*Philadelphia, known as the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, demonstrated its devotion to the Philadelphia Eagles by attending their Super Bowl victory parade despite the frigid, windy weather.
Simply put: it was freezing. According to reports, over one and a half million fans turned out to celebrate the so-called underdogs who had become top dogs by winning the 59th Super Bowl.
A little over 5 miles the parade route stretched from the team’s home base, Lincoln Financial Field, to the steps of the famous Philadelphia Museum of Art. Most locals and tourists refer to these steps as “The Rocky Steps,” named after Rocky Balboa, the Sylvester Stallone character from the iconic movie series.
The victory program held on the museum steps used the Rocky Statue as a backdrop. This is quite significant, considering that just a few years ago; there was a protest about keeping the statue on the museum steps.
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Here are some highlights from the celebration:
All the celebrities who showed love for the Eagles pre and post Super Bowl somehow didn’t find their way to Philadelphia. But the city that has to grease its traffic lights to prevent people from climbing them didn’t need their validation that the parade was an A-list event.
Schools and businesses closed on Friday so that families could attend the parade. Fans were encouraged to use public transportation and actor and comedian Kevin Hart’s Gran Coramino Tequila, along with Nike and Duracell – yes batteries, covered the cost for tens of thousands of attendees. Normally, a single ride costs $2.50.
Kevin Hart took his involvement a step further, hiring product promoters to walk around the parade route with signs featuring an image of him holding a bottle of his tequila. However, many riders admitted they didn’t know or, as one fan put it, “didn’t care” who had paid for the free transportation.
The parade was a massive block party. In the residential section of the route—South Philly—fans turned out with folding lawn chairs, food, and drinks. Love was in the air, with one couple even getting engaged while waiting for the parade to start.
Philly entrepreneurs knew how to capitalize on the event, selling everything from shots of liquor on the streets to hand warmers and Philly soft pretzels, with music blasting from old-school boom boxes. Some blocks along the parade route even had DJs—because Philly loves its music. This part of the route had a family-friendly vibe. Kids tossed tennis balls and footballs across the street while waiting patiently for the parade to begin. However, as the caravan moved north, some fans started throwing beer cans—both opened and unopened.
Periodically, players got off the buses, giving fans the opportunity to take pictures, selfies, and even touch the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Saquon Barkley, walking along the parade route, spotted an Eagles staff member who had missed the caravan bus. In a moment of camaraderie, he pulled him over the barriers to join the team on the bus.
As the parade continued up Broad Street, the mood began to shift. Many fans had camped out overnight. To accommodate them, several bars opened early, offering promotions like buy-one-get-one-free shots to help attendees stay warm in the frigid weather.
DJ Diamond Kuts kept the crowd energized, but what started as a fun game of tossing balls back and forth across the street turned into fans throwing beer cans at the caravan. Howie Roseman, General Manager of the Philadelphia Eagles, was hit in the head with a beer can. Bleeding, he simply wiped off his forehead and kept moving. When he spoke at the podium on the Rocky Steps, he declared, “I bleed for this city.”
The next day, Roseman’s representatives—not affiliated with the Eagles—filed a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the phrase “I bleed for this city.” According to Yahoo Sports, he hopes to turn his misfortune into a merchandising opportunity to benefit charity.
Despite these antics, the players, head coach Nick Sirianni, and even Roseman continued to get off the buses and interact with fans.
Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts showcased his fashion sense from head to toe.
As a Jordan Brand-endorsed quarterback, he sported a black beret, worn backward like a baseball cap, along with a Jordan Brand Hurts loose-fitting hoodie featuring the words “Love Hurts” in red, wide-leg pants, and red and black sneakers.
Somewhere along the route, several team members pulled out cigars as they walked. The fans went wild. Jalen was seen holding the trophy in one hand and a cigar in the other—pure swagger.
When he reached the podium on the Rocky Steps, he said:
“When I got drafted, I told myself I wouldn’t come to the ‘Rocky’ steps until we won a championship. And now we’re here.”
He wasn’t the only one making a fashion statement. Josh Sweat wore the fur coat that Chris Long had worn to the team’s first Super Bowl parade after the 2017 season—though it looked a little worn.
And then there was the food. One fan roasted a full-sized pig and dressed it to resemble Patrick Mahomes, embossing it with the number 15 and topping its head with an afro wig. Oddly, people in the crowd were snacking on it.
Dietz & Watson gave their famous hot dogs an Eagles twist by serving them in green hot dog rolls. Even Jeopardy joined the fun, running an aerial banner to promote the show.
Eagles’ wide receiver Ainias Smith, who was listed as inactive for the Super Bowl hung out on the museum steps long after the program ended with his parents, Samyra and Maurice Smith.
Even though he didn’t play in the big game, he still gets a ring, so fans still stood in line to get a photo with him – after all he is a member of the winning team. And everybody loves a winner.
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