The 2024-25 Philadelphia Eagles story will be one we tell forever, one of how a coach and quarterback silenced the doubters and won it all. Nick Sirianni... Wow... What can we say? Some wanted this guy fired after last season's collapse. Heck... Some wanted him fired after this year's 2-2 start and an embarrassing Week 4 loss vs. the Buccaneers in Tampa.
Then, there's Jalen Hurts. You all know who he is. Remember? He's the quarterback who some believe struggles with the forward pass. How did that theory work out? Never mind the fact that, twice (2022 and 2023), he was one of the favorites to win league MVP deep into consecutive seasons (He was the favorite last year after Philly won in overtime vs. Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills).
Oh, well... It appears Jalen will have to settle for leading his team to its second Super Bowl win and taking the MVP trophy there. Nick still hasn't won Coach of the Year, but he's led his team to the postseason to conclude each of his first four campaigns.
And, he's gotten to two Super Bowls and won one of those.
It's an amazing story fueled by the most amazing of championship runs. Here's the best part. Nick and Jalen's tales are only part of this beautiful story.
Here's where you take a bow Howie Roseman! Thanks for putting this team together. And, thank you to a few new faces who will forever be three of the heroes of this journey.
Zack Baun joins the Eagles and changes his career forever.
It seems impossible to believe this was ever the case, but when the preseason roster was introduced, we wondered if Zack Baun would even make the team. Again, how did that work out?
How about a Pro Bowl nod and a First-Team All-Pro mention? Wait! Philly had a First-Teamer on the squad at linebacker? Will wonders never cease? And, since we're on the subject, where in Hades did Zack Baun come from?
We remembered him as a special-teamer and a part-time pass rusher off the edge of the New Orleans Saints' defense. Vic Fangio saw something in him, bragged about him during training camp, and turned this lump of coal into a diamond.
We've gone from asking if he's good enough to stating Philly would be foolish to let this guy get away during free agency. He'll be one of the Eagles' top-priority extensions. He deserves to be paid, and we hope he is.
Mekhi Becton sheds the 'bust' label to become a key contributor to NFL's top O-line.
Truth be told, we don't watch a ton of NY Jets football. They're awful more often than not, and even if they get great players, they seem to regress when they play there (except for you, Sauce Gardner). That being said, all we knew about Mekhi Becton was it seemed he and his coaches in New York didn't like each other.
There's an old saying though. Sometimes, guys just need a change of scenery. He arrived in Philly, fell in love with his teammates and coaches, and they, in turn, fell in love with him.
Nick Sirianni suggested to Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland that Becton be moved from tackle to guard. The light came on burned brightly, and Mekhi produced a Pro Bowl level-season even though he wasn't voted onto the roster.
Becton's one-year deal in Philly ends when the new league year begins. We'd like to see him back. Time will tell if he is. We've finally seen him make good on the potential that made him a first-round draft choice.
Saquon Barkley may have begun his Hall of Fame trajectory by simply swapping jerseys.
Saquon Barkley... The 2024-25 NFL Offensive Player of the Year and perhaps the RIGHTFUL league MVP. That's okay. Saquon Barkley will forever be the MVP of this season in our book.
He was, as Jalen Hurts said, the final piece of this championship-winning puzzle. The only low-point to his season came when he wasn't allowed to break Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record.
That's okay though. It was the right decision to sit him and rest him. He's still a member of the exclusive 2,000-yard club and will be remembered as a Super Bowl Champion forever.
Great job Howie Roseman! Thank you for putting this fantastic team together. Once upon a time, us old guys wondered if we'd ever see the Eagles win one Super Bowl. Now, we have two to celebrate and a lifetime of great memories.