5 Lessons Eagles Fans Can Carry Into Next Season

Until very recently, life was not exactly easy for Eagles fans. It was not until 2017 that we finally got to parade the Lombardi trophy down Broad St. We did not have to wait as long to do it again. Now, after decades of being a punching bag, you look at the Eagles as one of the most successful teams of this century. 4 Super Bowl appearances, 2 Super Bowl wins, and the 5th most wins since the year 2000.

I am not sure if we are quite used to winning yet as a fan base. Even heading into the NFC Championship Game vs the Commanders, there was still a tinge of Negedelphia floating around. But we are winners now. We aren't the Browns, we are the Patriots. If the NFL were an airplane, the Eagles would be up in first class.

So with that said, there are some things we can carry into next season. I am guilty of it, as anyone. I grew up in the same environment, and am trying to break the same habits. But now that we are 2-time Super Bowl champions, and have great odds to make it 3 times, let's carry these lessons into next season.

The Eagles started 2-2 last year. We did not exactly take it well. Even after getting that 3rd win, I was one of those people questioning if they should have even brought Nick Sirianni back. Clearly, I and the many other Eagles fans who felt that way were incredibly wrong.

All they did after that 2-2 start was win 17 of 18 games, including just blowing out both the Commanders and the Chiefs to close out the season and claim the trophy.

This year, they have a new Offensive Coordinator and a lot of new faces on the defense. It is also a fairly difficult schedule to open the season. Cowboys, at the Chiefs, back home to face the Rams, and then in Tampa vs a Bucs team that has their number.

We also know they take it easy in the Pre-Season, which gets them out of the gate slow (which is another lesson we will get to later). I am not saying they will start slow. But if they do, they have earned our patience.

This goes right to a few of my coworkers who make this a sticking point every off-season. The Eagles do not play their offensive starters in the pre-season. They also take it slightly easy in camp itself. Many have worried that it gets them slow out of the gate, but by now, I think we have learned for sure that the benefits outweigh any downside.

What they do works. They have gotten to the playoffs 4 times, made it to 2 Super Bowls, and won one. They have also been healthier than almost any team in the league.

So, when we get to the Pre-Season, and we never see Jalen Hurts, or when they have extra non-practice days during Camp, can we all agree to not complain about that? They have proved this way works for them.

Jalen Hurts has proven himself. He should have been the MVP in 2022. He looked like an MVP for 11 games in 2023. Saquon stole his MVP thunder last season, but Hurts took home the Super Bowl MVP. While his counting numbers like passing yards and TDs do not jump off the page, his efficiency stats are elite (Just check out how good of a deep ball QB he is).

Can we agree that this year, if he does have a bad game, we do not make it a statement about him? Every QB has bad games. The consensus top QB in the league had a bad game in the Super Bowl. It is going to happen. It does not make Hurts a bad QB. We know the Hurts haters will crawl out from under their rocks to drag him when it happens. But as a fanbase, we should know that game is the outlier.

Sirianni is the most successful coach in Eagles history. He is one of only 2 coaches to win a Super Bowl here, and the only coach to get them to 2 Super Bowls.

We know he is not perfect. At some point, he will do something we all cringe at. He will have some cheesy analogy. There will be a childish outburst. Maybe a questionable choice to go for it on 4th down or for a 2pt conversion. But that is all part of the package. More often than not, his go-for-it decisions work out. When you are a big gambler, sometimes you lose. But look at his resume, and he wins a ton.

I am not innocent here. I have been at my wits' end with him sometimes. He can often make it easy to complain. But given how much success the man has here, he has earned some trust.

Finally, here is a lesson we can learn for all of our teams. Don't fast forward. Enjoy the season. Last season was full of iconic moments. But if we are only focused on January, we will miss them. We have earned the chance to kick back and relax, as much as a Philly fan can relax.