Eagles Rookie Caught Sneaking Out to Bar to Celebrate Practice Squad Spot —HC Nick Sirianni Ruthlessly Cut From The Roster

Philadelphia, PA – August 28, 2025 – The Philadelphia Eagles made one of their coldest roster moves of the summer on Tuesday, releasing rookie running back ShunDerrick Powell just hours after he was spotted celebrating at a Center City bar. The timing was brutal: Powell had only just learned he’d survived the initial wave of cuts and earned a coveted practice squad spot.

Team sources confirmed that Powell slipped out late Wednesday night to join friends in a bar celebration after receiving word he would remain with the Eagles on the practice squad. But what he saw as a night to blow off steam quickly turned into the end of his Philly chapter. By sunrise, his locker was empty.

Head coach Nick Sirianni did not mince words when pressed about the decision:
“If you think making the practice squad means you can celebrate instead of sacrifice, then you don’t belong here. In Philly, discipline comes first. Green jerseys aren’t given — they’re earned.”

Powell, a rookie free agent signed by the Eagles in May 2025, arrived in Philadelphia as an underdog story out of North Alabama, where he rushed for over 1,500 yards in his final college season. At just 5’7” and 183 pounds, he brought explosiveness and quickness that caught coaches’ attention during training camp. Still, his path to a roster spot was always narrow, given the depth of the Eagles’ backfield.

He flashed in the preseason opener against Cincinnati with a two-yard touchdown plunge, but overall production told a different story: 10 carries for 23 yards (2.3 YPC) and 1 touchdown, plus one catch for two yards across three games. Coaches saw promise, but also inconsistency — leaving him already on thin ice.

A team insider summed it up bluntly:
“Talent without humility is worthless here. He needed to prove he could grind, not that he could party.”

Inside the NovaCare Complex, the decision was felt sharply. Some teammates privately admitted disappointment, not because of his release, but because Powell squandered a second chance. “The competition was already brutal,” one veteran said. “The RB room is loaded, and he had to fight for every rep. Going out like that? He cut himself.”

The Eagles’ backfield is among the deepest in the NFL, anchored by Saquon Barkley, Kenneth Gainwell, and rookie Will Shipley, with veteran depth behind them. That left little room for Powell, whose practice squad designation was always contingent on flawless effort and discipline. The late-night celebration, paired with modest preseason numbers, sealed his fate.

For Powell, the fall was swift: from elation at surviving roster cuts to devastation within hours. For the Eagles, it was another example of how cold the NFL business can be.

As one NFC scout remarked: “He’s got traits, but in this league, your margin for error is razor thin. One wrong step, and you’re done.”

The Eagles now turn their focus fully toward Week 1, carrying the message loud and clear: in Philadelphia, football is earned, not promised — and one night can erase an entire summer’s work.