Philadelphia, PA – Oct 18, 2025 — The Eagles’ preseason took a dramatic turn when rookie defensive back Andrew Mukuba stormed out of sight after a costly special teams mistake, leading head coach Nick Sirianni to deliver one of his toughest disciplinary decisions since taking over in Philadelphia.

The incident occurred during the Eagles’ preseason matchup against the New England Patriots. Midway through the second quarter, the Eagles’ punt return unit suffered a critical breakdown — Mukuba misjudged a bouncing punt, letting it graze off his fingertips before the Patriots recovered the ball at Philadelphia’s 11-yard line, setting up an easy field goal.

Mukuba, a high-upside second-round pick out of Texas, was expected to contribute to Vic Fangio’s revamped secondary and make an impact on special teams. Instead, frustration got the better of him. After being pulled from the game, Mukuba left the sideline, walked past teammates and coaches, and disappeared into the locker room before halftime.

Sirianni did not hold back when addressing the situation:

“In Philadelphia, we don’t hand out respect — you earn it,” Sirianni said after the game. “If your response to adversity is to walk away from your team, then you’re not ready to wear midnight green. This organization is built on toughness, commitment, and accountability — every single day.”

Sources inside the locker room said Mukuba felt he was being “singled out” by special teams coordinator Michael Clay, claiming he was being used out of position rather than being given a defensive role. But his frustration only made matters worse. He finished the night with 18 defensive snaps, allowed two catches in coverage, and missed a key open-field tackle. His PFF grade: 51.2 — one of the lowest among Eagles defenders.

Sirianni’s response was swift and unforgiving: Mukuba was suspended for the remainder of the preseason, removed from the special teams unit, and relegated to team facilities for conditioning and meetings only.

The move sent a strong message across the locker room — no player, rookie or veteran, is above the standard.

At first, the plan had been to rotate Mukuba behind Reed Blankenship and C.J. Gardner-Johnson while giving him developmental snaps. But his emotional reaction turned what was a performance issue into a cultural one.

Now, Mukuba’s future in Philadelphia is uncertain. With rookies like Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean thriving, and veterans like Avonte Maddox back healthy, the margin for error in the secondary is razor-thin.

The question is no longer about talent — Mukuba has plenty of that. The question is whether he has the mentality to survive in Philadelphia.

Will this suspension wake him up — or mark the beginning of a short, disappointing stint in midnight green? On a team built on accountability, answers will come fast.