The funniest guy in the Eagles locker room, the team’s secret basketball star, and more from the Week 1 broadcast

We’re going to be keeping a close eye on the Eagles’ broadcasts this season. The Inquirer is always in the press box in person, taking in the game and providing expert analysis, but the majority of you are watching from home, this week on NBC or Peacock. The fun stuff often happens on TV, as fans in the stands go viral and broadcaster calls and slip-ups become nightly memes. So we’re covering that, too.

Shout-out to this Eagles fan with maybe the most creative hat of the season. He took a spin at the classic Packers cheesehead, but instead wearing a hat featuring Philadelphia brand cream cheese, wrapped in tin foil. Pure genius. If you’re this guy and you happen to be an Inquirer subscriber, please send me an email.

The Birds offense was uninspiring on the first two drives, but it may not have been all the Eagles’ fault. Saquon Barkley slipped and fell on the first snap of the game, losing 5 yards, and several other players also looked unsteady on their feet.

NBC said early on the broadcast that rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean slipped during warmups and changed his cleats before the start of the game. Neither team expressed concerns about field conditions before the start of the game, but it certainly seemed to be a factor early.

The Eagles’ new addition scored three touchdowns, two on the ground and one in the air. His impact in the first game of the year went beyond even the expectations of teammates A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. When asked about the impact Barkley would have on the Eagles offense, Brown told NBC pregame that “I don’t know, but I can’t wait.”

Brown also told the network that he and Smith have gotten in trouble in practice for taking reps off just to watch Barkley do his thing — and that Barkley was the funniest guy in the locker room.

We’ve all seen Cooper DeJean’s high school highlights — and his playful rivalry with fellow Iowa star Caitlin Clark. But DeJean isn’t the only Eagle who was a basketball star back in the day, in addition to doing almost everything else. Linebacker Zack Baun was responsible for 94 touchdowns in high school as a dual-threat quarterback, and won two state titles in basketball.

NBC shared that Nick Sirianni showed off the high school basketball highlights of a number of Eagles, and Baun was one of the most surprisingly impressive basketball players in the room.