serve as a change-of-pace option, while Dillon could handle heavier workloads.
Though the Super Bowl parade and ring ceremony offered chances to reflect, Barkley emphasized that the offseason was brief. “We got the ring, and then we have to try to go do it again in three or four days,” he said. Barkley also recalled being asked by Roseman whether he preferred the ring or the confetti. “I think I’d go with the ring,” he responded.
Barkley acknowledged the reality of the NFL’s cycle. “What have you done for me lately?” he said. “Whether you win a Super Bowl, have a great year, you’re All-Pro, what you did the year prior has nothing to do with this year coming up.”
Barkley may not know what the future holds, whether he’ll become the first running back in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons, or whether the Eagles will repeat as champions, something no NFC team has done since the Cowboys in 1992-93. But what he does know is that the work begins now, at training camp, with a team focused only on the present.
“In reality, we were 2024 Super Bowl champions,” Barkley said. “The next season has nothing to do with the year in the past. That’s why you come here. It starts in OTAs, preparing ourselves in the offseason. Now in camp, it’s getting the team together to try to make another run.”
Head coach Nick Sirianni perhaps put it best when asked if this camp felt different as Super Bowl champions. “It feels the same,” he said. “You have a lot of steps to go, and daily work to put in. So every year at training camp feels the same. You’re not looking back. You’re not looking forward. You’re solely focused on today and how we can get better today.”
