An enormous crowd of Eagles fans showed up and showed out for their favorite team, lining the 4-mile parade route and filling the Ben Franklin Parkway to the brim as the city celebrated the team’s NFL championship on a cold Valentine’s Day.
The event culminated in speeches from the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Gov. John Shapiro, Mayor Cherelle Parker, team officials including owner Jeff Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman (“we’re coming back for more,” he yelled in brief remarks) and several players, including quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley.
“When I was a rookie, I told myself I wouldn’t go to the Rocky steps until we had a championship, and now we’re here,” Hurts said in his remarks.
There was no Jason Kelce speech this year, but lineman Jordan Mailata led the crowd in a short piece from the Queen song, “We Are the Champions.”
The crowd was enormous, certainly larger than the previous title parade seven years earlier. No estimates have been provided on the number of attendees.
The parade was marred by a shooting, in which two women were injured, according to CBS3, apparently the result of a dispute over a port-o-potty. Both were taken to a hospital, but the injuries were not thought to be serious.
Check out these 25 photos from photographer Lewis Warner.
(Photo by Lou Warner) 
(Photo by Lou Warner) 
(Photo by Lou Warner) 
Fans in South Philly watch the parade pass by. (Photo by Lou Warner) 
(Photo by Lou Warner) 
(Photo by Lou Warner) 
(Photo by Lou Warner) 
(Photo by Lou Warner) 
(Photo by Lou Warner) 
(Photo by Lou Warner) 
(Photo by Lou Warner) 
(Photo by Lou Warner) 
(Photo by Lou Warner) 
(Photo by Lou Warner) 
(Photo by Lou Warner) 
(Photo by Lewis Warner) 
(Photo by Lewis Warner) 
(Photo by Lewis Warner) 
(Photo by Lewis Warner) 
(Photo by Lewis Warner) 
(Photo by Lewis Warner) 
(Photo by Lewis Warner) 
(Photo by Lewis Warner) 
(Photo by Lewis Warner) 
(Photo by Lewis Warner)
Getting the party started
In the morning, Hurts (wearing a “Love, Hurts” hoodie that echoed the Nike ad campaign that started several weeks ago) and Graham were atop the first bus in the procession leaving the stadium complex around 11 a.m. Friday, with the Lombardi Trophy in tow. Not long after leaving the stadium complex, the second bus stopped so Barkley could say hi to some lucky fans.
Earlier, Barkley spoke to 6ABC while carrying a case of Bud Light to his bus. “I’m super excited,” he said. “This is part of the whole journey of winning and the stuff you dream about as a kid too.”
In other news:
- Chris Long’s famous fur coat from the last Super Bowl parade is back, worn by defensive end Josh Sweat.
- Roseman was struck in the head by a beer can thrown by a fan. He started his brief remarks at the art museum by saying, “I bleed for this city!”
- Backup offensive lineman Nick Gates went shirtless during the parade.
- Mayor Cherelle Parker showed up and led fans in a chant of “one Philly, a united city.”
Early start
Thousands of Eagles fans were up and getting their spots on the parade route before the sun rose this Valentine’s Day.
By 8 a.m., hundreds of fans had converged upon the Philadelphia Museum of Art staking out prime spots for the parade’s grand finale and the players’ speeches. Meanwhile, about three miles south, hundreds more lined up outside the gates of Lincoln Financial field where the team’s buses will begin their celebratory trek through South Philly.
By 10 a.m., those fans numbered in the many thousands.
At the Linc, Andrew Wallace, 24, waited with family and friends. He flew in from California to attend the parade. He expects to have more chances to fly east in the coming years.
“We might be growing up in a dynasty right now, honestly. Everybody’s young,” he said. “[Jalen] Hurts, Saquan [Barkley], the whole offense, everybody’s locked up … We’re looking at greatness right now. The city is at an all-time high.”
Jillian Trunbull was up at 4 a.m. to gather her crew for the trip north from Claymont, Delaware. She said being an Eagles fan is a lifetime family affair.
“I have loved the Eagles since I was born. Fly Eagles fly. I bleed green,” she said. “My husband is the biggest Eagles fan, my dad is a really big Eagles fan, so they couldn’t be here today, so I’m coming down here for them.”
At LOVE Park, Nike updated the iconic LOVE statue to honor quarterback Jalen Hurts.
WHYY’s Peter Crimmins reports that there have been several proposals at the park, as well as a wedding earlier this morning, at the statue.
Missed the first one
Anthony Faline, from Wilmington, worked all night before meeting up with his family and friends to head to the parade. Having missed the 2018 parade because he was working, he was determined to not miss out this time around.
“I decided I wanted to come up and see what the hubbub was about,” he said. But he admits watching the second win wasn’t quite as sweet as seeing the Birds win Super Bowl 52 seven years ago. “It wasn’t quite like the first time, but it was definitely enjoyable watching them destroy history, basically.”
The crowd at the art museum continued to swell through the early morning hours. The giant jumbotrons along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway started showing a replay of Super Bowl 59 around 8:40 a.m., giving the waiting crowd something to watch (and cheer along with) while they waited for the parade to begin.
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Nick Kariuki and Meir Rinde, from WHYY’s Billy Penn, and WHYY’s Tom MacDonald and Peter Crimmins contributed to this story.
Eagles coverage on Billy Penn:
- We spoke to ‘Inner Excellence’ author Jim Murphy, who has a message — you’re more than your wins and losses
- Eagles fans still see team as ‘underdogs’ — even while celebrating Super Bowl win
- Eagles support group grapples with something new — a happy ending
- SEPTA, NJ Transit parade plans explained
- Love in the air: Eagles fans propose amid Super Bowl celbrations on Valentine’s Day
- Photos: Scenes from the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory party
- Will the Eagles visit White House after Super Bowl win? They didn’t last time
