Defending champion Eagles edge Cowboys 24-20 in wild, lightning-delayed NFL season opener

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Hurts shrugged on a TD celebration and did his best to be like Mike.

Through spit and rain, a ceremony and a setback, Hurts and the Super Bowl champion Eagles weathered the storm and showed why they're again a favorite to hoist a second straight Lombardi Trophy.

Hurts rushed for two touchdowns for the Eagles, who lost hot-tempered star defender Jalen Carter early for spitting on Dak Prescott, then withstood a rare weather delay and needed a late stop to beat the Dallas Cowboys 24-20 early Friday in a wild start to the NFL season.

With one last chance at a comeback, Prescott threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-3 with 1:54 left to send what was left of a thinned out Eagles crowd into a frenzy.

The game ended at 12:18 a.m.

It was delayed 65 minutes because of lightning in the area. The Eagles led 24-20 with 4:44 left in the third quarter when the game was stopped — and that's the way it ended.

“Some weird circumstances tonight,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said.

Business as usual for the offense.

Hurts wore out a defense playing without Micah Parsons for the first time since he was traded to Green Bay on TD runs of 4 and 8 yards — no legal tush push needed. Saquon Barkley also ran for a 10-yard score, even if his final rushing total of 60 yards was minuscule compared to last season when he topped 2,000 yards.

Hurts punctuated one score by chucking the ball into the stands and shrugging his shoulders much like his friend and mentor, Michael Jordan, who received a nice ovation when he was shown on the big screen.

“Yeah, you have a special guest, a special friend in attendance, there's only one thing you can do and that's win,” Hurts said.

Hurts, Barkley and the rest of the Eagles spent a pregame ceremony inside the locker room when the team revealed their 2024 championship banner, per Sirianni's wishes.

“I’m proud of everybody weathering the different adversities that came our way today,” Hurts said. “It’s always good to get a win.”

Even the victory came with a major headache. Carter headed right back inside to the locker room when he was tossed only moments after the banner was unveiled.

Prescott and Carter exchanged words after the opening kickoff, and Carter spit on Prescott’s jersey before backing away. Prescott quickly motioned to a nearby official who threw the flag and sent Carter packing. Fans booed as Carter walked off slowly, the standout defensive tackle holding his helmet in his hands behind his back.

Carter could be headed toward a hefty financial penalty, if not worse, in the first major test of the NFL's increased emphasis this season on sportsmanship.

Carter apologized after the game — Hurts said he spoke to the tackle about his conduct — and said, “It won’t happen again.”

Prescott said he simply spit straight ahead as he usually would, only for the saliva to land in the area near Carter, which raised the ire of the defenseman.

“I wouldn’t spit on somebody." Prescott said.

Still one of the NFL's nastiest division rivalries, the game was full of skirmishes and a near-costly unnecessary roughness penalty late in the third against the Eagles that put the Cowboys in position to take the lead.

Dallas running back Miles Sanders, though, fumbled the ball at the 10 and the Super Bowl champions recovered. Prescott made a touchdown-saving diving tackle on cornerback Quinyon Mitchell on the play.

It would be a while until the Eagles got the ball back, thanks to the delay.

The scores by Hurts and Barkley made the Eagles the first defending Super Bowl champions to score touchdown on the first three drives of the season since Green Bay in 2011. Jake Elliott put the finishing touches on the scoring with a 58-yard field goal.

Javonte Williams had a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs — the first on the opening driving after Carter was ejected — and Brandon Aubrey kicked field goals of 41 and 53 yards.

Eagles offensive lineman Landon Dickerson left with a back injury.

Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer lost his head coaching debut. He was promoted him from offensive coordinator to be the 10th coach in the storied franchise’s history.

“I still think we can win a Super Bowl," he said. “It’s not going to change. I mean, we’ve got the right type of guys. We’ve got good players.”

Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb had seven catches for 110 yards but failed to reel in a pivotal catch in the second half. Eagles star receiver A.J. Brown was only targeted once and had one catch for eight yards. DeVonta Smith, a two-time 1,000-yard receiver, had just three catches for 16 yards for the Eagles.

“A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith,” Sirianni said, “are selfless.”

Dallas plays its home opener against the Giants.

Did someone say Super Bowl rematch? The Eagles head to Kansas City seven months after a 40-22 romp in New Orleans.

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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) throws a pass in the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Eagles' Saquon Barkley celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) runs the ball as Dallas Cowboys' Damone Clark (18) and Kenny Clark (95) attempt to make the stop in the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) throws a pass in the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) runs the ball in the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Eagles need a new offensive coordinator.

Ask most fans, commentators — and, privately, some players — and the change from Kevin Patullo was inevitable long before Philadelphia actually made the move this week in the wake of a playoff loss.

There's a “help wanted” sign for the new boss of an offense — one loaded with elite talent such as Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith — that fell way short as the Eagles failed in their bid to win consecutive Super Bowl titles.

Coach Nick Sirianni and general manager Howie Roseman were vague on details Thursday about why they waited until the end of the season to make the move — the Eagles ranked 24th in yards per game (311) and 19th in points per game (19.3) — and less clear on what they wanted out of a new coordinator.

“You’re looking to continue to evolve as an offense, and I’m looking to bring in the guy that’s going to best help us do that,” Sirianni said. “I think that there are many different ways to be successful on offense and everybody has different styles, everybody has different players, and there’s many different ways to be successful.”

The Eagles have plenty of credible candidates to choose from — everyone from Josh McCown and Cam Turner to former NFL coaches Brian Daboll, Mike McDaniel and Kliff Kingsbury. The new OC could have complete autonomy to run the offense, though collaboration has been key under Sirianni.

No matter the coordinator, the Eagles expect to be contenders again after playing in two of the last four Super Bowls. Just winning an NFC East title doesn't cut it these days in Philly.

“If it doesn’t end with confetti falling on our heads, I don’t feel like it’s good enough,” Roseman said. “I know that we’re not going to win the Super Bowl every year. I think I know that from a broad perspective, but I believe we can. I go into every offseason thinking we’re going to do whatever it takes to win a Super Bowl.”

Two-time All-Pro offensive tackle Lane Johnson has built a Hall of Fame-level career and won two Super Bowls since the Eagles made him a 2013 first-round pick.

Retirement talk was a hot topic for most of the season.

Johnson turns 36 in May and did not play after Week 11 because of a foot injury. He did not talk to the media this week when the Eagles cleaned out their lockers.

Roseman kept private his conversation with Johnson about retirement. Johnson reworked his contract last May and is signed through 2027.

“You're talking about a Hall of Fame player who’s been a huge, huge part of any of our success that we’ve had, and when you watch him play, he’s still playing at an elite level,” Roseman said.

Brown is likely staying put.

While he isn't shy about airing his grievances, the wide receiver is often worth the distractions because of his production.

Just not this season.

Brown had 78 receptions (down from 106 in 2023) for 1,003 yards (he had 1,496 in 2022) and only five 100-yard games. Of course, some of that dip in production resulted from how he was used in Patullo's offense. The changes ahead are one reason why the Eagles are in no rush to give up on the 28-year star — along with the $43 million dead salary cap hit they'd take if Brown wasn't on the roster.

“It is hard to find great players in the NFL and A.J.’s a great player,” Roseman said. “I think from my perspective, that’s what we’re going out and looking for when we go out here in free agency and in the draft is trying to find great players who love football, and he’s that guy. I think that would be my answer.”

Special teams coach Michael Clay had a virtual interview Thursday for the same job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Sirianni also hasn't ruled out Patullo staying on the staff in a different role.

“I know Kevin’s going to have other opportunities, and obviously always want what’s best for Kevin and for his family, so we’ll see how that plays out,” Sirianni said.

Patullo could want a fresh start after his house was egged earlier this season and one area indoor golf establishment let fans hit golf balls into a photo of his face after the playoff loss.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni speaks with the media during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni speaks with the media during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Philadelphia Eagles executive vice president and general manager Howie Roseman, left, looks over as head coach Nick Sirianni, right, speaks with the media during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, right, and executive vice president and general manager Howie Roseman, left, speaks with the media during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni speaks with the media during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)