The Soaring History of the Philadelphia Eagles

When it comes to having a rich NFL history, the Philadelphia Eagles are very much up there. From early championship titles in the 1940s to winning Super Bowl LIX, the team has smelled and tasted what glory is like. But among the many things that make them stand out, their die-hard fans are unmatched. They are always there, lifting the team with deafening cheers.

In this article, we’ll delve deep into what makes the Eagles one of the biggest guns in the country.

From Yellow Jackets to Philadelphia Eagles

In 1931, a promising franchise called the Frankford Yellow Jackets was forced to cease operations after going bankrupt. From that setback, the Eagles were born, thanks to a group headed by Bert Bell and Lucy Wray. The new owners wanted a new identity for the franchise and drew inspiration from the Blue Eagle logo of the National Recovery Administration. The logo represented economic recovery and strength and resonated quite well with the vision of the new owners of the Philadelphia franchise.

Despite not wanting to identify with the failed Jackets’ project, the Eagles continued with the yellow and blue colors the Jackets wore. But in 1935, they started shifting to the famous Kelly Green Jersey before making a complete transition in 1937. The Kelly Green brought a completely new look, and maybe even a new energy sort of. Very comely to the eyes, many fans to date still call for the Eagles to return to the classic Kelly Green.

In those early years though, looks weren’t the only thing that was worked on. Officially joining the NFL in the 1933 season, the team started to grow, steadily and surely. Under head coach Greasy Neale, Philadelphia started to fly. Neale led them to consecutive NFL championships in 1948 and 1949 and made them a feared side. The Eagles also laid hands on the pre-merger title once more in 1960, thanks to superb effort from the legendary Chuck Bednarik. When you beat Vince Lombardi‘s Green Bay Packers, you know you have done something spectacular.

Post Merger

After the 1960 title, the buttons stopped clicking for the Eagles. They struggled to find a franchise quarterback and stable coaching leadership. Consequently, they suffered a long period of mediocrity, missing the playoffs for nearly two decades. Coach Dick Vermeil found a way to give the Eagles a smell of glory once again as he led them to their first Super Bowl appearance in 1980. Despite being heavy favorites, the Eagles lost out to the Oakland Raiders. But Vermeil’s leadership had returned the team to the top, guiding them to some of their greatest moments in history.

One of those moments was “The Miracle at the Meadowlands.” The Miracle at the Meadowlands was a twist of fate that stunned the entire league. On November 19, 1978, with the Eagles trailing 17-12 and no timeouts left, the New York Giants only had to run out the clock. But shockingly, that didn’t quite happen. Instead, disaster struck as Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik fumbled a handoff to his fullback Larry Csonka. In a flash, Eagles cornerback Herman Edwards scooped it up and ran 26 yards for the game-winning touchdown. What should have been a routine victory for New York became a legendary Eagles moment. That moment also served as a moral boost for the Eagles—morale that continued all the way to two seasons later.

Fly, Eagles Fly

The Eagles had put their years of woes behind them and really started to not just fly, but soar. Several out-of-this-world players gave strength to the franchise’s wings. Reggie White was among those players. The pass rusher made 10 tackles and two-and-a-half sacks in just his first game. He went on to become the franchise’s sack leader, recording 124 sacks as an Eagle.

Yet, consistency remained an issue. They were back up and firing again, though, and it all began with the signing of head coach Andy Reid after several below-par seasons. Reid did several good things but perhaps his most notable achievement was drafting the best quarterback in Eagles’ history—Donovan McNabb. McNabb helped the team into Super Bowl XXXIX, where they faced Tom Brady‘s New England Patriots. The Eagles went down, but not without a fight, giving the Patriots a lot to think about throughout the game.

Super Bowl Championships

After the defeat to New England, it took the Eagles another 13 years to win the NFC and make the Super Bowl again. This time, they weren’t going to take no for an answer. Completing an impressive 13-3 regular season, they took down the Atlanta Falcons, crushed the Minnesota Vikings, and went toe-to-toe with the Patriots in an unforgettable Super Bowl LII showdown.

The iconic matchup featured a number of incredible moments. The game saw several records shattered, including the most combined yards in any NFL game and the fewest total punts in a Super Bowl. The Patriots also set the record for fewest punts by a single team in a Super Bowl. But the defining moment came late in the game. The Eagles capitalized on a fumble deep in Patriots territory, setting up a crucial field goal with 1:05 left and pushing their lead to eight.

MVP-worthy quarterback Nick Foles proved too hot to handle, recording 28 completions on 43 attempts for 373 yards and three touchdowns, with just one interception. That game also featured one of the greatest plays in NFL lore—the “Philly Special,” a trick play that ended in Foles catching a one-yard touchdown pass.

Dual-threat-ability quarterback Jalen Hurts led the Eagles into Super Bowl LIX seven years later. The phenomenal Eagles completely stunned the confident Kansas City Chiefs, leaving the defending champions scrambling for a breath of fresh air. Solid on defense, the Eagles shut down every threat the Chiefs attempted, building an insurmountable 34-point lead before Kansas City could even get on the board. Deservedly, the Eagles won the Super Bowl. Now, they look to build on their triumph, daring to dream again and again.

Team Achievements

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