48 Fun Facts About Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles were founded in 1933 to replace which bankrupt NFL franchise?

The Eagles' 1933 blue-and-yellow uniforms matched the city flag and the colors the Yellow Jackets had worn before folding in 1931.

Bert Bell and Lud Wray took the team's name from the Blue Eagle logo of which New Deal agency?

The Blue Eagle was the National Recovery Administration's emblem, displayed by businesses that complied with Roosevelt's 1933 codes; Bell and Wray borrowed it for the team.

Eagles co-founder Bert Bell later served as NFL commissioner from 1946 until his death in what year?

Bell died of a heart attack on 11 October 1959 in the stands at an Eagles-Steelers game in Philadelphia, the two teams he had once owned.

What was the official NFL name of the merged 1943 Eagles-Steelers team nicknamed the Steagles?

The Phil-Pitt Combine went 5-4-1, the Philadelphia franchise's first winning season, with Greasy Neale and Walt Kiesling sharing the coaching because neither would take a demotion.

Which team did the Eagles beat 7-0 in a snowstorm for the 1948 NFL title?

The Eagles beat the Chicago Cardinals 7-0 at Shibe Park; the snow was so heavy that players from both teams helped the grounds crew drag the tarp off before kickoff.

What made the field so bad in the Eagles' 14-0 1949 title win in Los Angeles?

Driving rain turned the Coliseum turf to mud; Steve Van Buren slogged for 196 yards on 31 carries while the Eagles held the Rams to 21 rushing yards.

The Eagles' 1960 NFL Championship win was the only playoff defeat in the career of which coach?

Vince Lombardi's Packers lost 17-13 in Philadelphia on 26 December 1960, kicking off at noon because the stadium had no lights; Lombardi won all nine of his later playoff games.

Which Packers running back did Chuck Bednarik pin at the nine-yard line to seal the 1960 title?

Bednarik wrestled Jim Taylor down at the nine-yard line as time ran out, having played 58 minutes both ways, and told him, 'You can get up now, this game's over.'

Chuck Bednarik, "Concrete Charlie", was drafted first overall by the Eagles in 1949 out of which university?

Bednarik starred at Penn after flying 30 missions as a B-24 waist gunner in the war; the Eagles took him with the 1949 bonus pick, first overall.

Hall of Fame halfback Steve Van Buren, whose No. 15 is retired by the Eagles, was born in which country?

Van Buren was born in La Ceiba, Honduras, in 1920; orphaned at ten, he was sent to grandparents in New Orleans and starred at LSU before the Eagles drafted him in 1944.

Where was the 1968 Eagles game at which fans booed and pelted a fill-in Santa Claus with snowballs?

At Franklin Field on 15 December 1968 the booked Santa was snowed out, so fan Frank Olivo in his own costume was pressed into service and took the abuse aimed at a 2-11 team.

Dick Vermeil was hired to coach the Eagles in 1976 straight from which college program?

Vermeil's UCLA Bruins had just upset Ohio State in the 1976 Rose Bowl; his Eagles years were dramatised in the Vince Papale film Invincible, with Greg Kinnear as Vermeil.

Which Eagles cornerback returned Joe Pisarcik's fumble in the 1978 Miracle at the Meadowlands?

Herman Edwards scooped up the fumble and ran 26 yards for the winning score; the Giants fired offensive coordinator Bob Gibson the next morning, and the kneel-down became the standard way to end games.

The Eagles' first Super Bowl appearance, Super Bowl XV after the 1980 season, ended in a 27-10 loss to which team?

The Oakland Raiders won 27-10 in New Orleans; linebacker Rod Martin intercepted Ron Jaworski three times, a Super Bowl record, and the Raiders became the first wild-card champion.

Reggie White joined the Eagles after two seasons in the USFL with which team?

After two USFL seasons with the Memphis Showboats, White came to the Eagles in 1985 and piled up 124 sacks in 121 games, the franchise record.

Reggie White's nickname "the Minister of Defense" reflected his ordination as a minister at what age?

White was ordained a Baptist minister at 17 as a Chattanooga schoolboy; he retired in 2000 as the NFL's all-time sack leader with 198.

As Bears defensive coordinator, Buddy Ryan was credited with inventing which scheme?

The 46 defense took its name from the jersey number of Bears safety Doug Plank, not from a formation count; it carried Chicago to the Super Bowl XX title after the 1985 season.

After the 1989 'Bounty Bowl', Jimmy Johnson claimed the Eagles had put a bounty on Troy Aikman and which kicker?

Luis Zendejas, cut by the Eagles earlier in 1989, was knocked out on a kickoff; Johnson claimed a $200 bounty on him and $500 on Aikman, which Buddy Ryan denied.

The Eagles' 1988 playoff loss known as the Fog Bowl was played at which stadium?

Fog rolled off Lake Michigan over Soldier Field in the second quarter; Randall Cunningham threw for 407 yards, but the Eagles managed only four field goals in a 20-12 loss.

Randall Cunningham was a two-time college All-American at UNLV at which position?

Cunningham was an All-American punter at UNLV in 1983 and 1984 and kept the skill: his 91-yard punt against the Giants in December 1989 set the Eagles record.

Jeffrey Lurie bought the Eagles in May 1994 for an estimated $185 million from which owner?

Norman Braman, owner since 1985, sold the Eagles to Lurie in 1994 for about $185 million; Lurie later produced Inside Job, the 2011 Academy Award winner for Best Documentary Feature.

In 1996 the Eagles swapped their classic kelly shade for what darker primary color?

The Eagles adopted midnight green in 1996 under Jeffrey Lurie; kelly green returned as an official throwback alternate from the 2023 season.

Which municipal judge was stationed at Veterans Stadium on game days from 1997 to handle rowdy fans?

Judge Seamus McCaffery ran 'Eagles Court' in the Vet's basement from 1997, fining unruly fans on the spot; Lincoln Financial Field has only a holding cell.

Eagles fans booed the 1999 pick of Donovan McNabb, wanting which running back instead?

Fans bussed in by WIP wanted Texas running back Ricky Williams, the 1998 Heisman winner, who went fifth to New Orleans; McNabb went on to five NFC Championship Games.

Terrell Owens played Super Bowl XXXIX seven weeks after what injury from a horse-collar tackle?

Owens played with a fractured fibula and sprained ankle from a Roy Williams horse-collar in December 2004, catching nine passes for 122 yards in the 24-21 loss; the tackle was banned in 2005.

Brian Dawkins, whose No. 20 is retired, was drafted by the Eagles in 1996 out of which college?

Dawkins came out of Clemson in the second round in 1996; nicknamed Weapon X, he became the first player with a sack, an interception, a forced fumble and a touchdown catch in one game, in 2002.

DeSean Jackson's 2010 game-winner against the Giants came on what kind of play?

Jackson's 65-yard punt return on the final play capped a rally from 31-10 down with eight minutes left, a game remembered as the Miracle at the New Meadowlands.

In 2013 Nick Foles tied an NFL record with how many touchdown passes against the Raiders?

Foles threw seven touchdown passes in Oakland on 3 November 2013, tying the single-game record; he finished the season with 27 touchdowns, two interceptions and a 119.2 passer rating.

Which school produced Carson Wentz, the No. 2 pick of the 2016 draft?

Wentz quarterbacked North Dakota State to FCS titles in 2014 and 2015; at No. 2 he went higher than any FCS player before him, ahead of Steve McNair's third overall in 1995.

In the Philly Special, the trick play in Super Bowl LII, who threw the touchdown pass to Nick Foles?

Tight end Trey Burton, a high-school quarterback in Florida, took Corey Clement's pitch and lobbed to Foles on fourth-and-goal from the one with 38 seconds left in the half.

Super Bowl LII, the Eagles' first Super Bowl win, was played in which city?

Super Bowl LII was played at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on 4 February 2018; the teams combined for 1,151 yards, then a record for any NFL game, and Brady's 505 passing yards came in a loss.

Which Eagles defensive end recorded the only sack of Super Bowl LII, stripping Tom Brady?

Brandon Graham's strip-sack with 2:09 left was the game's only sack; rookie Derek Barnett recovered, setting up the field goal that pushed the lead to 41-33.

Doug Pederson spent most of his playing career backing up which Hall of Fame quarterback?

Pederson spent seven seasons in Green Bay behind Brett Favre across two stints; he later followed Andy Reid to Kansas City as offensive coordinator before becoming Eagles head coach in 2016.

Jason Kelce gave a famous speech at the 2018 Super Bowl parade dressed as what?

Kelce dressed as a Mummer in a sequined costume borrowed from the Avalon String Band for his 'hungry dogs run faster' speech; he retired in 2024 after 13 seasons as the Eagles' centre.

Eagles lineman Fletcher Cox was drafted 12th overall in 2012 out of which school?

Cox came out of Mississippi State; the Eagles traded up from the 15th pick to 12th to take him, the highest-drafted Bulldog since Michael Haddix went eighth to Philadelphia in 1983.

What position did Eagles tackle Lane Johnson play at Kilgore College before switching to the line at Oklahoma?

Johnson was a quarterback at Kilgore College in 2008, then moved to tight end, defensive end and finally tackle at Oklahoma before the Eagles took him fourth overall in 2013.

Nick Sirianni played wide receiver and won three Division III national titles at which Ohio college?

Sirianni caught passes for Mount Union, winning Division III titles in 2000, 2001 and 2002; he became Eagles head coach in 2021 from the Colts and won Super Bowl LIX in his fourth season.

Jalen Hurts finished his college career at Oklahoma after three seasons at which school?

Hurts started two seasons at Alabama and was benched for Tua Tagovailoa in the January 2018 title game before transferring to Oklahoma in 2019; the Eagles took him 53rd overall in 2020.

A. J. Brown set the Eagles' single-season receiving-yards record in 2022 with how many yards?

Brown's 1,496 yards in 2022 broke Mike Quick's 1983 franchise record of 1,409; the Padres had drafted him as an outfielder in 2016 before he chose Ole Miss football.

With 2,005 yards, how many more did Saquon Barkley need in 2024 to break Dickerson's record?

Barkley stopped at 2,005 yards and needed 101 more to pass Eric Dickerson's 2,105 from 1984; with the No. 2 seed locked up, Sirianni rested his starters against the Giants.

Jalen Hurts set the Super Bowl record for rushing yards by a QB in Super Bowl LIX with how many?

Hurts ran for 72 yards, passing Steve McNair's 64 from Super Bowl XXXIV, in the 40-22 win that denied Kansas City the first three-peat in Super Bowl history.

Cooper DeJean's Super Bowl LIX pick-six made him the first to score a Super Bowl touchdown on what day?

The pick-six came on his 22nd birthday, and he was only the second rookie ever with a Super Bowl interception return for a score.

Which team submitted the 2025 proposals to ban the Tush Push, the second of which fell two votes short?

The Eagles even brought in a Scottish rugby coach to refine their technique on the play, which is also called the Brotherly Shove.

Which Eagles defender was ejected six seconds into the 2025 Kickoff Game for spitting on Dak Prescott?

Jalen Carter was tossed before the first snap of the 4 September 2025 opener; the Eagles went on to beat Dallas 24-20 at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Eagles' mascot Swoop officially hatched in a forest inside which Pennsylvania state park?

Swoop's official backstory has him hatching in Neshaminy State Park in Bucks County; a fan's gift of a jersey gave the weak, near-sighted eaglet human size and strength.

"Fly, Eagles Fly" was revived in 1997 when Bobby Mansure asked to play it with what group?

Bobby Mansure's unofficial fan pep band began playing the 1950s fight song at the Vet in 1997; the team then tacked the E-A-G-L-E-S chant onto the end of the old Victory Song.

Which number did the Eagles retire for Jerome Brown, killed in a 1992 car crash?

The Eagles retired No. 99 after defensive tackle Jerome Brown, a two-time Pro Bowler, died in a car crash in Brooksville, Florida, in June 1992.

The Eagles-Giants rivalry, dating to 1933, ranks where among NFC East rivalries by age?

Eagles-Giants is the second-oldest NFC East rivalry: only Giants-Washington, begun in 1932, is older, and the Cowboys did not exist until 1960.