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Vic Fangio Says Eagles Defense Has What It Takes to Be No. 1 in NFL, Powered by 3 Young Stars

The Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX and look poised to make another deep playoff run this season despite some changes to the roster.

The Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chiefs thanks to their defense, namely their pass rush.

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Philadelphia’s defensive line controlled the line of scrimmage, bullying Kansas City and getting constant pressure on Patrick Mahomes.

While the Eagles’ offense remains largely intact, several key defensive players left this offseason.

Philadelphia Eagles star Josh Sweat 'nervous' and excited' to host his first local youth football combine – The Virginian-Pilot

Josh Sweat, Milton Williams, Brandon Graham and Bryce Huff are gone, leaving behind a younger and more inexperienced pass rush.

However, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio likes the players they have left and believes they can still compete.

“I feel good about Nolan Smith,” Fangio said, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “I think we’ll feel good about Jalyx [Hunt] now that he’s gonna get a lot of reps and develop. He played good for us down the stretch last year, and played a lot, as you saw, so I feel good about those two guys, and I think they’ll continue to improve. We’ve got Josh Uche, we’ve got Azeez Ojulari, we’ve got three other guys there. I think we’ll be fine.”

Smith is in line for a bigger role, and Hunt, Uche and Ojulari will have ample opportunities to prove themselves on the field.

Losing players like Sweat and Williams in particular will hurt, given how disruptive they were up front, but Fangio is one of the best in the NFL at maximizing his players.

It’ll be interesting to see how this new-look Eagles defense fares during the 2025 NFL season.

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Saints Cheerleader Sues a Saints Player for Harassment by Flirting with Her While Already Married
Can you believe it? A charming, dynamic cheerleader from the New Orleans Saints is "exploding" and dragging a team player to court for "unforgivable" behaviors! Abigale Licciardi – the star of the Saints Cheer Krewe – has officially filed a lawsuit, and the drama behind it is stirring up NFL fans! Could this be the "biggest scandal" in Saints history? Read now to discover the "scorching" details! Abigale Licciardi, a professional cheerleader for the American football team New Orleans Saints in the NFL, is a prominent member of the Saints Cheer Krewe group. She is a former student at the University of Louisiana, where she participated in the local cheer squad and dance activities. Before that, Abigale was a dancer for NBA events and holds a bachelor's degree in communications from Tulane University. Abigale is active on social media, often sharing about games at Caesars Superdome, community activities, and her role as a brand ambassador for the Saints. As part of the Saints Cheer Krewe team consisting of about 47 members (combining male and female), Abigale participates in fan interactions, charity events like "Dream On 3," and performances at Saints games. She has an Instagram account (@abigalelicciardi) with posts about cheer life and a TikTok (@abigale_saints) where she shares videos about game days and dance routines. Before joining the Saints, she worked at a local event company, proving her versatility and passion. But the "nightmare" struck when Abigale got "entangled" with a Saints player! That's Mike Thornton, a backup defensive end who rarely plays for the Saints – a guy who's practically "anonymous" to fans, only playing sporadically on special teams and never a pillar. Thornton, 29 years old, has been married since 2021 to his wife, a community nurse, and they have two young children (one boy and one girl). Yet, according to Abigale's lawsuit, Thornton has been "flirting" with her recklessly, despite his happy family life! The "explosion" happened when Thornton started sending "sweet" messages to Abigale via Instagram, praising her smile and energy after performances. At first, Abigale thought it was just friendly praise from a teammate, but things quickly "crossed the line" into harassment! Thornton called her in the middle of the night – sometimes at 1-2 a.m. – to "share" about playing pressures, invite her for private dinners, and even send "suggestive" videos filmed at the gym! Abigale stated in the lawsuit: "He knows I only focus on my career and the team, but he won't stop. Those midnight calls make me anxious and stressed, severely affecting my performance!" According to insider sources, Thornton has been "stalking" Abigale since preseason, frequently "lingering" at community events she attends, and intentionally "creating situations" to approach her. Thornton's wife, upon learning, went "crazy" and threatened to break up, but the guy remains "blind"! The Saints are "shaken" by this scandal: The team management has temporarily isolated Thornton for investigation, while fans are divided – one side defends Abigale's "brave accusation," the other suspects it's a "staged script." The NFL league is also intervening, which could lead to heavy fines or removal from the roster! Abigale, with her "queen" image on TikTok and Instagram, is now becoming a "victim" of harassment – a thorny issue in the sports world! How will the court punish Thornton? And will the Saints "clean up" the team to protect their cheerleaders? Don't miss out – follow now for the next "drama" update! What do you think about this case, comment below!