PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Eagles have a chance on Sunday to finish a magical season with a Super Bowl title. Not only would a win make history for the Birds, but it would prevent the Kansas City Chiefs from winning an unprecedented third Super Bowl in a row.
Philadelphia is a phenomenal sports town. It's a football town. It's an Eagles town.
“The passion oozes out. I play the game that I love here. Definitely couldn't imagine being anywhere else,” quarterback Jalen Hurts said.
Wide receiver A.J. Brown says he loves the passion: “They wear their emotions on their sleeves when it comes to this game.”
And this is a very good era for Eagles football. Hurts and head coach Nick Sirianni win a ton. Fellow stars Brown, running back Saquon Barkley and wide receiver Davonta Smith often deliver.
But a team’s legacy in Philadelphia sports is based on championships. And the Birds know how much taking care of their unfinished business would mean to this area.
“We've been able to play disciplined ball. We've been able to play ball and be on the same page and find ways to win, and we're just looking forward to doing that one more time,” Hurts said.
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Barkley, in his first season in Philadelphia, has been a historic addition to Sirianni’s Eagles.
“Man, he's such a special teammate. He's such a special person, such a special leader,” Sirianni said. “He's really helped our team, obviously, this year in many ways, not just on the field.”
But as Barkley will tell you: “The accolades—it really doesn't matter if you don't win the big game, right?”
By the way, Barkley turns 28 on Super Bowl Sunday. Rookie Cooper DeGene turns 22, and practice squad safety Andre Sam, a Louisiana native, turns 26.
“I think it's pretty cool that the Super Bowl lands on my birthday,” Barkley said, but “I think just winning the Super Bowl in general is such a cool moment. And it puts you in football royalty. And to be able to win it would mean everything, would mean in the world. And definitely make sure that I show gratitude and give thanks to the man upstairs and just take it all in.”
Standing in their way, of course, are the two-time defending champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, who've actually won three of the past five Super Bowls.
And Kansas City has done well against the run this season.
“I don't think they let a 100-yard rusher all year, besides [Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson],” Barkley said. “So we know it's gonna be a tough challenge, but, you know, a challenge that we're ready to go against.”
The Chiefs usually find a way to win games no matter what. Their quarterback, Patrick Mahomes is a big reason for that.
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“I just want to be remembered as one of the greatest teams of all time at the end of the day,” Mahomes said. “And I know how blessed I am to be in Kansas City and the people that I have around me, coaches and players, and so I'm more focused on leaving the imprint on the Kansas City Chiefs and how we are remembered for the rest of time.”
To win, the Eagles will likely have to play one of their best games down at Caesar's Superdome in New Orleans.
Left tackle Jordan Mailata's message to fans back home in Philadelphia: “Appreciate all the support. Super excited to bring this home, but we've got one more game. Got to do our job, and we've got to execute. So, go birds! And … appreciate all the love.”
Or, as linebacker Zach Bohan, Defensive Player of the Year finalist, told NBC Sports Philadelphia: “Gotta go complete the mission.”
Kickoff for Super Bowl LIX is at 6:30 p.m.