The Philadelphia Eagles just captured Super Bowl LIX with a dominant 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, but doubts remain about their chances to repeat as NFC East champions in 2025.
In fact, one former NFL general manager believes they won’t defend their division title and is betting on an emerging rival to claim the crown instead.
Appearing on “First Take,” ex-New York Jets general manager and former Dolphins VP of football operations Mike Tannenbaum made a bold prediction: the Washington Commanders will win the NFC East in 2025, extending the division’s wild 20-year streak without a repeat champion.
Why the Philadelphia Eagles’ Reign Could End This Season
The NFC East is one of the most unpredictable divisions in the NFL. No team has won it in back-to-back years since the Eagles accomplished the feat from 2001 to 2004. Since then, it’s been a revolving door of champions, and Tannenbaum believes that trend will continue.
His reasoning centers around Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, who led Washington to a 12-5 record and an NFC Championship Game appearance in his first season.
“It’s gonna be the Washington Commanders,” Tannenbaum said. “You have a great young quarterback in Jayden Daniels, and they fortified the offensive line.”
“Laremy Tunsil on the left side, Josh Conerly on the right side. You give me someone like Jayden Daniels with an offseason program, two really good tackles, sprinkle in Deebo Samuel, some more time with Kliff Kingsbury…” Tannenbaum added. “I like Philadelphia a lot. This is not an anti-Eagles position. I just think we’re looking at an emerging superstar in Jayden Daniels.”
It’s hard to argue with the logic. Daniels threw for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns while rushing for 891 yards and six more scores in 2024. He became the first rookie in NFL history to surpass 3,500 passing yards and 800 rushing yards in a single season.
Now, with a full offseason under Kingsbury and new weapons like Deebo Samuel joining Terry McLaurin and Austin Ekeler, the Commanders’ offense looks even more dangerous.
The Eagles face a tough road in their bid to repeat. They’re scheduled to play 11 teams that made the playoffs last season, including challenging road matchups against the Chiefs, Bills, Packers, and Vikings.
Their opponents’ combined win percentage of .561 gives Philadelphia the fourth-toughest strength of schedule in the NFL.
Even with Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, and a loaded defense, the grind of that schedule could open the door for a hungry team like Washington to sneak ahead.