Eagles Soar, Chiefs Stumble: Defending Champs Face Uphill Battle

With the 2025 NFL season just around the corner, the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs are gearing up to face a host of challenges as they seek to repeat their success.

For the Eagles, the primary concern is the significant changes to their top-ranked defense. The team has lost edge rushers Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat, as well as standouts in the secondary like Darius Slay Jr. and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The Eagles have brought in new pieces, including linebacker Jihaad Campbell and safety Andrew Mukuba, but how quickly these players can integrate and perform will be crucial in determining whether the team can hold off the ascending Washington Commanders, desperate Dallas Cowboys, and the New York Giants.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs, who have played in five of the last six Super Bowls, have focused on shoring up their offensive line to better protect quarterback Patrick Mahomes. After a career-high 36 sacks and a career-low 245.5 passing yards per game last season, the Chiefs have drafted Ohio State's Josh Simmons in the first round and signed former 49ers backup Jaylon Moore to address this pressing issue.

Adding to the challenges faced by both teams is the NFC East division curse, which has seen no team repeat as champions in over two decades. The last time a team accomplished this feat was when Andy Reid's Eagles won four consecutive division titles from 2001 to 2004. Can Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, Jalen Carter, and the rest of the NFC East contenders break this confounding spell?