How the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles changed their city forever

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 08: Philadelphia Eagles players riding a bus relish the celebration during festivities on February 8, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The city celebrated the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl LII championship with a victory parade. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 08: Philadelphia Eagles players riding a bus relish the celebration during festivities on February 8, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The city celebrated the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl LII championship with a victory parade. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /
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The Philadelphia Eagles are World Champions and nothing will ever be the same.

It has been five and a half months since the clock struck zero, signifying the first ever championship for the Philadelphia Eagles. Even with so much time having passed, fans would probably tell you that it feels like yesterday.

The reason that everything is so fresh is because the Eagles and their fans have a connection that no other pro sports franchise has. ‘The Birds’ are embedded into the fabric of ‘The City of Brotherly Love’ and because of that, the city of Philadelphia will be changed forever.

Patience might be a virtue, but it, still, is a struggle.

The wait is finally over, and it couldn’t have come soon enough. The fans and the city have had to endure hardship and heartbreak every year of the Super Bowl era. Either the team has been good and has blown it (2004), has fallen short of expectations (2011’s “Dream Team”) or they’ve been somewhere in between.

To be honest, there isn’t really an in between in the eyes of the fans. Either you are good, or you aren’t, and trust me…you will know if you aren’t. There were some bleak times and times that made you question your allegiance. “If we couldn’t do it with Randall Cunningham, Reggie White, or Jerome Brown, who can we do it with?” It was a struggle to say the least.

Worse than the performance on the field was what everyone had to hear: “The Eagles have never won a Super Bowl.” Those eight words have been the bane of the city’s existence until now.

The worst part about it was that they were all right!

The Eagles had never won a Super Bowl and there was no comeback that would shut anybody up. Even though the Phillies, Sixers, and Flyers have all won championships, it was never enough…until now. Now it’s Philly’s time.

Now it’s time to let everyone know that Philadelphia and the Eagles are for real.

Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles /

Philadelphia Eagles

It’s a moment that’s forever etched in our memories.

Where were you when the Eagles won their first Super Bowl? That might be the easiest question any fan will ever be asked in their life. How could anyone not know?

Like we mentioned before, the Eagles are such a part of the fabric of the city of Philadelphia and the minds of their fans, that they are all basically family. That is why no one will ever forget where they were or who they were with.

The yelling was loud and the tears were real, but finally, they weren’t tears of heartbreak or disappointment. They were tears of happiness and triumph…and relief. The Eagles were no longer the team that never won a Super Bowl. They were the freaking World Champions. And guess what…this is just the beginning.

The Eagles are loaded with young talent that are primed to carry the team to unprecedented levels of success. The front office has made smart move after smart move and really positioned the team for a long-term stay at the top of the league.

It’s been a while since there has been this kind of momentum around the Eagles. They are favorites to repeat in 2018 which was unfathomable a year ago. The potential for two Super Bowls was thought of as a joke.

Now, the Eagles have the potential to be perennial contenders and firmly stake their claim as a powerhouse in the NFL. And if there is one thing people should have learned by now, it’s that you never should bet against the Eagles.

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It’s more than just a game.

This championship was about more than just a team. It was about a city and their fans that were the butt of jokes for too long. The 2017 Eagles were the team that really turned Philadelphia into the City of Champions.

If you want to make fun of them, then that’s fine. If you want to say that “it’s only one,” that’s fine too, but we know, and you know, and we know that you know. So go ahead and mock them. They’ll hold up their ‘number one; finger proudly. Either that, or they’ll hold up another one (you can probably guess which one we’re speaking of).

Somewhere, Jason Kelce is singing.