Franchise Moments: Philly's Top Moment of the Past Decade
Not many teams have been as dominant as the 
Eagles in the modern era. With two Super Bowls and plenty of crazy moments to pair, Philly fans sure have plenty to be annoying about.
When thinking of that "franchise-defining moment" in the last decade, many people look back to 2016 when Howie Roseman was reinstated as the general manager. This moment sure was pivotal for their success to come, but was it the top moment?
Flash forward and you look at once franchise quarterback Carson Wentz tearing his ACL in Week 14 of the 2017 season. Fans on NFL betting apps thought this would be the end of their historic year... boy, were they wrong.
Following a Super Bowl win that would go down in history, the Eagles experienced a brief period of mediocrity. That wasn't until the inaugural Jalen Hurts 4th-and-1 QB sneak against the Saints in 2022. This was no ordinary sneak, as it would go on to be coined the "Tush Push" and annoy sports fans all over the country to this day.
Then, most recently, there was the signing of Saquon Barkley. This Greek demigod would do things running backs dreamed of and help return the Lombardi Trophy to the city of Philadelphia once again in 2024.
But - for RotoWire's NFL Franchise-Defining Moments campaign - we're thinking about the biggest moment for the Eagles in recent history. While they beat the Chiefs in a game that all of America was somehow rooting for a team from Philly, another Super Bowl moment comes to mind when brainstorming.
If that amazing build-up wasn't enough, here is what tops the RotoWire staff vote...
Eagles' Top Moment of the Last Ten Years
The winner: Nick Foles' Philly Special (Super Bowl LII)
The play that @Eagles fans will never forget: PHILLY SPECIAL 🦅
(Via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/9UI9h4vcsv
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) January 30, 2020
Given that "Philly" is literally in the name of this iconic play, it wasn't too hard to coin it the franchise definer for this team in the modern era. An afterthought quarterback beating the Goat? Doug Pederson out-coaching Bill Bellicheck? No way, right?
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Everybody counted the Eagles out after Carson Wentz went down with an ACL tear in the latter half of the 2017 season. When Nick Foles stepped up to the plate, there was just about as much hope for him as there is when you see Tim Boyle warming up after a QB1 injury. The magnitude of this playoff run can't be understated, and Nick Foles was at the center.
With less than a minute left in the first half and Philadelphia up by just three, Doug Pederson made a ballsy decision. This decision wouldn't seal the deal, but it would go on to categorize a game that would eventually go in the Eagles' favor. Not only this, but the trick play also marked the first receiving touchdown by a quarterback in Super Bowl history. It was also the first undrafted rookie tight end (Trey Burton) to throw a touchdown in the Super Bowl, but who cares about that?
While Justin Timberlake's halftime show was awesome, I think this moment was a bit awesome-er.
Everything about the play was perfect, and it wouldn't have been right if the Eagles didn't eventually win the game. I also forgot to mention that this was their FIRST SUPER BOWL. Even if you removed the cool factor of the play, the context still makes the Philly Special the franchise-defining moment. Most NFL fans can safely say it also defines the modern NFL era.
Will The Eagles Ever Top This?
The Eagles have had plenty of moments after the Philly Special that will go down in history. Opening Pandora's Box with the first Tush Push, beating the Chiefs in the Super Bowl to stop the three-peat, or even Nick Siriani being a cotton-headed ninny muggins all the time. All of these moments have made the Eagles who they are, but I don't think they'll ever top that Philly Special.
Maybe it was all the factors that contributed, but I doubt that Philadelphia will ever experience a moment with such significance. When you think about Philly, you first think about how god-awful their fans are and how much it sucks to be there. But after that first thought, you think about this play.
That, my friends, is why the RotoWire staff landed on it as THE top moment of the modern era for this team. Stay tuned for more, but in the meantime, thank Carson Wentz for tearing his ACL.
More About The Campaign
The RotoWire expert panel voted to select the single most franchise-defining moment from the last 10 years for all 32 NFL teams. Voting has now closed. The results power a 33-article editorial series published across RotoWire ahead of the NFL season -- one dedicated article per franchise, plus one overarching piece covering the broader trends and standout moments across the league.
