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Inquirer Podcasts

unCovering the Birds, Season 2 Episode 4: The Social Media Effect

In this episode, McLane explores the impact of social media on athletes’ mental health and their careers through personal stories from Eagles players.

Kenny Gainwell has a routine. Check the phone at halftime, send a text to his parents or girlfriend, get ready for the second half. But during the Philadelphia Eagles’ October 29th, 2023 game at Washington, he made the mistake of engaging with a frustrated fan who sent him a direct message. After the game, a screenshot of the exchange went public, and Gainwell and the Eagles had a mess on their hands. The incident, however, revived a conversation in sports that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere any time soon: is social media good for professional athletes? Is it worth it? What are the rewards and traps? Philadelphia Inquirer Eagles beat reporter Jeff McLane posed these questions to the Eagles’ locker room, with over a dozen players sharing personal stories about social media use, and how it’s affected them and their mental health.

Follow Jeff McLane on X. You can read his work at Inquirer.com.

unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts.