That was the question everyone was asking for the first half of the NFL regular season's curtain raiser between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys. The Eagles' star wide receiver was a no-show. Fans on social media weren't even sure if Brown was playing.

The point spread continues to move toward the Philadelphia Eagles for Thursday's NFL opener against the Dallas Cowboys

The Eagles have never won back-to-back Super Bowls. Further still, they have never played in consecutive ones. A four-year streak of NFC Championship Game appearances in the early aughts was the closest the merger-era Eagles ever came to the dynastic run they are once again built to pursue.

Welcome to "NFL Thoughts," a wide-ranging, in-depth look at some of the top storylines of the 2025 season. With the Eagles set to open up the season -- and their potential defense of their Super Bowl title -- it's time to look into how they can become just the third repeat champions of this millennium.