The Philadelphia Eagles began professional play in the NFL in 1933 as an expansion team. Their first decade in existence was a rough one, with the team struggling both to field a competitive team and to pay the bills. In 1943 there was a shortage of players caused by WW2.
The team merged with the Eagles to form the Phil-Pitt Steagles. In 1944 the Eagles were back and they went to the championship game. In 1948 they went back to the championship game against the same Cardinals team that had beaten them before and found their revenge. 1949 would find them retaining their title as champs, but it would take until 1960 for the Eagles to find their way back to the championship game, and they would take down the Packers to win it. The team would not fair well for quite a while following that win. In 1970, the AFL/NFL merger was completed. This was the era in which the rivalry with the Giants would begin.
It would not be until 1976 and the hiring of Dick Vermeil that things would start looking up for the Birds. In 1978 they were in the playoffs. In 1980 they made it to the Super Bowl, losing to the Raiders. The Eagles had trouble recreating that success and Vermeil left after the 1982 season, saying it was simply burn-out. Buddy Ryan would come in as coach in 1986 and breathe some life into the team. 1988, ’89, and ’90 saw them in the playoffs. The team went back to the playoffs in the 1992 ‘Bring it Home for Jerome’ season. Following that season, a familiar theme appeared. In seasons in which the team would play well, they would go to the playoffs and exit early. Ownership wanted that to change and Andy Reid was hired as head coach.
In the 2000 opener, the hottest game in league history, the Eagles were victorious over Dallas. The Eagles went to the playoffs that year, as they would in ’01, ’02 ‘ 03, and ’04. Winning the division the last four, and making it to the Super Bowl in 2004. In 2006 they won the division again. Following those years, a string of less-than-successful seasons led to the firing of Reid after the 2012 season. Chip Kelly was named the new coach.
Kelly had the team winning the division again in his first year. However with a poor 2013, and a worse 2014, Kelly was released with one game remaining in ’14, and Nick Shurmer was named as interim coach.
Doug Pederson was named the permanent replacement and in 2017 the Eagles brought home the Vince Lombardi trophy. Even with an injury-plagued 2018, the Eagles were back in the playoffs and they would win the division again in 2019. With new coach Nick Sirianni the Eagles have been right back in the thick of the playoffs the last two years. With a strong core of talent, 2023 is looking good.
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Let us hear from the City of Brotherly Love in the live chat as you watch your team take on long-time rival New York Giants and in-state rival Pittsburgh Steelers, on four HD streams. You won’t have to sign-up, you won’t have a blackout game and you never have to miss a play. Make NFL Webcast your home for Eagles football in 2023! FLY EAGLES FLY!