The sun hadn't even fully risen, and already, Eagles fans were flocking to Broad Street and the Ben Franklin Parkway, taking up their spots fully prepared to stay there and endure the cold for hours.
It just matters more here.
The Eagles are Super Bowl Champions, for the second time in eight years and for the second time, well, ever, and Philadelphia held its victory parade for the team on Friday, with a massive sea of green on either side of the streets there to cheer as they passed by.
Not all that long ago, the idea of any of this would've been unfathomable. The Super Bowl was the Eagles' curse. Getting there was hard enough in its own right. Winning it, that felt impossible. There was always a team better, or something that always went wrong.
But then that underdog 2017-18 team pulled through. They toppled the dynasty Patriots, and the weight of the world lifted off the shoulders of the franchise, the city, and Eagles fans everywhere. The parade, that first one – finally – was one for the ages, and in so many ways, all fans young and old ever wanted.
And then they got another.
- MORE SUPER BOWL PARADE
- The Eagles' first Super Bowl parade changed my life and another one brings things full circle
- Grading the Eagles Super Bowl parade speeches
- Eagles Super Bowl parade: The people, sights and sounds along the route from South Philly to the art museum
The Eagles, the 2024-25 version, pulled through again. They toppled the dynasty Chiefs after losing to them in the final round two years prior, but this time it was different. It was no nail-biter. Philadelphia wasn't left holding its breath until the last second. The Eagles beat the breaks off of what was thought to be an untouchable Kansas City team in Super Bowl LIX, leaving no doubt that it was never even close who the best team in the NFL was, and leaving Philly free to start partying before the third quarter was even over.
The vibe was different, but the end result of a title and ensuing parade was the same, which all meant the same to Philadelphia.
Because around here, it just matters more.
Jamie Rutter grew up in Philly, but missed that first parade in February 2018. At the time, she had to work, but she wasn't going to miss a second if the Eagles were to ever do it again.
Early Friday morning, she came in from Elkins Park, settled on a spot up against the fence in front of the Union League building on Broad, and waited through bitter winds to see the champion Eagles roll through, with excitement hardly contained.
"I'm f***ing psyched!" Rutter said.
By the time the busses arrived at that section of Broad just after 12:30 p.m., the sun was out, everyone was on their feet, and the cold suddenly wasn't so bad anymore.
The wait had been more than worth it.
Meghan, Paige, and Kalya, a group of Eagles fans from nearby and a dynamic of best friends and aunt, showed up with their kids, who were each attending their first parade.
The three were around for the first one in 2018, but their kids were young enough to the point where they had either just been born when the Eagles first won or hadn't just yet.
"It's generations," Megan said. "Like whether the kids know what the Eagles are or not, it's like they still know what the Eagles are."
"It kind of holds Philly together," Paige said.
Because around here, it just matters more.
Around here, Eagles fandom is deeply devout and unconditional, through a lot of good now but a whole lot of bad before it, too.
It spans generations, and brings people together, whether they've known each other for years or just got stuck shoulder to shoulder with them on a freezing February morning for hours, but all waiting for the same thing.
The Philadelphia Eagles, and the fans' and city's connection to them, there's nothing else like it.
And when they win it all and get to take that parade route down Broad, which many thought they'd never see once much less twice, the feeling is beyond incredible.
It just matters more here.
Follow Nick on Twitter: @itssnick
Follow Nick on Bluesky: @itssnick
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
