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Eagles Rookie Eli Stowers Set for Special NFL Debut Against Dallas
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- Eagles Rookie Eli Stowers Set for Special NFL Debut Against Dallas
The Philadelphia Eagles have activated Eli Stowers ahead of their matchup with the Dallas Cowboys, setting the rookie up to make his NFL debut. Stowers expressed his excitement, acknowledging the heated rivalry between the Eagles and Cowboys, noting his readiness for the opportunity.
"It's a blessing that it's an opportunity that can arise for me," Stowers said. "I've been envisioning it, and being from Dallas, I know how much this rivalry means to people. So, it's going to be fun."
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Stowers grew up in Texas, playing quarterback throughout high school before opting to stay close to home to begin his collegiate career at Texas A&M. He spent 2021 and 2022 buried on the depth chart as a backup quarterback before transferring to New Mexico State.
Although he spent only a single season at New Mexico State, it proved to be a turning point as he transitioned to tight end. He then transferred to Vanderbilt, where his NFL journey truly took off. Stowers emerged as a dynamic receiving threat over his final two college seasons, catching 111 passes for 1,407 yards, winning the John Mackey Award, and earning unanimous All-American honors as a senior.
The Eagles selected Stowers in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but his rookie campaign got off to a slow start. Stowers reportedly struggled to consistently create separation during training camp, where pre-draft blocking concerns reemerged as an area for improvement, all before an injury landed him on IR and delayed his NFL debut until now.
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Stowers' practice window was opened last week, and Nick Sirianni offered high praise for how he has looked since returning to the field.
"He's had a nice week of practice, [and] we'll see how that goes," Sirianni said. "He looks fast, athletic, and has done some really nice things. Excited about that. Excited when our guys continue to develop because we are going to need everybody in this room."
Stowers will be competing for snaps with Johnny Mundt, who has been the TE2 since the start of the season, and Grant Calcaterra, who is also making his return from IR. Mundt has been severely disappointing: he was praised for his blocking ability when he signed this offseason, but he consistently misses assignments and is a true non-factor in the receiving game. Calcaterra has the experience advantage, serving as Dallas Goedert's backup last season, but is not much better as a blocker, with less intriguing athletic tools.
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With the team missing top wide receivers in DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks, now would be the perfect time to see what Stowers can do as a downfield threat. Hopefully, Stowers can make an immediate impact and carve out a role in the offense.
This story was originally published by Athlon on Oct 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
