Let's shout it loud and clear, defiant to the end, we hear the call to carry on
Reflections on the 2025 Eagles Superbowl Parade
Before I went into the city last Thursday night, I had an honest conversation with my husband, “Am I being dumb to try to go into the city for this parade?”
The truth is, I’m not much of a football fan. I grew up watching it with my family, and going to games at the Vet first, then the Linc, but my interest in it wore off over the years, between some of the questionable behavior of players (both on the home team and throughout the league) and the growing evidence that the sport put people at risk for a similar fate as my mom. Beyond that, the costs associated with being a fan became astronomical, making it impossible for people to go and enjoy a game with their families, which doesn’t sit right with me.
But I still love the Eagles. It’s sort of impossible not to, as the team perfectly embodies the city. Grit and hard work, forever fighting the underdog status. And even in their moments of glory, they’re underestimated.
When they first won in 2018, it felt like a miracle. Our team had never actually won before and it seemed like we never would. There were years that were hopeful, but inevitably the curse of Billy Penn seemed too strong. But magic happened that year, and in true Philly style, it was a nailbiter, uncertain until the last moment. Against the odds, we came out on top, proving to the world that hungry dogs run faster.
That parade was an astonished celebration—the payoff of generations of fans who waited for this moment. People carried photos of grandparents and parents, ensuring they could joing the celebration. My childhood best friend and I rented an Airbnb off Broad and bought CamelPaks to fill with vodka. We started roaming the streets early, hugged strangers and accepted airplane bottles of Jack Daniels to keep the biting cold of winter at bay.
That year I had been more invested, watching games and hanging at bars to catch their playoffs progress, but this year I didn’t watch a game this year before the Super Bowl. I wore Eagles gear most Sundays, but had no real interest in keeping up with the sport, beyond enjoying the comradery of exchanging “Go Birds” with strangers at the grocery store.
But my disconnect from the season didn’t damper the excitement of their entrance into the Superbowl, and it definitely didn’t stop me from wanting to celebrate Philly among other fans during the parade last week.
I wanted to share a mini-podcast that I recorded with BMNJ crew Katel and Bradley. We discussed the experience at the parade, the differences in navigating this celebration compared to the one in 2018, and the ways we have to celebrate our joy despite our grief.
A few notes related to the recording:
I incorrectly said “2028 celebration” when I was talking about this reel, but meant 2018 (hopefully that’s foreshadowing!)
I mentioned how I love sporting my Paul Carpenter Eagles hoodie on game days, so wanted to share the link to his site (and heads up he’s got a new Birds pre-sale item that just dropped)
I also mentioned this clip, “Always look for the Goth” which holds up as clutch parenting advice.
If you’re a S. Jersey/Philly local, did you make it to the parade? And if you’re not, have you been able to find something else that can bring you joy during these helltimes?