by: Alana Brown-Davis
The 2025 NFL Season began Thursday, September 4th as the Dallas Cowboys took on the Philadelphia Eagles in their home field. Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA hosted the kickoff of the 2025 NFL season, a moment that fans have been waiting for since the Eagles won the Super Bowl. This is sixth season that the reigning champions have hosted the first game of the season.
In a classic back and forth game between the longstanding rivals, the Eagles came away victorious with a 24-20 win. With this win, reigning champs are now 16-5 in the past twenty one years to win the opening game. The night wasn’t any easy one for the reigning champs. After the first play from scrimmage, Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter spit on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. This was after an injury in the opening kickoff, which resulted in Carter being ejected. In accordance with standard procedure, it is expected that Carter will face a considerable fine for his behavior.
Thursday Night Football: Cowboys vs. Eagles
After the departure of franchise favorite Micah Parsons to Green Bay, the Cowboys were determined to silence the naysayers with a defining win against the Eagles. Despite this epic showdown, the Cowboys found it hard to pull through. Leading the Cowboys offense was star running back Javonte Williams who scored two touchdowns giving them their first and second scores. Williams and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts seemed to have a call and response song for the first half of the game. Whenever Williams scored, Hurts scored not too long afterwards, getting two rushing touchdowns of his own. Later on, Saquon Barkely would give the Eagles and the entire game its final touchdown.
By all accounts, it was a tale of two tough teams. The Eagles pulled away from the game unscathed with their work on the ground. They totaled 158 yards rushing compared to the Cowboys 119. Surprisingly, this was the only major statistic that the defending champions led in. Prescott led in passing yards helping the Cowboys lead the way in total yards. Hurts noted that his team needed to remain “disciplined and focused.”