The phrase “defending Super Bowl champions” is about as popular in Philadelphia right now as “Let’s go Mets,” “How ’bout dem Cowboys” or “Joel Embiid’s left knee.”
“We’re not defending s—,” left tackle Jordan Mailata explained rather eloquently when the Eagles opened training camp last month. “I don’t like hearing (that).”
We hear you, big fella. Rather than risking the ire of a 6-foot-8, 365-pound former rugby player from Australia, let’s set aside the subject of a second straight Lombardi Trophy and focus on the more immediate — and perhaps greater — challenge Philadelphia faces: defending its NFC East division title.
Somehow, no team has managed to repeat as champs in that division in more than two decades — not since Andy Reid coached the Eagles to four in a row from 2001 to 2004. Do Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, Jalen Carter and company have what it takes to break the division’s confounding curse?
Philadelphia, along with the defending champions (sorry, Mr. Mailata) of the NFL’s seven other divisions, faces many potholes along the road to a repeat. That goes for the Kansas City Chiefs, lopsided losers of Super Bowl LIX but winners of an incredible nine consecutive AFC West titles with Reid on the sideline, too.
The Eagles and Chiefs are among the betting favorites to battle again in Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California, on Feb. 8. To make that happen, both teams have some s— to take care of first, to borrow a bad word from a large human.
When we last saw the Chiefs, the humbled heartland heroes were stumbling punch-drunk out of the French Quarter after a 40-22 Big Easy beatdown. Philadelphia led 40-6 with three minutes left, with rookie Cooper DeJean’s pick-six putting as many points on the board for the Eagles to that point as Patrick Mahomes and the AFC champs.
But there have been major changes to the Eagles’ top-ranked defense since February, and it is potentially their largest obstacle to staying on top.
Coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense lost edge rushers Brandon Graham (retired) and Josh Sweat (Arizona Cardinals), secondary standouts Darius Slay Jr. (Pittsburgh Steelers) and C.J. Gardner-Johnson (Houston Texans), and sneaky-good tackle Milton Williams (New England Patriots). Philadelphia drafted Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell in the first round and Texas safety Andrew Mukuba in the second and signed linebackers Azeez Ojulari and Joshua Uche, as well as cornerback Adoree’ Jackson.
How well those new pieces fit — and how quickly — will go a long way in determining whether the Eagles can hold off the ascending Washington Commanders, the desperate Dallas Cowboys and, at least technically speaking, the New York Giants.
As for the Chiefs, who have played in five of the last six Super Bowls, the most pressing concern this offseason was finding their own Mailata to protect Mahomes’ blind side. They grabbed Ohio State’s Josh Simmons in the first round and signed former 49ers backup Jaylon Moore after rotating four players at the position in 2024, leading to a career-high 36 sacks and a career-low 245.5 passing yards per game for Mahomes.
A 10th straight AFC West crown would make the Chiefs just the second NFL team with a double-digit division streak, after New England’s 11-year run in the AFC East from 2009 to 2019.
The second-longest active streak is in the AFC East, where the Buffalo Bills have taken the Brady/Belichick torch and won five in a row. Speaking of Tom Brady, Baker Mayfield has extended the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ NFC South streak to four straight division titles. The Baltimore Ravens (AFC North), Houston Texans (AFC South) and Detroit Lions (NFC North) have each won two straight. Like Philly and Kansas City, all of the above are favored to finish on top of the standings again in 2025.
That leaves the NFC West, where the reigning champion Los Angeles Rams will try to make it two in a row and also spoil the San Francisco 49ers’ dream of a home-field Super Bowl.
The season is nearly here. Eight division titles are up for grabs, and seven defending champions — plus Mr. Mailata’s team — are looking to retain their thrones.
