PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles opened the season with a 24-22 victory over the Washington Commanders and, in the aftermath, made a conscious effort to treat the result as sufficient reward rather than a pretext for criticism.
Running back Saquon Barkley said the team was trying to avoid last year’s habit of overanalyzing narrow wins, noting that this group intends to celebrate outcomes, then move on to preparation for the next game. Players described coach Nick Sirianni’s postgame message as urging the roster to protect the feeling of accomplishment after victories.
Receiver and returner Britain Covey said the team would not let outside negativity diminish the joy that comes from wins. The organization has at times felt burdened by unrealistic expectations and intense scrutiny, according to ESPN, and that atmosphere has weighed on the locker room in seasons following Super Bowl runs.
Over a four-year stretch the Eagles went 51-18, reached two Super Bowls and won one, a run that helped create outsized standards and harsh reactions when results fell short, according to ESPN. The mood inside the team and around the city was at its most sullen in 2023 and 2025, the two seasons after Super Bowl appearances.
Barkley, who rushed for 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025 after a 2,000-yard campaign in 2024, credited team psychiatrist Dr. Jody Foster with helping him refocus. Barkley told ESPN a pivotal conversation on Aug. 22, aboard the team bus en route to a preseason game at Gillette Stadium, encouraged him to set a few short-term, controllable goals and to reconnect with the process rather than fixating on results.
Sirianni reiterated that winning is difficult and urged players to enjoy victories while promptly returning to work and accountability. The coach used a pop-culture analogy to underscore that piling additional qualifiers onto success is unnecessary. Players and coaches acknowledged that internal frustrations — including public discontent last season from A.J. Brown, who is now in New England — and concern about offensive efficiency contributed to a clouded atmosphere.
