FLYING HIGH
How the Eagles Soared to the Championship
Flying high! Eagles trample Chiefs’ hopes for a three-peat, soar into a bright future
MARTIN FRANK • FEB. 9, 2025
NEW ORLEANS — JEFFREY LURIE
finally has his “gold standard.”
It came about 20 years after Lurie, chairman and CEO of the Eagles, first uttered the phrase, when he predicted a run of Super Bowl victories.
That never materialized. Neither did Doug Pederson’s proclamation of a “new normal” after the Eagles finally broke through and won their first Super Bowl seven years ago.
Now, it is safe to call the Eagles the NFL’s “gold standard,” embarking on a “new normal” after Philadelphia’s 40-22 pummeling of the Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl 59 on Sunday night.
It’s why quarterback Jalen Hurts, during the raucous cigar-lit, champagne-soaked locker room celebration, hugged teammates, shared a hug with A.J. Brown, and finally cemented himself as a Super Bowl champion.
Hurts was selected the game’s MVP
after going 17 of 22 passing for 221 yards and two touchdowns. He was also the leading rusher with 72 yards on 11 carries and scored the game’s first touchdown on a Brotherly Shove.
“I’m still processing,” Hurts said.
“It’s been a long journey. It’s a journey of ups and downs, and highs and lows. I’ve always stayed true to myself and have this vision of being the best that I can be, and that evolved, over time, into this desire to win.”
How else to explain the dismantling of the Chiefs’ dynasty with a lethal combination of Hurts’ passing and running; a ferocious defensive line that had Patrick Mahomes scrambling for his life, and rookie Cooper DeJean’s first career interception, a pick six in the second quarter?
Throw in Josh Sweat’s 2½ sacks and Milton Willams’ two, and it was a complete domination of a team that had reached the Super Bowl for the fifth
time in six seasons. The Chiefs were trying to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls.
But the Eagles’ onslaught on offense and defense served notice to the rest of the NFL that there’s a new champion, and they could be back again and again.
At least, that’s Lurie’s expectation, and one that arose from the ashes of the Eagles’ 38-35 loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl 57 on a last-second field goal.
“I felt that way over the last several years,” Lurie said. “We’re still angry about two years ago. That partly drove us. We had it taken away from us with, what, 100-something seconds to go.
We lived that every day. It’s tough to deny what happened. This group just consistently grinds, and that’s what you gotta be, you gotta be a grinder.”
Hurts followed up a magnificent game in Super Bowl 57 two years ago
with another in Super Bowl 59.
“You know, going into this game, (Hurts) was the least of my worries,” Lurie said. “I knew he would play great, just as he did two years ago. You worry about almost everything. But that’s one thing I didn’t even think about. We got the quarterback. He’s 26. Incredibly clutch. He knows what correlates with winning.”
The Eagles outscored their opponents 95-45 in the last two games of the season against the best opposition the NFL had to offer — a 55-23 beatdown of the Washington Commanders in the NFC championship game, and now this.
Not only was that a recipe for future success, but the Eagles showed they can do it without relying on Saquon Barkley.
Sure, Barkley broke Terrell Davis’ record for most rushing yards in a season, including playoffs, when he
OPPOSITE: Fox sideline reporter Erin Andrews stood poised to interview quarterback Jalen Hurts moments after Super Bowl 59. Among his comments: “We were able to learn from the past. … No. 1, defense wins championships. … I can’t wait to enjoy this with my family. And soak it in.” MARK J. REBILAS / IMAGN IMAGES
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Heroes from 2017 team can be found from Wall Street to ranches to TV commercials
TOM MOORE • FEB. 2, 2025
THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES ARE
a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night in New Orleans away from winning the franchise’s second Super Bowl following a 55-23 thrashing of the Washington Commanders in the NFC championship game on Jan. 26 at Lincoln Financial Field. They reached the Super Bowl for the third time in eight seasons. The Birds also handled the San Francisco 49ers 31-7 in the conference championship game at the Linc two years ago prior to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs edging the Birds 38-35 in Super Bowl 52. The only Super Bowl win occurred in an unforgettable 41-33 victory against Tom Brady and the favored New England Patriots on Feb. 4, 2018, in Minneapolis. Quarterback Nick Foles, who had been Carson Wentz’s backup for most of the regular season, excelled and earned Super Bowl 52 MVP honors for coach Doug Pederson’s resilient squad.
Only offensive tackle Lane Johnson, defensive end Brandon Graham, kicker Jake Elliott and long snapper Rick Lovato are still on the Eagles’ roster from the Super Bowl-winning team.
Where are the key performers from the Eagles Super Bowl-winning team now?
Here’s a look at what some of their Super Bowl champion players no longer in the league are doing these days in alphabetical order, along with Pederson:
Brandon Brooks, guard
Brandon Brooks started all 16 regular-season games and three playoff contests at right guard in 2017 en route to receiving the first of three Pro Bowl selections. He spent the last five of his 10 NFL seasons with the Eagles before retiring in June 2022. Brooks, 35, earned an MBA from Penn’s Wharton School in May 2024
with a double major in accounting and business analytics, then became a broker at Goldman Sachs in New York.
Brent Celek, tight end
Celek, who spent all 11 NFL seasons with the Eagles, had a career-low 13 receptions for 130 yards and one touchdown during the 2017 regular season, which was his last. He didn’t have a catch in the Super Bowl. Celek finished his career with 398 catches for 4,998 yards and 31 TDs. Celek, 40, owns Brent Celek Real Estate in Media. He also was a personnel consultant in the Eagles’ football operations department.
Fletcher Cox, defensive tackle
Fletcher Cox had one tackle and two quarterback hits in Super Bowl LII after a regular season in which he registered 5 ½ sacks and returned a fumble 20 yards for a touchdown to clinch the opening win over Washington. Cox
announced his retirement March 10, 2024, after 12 pro seasons (all with the Eagles) and six Pro Bowl selections. He ranks fifth on the Eagles’ all-time sack list with 70. The Mississippi-born Cox, 34, trades cattle and has a high fence preserve in North Texas.
Nick Foles, quarterback
Foles took over for injured starting QB Carson Wentz late in the 2017 regular season and guided the Eagles to victory, passing for 373 yards and three touchdowns in the Super Bowl. The most memorable moment was his suggestion to run the Philly Special trick play on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line late in the second quarter vs. the Patriots that resulted in Foles catching a touchdown pass from backup tight end Trey Burton. Foles, who also played for the Rams, Chiefs, Jaguars, Bears and Colts, officially retired as an Eagle during the Sept. 16 home opener.
OPPOSITE: After the 2024 season, longtime Philly favorites center Jason Kelce (left) and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox announced their retirements. On March 30, they threw out first pitches at a Phillies game with solid efforts from the mound (Kelce to Bryce Harper, Cox to Kyle Schwarber). KYLE ROSS / USA TODAY SPORTS
Barkley’s late runs for 23- and 39-yard TDs 20 seconds apart secure grip on first place
MARTIN
FRANK • NOV. 14, 2024
PHILADELPHIA — THE EAGLES OFfense was going nowhere in the first half, constantly getting in its own way.
Jake Elliott missed two field goals in the first half and an extra point in the fourth quarter. And then Jalen Hurts was evaluated for a concussion just as the first half ended after a scattershot first half in which the Eagles could only muster three points.
This was hardly the muchanticipated matchup of two top-10
offenses in the NFL and first-place showdown in the NFC East with the Washington Commanders.
The Eagles have the defense to thank for keeping them in the game long enough for Saquon Barkley to take over in the fourth quarter. He scored on two touchdown runs of 23 and 39 yards within a span of 20 seconds of game time, leading the Eagles to a 26-18 win over the Commanders on Thursday night.
The Eagles won their sixth straight game, improved to 8-2 and took a 11/2-game lead over the Commanders in the NFC East.
“This team, we don’t panic, we trust each other,” Barkley said. “We’re thinking positive, that one of us is going to make a play in the running game. We felt we were one (play) off ... The O-line, we kept leaning on them, trusting them and we popped it in the end.”
But really, it was two straight “pops”
by linebacker Zack Baun that enabled the Eagles to pull this slugfest out. Baun and Brandon Graham combined to knock Commanders running back Brian Robinson for a 1-yard loss on third-and-1 from the Eagles’ 25 with nine minutes left, the Eagles up just 12-10.
The Commanders decided to pass up a 43-yard field goal on fourth-and-2. That’s when Baun knocked Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels out of bounds short of the first down.
OPPOSITE: With the Eagles ahead 12-10, Saquon Barkley secured the victory with two late touchdowns runs. He scored from 23 yards out with 4:58 left and fired the ball into the stands. After an interception, he scored from 39 yards out with 4:38 left and simply dropped the ball in the end zone. BILL STREICHER / IMAGN IMAGES
Philly specials: Foles trolls Brady, cake for birthday Eagles and a trip to Disney World
USA TODAY NETWORK • FEB. 9, 2025
WHO KNEW TOM BRADY WAS the final piece the Eagles needed to win Super Bowl 59?
Nick Foles trolled Brady following the Eagles’ 40-22 victory over Kansas City. He shot off a post on X aimed at his Super Bowl 52 counterpart, who in his first year as a broadcaster was calling the game for Fox.
Foles wrote: “It’s really cool that Tom Brady got to be there for the Eagles’ two Super Bowl wins! He might be a good luck charm.”
In 2018, the Eagles upset Brady’s Patriots 41-33 when Foles threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns and caught a crucial touchdown, a play dubbed the Philly Special. Brady was no slouch that game, throwing for a Super Bowl-record 505 yards and three TDs, but he dropped a crucial pass.
It’s not all bad blood between the two former QBs. They starred in a commercial shown before the game for
sportswear company NOBULL. Foles, while eating a cheesesteak, rubbed it in that he hauled in a pass in the Super Bowl while Brady fumbled his opportunity at a catch.
— ANTHONY DIMATTIA
Let them eat cake: Barkley, DeJean celebrate birthdays
It’s a birthday Saquon Barkley will never forget.
Barkley, the Eagles’ dynamic running back, turned 28 years old on Super Bowl Sunday. Although he didn’t have his best game of the season as the Chiefs made stopping him Job 1, he still amassed 97 yards — 57 rushing and 40 receiving. And nothing slowed his postgame celebrating.
Barkley, Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts and rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean, who was celebrating his 22nd birthday, joined ESPN’s “NFL Primetime” after the victory. After interviewing
the players for a while on the set, host Chris Berman brought out a birthday cake and sliced it for their enjoyment.
Barkley enthusiastically attacked his piece. Hurts didn’t touch his. And Cooper, who had a pick six in the game, struggled while standing to hold an ESPN microphone and a plate with his piece. When he ditched the mic, he also ate heartily and answered a question from Berman.
— DAVE RIVERA
Mahomes makes no excuses: ‘I take all the blame for that’
This one will stick with Patrick Mahomes.
Like, forever.
No three-peat. No parade. No new championship hardware. No trip to Disney World. Just a whole lot of heartbreak and soul-searching for the Chiefs and their fearless leader.
“I take ownership in the loss,
probably more than any one in my career,” Mahomes said in the bowels of the Superdome while the Eagles could be heard celebrating their triumph. “I put us in some bad spots.”
Mahomes, a three-time Super Bowl MVP, was harassed, bruised, bullied and battered, which summed up what happened when you absorb a career-high six sacks. His two first-half interceptions were the last elements his team needed on a night when it was apparent his O-line was woefully overmatched.
“We didn’t start how we wanted to,” Mahomes said. “I take all the blame for that. Those early turnovers swung the momentum of the game. That’s 14 points I kind of gave them.
“Just didn’t play up to my standard.”
— JARRETT BELL
Overjoyed Graham made it back from torn triceps in 2½ months So there was Brandon Graham, the
OPPOSITE: Defensive tackle Jalen Carter continued to make sure Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had a bad night with a blow to the face that forced a fumble recovered by Milton Williams with 9:51 remaining in Super Bowl 59. The Eagles hit Mahomes 11 times while trying to pass. KIRBY LEE / IMAGN IMAGES
ABOVE LEFT: The Eagles’ cheerleaders showed the love on Valentine’s Day during the Super Bowl 59 championship parade in Philadelphia. DANIELLA HEMINGHAUS / BUCKS COUNTY COURIER TIMES
ABOVE RIGHT: Defensive end Brandon Graham, a 15-year veteran who returned to play in Super Bowl 59 after suffering a torn triceps, got close with fans during the parade. CAEAN COUTO / IMAGN IMAGES
RIGHT: Eagles rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean, forever a hero after his pick six in Super Bowl 59, wore an oversized Bud Light can chain. CAEAN COUTO / IMAGN IMAGES
OPPOSITE TOP LEFT: Coach Nick Sirianni, criticized by many fans following the Eagles’ 2-2 start, enjoyed the last laugh by raising the Lombardi Trophy at the championship parade. KIRBY LEE / IMAGN IMAGES
OPPOSITE TOP RIGHT: Offensive tackle Jordan Mailata will never need to buy another drink in Philadelphia, and he got a head start by collecting a few during the championship parade. CAEAN COUTO / IMAGN IMAGES
OPPOSITE BOTTOM LEFT: Defensive tackle Jordan Davis (left) and linebacker Josh Sweat, in a fur coat that’s part of Eagles lore, took their sweet time during a victorious stroll. CAEAN COUTO / IMAGN IMAGES
WHO WORE LONG’S FUR COAT? Hint: A fellow Virginian
Eagles linebacker Josh Sweat wore a familiar fashion for the Super Bowl parade. Sweat was given the honor of wearing the famous fur coach Chris Long wore during the 2018 Super Bowl parade.
It was fitting for Sweat to receive the honor. Long grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia, before attending the University of Virginia.
Sweat was a native of Chesapeake, Virginia.
When asked how he got Long’s jacket, Sweat said he just asked.
“It was entrusted to me by one of the greatest,” Sweat told Fox 29 during the parade. “I just hit him up. I was going to hit him up two years ago when we lost, but I got another chance so. ...
It’s crazy. I can feel the aura.”
Sweat was a big reason the Eagles won Super Bowl 59. He helped key a defense that shut down Patrick Mahomes and his high-powered offense in a 40-22 victory. Sweat finished with 2½ sacks and six tackles.
— GREG GIESEN