It's never fun to write stories like what we'll discuss in this one. Though we're always keeping tabs on former Philadelphia Eagles, it's still necessary to express that some of those stories won't be happy tales.
Such is the case with a former Birds running back this week. It appears his life has taken an unfortunate turn. We promise, however, to wrap this news brief with something to make you smile.
First, the bad news...
Eagles news: Wendell Smallwood faces 50 years in prison.
The Philadelphia Eagles drafted Wilmington, Delaware native Wendell Smallwood out of West Virginia during the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He won a Super Bowl while with the franchise before finishing his career with stops in Washington and with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Multiple reports inform us that he's facing up to 50 years in prison. He has been charged with defrauding federal COVID-19 relief programs. That includes three felony charges: conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to those reports, Smallwood allegedly submitted false information to government agencies and received tens of thousands of dollars in payments to businesses he ran.
Federal prosecutors also state he was involved in a kickback conspiracy that assisted him in defrauding COVID-19 relief programs. He is also accused of lying to tax authorities.
He faces 50 years of jail time if convicted. We'll be watching this one closely to see what transpires.
Now, on to the good news. We'd like to end this one on a high note.
More Eagles news: Jason Kelce to host a late-night talk show.
Jason Kelce's quest for world domination continues. According to ESPN's press room, he will star in a late-night talk show beginning on January 2025.
‘They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce’ begins airing on the first Friday in January (the 3rd). The plan is to run for five consecutive Friday nights and continue through the NFL Playoffs. According to ESPN, "Football guests, hundreds of NFL fans, comedy, and the band SNACKTIME bring the Kelce experience to life inside Union Transfer in Philadelphia.
That's located at 1026 Spring Garden Street in Philadelphia’s Callowhill neighborhood. It's one of the City of Brotherly Love's premier music venues.
We're beginning to wonder when this guy sleeps. Oh well... Keep cashing those checks Jason! Sleep can most certainly wait.