Exciting Mics Ep. 17: Cooper & Reed on Brandon Graham's Return, Giants Preview & More

Date: October 23, 2025
Hosts: Cooper DeJean, Reed Blankenship
Main Theme: This episode of Exciting Mics is packed with post-Vikings win celebration, a detailed breakdown of the game, the emotional return of Eagles legend Brandon Graham, inside looks at team culture, fashion critiques, and a preview of the much-anticipated upcoming matchup against the New York Giants. The hosts sprinkle in personal stories, locker-room banter, and connect with fans in their signature, authentic style.

Highlights & Episode Flow

1. Brandon Graham’s Return: Locker Room Leader is Back

[01:25, 20:37]

• Announcement: Brandon Graham (BG), beloved defensive end and emotional anchor, is returning for his 16th season.
• Team Impact: His return brings both veteran presence and infectious energy to a young locker room.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • “Having a veteran guy for our… young defense, so having BG back and his…energy that he brings, it’s just— it’s what you need.” – Reed Blankenship [01:52]
  • “He brings the energy. That’s something that everybody appreciates.” – Cooper DeJean [22:04]
• BG Joins the Pod: Graham himself jumps on for a few words about “adding value” and just being excited to get after it again.

  “Man, we coming back, baby... No expectations, just excited.” – Brandon Graham [20:37]

• Veteran Leadership: Both hosts express how valuable BG is, especially Reed embracing his own growth into a captain role.

2. Post-Vikings Victory Vibes & Player Family Stories

"What’s Exciting Us?" Segment

[02:14]

• Team Win: Reed and Cooper open with enthusiasm after a tough road win in Minnesota.
  • “Got back in the win column, that’s big time against a really good opponent. So it’s always good to win in this league.” – Reed [02:36]
• Cooper’s Brother Shoutout: Cooper’s younger brother, Jax, made his first start at quarterback, scoring four touchdowns.
  • Cooperative sibling banter ensues over who was the better high school QB and how Jax’s style compares to Cooper’s [03:36–04:15].
  • “I think he might be a little better than you, though.” – Reed [04:19]
  • “Alright, buddy, relax.” – Cooper

Minnesota Game Details & Atmosphere

[04:41]

• Stadium Review: Both hosts rave about the environment in Minneapolis, sharing memories and fun stadium facts.
  • “That stadium is one of the best I’ve played in.” – Reed [05:57]
• Eagles Fan Presence: Impressed by the Philly fans who made it feel like a home game [06:08]
  • “When we run out, you hear more chants than boos.” – Reed [06:11]

Game Breakdown: Defensive & Offensive Standouts

[06:40]

• Carson Wentz: Coop recalls following Wentz from college to now, noting his mobility.
  • “He’s an underrated scrambler, in my opinion.” – Reed [07:06]
  • “Our defense did a good job… our guys up front were putting a lot of pressure on him, which was huge for us in the backend.” – Cooper [07:14–07:39]
• Key Defensive Plays:
  • JC’s pressure leads to a pick-six by Jalex; Andrew Makuba gets his second interception.
  • “Anytime you score on defense, it’s huge for a momentum swing.” – Cooper [11:18]
  • “That pick six was sick.” – Reed [14:51]
• Eagles’ Red Zone Defense: Vikings had six red zone trips, only one TD allowed.
  • “That’s the best red zone defense—when we don’t let them down there.” – Cooper [08:47]
• Offensive Highlights:
  • Jalen Hurts: Over 300 yards, perfect passer rating [09:33, 09:41]
  • Smitty (Devonta Smith): Career-high yards, deep touchdowns
    • “That deep post that he caught for a touchdown—you love seeing that on the sideline.” – Reed [10:18]
  • AJ Brown: Big first-drive TD, physical presence

Honorable Mentions & Game Ball Awards

[14:08]

• Reed gives Cooper a game ball for his flexibility between nickel and corner.
  • “That's tough... I feel like you did a great job.” – Reed [14:16]
• Game balls awarded to: Jalex (pick six), Jaylen Carter (defensive pressure), Jalen Hurts, AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, and the offensive line.
  • “That's just what they do... they’re the best in the league.” – Cooper [15:47]

3. Locker Room Stories, Personal Touches & Fan Connections

Pre-Game Rituals & Being Recognized

[12:13]

• Cooper shares a funny story about a fan naming their dog after him as he walks onto the field.
  • “I must have been too locked in to even realize what he said, but it’s pretty crazy.” – Cooper [12:20]
• Both discuss the oddness of people naming their kids after them.

Family, Friends, and Local Ties

[17:39]

• Cooper spots his high school teacher and husband in the crowd; the personal connections in Minnesota were “kind of sweet.”
  • “Everywhere I looked in the stands, there was someone I knew, which was kind of sweet.” – Cooper [18:08]

4. Fashion Focus: “Exciting Fit” Segment

[24:52]

• The guys roast and respect each other’s and teammates’ pregame fits:
  • Reed: Abercrombie trousers, puffer jacket, black loafers, “had to cut the tag off at breakfast” [25:34]
  • Cooper: Fuzzy cardigan, tank top, brown trousers, Nikes. “Got that go yard packed full...” [26:39–27:01]
  • Smitty & Teammates: Much love for the all-black look, comfy fits, and the details that matter (like matching hats and shoes). [28:27, 29:02]

5. Giants Game Preview: NFC East Rivalry

[33:03]

• Discuss playing the Giants twice in three weeks—an unusual scheduling wrinkle.
  • “Two times in three weeks is a little—it’s a little different.” – Cooper [33:29]
• Emphasis on defense stopping the Giants’ run and mobile QB.
• Excitement over wearing the Kelly Green uniforms:
  • “Kelly Green... that's my favorite uniform.” – Cooper [35:36]
  • “I already know if BG comes back and they do defensive starting lineups, that stadium's gonna go insane.” – Cooper [36:36]

6. Fan Q&A Segment

[37:12]

• KC (Stationed in Tampa, from Philly): Asks about locker room pet peeves
  • Cooper: People encroaching on locker real estate (Q's boxes), stealing clothes
  • Reed: Chairs left in the way; agrees locker room is mostly “good vibes”
• Brianna: Halloween costumes?
  • Neither has concrete plans, but ideas fly: Joker & Batman, Step Brothers, with jokes about going as each other since fans are apparently planning this already [39:48]
  • Brianna recalls the “Frozone & Mr. Incredible” costume; Cooper rocked Mr. Incredible in high school.

Most Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the locker room and energy:

  “Regardless of how old or how young your defense is, you need somebody like [BG].” – Reed Blankenship [21:57]

• On in-game plays:

  “The play's not over until the ref blows the whistle… just tried to keep fighting to get the ball out of his hands.” – Cooper [16:29]

• On team success:

  “That's just what they do… they're the best in the league.” – Cooper [15:47]

• On Kelly Green:

  “Not even biased about it...” – Reed, loving the throwbacks [36:55]

• On fans naming their pets/kids after them:

  “I’ve seen people naming their kids Cooper. They say it’s after me, but I don’t—like—I find that really hard to believe.” – Cooper [13:07]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 01:25 | BG’s return announcement & early banter | | 02:14 | “What's exciting us” – post-Vikings reflections | | 04:41 | Minnesota stadium experiences and game breakdown | | 06:40 | In-depth defensive review & key plays | | 11:01 | Citizens play that mattered most | | 12:13 | Personal recognition stories & pregame rituals | | 14:08 | Game Ball awards & teammate praise | | 17:39 | Cooper’s family and friends in the stands | | 24:52 | “Exciting Fit” fashion critique segment | | 33:03 | Giants preview & uniforms discussion | | 37:12 | Fan Q&A: KC (locker room pet peeves) | | 39:48 | Fan Q&A: Brianna (Halloween costumes) |

Tonal & Content Notes

• Vibe: Warm, candid, with a fun locker-room camaraderie; filled with gentle ribbing, honesty, and a deep love for the team and each other.
• Speaker Style: Cooper tends toward dry wit and observation; Reed is more effusive with praise but quick with jokes.
• Inside Access: Listeners get a true behind-the-scenes look at both the on-field chess match and the off-field personalities that make this Eagles team unique.

For Eagles fans or football enthusiasts, this episode is a treasure trove: it blends game IQ, locker room humor, fashion talk, and heartfelt discussion about what it means to be part of the Birds—on the field, in the family, and in Philly.