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LOS ANGELES − He is the greatest hitter on this year’s Hall of Fame ballot. 

He is the most feared slugger on the ballot. 

And he may be the most brutally honest player in baseball. 

His name is Gary Sheffield. 

And it’s his 10th and final year of eligibility on the ballot. 

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And it’s our last chance as members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of American to finally get this right. 

“I think what hurts me is that I’ve always told the truth, always,’’ Sheffield tells USA TODAY Sports in a 90-minute interview. “But sometimes, people don’t want to know the truth. 

“I don’t B.S. people. People liked to be B.S.’d. But they don’t want to hear the harsh truth because sometimes it hurts.’’ 

Let’s be honest, if it wasn’t for his three-week stay working out one winter with Barry Bonds, tying him into the BALCO scandal, and appearing in the Mitchell report, Sheffield’s Hall of Fame plaque would be collecting dust right now. 

Why, he may have been the most respected right-handed hitter of his generation. 

He was a nine-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger, a batting champion. 

He received MVP votes in seven seasons, and four times finished among the top 6 in balloting. 

There are his 509 home runs, 2,689 hits, 1,676 RBI, 1,636 runs, 1,003 extra-base hits and 253 stolen bases. 

He had a .393 on-base percentage, .514 slugging percentage, .907 OPS, and walked more times than he struck out. 

He finished with an OPS-plus of at least 130 in 14 seasons. 

He is one of only five players in history to produce at least 500 homers, 2,500 hits, 1,500 RBI, 1,400 walks, 200 stolen bases and hit .290. The others: Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson and Barry Bonds.

The year the Florida Marlins won their first World Series in 1997, he hit .320 with three homers and seven RBI in the postseason. 

“Just ask anybody that he played with or played against,’’ said Hall of Fame first baseman Fred McGriff, who mentored Sheffield with the San Diego Padres. “Or better yet, ask opposing pitchers when he came to the plate. Oh, boy. 

“Pitchers were scared to face Sheff when he came to bat. You see certain guys come to the plate, and you’re thinking, ‘Oh, this guy is going to hit a single or double. This guy is looking for a walk.’ Well, with Sheff, you didn’t know what he was going to do. 

“I’ve seen him literally put fear into people. 

“He was a bad boy.’’ 

Now, 14 years after his brilliant playing career ended, Sheffield is here to set the record straight. 

He talks about BALCO. He talks about Bonds. He talks about Victor Conte. He talks about the cream and the clear. He talks about the Mitchell report. He talks about the Grand Jury. 

“You want to know the harsh truth instead of all of these lies?’’ Sheffield, 55, says. “Well, get ready. I’ll tell you.’’ 

BALCO scandal, working out with Barry Bonds

Sheffield was already a six-time All-Star and finished in the top-10 three times in the MVP voting when he was encouraged after the 2001 season to work out with Bonds, who just set the all-time home run record with 73 homers. They were friends, Sheffield deeply admired his work ethic, and so that winter he decided to go to San Francisco to be part of Bonds’ workout regiment. 

Sheffield was going to rent a condo, but Bonds insisted that he stay with him and his family. They got up every morning at 5 a.m. They hit the track. They lifted weights. They hit. They ran some more. They had trainers watching every step they took. 

Sheffield was bothered with pain in the back of his knees. They were cysts. He underwent surgery to have them removed in San Francisco. 

Three days later, he’s back in the gym, and the stitches started to break open. Blood squirted out. Sheffield was handed some balm from a trainer to stop the bleeding. He had no idea the cream contained steroids. 

“I didn’t know what it was,’’ Sheffield said. “I just cared about all of this blood pouring out of my leg. The next time the question came up, I was testifying about Barry Bonds. 

“I used it once. That was it. I didn’t know what it was. If anybody says otherwise, they’re lying.’’ 

The only thing he ever purchased from BALCO were vitamins, after being mocked for previously buying his vitamins from over-the-counter GNC stores. His wife, Deleon, wrote a check for $146 for the vitamins, and that was the extent of his dealings with BALCO. 

His stay with Bonds lasted just three weeks when the two were involved in a personality clash over an apparent misunderstanding. Sheffield packed his bags. Headed back to Los Angeles. 

“I didn’t like the surroundings,’’ Sheffield said. “I didn’t like the atmosphere. Our relationship got fractured.’’ 

The next thing he knows, he’s being subpoenaed in front of a federal Grand Jury to testify what he knows about Bonds and BALCO founder Victor Conte. 

“They called me to testify against Barry,’’ Sheffield said. “I was a witness, not a suspect. Nobody investigates that. 

“I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was not a suspect in anything.’’ 

Why Gary Sheffield is in the Mitchell report

What infuriates Sheffield is that he was included in the Mitchell report because he testified in the BALCO hearing. No one from the Mitchell investigation ever interviewed him, or even spoke to him. 

“So, how do I make the Mitchell report and all of these guys that did steroids are not in the Mitchell report,’’ Sheffield says. “I’ve never seen this guy [George Mitchell]. Never talked to him. So how do you put me in the report when you know nothing about me? You’re the judge and jury. 

“So now, when it comes down to the most esteemed honor in baseball, I’m being kept out because of the Mitchell report? 

“Please, I challenge every writer to do their homework.’’ 

Gary Sheffield’s association with Victor Conte

Conte, who was sentenced to four months in prison and four months’ home confinement for his role in BALCO, insists that Sheffield is being wronged. They met only once, briefly, and was subscribed natural vitamins to specifically fit into his blood and body type, and that was it. 

Conte isn’t even convinced that the cream Sheffield applied was an actual cream that contained steroids. His office also carries a natural cream called, PhysioBalm. 

“I read all of the grand jury transcripts, and basically all the players said was what Barry Bonds said,’’ Conte said. “There was not one bit of evidence on Gary. Why would they be keeping him from the Hall of Fame? It’s really sad. Everything he did was natural. 

“I never, ever had a conversation, an e-mail, a text message, with Gary Sheffield about steroids. The only thing we talked about was vitamins. He was getting his vitamins at GNC stores, and didn’t understand the various forms of minerals and vitamins and zinc and calcium. 

“He got absolutely railroaded.’’ 

Don’t question Gary Sheffield’s character

If Sheffield was juiced in 2002, he may be the first player in baseball history to be juiced and get worse. He was traded to Atlanta, and produced his second-worst season in 10 years with a .917 OPS, hitting 25 homers and 84 RBI. 

“I’ve never taken a drug in my life, I’ve never smoked a joint in my life,’’ Sheffield said. “I saw what it did to my uncle. I spent 22 years making sure he was taken care of. I wasn’t going to let that happen to me.’’ 

Sheffield is the nephew of Dwight Gooden, whose potential Hall of Fame career was derailed by substance abuse. He saw the pain and anguish he caused his family. There were too many days checking in on Gooden, even admitting him to a rehab center once before driving to the ballpark to play a game himself. 

“Do not question my character,’’ said Sheffield, the father of five sons, who has been married 26 years. “I don’t play that game.’’ 

Gary Sheffield’s comp is Frank Robinson

This is a guy who burst onto the scene at the age of 19 with the Milwaukee Brewers, and for 22 years, was one of the most consistent players in the game. It still agitates him that the Brewers took him away from the shortstop position, believing that he would have been one of the greatest power-hitting shortstops in baseball history if just given the chance. Instead, he spent his career playing out of position, at third base and the outfield, and getting criticized for his defense. 

“I remember seeing him when he was 16 years old at Belmont Heights,’’ said former Boston Red Sox GM Dan Duquette, who was the Brewers scouting director at the time. “I saw him two games. He hit three homers and three doubles. I never saw that kind of quick bat for a young player. 

“I came back and told [GM] Harry Dalton, ‘Harry, I think we found our No. 1 pick. Gary Sheffield, Dwight Gooden’s nephew.’

“Harry says, ‘Who does he remind you of.’ 

Duquette: “You won’t believe me.’ 

Dalton: “Who?’

Duquette: ‘Frank Robinson.’’ 

Dalton: “Get out of my office.’’ 

The Brewers drafted Sheffield with the sixth pick in the draft, and Duquette proudly will tell you he’s the greatest hitter he ever drafted, and that it’s almost criminal he’s not in the Hall of Fame. 

Gary Sheffield insists he’s was clean: ‘I never did anything’

Sheffield isn’t begging anyone for his vote. 

He lives a great life in the Tampa area, playing in celebrity golf tournaments, smoking cigars with Michael Jordan, and still dropping in at the local batting cage to show he can still hit baseballs 500 feet into the night. 

Still, he won’t lie and tell you that he wouldn’t be humbled and honored to have his plaque proudly displayed in Cooperstown for generations of his family to see forever. 

“I would love it for my family,’’ Sheffield said. “You know as I get older, I pass wisdom to my kids, and tell them, ‘Hey, be careful who you associate with.’ I wasn’t conscious of things. I wasn’t aware of certain things. I was naïve to certain things. 

“I am speaking the truth. 

“I never did anything. I respect the game too much. You want to know the truth? I’m telling you the truth. 

“I am who I say I am.’’ 

Why Gary Sheffield belongs in Cooperstown

I covered Sheffield throughout his career, meeting him in 1992 when he was traded to the Padres. 

He’s the most honest, candid player I’ve ever covered. He was honest to a fault, no matter who it hurt, no matter whose feathers were ruffled. He doesn’t have a phony bone in his body. 

I have voted for him every year on the ballot. 

I think it’s indefensible not to check his name on the Hall of Fame ballot if your reasoning simply is punishing him for his ill-fated stay with Bonds. 

He should be inducted right alongside former manager Jim Leyland, who long has campaigned for his inclusion. 

“I think there was quite a long period of time when Gary Sheffield was the most feared right-handed hitter in baseball,’’ Leyland said, “probably until Albert Pujols came along. He’s got the 500 home runs, he’s got the RBI. He was a great player..…I’m going to be pulling hard for him. Hopefully Sheff’s time is going to come.’’ 

The time is now. 

The beauty of giving back: Didi Gregorius

Didi Gregorius, the man who once replaced Derek Jeter as the Yankees shortstop, may not know his future as a baseball player as a minor-league free agent, but he’ll never forget his roots. 

Gregorius, 33, is paying back his home of Curacao, opening his own baseball complex, Didi Deeds, for young kids, ages 4 to 13. He plans to open a facility too, for kids to have after-school care. 

“I want to get kids off the street and into baseball,’’ Gregorius said Friday in a phone interview from his Curacao home. “It’s important to me. I want to help make a difference, teaching them about life, staying positive, and learning new things.’’ 

Gregorius, who last played in the big leagues in 2022 with the Philadelphia Phillies, says he had been contemplating building a facility for kids on the island for the past five years. It has become his home away from home, spending virtually every day at the facility. 

Gregorius, who is starting tournaments and leagues, also is providing kids with uniforms, bats and gloves from sponsors on his website, and wants to assure they have a place to go after school. 

“These kids, they’re the future of Curacao,’’ Gregorius said. “I want to help them, give back, and take advantage of this opportunity. 

“It means the world to me.’’ 

Around the basepaths

≻ Pardon the Arizona Diamondbacks, who won their first pennant in 22 years, for not freaking out over the Dodgers’ signing of Shohei Ohtani.

“I think it’s good for us that we get to compete against (Ohtani),” Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick said. “Last I looked, he’s one of nine. And the last I also looked, he’s a designated hitter.

“He’s a great player. Is he the second coming? I would suggest not.’

≻ The New York Yankees continue to be the favorite to land Japanese pitching star Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but Yamamoto was impressed by the Dodgers’ presentation last week, which included Ohtani. Yamamoto, friends say, has long admired the Dodgers.

It’ll be fascinating to see if Ohtani’s presence is a benefit to the Dodgers or detriment considering that Ohtani will be the face of the franchise.

Yamamoto is expected to receive at least a $300 million contract, which will add $46.9 million to the posting system for his former Japanese team, the Orix Buffaloes.

≻ Now that the Texas Rangers will be without ace Max Scherzer for at least a half-season after undergoing back surgery, they are expected to be more aggressive in their pursuit of free-agent starter Jordan Montgomery, who would love to return to Texas.

≻ The San Francisco Giants finally found a marquee free agent (Korean center fielder Jung Hoo Lee) who would take their money after Shohei Ohtani became the latest to turn them down, joining Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper and Jon Lester.

Lee’s six-year, $113 million deal is the largest given to a Giants’ position player in franchise history.

≻ Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno flatly refused Shohei Ohtani’s proposal to include massive deferrals, not believing in them, ending any chance of Ohtani’s return.

≻ Atlanta GM Alex Anthopoulos has cornered the trade market in acquiring talent he wants by taking on contracts others don’t, and flipping them, to make it all work.

The latest came Friday when they acquired left-handed reliever Ray Kerr and DH Matt Carpenter from the Padres, with the Padres paying $1.5 million of Carpenter’s $5.5 million salary.

Atlanta loves Kerr, who yielded just a .161 batting average and a .547 OPS against lefties, and has six years of club control. The plan now is to trade Carpenter to a team needing a DH.

In the past month, Atlanta has acquired Marco Gonzales, Evan White and Max Stassi in trades, and managed to flip all of them to different teams.

≻ The Pittsburgh Pirates are expected to retain outfielder Andrew McCutchen by signing him to a one-year deal for about $5 million this week.

≻ The Houston Astros don’t plan to trade co-ace Framber Valdez, at least not this winter, but they are listening, with more than five teams already checking in on him.

≻ The Chicago White Sox, who are shopping ace Dylan Cease, were disappointed seeing that the Dodgers sent promising young starter Ryan Pepiot to the Tampa Bay Rays in the Tyler Glasnow trade. They had strong interest in Pepiot in their earlier trade talks with the Dodgers.

Atlanta and Baltimore are the current favorites to acquire Cease.

≻ The Los Angeles Dodgers have a cool $852 million in contract deferrals with Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.

≻ The Diamondbacks have targeted J.D. Martinez and Justin Turner to fill their vacant DH spot, but Martinez’s price-tag may be too high for their taste.

≻ The Chicago Cubs are in talks with agent Scott Boras about signing free-agent first baseman Rhys Hoskins.

≻ The Toronto Blue Jays have emerged as the favorite for Cody Bellinger with the Cubs still in the hunt.

≻ The San Francisco Giants appear to be the leading candidate for free-agent starter Blake Snell, who won’t sign until Yamamoto’s deal becomes finalized.

≻ Can you believe that the Kansas City Royals have spent more in free agency this winter than the New York Yankees, Mets and Boston Red Sox combined?

They have spent $105 million on free agents Seth Lugo (3 years, $45 million, Michael Wacha (2 years, $32 million), Hunter Renfro (1 year, $13 million), Chris Stratton (2 years, $8 million), Will Smith (1 year, $5 million) and Garrett Hampson (1 year, $2 million).

They have a current payroll of $112 million payroll, their highest in six years.

≻ It’s bizarre that the Padres have only 32 players on their 40-man roster after saving about $35 million in trades this month. The Padres still need to add at least two starting pitchers, two outfielders and two relievers.

≻ The D-backs are relegating themselves to the idea that they will be staying put at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix instead of moving to affluent Scottsdale, but will need to spend several hundred millions to improve the facility.

≻ The change of scenery could be huge for recently acquired Atlanta outfielder

Jarred Kelenic, who believes he’s matured since fracturing his left foot kicking a water cooler out of frustration in July with the Seattle Mariners.

“I took a step back and I just kept thinking to myself, ‘What am I doing? I’m not happy,’’’ Kelenic, 24, said on a zoom call with Atlanta reporters. “I’m way too frustrated, I’m letting my emotions get the best of me. I’m not even enjoying this.’

≻ Since Ohtani signed with the Dodgers, the average ticket price on the secondary market for their home-opener against the St. Louis Cardinals has soared from $390 for their season opener to $983, with some tickets ranging as high as $9,893 in the dugout club.

Tickets for the Angels’ home-opener without Ohtani? You can get into the gate for as low as $36.

≻ Most beautiful moment of the week: Larry Doby posthumously receiving the Congressional Gold Medal on what would have been his 100th birthday.

“His legacy as a trailblazing player and manager endures to this day,’’ Commissioner Rob Manfred said, “and he will always remain one of the great heroes that our national pastime.’’

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The Carolina Panthers have arguably the dimmest future in the NFL. After trading away several draft picks and their star wide receiver in order to draft quarterback Bryce Young first overall, Panthers fans had hope that Young could take the team to the top of the lackluster NFC South. That hasn’t happened.

With just four weeks to go in the regular season, the Panthers sit at an NFL-worst 1-12 heading into Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. They don’t have their first-round pick next year. They don’t have many stars to build around. They fired their head coach halfway through the season. Despite playing in a division that will likely send a sub-.500 team to the playoffs, they were the first team in the NFL to be eliminated from playoff contention.

Fans are getting fed up with the absolute incompetence shown from owner David Tepper, and today, fans showed their disapproval…by not showing up at all.

How many fans were at the game today?

The official attendance numbers have not been released yet, but there are rumors that the total count could be remarkably low.

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For perspective, the capacity at Bank of America Stadium is 74,867.

What is the lowest attendance in NFL history?

Pro-Football-Reference only lists NFL attendance data dating back to 1992. So, excluding the 2020 pandemic season as well as the 1987 season which was disrupted for three weeks when the NFL Players Association went on strike and replacement players were used.

Since 1992 though, the lowest attendance in NFL history was on December 15, 1996. The Houston Oilers hosted the Cincinnati Bengals in front of 15,131 fans. The Bengals won the game 21-13.

This was the final home game for the Houston Oilers before they became the Tennessee Oilers/Titans. Fans were likely upset at the ownership’s decision to move the team and did not want to support the team as they left their city. Ironically, the second and third-lowest attendance games since 1992 were both Tennessee Oilers games in 1997 – 17,071 and 17,737 fans in attendance respectively.

Did weather have an effect on Panthers fans?

Yes.

Not only are the Panthers almost an unwatchable team currently, but it’s even tougher to convince fans to support your losing team when rain is coming down hard.

Per The Weather Channel, rain is expected in Carolina for the next several hours and flooding is actually a possibility in multiple neighborhoods around Bank of America Stadium.

How much were Panthers tickets?

During the week leading up to the game, tickets were going for as low as 45 cents.

Other angles of Bank of America Stadium’s low attendance

The Houston Texans were dealt a blow to the stomach earlier this week when it was announced that star rookie quarterback CJ Stroud would not be able to play in the team’s pivotal Week 15 matchup against their AFC South rival, the Tennessee Titans.

Stroud is undoubtedly the frontrunner for Offensive Rookie of the Year and was even garnering some MVP consideration prior to his injury suffered in Week 14.

Stroud wasn’t the only key player out for that game either. The Texans were also without star wideouts Nico Collins and Tank Dell. There was a lot going against Houston in this one, and yet, they still got the victory, 19-16 in overtime off a 54-yard field goal from Ka’imi Fairbairn.

Outside of the obvious standings implications, this matchup also holds some historical significance. In 1997, the Houston Oilers moved to Nashville and became the Tennessee Oilers for two seasons before re-naming themselves the Titans. In 2002, the Houston Texans joined the NFL as well. Suddenly, the Houston Oilers had been replaced.

The Tennessee Titans like to honor their history, and prior to the game on Sunday, the Titans posted this graphic implying they were the true Houston team, despite what the Texans’ namesake may claim.

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The Texans didn’t take too kindly to that slight. After the win, they were quick to post their rebuttal.

The Titans’ ‘T’ switching into an ‘L’ is just classic. However, the Texans go over the top by drizzling oil over the graphic James Bond-style. The black, viscous liquid likely mimicking Titans’ fans tears after watching their team fall to 5-9 at the hands of Case Keenum.

How did this game affect the AFC standings?

The Titans are last-place in the AFC South, and are three games behind the third-place Texans. Each of the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Houston Texans are in the thick of the playoff race.

If the playoffs were to start today though, the Texans would not be in the playoffs. Despite holding the same record as the seven-seed, the Colts still hold the tiebreaker over the Texans, having beaten Houston 31-20 back in Week 2.

The Colts and Texans play each other again in Week 18 on January 7, 2024. That game could have massive playoff implications. The Titans meanwhile, likely won’t be playing for anything but pride come that Sunday.

In agreeing to a three-year, $42 million deal with outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. on Sunday, the Arizona Diamondbacks pushed their payroll into record territory.

The deal, which calls for Gurriel to make $10 million in 2024, moves the Diamondbacks’ internal payroll figure into the range of $143 million, according to a person with knowledge of the payroll. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because payroll figures are not currently public.

That puts them a little north of the $140 million at which they finished the 2018 season, which had been the previous club record.

The person said the Diamondbacks still intend to add further to the payroll.

The Diamondbacks acquired Gurriel a year ago this week as part of the Gabriel Moreno/Daulton Varsho deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was streaky at the plate but put together a solid year overall, hitting .261 with 24 homers and 82 RBIs while playing solid defense in left field.

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His return — at least for now — means the Diamondbacks are positioned to enter next season with the same group of outfielders they had at the beginning of this past season; Gurriel again will be an option in left field and at designated hitter while Corbin Carroll, Alek Thomas and Jake McCarthy could round out the outfield group.

Gurriel, who turned 30 in October, gives the Diamondbacks the right-handed balance they had sought to maintain in their lineup. The Diamondbacks could still look to add another bat to the lineup, a source said.

Gurriel’s deal gives him the ability to opt out and become a free agent after 2025. The deal also includes a $14 million team option for 2027.

Diamondbacks Managing General Partner Ken Kendrick hinted that such a signing could be coming when he spoke to reporters last week at the news conference to introduce left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez.

“I’m not going to tell you what it will be, but it will be the highest payroll that we’ve ever had,” Kendrick said. “And as Mike (Hazen) alluded to — he’s more careful with his words than I am — we have more to do. And he’s been given the authority to go make the team better than it is as we sit here today.”

In Kendrick’s years running the team, the Diamondbacks rarely have ranked in the upper half of the majors in terms of player payroll, but he often has spent more aggressively in the seasons in which the team appears to be a possible contender. That is clearly the case now with the club coming off its second World Series appearance in franchise history.

Gurriel’s agreement was first reported by The Athletic.

After two straight losses where the Philadelphia Eagles defense allowed a total of 75 points, the team is making a change on defense.

The Eagles are stripping defensive coordinator Sean Desai of his duties, although a league source said that Desai is still the defensive coordinator. But it’s in name only. Desai will be observing the game Monday night against the Seattle Seahawks from the press box while Matt Patricia will be on the sideline calling the defensive plays.

It’s a drastic change, especially for a team tied for the NFL’s best record at 10-3 entering play Sunday. And it certainly doesn’t bode well for Desai’s status as coordinator going forward.

FoxSports Jay Glazer first reported the switch in defensive play-calling duties.

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Eagles coach Nick Sirianni wasn’t available for comment Sunday. But last Tuesday, following the 33-13 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Sirianni was asked if there were any plans to change coaching responsibilities either on offense or defense.

Sirianni responded by saying ‘no.’ When asked to explain why, he responded: “I feel good with the people that we have in this building. We’re 10-3. We’re in control of our own destiny, and we’re going to keep rolling and finding answers with the people that we have.’

But criticism of Desai had been mounting after the Bills racked up 505 yards on Nov. 26, although the Eagles won that game 37-34 in overtime. That was followed by two straight lopsided defeats, 42-19 to San Francisco and the loss to the Cowboys.

In one stretch during those two games, the Eagles allowed scores on 10 straight possessions (9 touchdowns and a field goal), not including the 49ers’ kneeldown to end the game.

On Wednesday, Desai was asked how he handles the criticism.

‘That’s part of the job,’ he said. ‘There is always going to be criticism. Go back every week of this season, there was criticism based on different things that happened in the game. When you play a couple games the way we have, not the performance or the standard we want to, that’s going to magnify and amplify. I get it. That’s OK.

‘What we have to do is just lean into each other and really focus on our process and getting better.’

Now the Eagles will try to do it with Patricia. He was hired last spring as a special defensive assistant with two decades of experience. Patricia was the Detroit Lions head coach from 2018-20, and the New England Patriots defensive coordinator under Bill Belichick from 2012-17.

The Patriots won two Super Bowls during that time, but Patricia had been with New England beginning in 2004. After getting fired by the Lions, Patricia returned to the Patriots as a senior football advisor in 2021-22. That included serving as a de facto co-offensive coordinator last season.

Patricia will be tasked with trying to improve an Eagles unit that ranks among the bottom in most defensive categories. The Eagles are 10-3 overall, tied for the best record in the NFL. But they’re 22nd in total defense, allowing 354 yards per game; 28th in pass defense, allowing 260 yards per game; 28th in points per game, allowing 24.7; and 32nd and last in thiird-down pass defense, allowing opponents to convert 48.1% of the time.

Patricia will have the added challenge of doing it without top cornerback Darius Slay, who had arthroscopic knee surgery last week. It’s not known how long he’ll be out. In addition, starting linebacker Zach Cunningham (knee) isn’t playing either.

Slay and Patricia clashed during Patricia’s stint as Lions head coach, and Slay has said that was the impetus for his March 2020 trade to the Eagles. But Slay said the two talked and cleared the air after the Eagles hired Patricia last spring.

In other news, the Eagles downgraded quarterback Jalen Hurts to questionable Sunday because of an illness. Hurts didn’t practice Saturday, but was listed as eligible to play. The Eagles also announced that Hurts is traveling to Seattle separate from his teammates. If Hurts can’t play Monday night, veteran Marcus Mariota will take his place.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.