How many times have the Philadelphia Eagles played in the Super Bowl?
History of the Philadelphia Eagles
The history of the Philadelphia Eagles begins in 1933. In their history, the Eagles have appeared in the Super Bowl three times, losing in their first two appearances but winning the third, in 2018. They won three NFL Championships, the precursor to the Super Bowl, in four appearances.
History of the Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles entered 2012 with strong hopes after winning their last 4 games of last season. When the team started 3-1, including a 24-23 victory over the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens, the fans were thinking playoffs, even Super Bowl. However, these hopes came to a crashing halt as the team lost their next 8 and 11 of their next 12 to finish 4-12, their worst record since 1998. The Eagles proceeded to fire Andy Reid, the longest-tenured and winningest coach in team history. Reid would later join the Kansas City Chiefs as head coach.
Pittsburgh Steelers
In contrast with their status as perennial also-rans in the pre-merger NFL, where they were the oldest team never to win a league championship, the Steelers of the post-merger (modern) era are one of the most successful NFL franchises. Pittsburgh has won more Super Bowl titles (6) and both played in (16) and hosted more conference championship games (11) than any other NFL team. The Steelers have won 8 AFC championships, tied with the Denver Broncos, but behind the New England Patriots' record 10 AFC championships. The Steelers share the record for second most Super Bowl appearances with the Broncos, and Dallas Cowboys (8). The Steelers lost their most recent championship appearance, Super Bowl XLV, on February 6, 2011.
Super Bowl XLIX
With the loss, the Seahawks became the fourth defending Super Bowl champions to lose in the following year's title game, after the 1978 Dallas Cowboys, 1983 Washington Redskins and the 1997 Green Bay Packers. After finishing the previous season by defeating the Denver Broncos, 43–8, in Super Bowl XLVIII, Seattle completed the 2014 regular season with a 12–4 record. The Patriots, who also posted a 12–4 record, joined the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers as one of the three teams to have made eight appearances in the Super Bowl. For the second straight season, but only the third time in the prior 21 seasons, the number one seeds from both conferences met in the league championship game. Seattle became the first team to appear in consecutive Super Bowls since New England won two straight (XXXVIII and XXXIX).
Philly Special
The Eagles went on to win Super Bowl LII, 41–33. It was the team's first NFL championship since 1960, and first ever Super Bowl win.
Jim Murray (American football)
In 1969, he joined the Philadelphia Eagles' public relations staff and became the NFL team's administrative assistant two years later. In 1974, five years after joining the organization, Murray was named general manager for the Eagles.
For more than nine years, Murray served as general manager and took the franchise from the NFL's cellar to Super Bowl heights. In 1976, he and owner Leonard Tose hired Dick Vermeil as head coach. From 1978 through 1981, the Eagles made the NFL playoffs. After the 1980 season, the Eagles played the Raiders in Super Bowl XV, which was the first Super Bowl appearance in the franchise's history prior to 2005. Murray left the Eagles in 1983.
History of the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers become the first 6th-seeded team, since the NFL changed to a 12-team playoff format in 1990, to go to the Super Bowl and win. Their playoff campaign included defeating the first (Indianapolis), second (Denver), and third (Cincinnati) seeded AFC teams en route to the Super Bowl victory against the first seeded Seahawks from the NFC. Also, they are the first NFL team to win 9 road games. Roethlisberger became the youngest QB to win a Super Bowl. They successfully tied with the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys for the most Super Bowl titles with five.
2004 Philadelphia Eagles season
In their first Super Bowl appearance since Super Bowl XV, the Eagles met the New England Patriots on February 6, 2005 at ALLTEL Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. The Patriots, led by Tom Brady had won two of the past three Super Bowls and a win against the Eagles would likely lead to "dynasty status". They had cruised to a 14–2 regular season record, and taken down the Indianapolis Colts and 15–1 Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC playoffs. Meanwhile, the Eagles, considered heavy underdogs, had star wide receiver Terrell Owens miraculously returning, against doctor's orders, from injury.
Super Bowl XL
With the win, the Steelers tied the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys with the then-record five Super Bowls. The Steelers' victory was their first Super Bowl victory since Super Bowl XIV. Pittsburgh, who finished the regular season with an 11–5 record, also became the fourth wild card team, the third in nine years, and the first ever number 6 seed in the NFL playoffs, to win a Super Bowl. The Seahawks, on the other hand, in their 30th season, were making their first ever Super Bowl appearance after posting an NFC-best 13–3 regular season record.
Super Bowl XLV
Unlike most other Super Bowls, this game featured two title-abundant franchises: coming into the game, the Packers held the most NFL championships with 12 (9 league championships prior to the Super Bowl era and 3 Super Bowl championships), while the Steelers held the most Super Bowl championships with 6. The Packers entered their fifth Super Bowl in team history, and became the first number 6-seeded team in the NFC to compete in the Super Bowl, after posting a 10–6 regular season record. The Steelers finished the regular season with a 12–4 record, and advanced to a league-tying 8th Super Bowl appearance.
Philly Special
On June 14, 2018, the Eagles received their Super Bowl rings. The bezel of the ring contained 127 diamonds, which is the total from the numbers of the jerseys of the three players who handled the ball after the snap on the Philly Special—Corey Clement (30), Trey Burton (88) and Nick Foles (9).
2017 Philadelphia Eagles season
The Eagles were once again underdogs going into the NFC Championship Game, this time to the second-seeded Minnesota Vikings, who were coming off a notable playoff victory in the Divisional Round. This was the Eagles first NFC Championship appearance since the 2008–09 NFL playoffs. Though the Eagles allowed a Vikings touchdown on the opening drive, it was the Vikings only score. Case Keenum's pick-six to Patrick Robinson changed the game, as the rest of the game represented total domination from Nick Foles and the Eagles' offense, who racked up 456 total yards and 38 unanswered points. With a blowout win against one of the league's top defenses, the Eagles advanced to their third Super Bowl.
1953 Philadelphia Eagles season
Pro Bowl
2008 World Series
This would be the last professional sports championship for the city of Philadelphia until the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII in 2018.
American Football Conference
Between 1995 and 2018, the AFC has sent less than half of the 16 AFC teams to the Super Bowl with only 7 of the 16 individual teams making it. New England Patriots (10 times), Denver Broncos (4 times), Pittsburgh Steelers (4 times), Baltimore Ravens (2 times), Indianapolis Colts (2 times), Oakland Raiders (1 time), and Tennessee Titans (1 time). By contrast, the NFC has sent 13 of the 16 NFC teams during that same time frame with only the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, and Washington Redskins missing out on an appearance in the Super Bowl. 16 of the last 18 AFC champions have started one of just three quarterbacks - Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Ben Roethlisberger - in the Super Bowl. The AFC has started 5 quarterbacks in the last 18 superbowls, while the NFC has started 15.
Philadelphia
The Philadelphia metro area is also home to the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer. The Union began playing their home games at Talen Energy Stadium in 2010, a soccer-specific stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania.
The city's professional teams and their fans endured 25 years without a championship, from the 76ers 1983 NBA Finals win until the Phillies 2008 World Series win. The lack of championships was sometimes attributed in jest to the Curse of Billy Penn after One Liberty Place became the first building to surpass the height of the William Penn statue on top of City Hall's tower in 1987. After nine years passed without another championship, the Eagles won their first Super Bowl following the 2017 season. In 2004, ESPN placed Philadelphia second on its list of The Fifteen Most Tortured Sports Cities. Fans of the Eagles and Phillies were singled out as the worst fans in the country by "GQ" magazine in 2011, which used the subtitle of "Meanest Fans in America" to summarize incidents of drunken behavior and a history of booing.
New England Patriots
The Patriots have appeared in the Super Bowl eleven times in franchise history, the most of any team, nine of them since the arrival of head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady in 2000. The Patriots have since become one of the most successful teams in NFL history, winning 16 AFC East titles in 18 seasons since 2001, without a losing season in that period. The franchise has since set numerous notable records, including most wins in a ten-year period (126, in 2003–2012), an undefeated 16-game regular season in 2007, the longest winning streak consisting of regular season and playoff games in NFL history (a 21-game streak from October 2003 to October 2004), and the most consecutive division titles won by a team in NFL history (won ten straight division titles from 2009 to 2018). The team owns the record for most Super Bowls reached (nine) and won (five) by a head coach–quarterback tandem, and most Super Bowl appearances overall (eleven). Currently, the team is tied with the 49ers and Cowboys for the second most Super Bowl wins with five, after the Steelers, who have six.
List of Chicago Bears seasons
The Chicago Bears have played over 1,000 games in their history, and have had eight NFL Championships victories and one Super Bowl win. The Bears' nine championships are the second most by any team in NFL history. The franchise has captured 18 NFL divisional titles and four NFL conference championships. The Bears have also recorded more regular season victories than any other NFL franchise.
Corey Simon
The Philadelphia Eagles selected him in the first round (sixth pick overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft, and he played for the Eagles from 2000 until 2004. He started in four NFC Championship games during his six seasons with the Eagles. Philadelphia reached the Super Bowl once during these years, losing Super Bowl XXXIX to the New England Patriots, 24-21. After the 2004 season, the Eagles placed the franchise tag on Simon, which he refused to sign. After contract negotiations failed to produce a long-term deal, the Eagles lifted the franchise tag, making Simon an unrestricted free agent.
Super Bowl XXXIX
With the Eagles’ loss, the city of Philadelphia’s sports championship drought continued (no Philly-based pro sports team since the 1983 Sixers won the NBA title) until the Phillies won the 2008 World Series. The Eagles did not return to the Super Bowl until 2017, also with a 13-3 record, when they beat the Falcons and Vikings in the reverse order that they did in the 2004-05 playoffs. They exacted revenge on New England in Super Bowl LII, edging them 41–33.
Duce Staley
Duce Staley (born February 27, 1975) is a former American football running back in the National Football League best known for his tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles. He also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, winning Super Bowl XL with them against the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football at South Carolina. He is currently the assistant head coach and running backs coach for the Philadelphia Eagles who won Super Bowl LII against the New England Patriots.
America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions
In instances of teams winning multiple Super Bowls closely together different people are interviewed for each episode. For example, though Bill Belichick coached the New England Patriots to three Super Bowls in four years (2001, 2003, and 2004) he was only interviewed for the episode on the 2004 team. A handful of subjects were interviewed twice: Bill Curry (1966 Green Bay Packers and 1970 Baltimore Colts), Joe Greene (1974 and 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers), Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin, (2007 and 2011 New York Giants), Ray Lewis (2000 and 2012 Baltimore Ravens), Peyton Manning (2006 Indianapolis Colts and 2015 Denver Broncos), and LeGarrette Blount (2016 New England Patriots and 2017 Philadelphia Eagles). Ernie Accorsi and Rich Dalrymple are the only non-players or coaches to be interviewed for the series—both were team administrators.
Minnesota Vikings
On January 4, 2009, the Vikings hosted the Philadelphia Eagles for the Wild Card round, their first home playoff game in eight years. The Eagles led the Viking 16–14 at halftime and, coming off a 44–6 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, went on to defeat the Vikings 26–14. The Eagles would go on to defeat the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants in the Divisional round, only to lose to the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship Game.
Mike Lodish
Lodish is tied with Don Beebe for second in all-time Super Bowl appearances with six. This is only behind Tom Brady, who played in his eighth Super Bowl on February 4, 2018 at Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (It is worth noting that Lodish "played" in the Super Bowl six times, while Beebe only played in three of the six Super Bowls he was on the team for). Lodish made four consecutive appearances with the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowls XXV, XXVI, XXVII & XXVIII and two appearances with the Denver Broncos in Super Bowls XXXII & XXXIII. The Buffalo Bills would lose all four consecutive Super Bowls, while the Denver Broncos would win their back-to-back appearances.
Philadelphia Eagles
With Foles at the helm, Philadelphia started off the game strong, leading the Patriots 22–12 at halftime. New England's only lead was by one point in the fourth quarter, 33–32. The Eagles rallied back and scored an 11-yard touchdown to tight end Zach Ertz. The last score of the game was a 46-yard field goal by Jake Elliott to make the final score 41–33. The franchise won their first Super Bowl ever and their first championship since 1960. Foles won Super Bowl MVP going 28 out of 43 with 373 passing yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. Foles became the first backup quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl since his opponent Tom Brady won as the backup for Drew Bledsoe in 2002's Super Bowl XXXVI.One of the NFL's oldest, this rivalry began on October 15, 1933
when the Giants defeated the newly founded Eagles 56–0. The all-time series is tied at 86–86–2. Three of the best known comebacks against the Giants are labeled as "Miracle In The Meadowlands – Herm Edwards", "Miracle In The Meadowlands II – Brian Westbrook" and "Miracle In The New Meadowlands – DeSean Jackson".
The Lombardi Curse
Meanwhile, the Eagles had not won another league championship since, including having never won the Super Bowl since the game started being played annually in 1966. They appeared in Super Bowl XV in the 1980 season and Super Bowl XXXIX in the 2004 season, but lost both times. In 1970, the Super Bowl trophy was officially named the Vince Lombardi trophy when the league decided to honor Lombardi by naming the trophy after him following his death in 1970. This renaming of the Super Bowl trophy combined with the Eagles inability to win the championship game has led some Eagles fans to believe that the franchise is cursed by Vince Lombardi; that beating Lombardi meant never winning the trophy named after him.
Super Bowl XXX
The Cowboys entered the 1995 regular season attempting to become the first team in NFL history to win three out of the last four Super Bowls. They had previously won Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII but their chance of a "three-peat" (winning three consecutive championships) was thwarted when they lost the NFC Championship Game to the San Francisco 49ers, the eventual Super Bowl XXIX champions. This was the Cowboys’ eighth appearance in the Super Bowl, the most of any franchise; the Steelers tied this record in 2010 when that team advanced to Super Bowl XLV. The Patriots became the third team to reach the mark in 2014 when that team went on to win Super Bowl XLIX, and the Denver Broncos the fourth team in 2015 in Super Bowl 50.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Cowboys have been one of the Eagles' biggest rivals. The Eagles won the first game in this rivalry 27–25 on September 30, 1960. Dallas leads the all-time series 63–51–0. They have been close in recent years, with Dallas winning 12 games from 2006 to the present while the Eagles have also won 12. There is much hostility between the two teams' fan bases, with incidents such as the 1989 Bounty Bowl. The rivalry has even spilled over into Draft Weekend, with Cowboys legend Drew Pearson and Eagles legend David Akers exchanging insults at the opposing franchise in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
Super Bowl curse
This list of examples is not exhaustive; no team has ever qualified for the Super Bowl played in their home stadium.
Since 1993, few winning teams have followed up their Super Bowl appearances with a second Super Bowl appearance, or even advanced to a conference title game in the subsequent season (the 1994 Dallas Cowboys qualified for their conference title but did not qualify for the Super Bowl). Only seven teams have won back-to-back Super Bowl championships, and only one of these seven have made more than two consecutive winning appearances in the Super Bowl. The only franchise to reach more than three straight title games was the Buffalo Bills who lost four Super Bowls in a row from 1990–93.
List of Philadelphia Eagles head coaches
Three different coaches have won NFL championships with the team: Earl "Greasy" Neale in 1948 and 1949, Buck Shaw in 1960, and Doug Pederson in Superbowl LII. Andy Reid is the all-time leader in games coached and wins, while Neale has the highest winning percentage with .594 (with at least one full season coached). Bert Bell is statistically the worst coach the Eagles have had in terms of winning percentage, with .185 win/loss percentage.
Super Bowl XXXVIII
The Panthers then went on the road again to eliminate the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game, 14–3. Philadelphia was coming off of a 20–17 overtime win over the Green Bay Packers, that included quarterback Donovan McNabb's 28-yard pass to Freddie Mitchell on a famous play known as "4th and 26". This was the third consecutive NFC Championship Game appearance for Philadelphia, and thus they were heavily favored to win. But Carolina's defense only allowed a field goal and held McNabb to just 10 of 22 completions for 100 yards. Ricky Manning also intercepted McNabb 3 times. Although Carolina's offense only scored 14 points, it was more than enough for the team to earn their first trip to the Super Bowl with a 14–3 win.
Jeff Feagles
He was a member of the New York Giants in their Super Bowl XLII win over the New England Patriots on February 3, 2008, the first, and only Super Bowl of his 20-year career. At 41 years, 10 months, 26 days of age, he was the oldest player to have played in a Super Bowl, until the Colts' Matt Stover broke the record in 2010.
Minneapolis Miracle
With the win, the Vikings headed to Philadelphia to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. The Eagles , thus denying them the opportunity to become the first team to play in a Super Bowl in its home stadium. The Eagles went on to win Super Bowl LII, beating the New England Patriots, 41–33.
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Los Angeles Rams and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1979 season. The Steelers defeated the Rams by the score of 31–19, becoming the first team to win four Super Bowls. The game was played on January 20, 1980, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and was attended by a Super Bowl record 103,985 spectators. This also became the first Super Bowl where the game was coincidentally played in the home market of one of the participants, as Pasadena is about northeast of Downtown Los Angeles. It was the last time the Rams made the Super Bowl while based in Los Angeles until LIII in 2018.
The Rams became the first team to reach the Super Bowl after posting nine wins or fewer during the regular season since the NFL season expanded to 16 games in 1978. Their 9–7 regular season record was followed by postseason wins over the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Steelers were the defending Super Bowl XIII champions, and finished the 1979 regular season with a 12–4 record, and posted playoff victories over the Miami Dolphins and the Houston Oilers.
Brandon Brooks (American football)
On December 19, 2017, Brooks was named to his first Pro Bowl along with right tackle Lane Johnson after starting all 16 games at right guard. He could not play in the Pro Bowl because of his team advancing to the Super Bowl. Brooks would win his first Super Bowl when the Eagles defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII 41-33.
On December 17, 2018, Brooks was named to his second Pro Bowl. That season the Philadelphia Eagles went 9–7 and earned a wildcard spot. They defeated the Chicago Bears 16–15 in the wildcard round, then lost 20–14 to the New Orleans Saints in the divisional round. The loss was costly for Brooks, as he suffered a torn Achilles.
Super Bowl XXXVIII
VS. Philadelphia Eagles
Super Bowl
No team has ever played the Super Bowl in its home stadium. The closest any team has come was the 2017 Minnesota Vikings, who were within one win of playing Super Bowl LII in U.S. Bank Stadium, but lost the NFC Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles. Two teams have played the Super Bowl in their home market: the San Francisco 49ers, who played Super Bowl XIX in Stanford Stadium instead of Candlestick Park; and the Los Angeles Rams, who played Super Bowl XIV in the Rose Bowl instead of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In both cases, the stadium in which the Super Bowl was held was perceived to be a better stadium for a large, high-profile event than the stadiums the Rams and 49ers were playing in at the time; this situation has not arisen since 1993, in part because the league has traditionally awarded the Super Bowl in modern times to the newest stadiums. Besides those two, the only other Super Bowl venue that was not the home stadium to an NFL team at the time was Rice Stadium in Houston: the Houston Oilers had played there previously, but moved to the Astrodome several years prior to Super Bowl VIII. The Orange Bowl was the only AFL stadium to host a Super Bowl and the only stadium to host consecutive Super Bowls, hosting Super Bowls II and III.
Philadelphia Eagles
On March 5, 2010, Brian Westbrook was cut from the Eagles after eight seasons with the team. On April 4, 2010, the team traded long-time starting quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins in exchange for a second round draft pick. Kevin Kolb was immediately named the starter, but after suffering a concussion in week 1 against the Packers, Vick took over as the starter. Vick led the Eagles to its sixth NFC East division title in ten seasons. With a record of 10–6 the Eagles clinched the third seed. In the wild card round, the Eagles lost 21–16 to eventual Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers.
Three-peat
Winter X Games SuperPipeIn the National Football League (NFL), a Super Bowl championship three-peat has not been accomplished. Two-time defending Super Bowl champions who failed to three-peat include the Green Bay Packers (1968), Miami Dolphins (1974), Pittsburgh Steelers (twice: 1976, 1980), San Francisco 49ers (1990), Dallas Cowboys (1994), Denver Broncos (1999), and New England Patriots (2005). All of these teams failed to return to the title game in the third season (indicated in parentheses).
1948 Chicago Cardinals season
This was the Cardinals' last playoff game until 1974, although they did win the third place Playoff Bowl in Miami over Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers in January 1965. The Cardinals' next appearance in an NFL championship game was sixty years later in Super Bowl XLIII in January 2009.
The 1948 NFL championship game was the sixteenth NFL title game and a rematch of the previous year's game between the Chicago Cardinals of the Western Division and the Eastern Division's Philadelphia Eagles. It was played at Philadelphia's Shibe Park on December 19 and the host Eagles won 7–0 in the snow.
2017 Philadelphia Eagles season
The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Patriots by a score of 41–33. Nick Foles also was named Super Bowl MVP after the game. With this win, the Eagles finally won their first Super Bowl, and their first NFL title since 1960.
Jason Kelce
Jason Kelce (; born November 5, 1987) is an American football center for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Eagles in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Cincinnati. Kelce is a Super Bowl champion, two time Pro-Bowler and is a two time First Team All-Pro.
Detroit Lions
The Lions have won four NFL championships, tied for 9th overall in total championships among all 32 NFL franchises; however, their last was in 1957, which gives the club the second-longest NFL championship drought behind the Arizona Cardinals. They are one of four current teams and the only NFC team to have not yet played in the Super Bowl. They are also the only franchise to have been in operation for all 52 seasons of the Super Bowl era without having appeared in one (the Cleveland Browns were not in operation for the 1996 to 1998 seasons).
2018 Philadelphia Eagles season
The Eagles struggled through the first 10 games of the season to a 4–6 record, with inconsistent play and multiple injuries to players such as safety Rodney McLeod and running back Jay Ajayi. With a 21–17 loss to the Panthers in Week 7, the Eagles failed to improve or match their record from the previous season. With a 48–7 loss to New Orleans in Week 11, the Eagles set a new record for the largest loss by a defending Super Bowl champion. The Eagles proceeded to win 5 of their last 6 games, including two division wins over the Giants and the Redskins to move to 9–7. With an upset win over the Rams, a close win over the Texans, and a Week 17 victory over the Redskins, the Eagles made the playoffs with a Vikings loss to the Bears. This is the first time the Eagles made the playoffs in back to back seasons since the 2008–10 seasons.
Super Bowl LII
Super Bowl LII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2017 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles defeated the American Football Conference (AFC) and defending Super Bowl LI champion New England Patriots, 41–33, to win their first Super Bowl and their first NFL title since 1960. The game was played on February 4, 2018, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This was the second time that a Super Bowl was played in Minneapolis, the northernmost city to ever host the event, after Super Bowl XXVI at the Metrodome during the 1991 season, and the sixth Super Bowl held in a cold-weather city.
Philadelphia Eagles
Vermeil's 1980 team won their first NFC East title. They were matched up against their hated rival the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship game, which they won 20–7. However, the Eagles lost to the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XV in 1981. The following year, the Eagles were eliminated in the wildcard round at home against the New York Giants. In the aftermath of the disappointing and strike-shortened season of 1982, head coach Dick Vermeil resigned, claiming that he was "burned out". Vermeil was replaced by defensive coordinator Marion Campbell.
Seattle Seahawks
As of the end of the 2017 season, the Seattle Seahawks have competed in 42 NFL seasons, dating back to their expansion year of 1976. The team has compiled a 334–323-1 record (16–15 in the playoffs) for a .508 winning percentage (.516 in the playoffs). Seattle has reached the playoffs in 16 separate seasons, including in the 2005 season when they lost Super Bowl XL to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the 2013 season when they defeated the Denver Broncos to win Super Bowl XLVIII, and the 2014 season when they lost Super Bowl XLIX to the New England Patriots. In the 2010 season, the Seahawks became the first team in NFL history to earn a spot in the playoffs with a losing record (7–9, .438) in a full season; this was by virtue of winning the division. The Seahawks would go on to defeat the reigning Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints in the , becoming the first team ever to win a playoff game with a losing record. Until Week 7 of the 2016 season against the Arizona Cardinals, the Seahawks had never recorded a tied game in their history.
List of highest scoring NFL games
The second highest-scoring Super Bowl was Super Bowl LII on February 4, 2018, in which the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles defeated the AFC champion and defending champion New England Patriots 41-33 for a combined 74 points. It is worth noting that there were multiple missed PAT attempts, including one missed kick from both teams and 2 unsuccessful 2-point conversion attempts from the Eagles, and a field goal attempt from the Patriots near the beginning of the second quarter that hit the upright.
History of the Philadelphia Eagles
Despite injuries, McNabb led the Eagles to a 12-4 season in 2002. Once again, they reached the NFC Championship, but lost at home 27-10 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the last game at Veterans Stadium.
Sean Landeta
Upon the USFL's folding, Landeta joined the NFL's New York Giants, winning two Super Bowls in 1986 and 1990 in his nine seasons with the team (he would return in 2006, in what would be his last season as an active player). He then played for the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams from 1993–1996. He re-joined the Rams for the 2003 and 2004 seasons, giving him six years with the organization. After spending one season (1997) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he moved on to play for the Green Bay Packers in 1998. In 1999, he signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles. He spent five seasons with the Eagles where he became the oldest punter in NFL history at the age of 44.
List of Philadelphia Eagles first-round draft picks
The Philadelphia Eagles, a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1933 as a replacement team for the Frankford Yellow Jackets, after the Yellow Jackets went bankrupt and ceased operations. After the AFL–NFL merger in 1970, the Eagles were moved to the current NFC East division. Every April, each NFL franchise adds new players to its roster through a collegiate draft at the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting", more commonly known as the NFL Draft. Teams are ranked in inverse order based on their previous season's records, with the worst record picking first, the second-worst picking second, and so on. Two exceptions to this order are made for teams that played in the previous Super Bowl: the Super Bowl champion picks last (32nd), and the Super Bowl loser picks next to last (31st). Teams often trade their picks to other teams for different picks, players, cash, or combinations thereof; thus, it is not uncommon for a team's actual draft pick to differ from its assigned pick, or for a team to have extra or no draft picks in a particular round.
Derek Barnett
The Philadelphia Eagles finished atop the NFC East with a 13–3 record, clinching home field advantage and a first round bye. On January 13, 2018, Barnett appeared in his first career playoff game and helped the Eagles defeat the Atlanta Falcons 15–10 in the NFC Divisional Round. The following week, Barnett had two solo tackles and had a strip sack on quarterback Case Keenum during a 38–7 victory against the Minnesota Vikings. On February 4, 2018, he recovered a fumble caused by Brandon Graham after Graham had a strip/sack on Tom Brady in the Eagles' 41–33 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII. This marked the Eagles' first Super Bowl victory in franchise history.
Curse of Billy Penn
Philadelphia sports teams had enjoyed a run of success. Major League Baseball's Phillies won the 1980 World Series and the 1983 National League pennant; the National Hockey League's Flyers won back-to-back Stanley Cups in and , and appeared in the finals in , , , and ; the National Football League's Eagles appeared in Super Bowl XV following the 1980 season, losing to the Oakland Raiders; and the National Basketball Association's 76ers swept the 1983 NBA Finals, as well as making the finals in , , and . Before 1980, the Phillies had appeared in only two other World Series, in and , and the Eagles had won no NFC conference championships since the 1966 agreement that had created the Super Bowl, while the 76ers won NBA titles in both Philadelphia and in their previous incarnation, the Syracuse Nationals. The Villanova Wildcats won the 1985 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball tournament, in one of the most famous upsets in sports history. Construction on One Liberty Place began in 1985, two years after the last championship season in Philadelphia.
Atlanta Falcons
In their 53 years of existence (through 2018), the Falcons have compiled a record of 368–466–6 ( in the regular season and in the playoffs), winning division championships in 1980, 1998, 2004, 2010, 2012, and 2016. The Falcons have appeared in two Super Bowls, the first during the 1998 season in Super Bowl XXXIII, where they lost to the Denver Broncos and the second was eighteen years later, a overtime defeat by the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.
2017 Philadelphia Eagles season
The Philadelphia Eagles entered Super Bowl LII as a 5.5 point underdog to the defending champions; the New England Patriots. This was also their first appearance in 13 years, with their last Super Bowl berth happening in 2005 (Super Bowl XXXIX), which also happened to be against the New England Patriots.
Al Wistert
After being drafted in the fifth round by the Philadelphia Eagles and signing for $3800 ($ today), he encountered animosity from veteran players for having signed such a large contract (though they thought he signed for $4500). He earned All-Pro honors in eight (four by consensus) of his nine seasons. As a two-way player, he played his entire nine-year career for the Philadelphia Eagles (who operated as a merged team with the Pittsburgh Steelers for one season during World War II.) The National Football League had no All-Star games between 1943 and 1950. Thus, although Wistert was a perennial All-Pro selection, it is difficult to compare him to more modern players who are often measured by Pro Bowl invitations. He served as Eagles captain for five consecutive seasons, from 1946 to 1950, and was named All-Pro in each season. In Wistert's next to last season he was selected to the first Pro Bowl. In his final season, he recovered three fumbles. The Eagles won the 1948 and 1949 National Football League Championships with Wistert. These were the only consecutive National Football League champions to win by shutout. His number 70 was retired by the Eagles in 1952. According to his College Football Hall of Fame biography, during his career he started every game the Eagles played except for the 1950 season opener against the Cleveland Browns. However, according to other statistical databases he only started about 2/3 of his career games. His is one of only seven retired Eagles Jerseys. Wistert lamented not having been enshrined in the Professional Football Hall of Fame and on Philadelphia Eagles Honor Roll:
Rodney McLeod
The Philadelphia Eagles finished the 2017 season atop the NFC East with a 13–3 record and clinched a playoff berth and home field advantage. On January 13, 2018, McLeod started his first career playoff game and recorded seven solo tackles and a sack on Matt Ryan during the Eagles' 15–10 victory against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Divisional round. The Eagles went on to defeat the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship and went on to face the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. On February 4, 2018, McLeod started in Super Bowl LII and recorded six combined tackles and broke up a pass in the Eagles' 41–33 victory. McLeod graded out as the 36th best safety by Pro Football Focus in 2017.
2017 New England Patriots season
The Patriots defeated the Tennessee Titans in the Divisional Round 35–14, and the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Championship Game 24–20, claiming their second consecutive AFC title. This was their seventh consecutive AFC Championship appearance, adding onto their record from the previous year. The win also made Tom Brady the oldest quarterback (40 years, 163 days) to win a playoff game, surpassing Brett Favre for the record. It was also the second time they advanced to the Super Bowl two consecutive seasons since 2004. They faced the Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch of Super Bowl XXXIX. This also made the Patriots the only team in NFL history to appear in ten Super Bowls, and gave the Patriots a chance to repeat as Super Bowl Champions for the second time in franchise history, and for the first time since 2004. In addition, they had the chance to tie the Pittsburgh Steelers for the record of most Super Bowl wins by a team in NFL history with 6. However, due to a late strip-sack of Brady by Brandon Graham and a failed Hail Mary pass, the Eagles defeated the Patriots in Super Bowl LII by 41–33, ending the Patriots chance at a sixth Super Bowl title and resulting in their first Super Bowl loss since 2011. The loss prevented the Patriots from repeating their three-in-four Super Bowl run that they managed from 2001–2004. Also with the loss, the Patriots tied the NFL record for most Super Bowl losses with five, and made them the fifth defending Super Bowl champion to lose the next year's game, after the 1978 Dallas Cowboys, the 1983 Washington Redskins, the 1997 Green Bay Packers, and the 2014 Seattle Seahawks.
New England Patriots
The Patriots' current coach, Bill Belichick, was hired in 2000, and a new home field, Gillette Stadium, was opened in 2002. Under Belichick, the team won three Super Bowls in four years (2001, 2003, and 2004). The Patriots finished the 2007 regular season with a perfect 16–0 record, becoming only the fourth team in league history to go undefeated in the regular season, and the only one since the league expanded its regular season schedule to 16 games. After advancing to Super Bowl XLII, the team's fourth Super Bowl in seven years, the Patriots were defeated by the Giants to end their bid for a 19–0 season. With the loss, the Patriots ended the year at 18–1, becoming only one of three teams to go 18–1 along with the 1984 San Francisco 49ers and the 1985 Chicago Bears. The Patriots' returned to the Super Bowl in 2012 but lost again to the Giants, 21–17. In 2015, they won Super Bowl XLIX, defeating the Seattle Seahawks by a score of 28–24. The Patriots became the first team to reach nine Super Bowls in the 2016–17 playoffs and faced the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI, which ended up paving the way for their fifth Super Bowl victory, tying them with the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers for the second-most in NFL history, 1 behind the Pittsburgh Steelers with 6; the game was also the first Super Bowl to go into overtime.
List of Super Bowl champions
The Pittsburgh Steelers (6–2) have won the most Super Bowls with six championships, while the New England Patriots (5–5), the Dallas Cowboys (5–3), and the San Francisco 49ers (5–1) have five wins. New England has the most Super Bowl appearances with eleven, while the Buffalo Bills (0–4) have the most consecutive appearances with four (all losses) from 1990 to 1993. The Miami Dolphins (1971–1973) and New England Patriots (2016–2018) are the only other teams to have at least three consecutive appearances. The Denver Broncos (3–5) and Patriots have each lost a record five Super Bowls. The Minnesota Vikings (0–4) and the Bills have lost four. The record for consecutive wins is two and is shared by seven franchises: the Green Bay Packers (1966–1967), the Miami Dolphins (1972–1973), the Pittsburgh Steelers (1974–1975 and 1978–1979, the only team to accomplish this feat twice), the San Francisco 49ers (1988–1989), the Dallas Cowboys (1992–1993), the Denver Broncos (1997–1998), and the New England Patriots (2003–2004). Among those, Dallas (1992–1993; 1995) and New England (2001; 2003–2004) are the only teams to win three out of four consecutive Super Bowls. The 1972 Dolphins capped off the only perfect season in NFL history with their victory in Super Bowl VII. The only team with multiple Super Bowl appearances and no losses is the Baltimore Ravens, who in winning Super Bowl XLVII defeated and replaced the 49ers in that position. Four current NFL teams have never appeared in a Super Bowl, including franchise relocations and renaming: the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Houston Texans, though both the Browns (1950, 1954, 1955, 1964) and Lions (1935, 1952, 1953, 1957) had won NFL championship games prior to the creation of the Super Bowl.
History of the Philadelphia Eagles
Led by Van Buren and Neale, the Eagles became a serious competitor for the first time. They had their first winning season as a separate team in 1944. After two more second-place finishes (in 1945 and 1946), the Eagles reached the NFL title game for the first time in 1947. Van Buren, end Pete Pihos, and Bosh Pritchard fought valiantly, but the young team fell to the Chicago Cardinals 28-21 at Chicago's Comiskey Park. Undeterred, the young squad rebounded and returned to face the Cardinals once more in the 1948 championship. With home-field advantage (and a blinding snowstorm) on their side, the Eagles won their first NFL Championship 7-0. Due to the severity of the weather, few fans were on hand to witness the joyous occasion. That would not be the case the following season, however, when the Eagles returned to the NFL championship game for the third consecutive year and won in dominating fashion in front of a large crowd in Los Angeles, beating the Los Angeles Rams 14-0.
Philadelphia Eagles
In 2004, the Philadelphia Eagles had their best season since 1960, going 13–1 before resting their starters and losing their next 2, clinching the number one seed for the second year in a row. McNabb set career highs, completing 64% of his passes for 3,875 yards, though he didn't play all 16 games. McNabb became the first quarterback ever to throw more than 30 touchdowns and fewer than 10 interceptions in a season. His success could be attributed to the fact that he had a reliable receiver, Terrell Owens, who got 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns in 14 games. After defeating the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons, the Eagles advanced to Super Bowl XXXIX, where they dueled the New England Patriots. Although McNabb threw 3 touchdown passes and 357 yards in the game, and the score was tied 14–14 going into the fourth quarter, the Patriots outscored the Eagles and scored ten straight points. McNabb completed a 30-yard touchdown pass, and the Eagles defense held the Patriots to a 3 and out, but a crucial interception with 46 seconds left on the clock secured their fate. The Patriots won 24–21.
List of Pittsburgh Steelers seasons
From to the franchise became the first NFL franchise to win four Super Bowl titles in six seasons, a feat which is yet to be matched. The 2005 team was the first sixth-seeded team to advance to a conference championship game since the playoff field was expanded to 12 teams in ; the same team also became the first sixth-seed to win the Super Bowl. The Steelers are 6–2 in Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl IX, Super Bowl X, Super Bowl XIII, Super Bowl XIV, Super Bowl XL, Super Bowl XLIII and losing Super Bowl XXX and Super Bowl XLV.
2017 Philadelphia Eagles season
The Eagles defeated the Patriots 41-33 to win their first Super Bowl title in franchise history, and their first championship since 1960. During the game, a trick play, known as the Philly Special was called where three players combined for a touchdown at 4th-and-Goal before halftime. Nick Foles was named the Super Bowl MVP, the first backup player or quarterback to earn this award. Foles was 28-of-43 of his passes, threw for 373 yards, 3 touchdowns, an interception and even caught a score.
List of New England Patriots seasons
The Patriots have won five Super Bowl championships (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, and LI). They also played in and lost Super Bowls XX, XXXI, XLII, XLVI, and Super Bowl LII. During the 2007 regular season, the Patriots became the only NFL team in history to win 16 games, and the first since the 1972 Miami Dolphins (in a 14-game season) to complete the regular campaign undefeated. Belichick's Patriots are one of only two teams to win three Super Bowls in four years (the other being the Dallas Cowboys from 1993 to 1996).
List of New England Patriots seasons
The modern NFL championship game, the Super Bowl, was founded in the 1966 season; the first four were contested between the champions of the AFL and the NFL. After the merger, the Super Bowl became the united league's championship. The Patriots made the 1963 AFL Championship Game, but struggled severely in the early years of the united league, not making the postseason until 1976. After a few good seasons including a Super Bowl appearance against a champion Bears outfit, the Patriots reached a nadir between 1989 and 1993 when they won only 19 of 80 games.
Super Bowl
As of Super Bowl LII, 27 of 52 Super Bowls have been played in three cities: New Orleans (ten times), the Greater Miami area (ten times), and the Greater Los Angeles area (seven times). No market or region without an active NFL franchise has ever hosted a Super Bowl, and the presence of an NFL team in a market or region is now a "de jure" requirement for bidding on the game. The winning market is not, however, required to host the Super Bowl in the same stadium that its NFL team uses, and nine Super Bowls have been held in a stadium other than the one the NFL team in that city was using at the time. For example, Los Angeles's last five Super Bowls were all played at the Rose Bowl, which has never been used by any NFL franchise outside of the Super Bowl.
List of Philadelphia Eagles seasons
This article is a list of seasons completed by the Philadelphia Eagles, a professional American football franchise based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles are a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) East division in the National Football League (NFL). This article documents the season-by-season records of the Eagles’ franchise from 1933 to present, including postseason records, as well as league awards for individual players or head coaches. The Philadelphia Eagles won their 500th game on Sunday, October 26, 2008 over the Atlanta Falcons by a score of 27–14. They were the seventh NFL team to accomplish this feat and the first since the San Francisco 49ers defeated the St. Louis Rams in week 16 of the 2005 NFL season. They are also the first team in the NFC East to accomplish this feat since the Washington Redskins defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 8 of the 2000 NFL season. As of 2018, the Eagles have never lost a game to the New York Jets (10–0) or the Houston Texans (5–0).
Dallas Cowboys
The bitter rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers has been going on since the 1970s. The NFL Top 10 ranked this rivalry to be the tenth best in the history of the NFL. San Francisco has played Dallas in seven postseason games. The Cowboys defeated the 49ers in the 1970 and 1971 NFC Championship games, and again in the 1972 Divisional Playoff Game. The 1981 NFC Championship Game in San Francisco, which saw the 49ers' Joe Montana complete a game-winning pass to Dwight Clark in the final minute (now known as The Catch) is one of the most famous games in NFL history. The rivalry became even more intense during the 1992–1994 seasons. San Francisco and Dallas faced each other in the NFC Championship Game three separate times. Dallas won the first two match-ups, and San Francisco won the third. In each of these pivotal match-ups, the game's victor went on to win the Super Bowl. Both the Cowboys and the 49ers (and the New England Patriots) are second all-time in Super Bowl victories to the Pittsburgh Steelers with five each. The 49ers-Cowboys rivalry is also part of the larger cultural rivalry between California and Texas. The 49ers lead the all-time series with a record of 15–13–1.
1960 NFL season
In the championship game, the host Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Green Bay Packers by four points at earlier in , both teams had finished in last place in their respective conferences, combining for only three wins. This loss was Vince Lombardi's only post-season defeat as an NFL head coach. Following this loss in 1960, Lombardi's Packers won five NFL championship games in seven years, and easily won the first two Super Bowls.
Super Bowl XI
Despite a few mediocre seasons, the Raiders would remain an NFL power until 1985 and win two more Super Bowls in their 1980 and 1983 seasons – the second after moving to Los Angeles in 1982. In contrast to their 13–1 1976 regular season, both of these would be won in major upsets. The Raiders would fall to mediocrity in the latter part of the 1980s and most of the 1990s when they were affected by stadium problems that saw them again playing in Oakland in 1995 – although they did reach the AFC Championship in 1991 and be demolished 3–51 by the Bills – before a 33–15 three-season record between 2000 and 2002 saw them return to the Super Bowl for the first time in nineteen seasons. Since then the Raiders have been mainly NFL cellar-dwellers, with only one postseason appearance in 2016 and a record of seven straight seasons with no more than five victories between 2003 and 2009.
1976–77 Philadelphia 76ers season
This loss began a losing streak of championships by the city's teams during presidential inauguration years. 1989 was the only inauguration year in which no Philadelphia sports team made or lost a championship until 2013, when all four teams failed to make it to the championship round. In 2017, no Philly team made it to the finals, although the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles did win the Super Bowl, albeit in February 2018.
U.S. Bank Stadium
Super Bowl LII was played at the stadium on February 4, 2018 between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots with the Eagles winning 41-33 for their first Super Bowl win.
History of the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Raiders were frequent opponents of the Steelers during the 1970s playoffs, with Pittsburgh facing the Raiders five consecutive times in the playoffs (1972 (Steelers win), 1973 (L), 1974 (W), 1975 (W), 1976 (L)) that decade. This gave the two teams an unusual familiarity with the other despite being in separate divisions in that decade. The Raiders and Steelers have met one additional time in the playoffs (1983 (L)) for a current record of 3-3 in the postseason.
Pittsburgh and Dallas first met in 1960 (the two actually met in the Cowboys' first game as a franchise, with the Steelers winning 35–28), and have faced each other in the Super Bowl on three occasions (X (W), XIII (W), XXX (L)) with Pittsburgh leading the series 2–1. In the 1970s, Pittsburgh and Dallas were both renowned for stifling defenses named "The Steel Curtain" and "The Doomsday Defense" respectively. Pittsburgh became the first team to achieve three Super Bowl wins when it defeated Dallas in Super Bowl XIII, and the first team to achieve four Super Bowl victories a year later when they defeated the Rams. Dallas defeated the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX to become the second team behind San Francisco to win five Super Bowl Championships. Ten years later, Pittsburgh would join Dallas and San Francisco to become the third team to reach that milestone when they defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL. Three years later, the Steelers would become the first team to win a sixth Super Bowl, achieving that milestone in the 2008–09 season. They played against the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, with a 27–23 comeback victory.
Seth Joyner
Joyner was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the eighth round (208th overall) of the 1986 NFL Draft. He was actually cut in training camp, but the Eagles re-signed him later in the season. Joyner played in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles (1986–1993), Arizona Cardinals (1994–1996), Green Bay Packers (1997), and the Denver Broncos (1998). Joyner's unique combination of strength and quickness allowed him to excel in all defensive statistical categories and propelled him to three Pro Bowl accolades; being selected in 1991, 1993, and 1994. In one "Monday Night Football" game in 1991 against the Houston Oilers, Joyner, playing with a 102-degree fever, recorded eight solo tackles, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two sacks. He was named NFL Player of the Year by "Sports Illustrated" that very same year and received runner-up honors for Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year, while a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. As a Green Bay Packer, he appeared in Super Bowl XXXII, and the next year, he won Super Bowl XXXIII as a member of the Broncos in 1998, which turned out to be his last game.
Super Bowl XXXIX
The Eagles were trying to win their first NFL title since 1960 and the first championship for the city of Philadelphia since Moses Malone's "fo', fi', fo'" during the 76ers run to the NBA Championship. With President George W. Bush being inaugurated for a second time in January, the Eagles were also trying to end a losing streak—teams in the city of Philadelphia had lost six straight championships during presidential inauguration years, beginning with the 76ers loss in . The streak included the Eagles in Super Bowl XV in 1981. 1989 was not included in that streak, but 1977, 1981, 1985 (Flyers), 1993 (Phillies), 1997 (Flyers), and 2001 (76ers) were.
Cowboys–Steelers rivalry
The Steelers have remained competitive since and have won two more Super Bowls (Super Bowl XL, Super Bowl XLIII) and losing one (Super Bowl XLV) while the Cowboys have not been back to the Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXX and have won only three playoff games from 1996 onward. The two teams have only met four times since the 1998 NFL season. The Steelers defeated the Cowboys in the first two games, winning 24–20 in 2004 and 20–13 in 2008. The Cowboys then defeated the Steelers in 2012 by a 27–24 margin in overtime and again in 2016 by a 35–30 margin.
1981 Philadelphia Eagles season
The 1981 Philadelphia Eagles season resulted in an appearance in the postseason for the fourth straight season (first time in franchise history the Eagles had made the postseason four straight times). The team was coming off a Super Bowl loss to the Oakland Raiders the previous season. Because they made the Super Bowl in 1980, they were picked by many to not only reach the Super Bowl, but to win it as well. The Eagles began the 1981 season with 6 straight wins, their best ever start to a season at the time. The Eagles would win then 3 of their next 5 games to sit at 9-2. They would then lose their next 4 games to slip to 9-6 and were in danger of missing out on the playoffs. The next week, they hammered the Cardinals 38-0 to clinch a playoff berth for the fourth straight season. In the playoffs, they met their arch rivals the Giants. It was New York's first playoff appearance in 18 years. In the game, the Giants would stun the eagles 27-21, ending the Eagles season as well as hopes for a second straight Super Bowl appearance. The Eagles would not make the playoffs again until 1988. They also wouldn't reach the Super Bowl again until 2004.
Super Bowl XXIII
The rematch was the third time in Super Bowl history two teams were meeting for a second time. Miami and Washington met in Super Bowls VII and XVII, with the teams splitting the games. Dallas and Pittsburgh met in Super Bowls X and XIII, with Pittsburgh winning both of those games. Both Dallas-Pittsburgh matchups were in Miami at the Orange Bowl. Pittsburgh and Dallas would later meet in Super Bowl XXX (which the Cowboys won by 10) to become the first two teams to ever meet three times in the Super Bowl. The Cowboys and Bills (Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII), Eagles and Patriots (Super Bowls XXXIX and LII), and Giants and Patriots (Super Bowls XLII and XLVI) have also met in two Super Bowls each.
History of the New England Patriots
Prior to the Patriots' matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX, Eagles wide receiver Freddie Mitchell said he did not know the names of the Patriots' defensive backs, which was taken as a sign of disrespect by the Patriots' "replacement" secondary. The Patriots would go on to defeat the Eagles 24–21 in their second straight Super Bowl victory and third championship in four seasons, leading to some labeling the Patriots of the era a dynasty. , the 2003–2004 New England Patriots are the most recent team to win back-to-back Super Bowls.
New England Patriots
The Patriots became the first team to reach ten Super Bowls in the 2017–18 playoffs but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII, on February 4, 2018, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Patriots will extend their record to eleven Super Bowls with Super Bowl LIII, following their victory of the Kansas City Chiefs in the .
History of the Philadelphia Eagles
In 1980, the team, led by coach Dick Vermeil, quarterback Ron Jaworski, running back Wilbert Montgomery, wide receiver Harold Carmichael, and linebacker Bill Bergey, dominated the NFC, facing its chief nemesis, the Dallas Cowboys, in the NFC Championship. The game was played in cold conditions in front of the Birds' faithful fans at Veterans Stadium. Led by an incredible rushing performance from Montgomery, whose long cutback TD run in the first half is surely one of the most memorable plays in Eagles history, and a gutsy performance from fullback Leroy Harris, who scored the Eagles' only other TD that day, the Birds earned a berth in Super Bowl XV with a 20-7 victory.
Stefen Wisniewski
On April 4, 2016, Wisniewski signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. On March 10, 2017, he signed a three-year contract extension with the Eagles. Wisniewski played in 14 games and started 11 in the 2017 NFL season. The team went 13-3 and earned a first round bye. The Eagles defeated both the Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings to reach Super Bowl LII. The Eagles defeated the New England Patriots 41-33 to win their first Super Bowl.
Super Bowl XLVI
This was the 5th set of teams to have a rematch in Super Bowl history and overall the 6th rematch. The others were the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins, who met in Super Bowl VII and Super Bowl XVII; the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers, who met in Super Bowl X, Super Bowl XIII, and Super Bowl XXX and are the only teams to meet in the Super Bowl more than twice; the San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals, who met in Super Bowl XVI and Super Bowl XXIII; and the Cowboys and Buffalo Bills, who met in Super Bowl XXVII and Super Bowl XXVIII and are the only teams to face each other in two consecutive Super Bowls; and later the Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles becoming the 6th set of teams to have a rematch in Super Bowl history and 7th overall, meeting in Super Bowl LII after previously meeting in Super Bowl XXXIX.
Super Bowl XX
As of 2017, Super Bowl XX remains the last Super Bowl to feature two teams both making their first appearance in the game. It was the fourth overall following Super Bowl I, Super Bowl III, and Super Bowl XVI. Any future Super Bowl that would have such a combination would have to have the Detroit Lions playing either the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, or Jacksonville Jaguars in the game. All 16 NFC teams have played in an NFL championship game (Detroit last made an NFL championship game in the pre-merger era); only the three AFC franchises that began play since 1995 (the technicalities of the Browns franchise contrasting to the revisionism means this version began in 1999) have yet to reach a league championship game.
List of AFC champions
At the end of the 1966 season, the Super Bowl began to be played between the AFL champion and the NFL champion. After the AFL/NFL merger in 1970, the Super Bowl continued to be played between the AFC champion and the NFC champion. The AFL champion lost the first two Super Bowls. The 1968 AFL champion New York Jets with Joe Namath at quarterback became the first AFL team to win the Super Bowl. Starting with that Super Bowl, the AFL or AFC champion won 11 out of 13 Super Bowls. However, the AFC champion lost 13 consecutive Super Bowls, from the 1984 AFC champion Miami Dolphins through the 1996 AFC champion New England Patriots. Overall, the AFL or AFC champion has won 25 of the 52 Super Bowls played through the end of the 2017 season.
1980 NFL season
Meanwhile, the season ended at Super Bowl XV played on January 25, 1981, in New Orleans, Louisiana, with these same Oakland Raiders defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 27–10, making them the first Wild Card team ever to win the Super Bowl.
2010 Philadelphia Eagles season
The Philadelphia Eagles season was the franchise's 78th season in the National Football League, and the twelfth under head coach Andy Reid. The eagles failed to improve on their 11–5 record from 2009 and They finished with a 10–6 record, and lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card playoffs.
The Eagles played all of their home games at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The off-season saw a significant roster overhaul as Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook, two of the franchise's key players over the last decade, departed. McNabb was traded to Philadelphia's NFC East rival, the Washington Redskins, while Westbrook was cut from the roster and later signed with the San Francisco 49ers. Kevin Kolb was intended to be the Eagles' new franchise QB, however he was injured during the Week 1 game and replaced by Michael Vick, who started in 11 of 16 games (Kolb started in Weeks 4–6 when he was injured, as well as week 17 with Vick and the starters resting for the playoffs.) With Vick at quarterback, they set franchise records, including a 59–28 win in Washington.
2017 Philadelphia Eagles season
The 2017 Philadelphia Eagles season was the franchise's 85th season in the National Football League, the 15th playing their home games at Lincoln Financial Field, and the second under head coach Doug Pederson. Philadelphia won its first-ever Super Bowl title, as well as the franchise's first NFL Championship since 1960.
Brian Westbrook
Westbrook and the Eagles would go on to play in the city's first Super Bowl in 25 years. He would have a solid performance in Philadelphia's Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots, rushing for 44 yards, catching seven passes for 60 yards, and scoring one touchdown. He also played in his first Pro Bowl the following week.
Chance Warmack
On March 9, 2017, Warmack signed a one-year, $1.51 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. On September 2, 2017, he signed a one-year contract extension with the Eagles through the 2018 season. In 2017, he played in 11 games, starting three at left guard. Warmack won Super Bowl LII when the Eagles defeated the New England Patriots 41-33. In the Super Bowl, he played four snaps at guard and another two for special teams plays.
History of the Philadelphia Eagles
With two Super Bowl wins under their belt, the defending champion New England Patriots were heavily favored. McNabb had a great game with 357 yards and three touchdowns, but he also threw three interceptions. Terell Owens returned despite his injury, and caught 122 yards on 9 catches. The game was a defensive struggle through the third quarter, but in the fourth, the Patriots took the lead, with the Eagles trailing ten points. The early game struggle left everyone exhausted, and for his best efforts, McNabb scored one touchdown, but could not get the team within field goal range on the final drive. He was picked off in the closing seconds of the game. The final score was 24-21, and the Patriots had won their third Super Bowl in four years.
1960 Philadelphia Eagles season
The Philadelphia Eagles season was their 28th in the National Football League, and culminated in the Eagles' defeat of the Green Bay Packers in the NFL championship game to win their third league title. The victory over the Packers was also the first and only playoff defeat of the great Vince Lombardi's coaching career. The 1960 season was the Eagles' first postseason appearance since their last NFL championship season of 1949. It was their only postseason appearance in the 28 seasons from 1950 to 1977, and their last NFL title until their victory in Super Bowl LII, 57 years later.
Tom Donahoe
Donahoe won a Super Bowl with the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles.
2015 Philadelphia Eagles season
With the win, the Eagles go to 5-7, ending a three-game skid and passing the Giants for second place in the NFC East. With a loss by the Washington Redskins, the Eagles' 5-7 record tied them with the Redskins for the best record in the NFC East, but their Week 4 loss kept them in second. Not only was this their first win against the Patriots in the Brady-Belichick era (preseason notwithstanding), but two years later, they would proceed to claim their first Super Bowl title in their next game against them.
History of the Philadelphia Eagles
However, getting the help that they needed earlier in the day, the Eagles were able to run over the Dallas Cowboys 44-6 on December 28, 2008 and advanced to the playoffs. The Eagles then defeated the Minnesota Vikings 26-14 in the first round of the playoffs on January 4, 2009. They defeated their division rival and the defending Super Bowl champions the New York Giants 23-11 in the NFC Divisional Round to advance to their fifth NFC Championship game in nine years. For the third time in a decade, an all-Pennsylvania Super Bowl seemed possible, as the Pittsburgh Steelers won the AFC Championship against the Baltimore Ravens. However, the Eagles lost 32-25 to the Arizona Cardinals.
2000 Philadelphia Eagles season
This was Donovan McNabb's first full year as starting quarterback after seeing limited action during his rookie season. With McNabb, the team posted an 11–5 record. For his efforts, McNabb was named to the Pro Bowl following the season. He would make several more Pro Bowl appearances during his time in Philadelphia. The Eagles played in five NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl (2004) during the McNabb era.
Super Bowl 50
The Panthers finished the regular season with a 15–1 record, racking up the league's top offense, and quarterback Cam Newton was named the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP). They defeated the Arizona Cardinals 49–15 in the NFC Championship Game and advanced to their second Super Bowl appearance since the franchise began playing in 1995. The Broncos finished the regular season with a 12–4 record, bolstered by having the league's top defense. The Broncos defeated the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots 20–18 in the AFC Championship Game joining the Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, and Pittsburgh Steelers as one of four teams that have made eight appearances in the Super Bowl. This record would later be broken the next season, in 2017, when the Patriots advanced to their ninth Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl LI.
Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars
The Stars remained in Philadelphia for the 1984 season but were forced to relocate their post-season home games to Franklin Field due to a conflict with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Stars roared through the regular season with the league best record, and routed George Allen's Arizona Wranglers, 23–3 for the league title in Florida at Tampa Stadium on July 15. It was the last traditional professional football championship for the city of Philadelphia until the Eagles' Super Bowl LII victory at the end of the 2017 season, and its first since the 1960 NFL championship. The Stars were also becoming increasingly popular amongst fans, as average home attendance jumped from approximately 18,000 in 1983 to 28,000 in 1984.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers won five Super Bowl championships between 1981 and 1995, led by Hall of Famers Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Steve Young, and coach Bill Walsh. , the team has won six conference championships, with the first in 1981 and the last in 2012. They have been division champions 19 times between 1970 and 2012, making them one of the most successful teams in NFL history. The 49ers have been in the league playoffs 26 times: 25 times in the NFL and one time in the AAFC.
Super Bowl XXXIX
The Patriots, who entered the Super Bowl after compiling a 14–2 regular season record, became the most recent team to win consecutive Super Bowls (). New England also became the second team after the Dallas Cowboys to win three Super Bowls in four years. The Eagles were making their second Super Bowl appearance after posting a 13–3 regular season record.