The Philadelphia Eagles

by Sam Barouki

The only National Football League (NFL) team to win consecutive championships by shutouts and the first to utilize artificial turf in its stadium, the Philadelphia Eagles maintain a wide fan base even in dismal seasons. For the team’s fans, hope and patience have paid off. Since 2000, the Eagles have made eight postseason appearances, including a trip to the Super Bowl after the 2004 season, in which they lost the championship to the New England Patriots.

Established in 1933 during the Great Depression, the Philadelphia Eagles replaced the Frankford Yellow Jackets, which had gone bankrupt. The team cost $2,500, plus the assumption of debts totaling $11,000 owed to other franchises. The inspiration for the team’s name came from the blue-eagle insignia of the New Deal’s National Recovery Act. From 1936 to 1939, the Eagles played in Municipal Stadium. Except for the 1941 season, the team then competed in Shibe Park (renamed Connie Mack Stadium in 1953) from 1940 through 1957, when it moved to Franklin Field.

In 1943, with manpower short due to World War II, the Eagles temporarily merged with the Pittsburgh Steelers, creating the Phil-Pitt Eagles, known informally as the Steagles. The arrangement lasted only one season. A few years later, with Earle “Greasy” Neale as its head coach, Philadelphia played in three NFL Championship Games consecutively, winning back-to-back shutouts in 1948 and 1949. The Eagles dominated the NFL for six seasons before injuries finally took a toll on their team.

After a period of rebuilding, the Eagles won another NFL Championship in 1960, defeating the Green Bay Packers 17-13 when center linebacker and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Chuck Bednarik saved the game on the final play with an open-field tackle. Not until 1978 did the team reach the playoffs again. That season sparked another run of success under coach Dick Vermeil, who took the Eagles to the Super Bowl in 1980, where they lost 27-10 to the Oakland Raiders. They have not won a championship since, but with the team’s renewed success in the 21st century, Eagles fans continue to believe.

About the Author:

Sam Barouki, Director of Client Relations for Polaris Energy, is an avid Philadelphia sports fan and roots for the Eagles while conducting business around the world.