It’s going to feel so good to write this next sentence.
The Philadelphia Eagles are World Champions.
I never thought I would see it. I never thought I would say it. To say that Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018 was the greatest night of my life is an understatement. For any Eagles fan who has bled green since day one, it was such an unforgettable moment.
Since that frozen, post-Christmas Championship win over the Packers at Franklin Field in 1960, Philadelphia football fans have suffered through 57 years of anguish. Three stadiums. 13 different head coaches. Getting to the big game twice and falling short each time.
The Phillies have won two World Series, the Flyers won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975. The 76ers took home two NBA titles in the time it took for the Eagles to reach the pinnacle of the football world once again.
To this fanbase, to this region, it’s more than just a championship win, it’s a moment of reflection. Not just for those of us who partied that night after Tom Brady’s hail mary hit the ground, but a time to reflect for those who bled green with us and are no longer here to enjoy it.
I firmly remember sitting on the couch years ago watching an Eagles game. My grandfather on one end of the sofa, my dad on the other and myself placed in the middle. I realized that this was three generations of Eagles fandom in one place. It made me realize that this is more than a team. It’s a family affair. Whether we love a player or hate them, they are a part of our family and unfortunately, they have to love us or hate us back.
My grandfather is no longer here to witness this beautiful spectacle, which is why when the clock read zero, I hugged my father and didn’t let go for a good 30 seconds.
That was a 30 second moment I have dreamt about for the last 22 years. For the first time in my father’s life, this too, is all new to him. The Eagles being at the top of the mountain is foreign to anyone under the age of 57. Many of us are treading into the waters of having that target on our backs. But we are treading together.
Remember where you were. Remember what you did. Remember who you were with. Remember who made you bleed green. Don’t ever forget the date Feb. 4, 2018.
It’s the day we killed the demons. The day we won it for Reggie. The day we brought it home for Jerome. The day we could finally say we were…
Super Bowl Champions.
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