As the final whistle blew at the Super Bowl on Sunday night, the Philadelphia Eagles charged onto the field in New Orleans, with confetti raining down inside the Superdome. The stadium resonated with the catchy strains of their fight song, “Fly Eagles Fly,” booming through the speakers.
The chant of “E-A-G-L-E-S” erupted from every corner of the massive 83,000-seat arena. Fans kicked their celebrations up a notch, decked out in beads and sequins, mimicking bird wings with flapping arms, and lifting each other into the air in pure jubilation.
Philadelphia enthusiasts had plenty to cheer about, as the Eagles claimed victory over Kansas City, 40-22, halting the Chiefs’ bid to set a historic record with three consecutive Super Bowl wins.
Bathed in green lights, Eagles fans poured out of the stadium, exchanging whistles and high-fives with strangers and dancing in time to a drum band, while the Chiefs supporters trudged past in glum silence.
Throughout the game, the thrill extended far beyond the turf. President Trump, a guest of Gayle Benson, the owner of the New Orleans Saints, watched part of the contest from a luxury suite. He was accompanied by family members, including his daughter Ivanka Trump and his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, as well as members of Congress, such as Speaker Mike Johnson. Meanwhile, in another section of the stadium, the former First Lady Jill Biden rooted for the Eagles alongside her grandson, Robert Hunter Biden.
The arena was buzzing with high-profile spectators. While Taylor Swift, Paul Rudd, and other notable Chiefs fans watched with bated breath as their team struggled, Eagles supporters—including actor Bradley Cooper, comedian Kevin Hart, and actress Anne Hathaway—cheered excitedly throughout the venue.
“It was pure domination,” exclaimed Phil Minissale, 38, a beverage sales specialist based in New Orleans who hails from Philadelphia. Decked out in a feathery eagle mask, his eyes glistening with emotion, he shared, “I’m emotional about the game.”
Having splurged $2,900 on a last-minute ticket just hours before kickoff, Mr. Minissale had no regrets. “Money comes and goes, but this is a magical night,” he enthused.
From the moment the teams were introduced, it was evident that the Superdome crowd heavily favored the Eagles. Exiting the venue, fans launched an impromptu block party that engulfed the defeated Chiefs fans who had to navigate through the exuberant throngs.
Shawn Laroda, a 54-year-old retired welder living near Philadelphia, stood outside with friends, puffing on a special cigar he’d brought all the way by plane just for the occasion. “I think we’re going to take a few whiskey shots before going to bed,” he laughed, still absorbing the game’s outcome.
Meanwhile, Dahiana Torres, 48, a nurse from Bradenton, Florida with Philadelphia roots, handed out green whistles to the jubilant crowd, shouting, “Go Birds.” She spent the game watching from a nearby bar before moving as close to the stadium as possible to soak in the atmosphere. “I just want to stand here and cheer,” she declared. “We were the underdogs, and now we’ve shown them otherwise.”
Taylor Barber, 24, a Dallas-based teacher, had personal ties to the team. “My cousin is an Eagle!” she shouted into the crowd, referring to Milton Williams, an Eagles defensive tackle. Sporting his number 93 on her shirt and rocking knee-high green boots, she and her fellow teacher friends set off for the Eagles’ postgame celebration, determined to party harder than the players themselves, said Jessie Ulmer, 23, confidently sporting a football-shaped sequined purse and gold cowboy boots.
“We’re going to drink like we are the ones who won,” she proclaimed with a laugh.
Other fans headed toward the famed French Quarter for their celebrations. Siblings Brooke and Shane Felgoise, hailing from Baton Rouge but originally from Philadelphia, were bound for Bourbon Street, the epicenter of football fun all weekend. Brooke, 23, had already taken the day off from her job at a law firm. Their mother’s surprise game tickets had set the celebration in motion earlier that week.
“I wish we could celebrate on Broad Street, but Bourbon Street will be fun,” said Shane, 19, a freshman at Louisiana State University. “There are so many Eagles fans here it feels like home.”
