It did not begin with a wimper. It did not begin with little fanfare. Rather — the Eagles quest for another Super Bowl victory begins at a time when Philadelphia is soaring like the wings on those midnight green (and occasionally alternate color black helmets) that glisten in the August sun in South Philadelphia preparing to be shipped around the country for a guaranteed seventeen regular-season showdowns.
Not even sweltering, consecutive days of triple-digit heat the likes of which hadn’t been seen in the City for a century nor a haze from wildfires in Minnesota and Canada could dampen Philly’s summer. We began by hosting FIFA matches in South Philadelphia and a great watch party in Fairmount Park, proceeded to a joyous celebration of American freedom seen around the globe, welcomed an MLB All-Star weekend where we were less than hospitable to any contestants who didn’t play for the Phillies, and then salivated at the signing of perhaps the best NBA Player in history as the icing on the cake.
But that was not all.
For one of the most talented Eagles in the NFL — last season began with projectile saliva flying across the night sky during a September matchup with the Dallas Cowboys that just happened to land on Dak Prescott. Now Eagles tackle Jalen Carter became the highest-paid at his position in NFL history this month with a $152 million contract over five years at $106 million guaranteed (plenty to cover the $57,222 fine from the NFL.)
The Eagles return to the field having shelved the tape of last January’s 23–19 meltdown against the San Francisco 49ers in South Philly. They return with one of best defenses in the NFL and one of the best coordinators in Vic Fangio leading it. On the other side of the ball — Philadelphia once again has a top offensive attack with a top quarterback and running game, and position groups that are among the finest in the league.
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
But what 2026 question lingers for the Eagles is mediocrity or masterful?
Can the team return to the form that led them to a Super Bowl victory in 2025 and one that should have been in 2023? Or will they whither for a large part of the season like in the following campaigns— only to fizzle and to exit early closing the books on a season during a cold, dark January night in Philly?
What Howie Roseman, Jeffrey Lurie, and Nick Sirianni have done in Philadelphia is to set the standard for our Eagles expectations nearly as lofty as the our summer of 2026. Only a Super Bowl — challenging for the franchise’s third Lombardi Trophy and six NFC Championship — will be considered a success for the Eagles.
And what is at stake if they succeed?
The Eagles can prove that unlike The Process just jettisoned by the 76ers after nearly fifteen years across the Parking Lot in South Philadelphia— that they have a planned, sustained strategy for success. That the loss of AJ Brown, Nakobe Dean, Jaelan Phillips and Reed Blankenship can all be replaced by strategic roster moves and draft selections. That Sean Mannion can rejuvenate an Eagles offense that is one of the most talented in the NFL. And that quarterback Jalen Hurts can thrive in a new scheme with new weapons around him despite loss of one of his most dependable targets.
Only time will tell. Anything is possible. After all — we do now have LeBron.
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