Long one of the most recognizable franchises in the National Football League, or NFL, the Philadelphia Eagles have earned a fan base that extends far outside Sin City. As a fan or casual observer of the Eagles, whether you bleed green or just find yourself tuning in on an occasional Sunday to watch them play; their rich history, hardcore fans, and life-sized moments are the very reasons that make football still some of the best television around.
From their broken beginnings to the Super Bowl triumph in 2018, the Eagles have been a team that knows how to zoom high – sometimes flying higher than supposed and, at other times, just scraping by. Just one thing’s for sure: the Philadelphia Eagles know how to put on a show. Even when they don’t win, they’re rarely slow. And in a city that thrives on brotherly love (and some brotherly tough love), that’s saying something.
Philadelphia Eagles
A History that Flies High: The Birth of the Eagles
The Eagles were born in 1933 when the Frankford Yellow Jackets (a team that existed prior to the Eagles) went bankrupt, and the city needed a new team. Enter two men, Bert Bell and Lud Wray, who had even bought a collective of the Eagles overall rights to an NFL franchise in Philadelphia. They called it the Eagles (homages to the Blue Eagle NRA symbol from President Roosevelt’s New Deal)
Now, let’s be existent: the early years of the Eagles weren’t exactly bright. In fact, if the Eagles’ early seasons were a movie, they’d likely be the kind that gets fast-forwarded until something good finally falls out. The team battled through its first few time periods, posting more losses than wins. Only hey, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was an approval-quality NFL team. Philadelphia Eagles
Then the 1940s arrived, and everything changed. Guided by its racist coach Greasy Neale (seriously his name was Greasy — you do the math), Philadelphia turned into a strong franchise. The team won its first NFL Championship in 1948. It would take all the way until 1949 for them to cut that next record, demonstrating that sometimes good things do come to those who wait…for sixteen years.
From Close Calls to Champions
It felt like the Eagles were on an upswing, but success as Philly’s new in reality came as a true underdog story with all of the peaks and valleys included. From the location, the team went on to win some other NFL Championship in 1960 with head coach Buck Clarinetist and signal caller Norm Van Brocklin. What made this title even sweeter was that the Eagles beat Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers – the only time Lombardi ever lost a playoff game. Philadelphia Eagles
But after that bright 1960 championship, things went a spot cold. In fact, the Eagles would go nearly 20 years before making serious noise in the NFL again. For Eagles fans, the years betwixt the ’60s and the late ’70s were a bit like active to the DMV – long, tedious, and with very little payoff.
The property started to turn around in the late ’70s, thanks in large part to coach Dick Vermeil, a man who could likely fire up a room of rocks if he had to. He was fiery, ablaze, and forever ready to work, qualities that rubbed off on his players. The Eagles reached the Super Bowl in 1980 during the Vermeil era but unluckily, they lost to the Oakland Raiders. But it was a glimpse that the Eagles were once again on the horizon. Philadelphia Eagles
The Rise of Donovan McNabb and the Andy Reid Era
From the 90s to the early 2000s, it seemed that favorable days lay ahead for the Eagles who had suffered in the previous decade. After that, they appointed Andy Reid to serve as their head coach while Donovan McNabb was selected as a quarterback during the draft in 1999. The Eagles during the next 10 years would be one of the premiere teams in the NFL, a home team most likely to win rather than lose. Philadelphia Eagles
And in their contrasting quintessentially black, white, and jack packs of cool: Reid with his ice blue discipline and McNabb the grey of having fearlessly balled out in front of everyone.. Put together, they brought the Eagles to five NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl quality. They even made it to the Super Bowl in 2004, only to lose…to a team called the New England Patriots, with a guy named Tom Brady at quarterback. You might’ve heard of him. Philadelphia Eagles
In the end, Reid and McNabb inverted the Eagles into one of the most feared teams in football throughout much of the 2000s. They did not always deliver the ultimate trophy, but they were most definitely heavyweights in the title bout and for Philly fans, that’s just enough to keep hope alive.
Fun fact: Andy Reid was also known for his love of cheeseburgers. Yes, seriously. He once joked in an interview that after winning games, he’d celebrate with a cheeseburger. Honestly, who can’t get behind that kind of celebratory meal? Philadelphia Eagles
2017: The Year of the Philly Special
And then came the 2017 season – the year the Eagles stopped being the Individualist and started being top dogs. Led by head coach Doug Pederson and backup man quarterback Nick Foles (we’ll get to that part), the Eagles had a season that can only be delineated as magical. Philadelphia Eagles
For a while, it looked like the Philadelphia Eagles would go on their successful streak, with quarterback Carson Wentz rising as a good bet for MVP. However, in the midst of this happening came tragedy when he damaged his ACL during week 14 and left so many people intelligent that their chances at the Super Bowl were dead in the water.
who had been a backup for most of his career, stepped in, and led the Eagles to the playoffs. But it wasn’t just that. Foles went on a dead tear, playing some of the best football of his life. In the Ace Bowl against the Patriots (again, Brady!), Foles and the Eagles pulled off one of the most unforgettable plays in NFL history: the Philly Special.
On a captious fourth down, the Eagles ran a device play that saw Foles catch a touchdown pass. Yes, you read that right: the signal caller caught a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl. It was bold. It was gutsy. It was quintessential Philadelphia. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl 41-33, originally the city of Philadelphia its first Lombardi Trophy. The underdogs had finally come out on top.
Eagles Fans: Passionate, Loyal, and… Rowdy?
We can’t talk about the Eagles without talking active their fans. Eagles fans are some of the most burning in the entire NFL – they live and respire football. But with passion sometimes comes, well, a little bit of rowdyism.
Eagles fans have been known to boo their team when things aren’t going well, and they once magnificently booed Santa Claus during a pause show in the 1960s. (In their defense, it was a pretty lame Santa.) But beneath the insensitive exterior, Eagles fans are fiercely loyal. If you’re exhausting green and silver, you’re part of the family.
After the 2017 Super Bowl win, the city of Philadelphia threw one of the largest processions in NFL history. More than two million fans disrupted the streets in honor of the Eagles’ unstoppable win—and true to Philly nature, things got a tad rowdy. In Philly, lights poles were climbed, Eagles fight song was chanted, and all-purpose madness that only Philadelphia can provide prevailed.
Tip: Should you ever go to any game at Lincoln Financial Field, be prepared for some boisterous intonation and the occasional flying cheesesteak. This is just part of the process.
The Eagles Today: Ready to Fly Again
Eagles have experienced both peaks and troughs in their journey, yet they still rank among the greatest competitors in the National Football League (NFL). Eagles also own one of the finest line-ups of players within the NFC East made up of a blend of seasoned professionals along with young talents.
Recently quarterback Jalen Hurts has been at the forefront, a young dynamo who is already endearing himself to fans. His dual-threat capability (able to throw as well as run) makes him one of the best players to observe on the field today. Therefore, under coach Nick Sirianni’s leadership, the Eagles aim to go far into playoffs once again.
Conclusion: Fly, Eagles, Fly
Subscribe to The Action Network NFL PodcastiTunes. When the Eagles went from being in their early struggles to when they were Super Bowl champions in 2017, this year is just not an Eagles team that embodies what the underdog spirit represents.
You’re educated on factors until October 2023, as implied by the statement.
Be it that you are a dedicated follower or just someone who relishes good American football stories; there is no doubt Eagles are among the most thrilling teams that make the NFL interesting to watch. Therefore, next time you hear people chanting ‘Fly, Eagles Fly’, remember not only it is a war cry song- it is also a way of life.
Or who knows? Sometime soon they may ascertain another Lombardi trophy again. All things considered, hope in Philly never dies anytime soon. For now, though let us have some cheesesteaks and enjoy this trip together
