While many may be high on Eagles safety Andrew Mukuba, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio had to pump the brakes a bit before dubbing the second-round pick the next coming of "Weapon X".
The media had the opportunity on Tuesday to ask Fangio questions about the defensive performance of the Eagles in their 24-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1. Fangio gave his assessment of how Mukuba did in his NFL debut in the secondary.
"He did okay. He had a couple major busts that hurt us and could have hurt us even more. So, looking for him to improve this next week."
Eagles Coordinators speak with the media. #FlyEaglesFly https://t.co/tRei51olOm
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 9, 2025
Assessing Mukuba's overall performance in win over Cowboys
Mukuba did a decent job of providing relief in the run fit, recording four tackles; however, there were times in coverage when he did appear to be "swimming".
While many fans will overreact to Fangio's comments, it was Mukuba's first regular season game of his rookie season. Mukuba did register a PFF grade of 66.8, which is considered average and in line with Fangio's comment of "okay". It was also placed eighth among Eagles defensive players.
While Mukuba's play may want Fangio wanting more, the Eagles' alternatives aren't much better. Sydney Brown, while he does bring value on special teams consistently, provides below-average play from the safety position, and Marcus Epps is coming off a torn ACL, with his best days clearly behind him.
Mukuba did play in 84% (51 snaps) of the Eagles' defensive snaps compared to Brown's 23% (14 snaps). The transition is clear that the Eagles believe in Mukuba and are willing to work through the learning period, as he continues to adjust to the NFL game. While Mukuba and the Eagles got away with some blown coverages against the Cowboys, their opponent next week may not be as forgiving.
The Eagles are set to take on the Chiefs in a Super Bowl rematch this coming Sunday. While Kansas City did look a bit sluggish in Week 1, the team still bolsters a plethora of skill position players that are a league above the Dallas Cowboys, and roster one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game.
Read more: Will Shipley's injury update went from bad to worse for Eagles fans
While Mukuba "got away" with some mistakes in the opener, more than likely the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes will make him pay if he doesn't improve from his debut.