Two longtime rivals meet Sunday with plenty of familiar storylines, but this matchup has a few unusual details worth exploring. The Philadelphia Eagles join their long-time rivals, the New York Giants, and start their third quarterback of the regular season. J.J. McCarthy is making his second start for New York, andJoe Milton is preparing for his first with Philadelphia.
Milton will make that debut wearing the beloved Kelly Green uniforms, too. Raise your hand if you predicted that before the season began. An old feud puts two NFC East teams on a collision course, and as so often happens, there are plenty of storylines to talk about.
Not every interesting detail will help the Eagles win a football game. Some are simply fun pieces of history, while
others add another layer to a rivalry that rarely needs extra motivation. From a quarterback connection stretching back more than three decades to a former Philadelphia assistant now calling the shots for New York's defense, here are four stories that might not dominate the headlines but deserve some attention.
Joe Milton joins Ken O'Brien in some lesser-mentioned Eagles lore
There aren't many connections between Joe Milton and former Eagles quarterback Ken O'Brien, but NBC Sports Philadelphia's Reuben Frank certainly found an interesting parallel. On his Eagle Eye podcast with Dave Zangaro, he mentioned that Milton will become the first Eagles quarterback to join the team after the beginning of the regular season and start a game since O'Brien did so in 1993.
O'Brien arrived in Philadelphia under unusual circumstances. The Eagles signed the former New York Jets quarterback on Oct. 4, 1993, after Randall Cunningham broke his leg and the team needed help at the position.
O'Brien eventually made four starts for Philadelphia that season, giving him a brief but memorable chapter in Eagles history. More than three decades later, Milton is stepping in, albeit under different circumstances, but the historical connection is an interesting footnote as he prepares to make his first start for Philadelphia. No one probably expected to mention him and O'Brien in the same breath, but here we are. Much can change during a football season.
The Giants' long losing streak in Philadelphia
Here's one Giants fans know well. New York hasn't won a game in Philadelphia since Oct. 27, 2013. That afternoon, New York escaped with a 15-7 victory behind five field goals from kicker Josh Brown. The Giants haven't won at Lincoln Financial Field since, losing 13 consecutive games in hostile territory.
That's an extraordinary stretch for a division rival that plays a team twice per season. The Giants have had opportunities to end the drought, but Philadelphia has continued to protect its home field.
Sunday's matchup offers another chance, and New York has a chance to change the narrative. Ending that streak would be a significant statement in a rivalry that has largely belonged to the Eagles in recent years.
Former Michigan quarterbacks who played under Jim Harbaugh
Joe Milton and J.J. McCarthy never shared a Michigan Wolverines locker room, but they have more in common than their upcoming NFL matchup. Both played for Jim Harbaugh in Ann Arbor. Milton arrived first, and McCarthy followed after his exit.
Milton played for the Wolverines from 2018-20 before transferring to the Tennessee Volunteers, where he spent the 2021-23 seasons. McCarthy arrived in Ann Arbor in 2021 and helped lead Michigan to the College Football Playoff national championship following the 2023 season. He also earned Rose Bowl MVP honors after the Wolverines defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide in the semifinal.
The two quarterbacks took different paths through college, but their careers now intersect in the NFC East. McCarthy is trying to establish himself as New York's quarterback of the future, playing for Jim Harbaugh's brother, John. Milton has a chance to make an impression in Philadelphia. Neither player could have known their Michigan connection would eventually become a small part of an NFL rivalry matchup.
Remember Dennard Wilson?
Giants defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson has a history with the Eagles, and it's not difficult to imagine this matchup carrying some extra significance for him. Wilson coached Philadelphia's defensive backs in 2021 and 2022, adding the title of defensive passing game coordinator during his second season. The Eagles' secondary flourished under his watch, allowing a league-low 179.8 passing yards per game in 2022.
Wilson earned plenty of respect in Philadelphia, including from cornerback Darius Slay, who spoke highly of his coaching and viewed him as a potential defensive coordinator in waiting. However, Wilson was passed over for Philadelphia's defensive coordinator opening in 2023 when the Eagles ultimately chose Sean Desai.
Wilson later left for the Baltimore Ravens, joining John Harbaugh's staff as defensive backs coach. Two seasons as the Tennessee Titans' defensive coordinator followed (2024-2025) before Wilson reunited with Harbaugh in New York in 2026. Now he's on the other sideline, responsible for designing a defensive plan against the organization that passed him over for a promotion.
That history adds another layer to Sunday's matchup. Wilson knows the Eagles' personnel and has firsthand experience coaching several players who remain in Philadelphia. His familiarity with the organization could help as he prepares the Giants' defense, and the Eagles will have to contend with a coordinator who knows how they operate.
The Eagles and Giants don't need much help making this rivalry interesting, but these stories remind us how much history and familiarity exist between the organizations. Some connections stretch back decades, while others involve people who have crossed paths on both sidelines. Milton and McCarthy's unexpected Michigan connection is another reminder of how quickly football careers can intersect in surprising ways.
Of course, none of that will matter once Sunday's game begins. The players will have their own business to handle, and the coaches will be focused on finding an edge. Still, for fans who enjoy the details beyond the final score, this matchup offers plenty of reasons to pay attention beyond who leaves Philadelphia with a victory.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles vs. Giants: 4 overlooked storylines for Sunday's NFC East game
