Are the Eagles the best team in the NFL? Are you making plans to be in Santa Clara, CA on Feb. 8, 2026?

As training camps begin, the Eagles are viewed by many as being a legitimate Super Bowl contender and also having a very good chance to bring home another Vince Lombardi trophy back to South Philly.

This is a different situation than when they took the league by surprise with the late run to capture their first crown in 2018. This time around, the Birds’ dominance last season — paced by Jalen Hurts — led many to a logical conclusion to a championship.

Besides Kansas City in 2023 and 2024, the Eagles are in a very good position to be the first team to repeat.

How do you feel about it? Winning a Super Bowl on paper is a lot easier than on the field.

In this version of my Inside the Huddle column, I’ll take a first look ahead at the Eagles, Hurts’ status, and wide receiver Jahan Dotson’s chances.

Also, I’ll check in on the Fightin’ Irish, and recall a former Pleasant Valley and Penn State standout offensive tackle.

It Doesn’t Hurt ... Besides Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts has been a major reason for the Eagles ascent. Last season, Hurts threw for 2,903 yards with 18 touchdowns and only five interceptions.

Yes, Barkley’s 2,000-yard showcase last season definitely took some pressure off Hurts, but the 26-year-old, fifth-year starter finally established himself as a front line signal-caller.

It’s safe to say that Hurts can be mentioned in the same conversation with Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Matthew Stafford, Lamar Jackson and Jared Goff to name a few. You can put Hurts in the top 10, maybe even the top five.

Hurts’ status among the elite has been secured. In addition to being one of the league’s most accurate passers, Hurts has four straight seasons of rushing for 10 or more touchdowns.

When he became a full-time starter in 2021, Hurts relied on his athleticism and his passing was often off-target. He wasn’t viewed in the same vein as Donovan McNabb, who had many of the same qualities. Hurts looked more like the second coming of Randall Cunningham.

Hurts threw for 22 touchdowns and had six interceptions in 2022, and he slipped a bit the following year with 23 TDs and 15 picks.

Comparing his 2023 and 2024 stats, Hurts had nearly 200 less attempts in 2024 (361) than in 2023 (528).

He has developed in to a patient, pocket passer who has improved his looks down field. Hurts’ game as a rookie has been totally transformed over the past four seasons.

Heading into 2025, Hurts has become a respected quarterback with a high ceiling. Among the top quarterbacks considered in the game (see some above), only he, Mahomes and Stafford have Super Bowl rings.

More importantly, Hurts has developed into a processor from a playmaker. The bonus here is that Hurts sill has high play-making skills.

With respect comes high expectations, and the bar will be high for Hurts to maintain the level he has achieved.

Connect the Dot-son ... Along with Barkley and Hurts in the spotlight this fall, second-year Eagles wide receiver Jahan Dotson will be under the microscope.

The former Nazareth High School star was seen as the club’s third-best option behind DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, but he never developed as expected. In fact, Dotson proved to be one of the league’s least productive wide receivers with his 19 catches for 216 yards over 674 snaps. He did emerge in the playoffs with three big catches and had a touchdown pass called back in the Super Bowl.

The Eagles sent Dotson a message when they declined his fifth-year option, putting pressure on him to perform during his contract year this season.

There have been mixed reviews on whether Dotson will be a major factor in the club’s plans, although Hurts has been one of his biggest supporters. With Smith and Brown incurring their share of nicks and bumps usually throughout the season, an effective third receiver is a must. Second-year player Ainias Smith, a 2024 fifth-round pick, could give Dotson a run.

The Eagles also may explore the market to secure a veteran presence. Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper are two of the better options on the free-agent market, and Panthers’ wide receiver Adam Thielen would be a valuable pickup.

They Said It ... In three rather respected polls, the Eagles are seen as the top team heading into the 2025 season.

In Sharp’s Football Analysis, the Eagles lead the pack followed by the Ravens, Bills and Chiefs. Fox Sports has the Eagles, Lions, Bills and Ravens.

CBS Sports has the Eagles, Chiefs, Bills and Lions, while ESPN — based on overall talent at the skill positions — has the Eagles, Lions, Bengals and 49ers. The Chiefs are ranked 12th.

In terms of how teams improved in the draft, ESPN has the Chiefs first and the Eagles second. Interesting.

Others to Do It ... Besides Kansas City being the latest repeat champions, here are the others:

Green Bay, 1966-67; Miami, 1973-74; Pittsburgh, 1975-76; Pittsburgh, 1979-80; San Francisco, 1989-90; Dallas, 1993-94; Denver 1998-99; and New England, 2004-05.

When Do We Start ... Sharp’s also recently released what teams had the hardest schedules.

The Eagles are fourth behind the Giants, Browns and Lions. The Vikings are fifth.

Philly opens with Dallas Sept. 4 at 8:30 on NBC. They then travel to Kansas City, host the Rams, travel to Tampa Bay, and then host Denver.

Who’s Winning ... Quick Quiz: What team has the most wins over the last five seasons?

Kansas City has a record of 66-18 followed by Buffalo (66-22), Green Bay and Baltimore (54-30), and then the Eagles (52-31-1).

Green Bay is a surprise, and the Eagles got there because of their recent rise.

Golden Years ... Fifty years ago, Notre Dame’s football team compiled an 8-3 record under head coach Dan Devine.

Rick Slager was the Irish’s primary signal caller, but young Joe Montana began to catch the eyes of many.

Remember Ken McAfee? He was a tight end/wide receiver who caught 26 balls with five touchdowns, and Jerome Heavens ran for 756 yards with five touchdowns. McAfee went on to play with the 49ers.

Bob Golic was a force on defense for the Irish.

Future Golden Domers ... The Irish have 26 commitments for the 2026 season. From Pennsylvania, the Irish will add two offensive linemen — LaSalle College’s 6-6, 260-pound Grayson McKeogh, and Cumberland Valley’s 6-5, 310-pound Tyler Merrill.

Scrapbook ... Each column, I’ll peel back the pages to recall one of the area’s standouts through the years.

Do you remember Pleasant Valley offensive lineman John Blick? The 6-7, 330-pound behemoth was an All-State pick his junior and senior seasons. He accepted a scholarship to Penn State in his junior year.

Blick gained notoriety, becoming the first freshman offensive lineman to start for Joe Paterno, as he manned a tackle position.

After Penn State, Blick had a true couple cups of coffee in the NFL and NFL Europe. He spent part of 2000 with Tampa Bay, where he was signed and released. During the same year, Blick was on Jacksonville’s and Kansas City’s practice squads.

In 2001, he played in 10 games for the Rhein Fire, and also was signed and released by Kansas City. Blick is a member of the National Football Federation Hall of Fame.

What are the realistic chances of an Eagles’ repeat? Let me know.

Your thoughts are always welcomed and will be published; email them to tnsports@tnonline.com