Super Bowl LIX is a landmark moment for the Philadelphia Eagles. One of the reasons that statement is accurate is this is the fifth time they have had the honor of representing the NFC in football's biggest game. Their opponent, the Kansas City Chiefs, isn't exactly a 'fresh' foe, but that's par for Philly's course when they have made an appearance in the football season's final game
The Eagles have appeared in five Super Bowls. They've only played three different AFC franchises. Each iteration of those franchises differed from another, but it's interesting to see where the 2024 Chiefs would rank among all Super Bowl opponents the Birds have faced.
Without further ado, we rank every Eagles Super Bowl opponent.
5. Super Bowl XV: 1980 Oakland Raiders
The 1980 Raiders, still two years away from leaving Oakland for the first time, have the distinction of being the first Wild Card team to win the Super Bowl. They are also the first team to win the Super Bowl with their backup quarterback, in this case, Jim Plunkett, leading the offense.
Unfortunately, this historic moment was made at the Eagles' expense. They beat the Raiders earlier that season but lost the final game by a 27-10 final score.
The game was played in the New Orleans Superdome of all places. How ironic is that. Philly's first and fifth appearance in the big game took place in the same building.
The Raiders still had veteran holdovers from their 1976 Super Bowl championship team on this roster, but when ranked against Philly's other four Super Bowl opponents, the Silver and Black land in the fifth spot.
4. Super Bowl LIl: 2017 New England Patriots
The team that served as the adversary in the Eagles' first Super Bowl win lands in our fourth spot. Philly toppled the greatest dynasty in NFL history en route to raising their first Lombardi Trophy.
This is an interesting case. The Patriots lost wide receiver Julian Edelman during the preseason. Cornerback Malcolm Butler was inexplicably benched before the game for reasons still unclear to anyone.
Malcolm Jenkins knocked Brandin Cooks out of the game early. Still, the game was the biggest shootout and greatest shootout we have seen on football's grandest stage.
Had Tom Brady and the Patriots won this game, they may have been the first NFL franchise to score a three-peat. Remember that they beat the Atlanta Falcons one year earlier and the Los Angeles Rams one year later.
This wasn't the first time the Eagles met the Patriots in the Super Bowl. This wasn't the best Patriots team they faced. But, this game, without a doubt, was one of the NFL's most memorable in its history.
3. Super Bowl LIX: 2024 Kansas City Chiefs
The two Chiefs teams the Eagles played in the Super Bowl are actually very similar. Which team was better is debatable, but for our money, the 2024 Chiefs are better than the team that showed up to play in SB LVII.
Despite its 15-2 regular-season record, this Chiefs team won games by the skin of its teeth and never seemed to establish dominance over anyone. Maybe we're nitpicking, but again, in our book, the 2022 Chiefs were a better team.
2. Super Bowl LVII: 2022 Kansas City Chiefs
The biggest factor here in putting the 2022 Chiefs squad over 2024 is pretty simple. As much as we raved over the 2024 Chiefs defense, the one the fielded two years earlier was statistically just as good. The 2024 Chiefs gave up an average of 320.6 yards per game compared to a '22 squad that surrendered 328.2.
We give an edge to the 2022 squad because of a better season by Patrick Mahomes.
Patrick took home MVP honors in 2022. The offense hummed despite the lack of star wide receivers and Mahomes' bum ankle.
The defense was younger and, again, still almost as good statistically. The better statistical season by Mahomes breaks the tie.
1. Super Bowl XXXIX: 2004 New England Patriots
Due to the more recent dominance of the Patriots in the 2010s, it's easy to forget just how good the Patriots of the early 2000s were. The 2004 crew, in particular, might be the best iteration of that team during the earlier stages of the dynasty.
There was no three-peat to discuss. Still, this squad rattled off 21 consecutive victories and a 14-2 regular season. They were on their way to winning their third Super Bowl in a four years.
The strength of this Patriots team was its defense, but make no mistake about it. Tom Brady was still Tom Brady, and he produced despite limited star power around him or offensive weaponry.
It seems like there's an obsession in NFL circles to crown people and teams immediately. Recency bias has gotten out of hand. Attention spans are at an all-time low. Having said that, this is still the best team the Eagles have faced in the Super Bowl.
Here's to many more Super Bowl matchups for the Philadelphia Eagles in the future. Here's another toast to our hopes that more additions will be added because the Birds make more trips to the big game.