There was a time in the not-too-distant past when fans worried who would fill the safety spot next to Reed Blankenship in Vic Fangio's Philadelphia Eagles defense.

While it may just be the preseason, that conversation may be over, as Andrew Mukuba took the field for the first time in an Eagles uniform and absolutely balled out, recording a tackle, a pass defense, an interception, a fumble recovery, and a pick-6 for his first-ever NFL touchdown in his debut.

Discussing what he saw from Mukuba after the game, Nick Sirianni celebrated his young safety for showing out, as he's always been impressed with his playmaking abilities.

“I always thought that he has a knack for the football, how he practices, watching his tape, whether it was at Clemson or at Texas, has the ability to take the ball away as a playmaker. So anytime you go out there and make a play, that's big,” Sirianni told reporters.

“And so that was exciting, the interception, and even one while he was there for the fumble recovery after they had a mis-exchange, well guys that have a knack for the football just find ways to be around the football, and I think that's what we saw today.”

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Mukuba was also very excited to talk about his early success in South Philadelphia, noting that recording his first-ever pick-6 was a moment he will never forget.

“It felt amazing. That’s my first-ever pick-6,” Mukuba told John Clark. “Now that I know what it feels like, man, that’s a feeling I want to have again. There’s going to be a lot more.”

After missing time early in camp due to a combination of injury and contractual holdout, some fans worried if Mukuba would be 2025's version of Cooper DeJean, a second-round pick who was held out of action for the first month of the season for similar reasons. Instead, Mukuba might just be the 2025 version of Cooper DeJean in that he's a young, electrifying playmaker who always seems to make something happen when the ball is in his area, creating opportunities that will make him a fan favorite for a very long time.

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