Hosted by Jeff McLane, unCovering the Birds brings you stories you might not have heard about the football team that makes you bleed green. McLane has spent the last decade and a half breaking news, digging up scoops, and delivering readers of The Philadelphia Inquirer award-winning Philadelphia Eagles coverage. On unCovering the Birds, he’ll take you behind the scenes and into the world of the Birds beat with exclusive access and insider perspective.
unCovering the Birds is presented by Wawa. The podcast is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts.
You can listen to unCovering the Birds on the Audacy app, Inquirer.com/podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow Jeff McLane on Twitter, and read more of his work at inquirer.com/author/mclane_jeff/.
Site
RSS
Apple
Data updated on 14/07/2026
Recent rankings
Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.
Shared links between episodes and podcasts
Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.
Stoutland, Fangio, Mannion: What Jeff’s been hearing at the Super Bowl
Season 6 · Episode 3
Thursday, February 5, 2026 • Duration 50:24
The Eagles failed to make it back to the Super Bowl this year, but, as The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane can vouch for during his trip to the Bay Area, the team is still dominating conversations around the league. That’s because in the past week, the Eagles hired a new offensive coordinator, parted ways with a revered assistant, and, much to their relief, got word from their defensive guru that he’ll be returning for another season. Jeff checks in from San Francisco to talk with The Inquirer’s Olivia Reiner, as the two sift through what they’ve been hearing and what fans can expect now that the Eagles’ coaching staff is rounding into form.
00:00 Jeff Stoutland’s exit, and its “messy” handling
14:55 With Stout out, could Lane Johnson be next?
17:11 Why Vic Fangio came back
27:30 Jeff McLane talks with Klint Kubiak about pupil Sean Mannion
30:15 What Jeff and Olivia know about Mannion and his potential impact on the offense, Jalen Hurts
44:40 How the Eagles’ coaching moves reflect on Nick Sirianni
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.
The Eagles' offensive coordinator search, Jalen Hurts, and more with The Athletic's Michael Silver
Season 6 · Episode 2
Wednesday, January 28, 2026 • Duration 42:53
Banged up offensive line? Underperforming star skill players? A quarterback who failed to lift his team? The 2025 edition of the Philadelphia Eagles checked all those boxes on offense. Sure, you could make a scapegoat out of the first-time offensive coordinator, but placing the blame squarely at the feet of Kevin Patullo would misrepresent the extent of the Eagles’ problems. The Athletic’s Michael Silver recently wrote an article about the Eagles’ offensive woes, and, in a conversation with The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane, framed these issues in the context of the franchise’s ongoing search for Patullo’s replacement.
00:00 Why is the Eagles' offensive coordinator search taking so long?
13:27 Factors that prompted Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll to pass on Eagles
19:00 The Jalen Hurts effect
28:45 The national media perspective on Hurts
32:37 Could Jeff Stoutland's responsibilities be changing?
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.
And here’s a link to Mike Silver’s article: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6976115/2026/01/16/eagles-offense-jalen-hurts-nick-sirianni-aj-brown/
What do Jeffrey Lurie and Howie Roseman really think of Nick Sirianni?
Season 6 · Episode 1
Friday, January 16, 2026 • Duration 41:58
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.
The Day After: What's next?
Season 5 · Episode 33
Monday, January 12, 2026 • Duration 46:24
The Eagles might have been disappointed, but deep down, they likely weren’t surprised. The team that showed up in a 23-19 Wild Card loss to the San Francisco 49ers was the version of the team the Eagles had been for most of the 2025 season. Good enough on defense, yet woefully ineffective on offense. Instead of rebooting repeat Super Bowl dreams, the Eagles’ matchup with the 49ers marked the fitting end to a frustrating season. From an inconsistent quarterback to an inexperienced playcaller who too often was overmatched, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Dave Murphy sort through the factors that contributed to the Eagles’ early playoff exit, and quickly shift their focus to potential changes looming in the offseason.
00:00 The Eagles were who they knew they were all along
02:17 Intel about Kevin Patullo’s future
09:23 Jalen Hurts’ shortcomings exposed
20:17 What should the Eagles do with A.J. Brown?
26:25 More on A.J. Brown and potential replacement options
34:01 Other stay / go considerations
37:34 Will Lane Johnson retire?
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 Super Bowl repeat? Reasons for hope, doubt
Season 5 · Episode 32
Friday, January 9, 2026 • Duration 31:23
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.
The Day After: An early look at Eagles vs. 49ers in Wild Card round
Season 5 · Episode 31
Monday, January 5, 2026 • Duration 36:01
Should the Eagles have rested most of their starters in Sunday’s regular season finale? After they blew a chance to jump up to the two-seed in the NFC, the question was certainly fair and ripe for debate. But the truth is, there’s nothing the Eagles can do about it now. They lost to Washington, and are subsequently locked into a Wild Card round matchup with San Francisco, an opponent with which the Eagles are very familiar. How do the teams - at first glance - matchup? What did the regular season reveal about the type of football we can expect from the Eagles in the postseason? The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Mike Sielski start to forecast this weekend’s showdown at Lincoln Financial Field.
00:00 Was the rest worth it?
03:54 Did the regular season finale reveal anything new about Kevin Patullo, Tanner McKee?
14:53 What should Tank Bigsby’s role be in the playoffs?
20:45 Sizing up the 49ers
31:21 Do the Eagles have enough for another Super Bowl run?
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.
The Day After: Can the Eagles sustain this formula for another deep playoff run?
Season 5 · Episode 30
Monday, December 29, 2025 • Duration 26:12
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.
The Day After (the day after): Are the Eagles really playing their best?
Monday, December 22, 2025 • Duration 37:29
Are the Eagles really playing their best football of the season? That was their head coach’s claim following the team’s solid performance against Washington last weekend. But despite the Eagles outscoring the opposition by a combined 60-18 margin in back-to-back wins, trends are emerging with both promising and cautionary implications. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Jeff Neiburg highlight these developments, and address whether they agree with Nick Sirianni’s current assessment of the defending Super Bowl champs.
00:00 Nick Sirianni says the Eagles are playing their best football. Is he right?
10:20 Shades of 2024 - Saquon Barkley and the run game are looking great
18:40 Handing out three defensive stars
27:17 Should the Eagles start looking for another kicker?
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.
Can the Eagles keep Nakobe Dean? (and other unrestricted free agents)
Season 5 · Episode 28
Friday, December 19, 2025 • Duration 23:14
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.
The Day After: Stock report after blowing out a bad team
Season 5 · Episode 27
Monday, December 15, 2025 • Duration 34:48
For a game, at least, the Eagles looked like world-beaters, not the hardest thing to do these days when facing the lowly Las Vegas Raiders. The real question, however, isn’t if the 31-0 shutout win is going to be a cure all for the issues that ailed the Eagles during their three-game losing streak; it’s whether the progress the team showed Sunday can ultimately translate to the postseason, which arrives next month. Possible? Perhaps, but with two of their final three games coming against a weakened opponent, the Eagles might not know exactly what they’re capable of until the playoffs get here. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Marcus Hayes scrutinize changes that surfaced in the Eagles’ victory over Vegas, starting with the performance of none other than quarterback Jalen Hurts.
00:00 The Eagles did what they were supposed to do
01:23 Assessing schematic changes and their impact on Jalen Hurts
10:45 Getting the run game going
20:14 Can this defense get the Eagles back to the Super Bowl?
25:49 The truth about “outside noise” and human nature
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.
Related Shows Based on Content Similarities
Discover shows related to unCovering the Birds with Jeff McLane, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.