The City of Brotherly Love is a city of champions once again.
On Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX, avenging their championship loss in 2023 and giving the franchise its second Super Bowl title. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts took home the Most Valuable Player award after throwing for 221 yards and two touchdowns while adding 72 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.
As the game clock reached zero, thousands from across the city flocked to Broad Street to celebrate the Birds’ victory, including many students from Penn. Among them were Philadelphia natives, lifelong Eagles fans, and those new to American football as a sport. But in the moment, one feeling united them all: joy.
“I never expected to be in school in Philadelphia, and I never expected the Eagles to go to two Super Bowls,” College junior Krystof Purtell, a lifelong Eagles fan, told The Daily Pennsylvanian. “But here we are. I feel like I’m in a dream and I’m gonna wake up any moment.”
"The last time we won the Super Bowl, I was in middle school, and I never went to the parade," Engineering sophomore Paree Pasi, a Philadelphia native, said. "It was really nice to be at Penn and celebrate with my friends."
“I’m from Europe — I can’t believe I came to Philadelphia and we won the Super Bowl in my four years. Insane,” College senior and Penn track and field jumper Benedikt Sachta, who hails from the Czech Republic, said. “[I’ve been a football fan for] the past two years. I finally understood the rules, and I love it now.”
By defeating Kansas City, the Eagles prevented the Chiefs from becoming the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls. That run began with 2023’s Super Bowl Super Bowl LVII, when the Chiefs defeated the Eagles 38-35.
Many Philadelphians still remember the sting of that defeat, which made the victory over Kansas City all the sweeter.
“It’s a sign of redemption,” Drexel student Jabez Hahm said. “We lost before to the Chiefs. … It’s a sign of coming back and never backing down.”
“It shows that Philadelphia is a city of fighters,” city resident Autumn Askins said. “When the Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2018, I was at school in Pittsburgh. They didn’t get it. It's great to be back.”
The game went the Eagles' way from the opening quarter. After a dominant two-way performance saw them open up a 24-0 halftime lead, Philadelphia continued to control the game into the third quarter, highlighted by a 46-yard touchdown strike from Hurts to wide receiver DeVonta Smith to put the Eagles up 34-0. At that point, the flow of people toward Center City began, with the result only a matter of time on the clock.
Many students also expressed excitement at the prospect of canceled classes: when the Eagles won Super Bowl LII in 2018, Penn suspended University operations for the Thursday after the win as the city celebrated the team’s Super Bowl parade. The Eagles announced Sunday night that this year's parade will take place Friday, Feb. 14.
The University has not made an official announcement regarding class cancellation, but that did not stop Penn students from anticipating the day off.
“That’s maybe 90% of the reason I was cheering, I’m going to be honest,” Engineering sophomore Joe MacDougall said with a smile.
“[This win] means everything to me — I don’t have to take my test,” College junior Kailey Ayisi said.
The scene at Broad Street was bedlam for a city that prides itself on its sport spirit. Crowds gathered around City Hall and the surrounding area, setting off fireworks and breaking out in a series of chants including the team’s famed “E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!” cry. It was a similar sight to the Eagles’ last Super Bowl win, when Center City was also swept into pandemonium.
For a franchise that has existed since 1933, it was a moment of magnitude, with a second Super Bowl title coming just seven years after the first.
And for a city that has loved its Birds through thick and thin, it was a moment of camaraderie, with Philadelphians from all walks of life coming together under the confetti.
“This win means a lot. It means a lot for the city,” MacDougall said. “… This is truly magical. There’s something about this city. It brings everyone together.”
“Go Birds,” Wharton junior and Penn football wide receiver Bisi Owens said.
“I was originally born in Chicago,” Wharton first year Ayan Sayani said. “But today, I was born in Philadelphia.”
Sports Editors Valeri Guevarra and Sean McKeown, Deputy Sports Editor Justin Lee, and Staff Reporters Anvi Sehgal and Ayana Chari contributed reporting to this story.
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