Predicting the weather has been a tough enough gig for Punxsutawney Phil, so I am glad to see that editor Steph did not include the furry one among those ‘experts’ taking their guesses in this week’s edition as to the winner of Sunday’s Super Bowl showdown in New Orleans.
While big game LIX (59 for those of you not having a Roman Numeral calendar in your house) will be played in Louisiana, it could be subtitled ‘the Pennsylvania Bowl’ with many Keystone state roots and subplots surrounding the second meeting in the last three years between the Philadelphia Eagles and the history-seeking Kansas City Chiefs, who downed the brotherly lovers 38-35 in 2023.
Since the Eagles dominating record-shattering 55-23 win over the Washington Commanders, coupled with still another Chiefs playoff win over the Buffalo Bills (32-29) in their respective conference championships, the past two weeks have been overflowing with analysis dissecting each team’s pluses and minuses (of which there are few). But the Pennsylvania stamp on Sunday’s matchup is indelible.
It begins with Chief’s coach and former Eagles coach, Andy Reid, who has a spot in Canton, Ohio’s Football Hall of Fame reserved for him when he decides to step away from the sidelines. Remarkably, Reid holds the distinction of being the winningest coach in both team’s history.
Following several seasons as an assistant coach with Green Bay, Reid was hired as the Eagles head coach in 1999. In 14 years in the Bird’s Nest, he compiled a record of 130-93-1, winning six Division titles, appearing in five NFC championship games and one Super Bowl, and losing to the New England Patriots 24-21. Reid’s life was shattered in 2012 with the death of his son Garrett and a 4-14 Eagles record, which led to his firing.
He wasn’t unemployed long as the Chiefs, trying to rebound from a miserable 2-14 record, immediately hired him to take over in 2013. The rest, as they say, is history. In 12 years on the Chiefs reservation, Reid’s teams have not had a losing season, winning five AFC championships and three Super Bowls, and seeking to become the first team in NFL history to three-peat as Super Bowl champs. He has won 73% of the games with KC and has accumulated 301 career wins.
Reid did not head west empty-handed, bringing with him an Eagles scouting department employee, Brett Veach, himself a former football player and graduate of Mt. Carmel High School. The move proved insightful as Veach’s football expertise quickly moved him up the Chiefs administrative ranks, becoming the team’s general manager in 2017. Leading his first NFL Draft, Veach engineered the draft selection of quarterback Patrick Mahomes. During Veach’s tenure, Kansas City has won eight AFC West championships, four AFC Championships, and three Super Bowl crowns.
After a year of coaching turmoil during the 2023 season, the Eagles strengthened their own Pennsylvania roots with the hiring of Dunmore High School graduate Vic Fangio as their defensive coordinator. A graduate of East Stroudsburg University, Fangio had previously served as the DC for the San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans., Indianapolis Colts, and Carolina Panthers before getting his first head coaching position with the Denver Broncos.
Fangio’s defenses have consistently ranked among the most productive in the NFL, but a rocky year with the Miami Dolphins in 2023 led to a parting of the ways and his migration to Philadelphia as the Eagles DC this season. The move proved instrumental as the Birds’ defense is viewed as the NFL’s number one unit.
But the Eagles’ biggest Pennsylvania reunion came with the free agent signing of running back Saquon Barkley. The former New York Giant and Penn State Nittany Lion rushed for more than 2,000 yards, setting records for 50+ yard touchdown runs, and capped his sterling NFC championship game performance with three rushing TDs, leading the Eagles to a record-setting seven rushing touchdowns in a championship game.
A graduate of Whitehall Township, Barclay was a PA high school sensation as an all-state selection in 2014, including being named Mr. PA Football for Class AAA/AAAA.
His three-year (2015-2017) Penn State career included 3,843 yards and 51 touchdowns, leading to a first-round selection in the NFL Draft by the New York Giants. His Giants years were marked by injury and inconsistency, leading to his decision to become a free agent following the 2023 season.
Reports indicate Barclay turned down at least two bigger offers to sign a three-year, $37.75 million contract with the Eagles. He rationalized, “I decided that chasing Super Bowl rings close to home was worth not picking the highest bidder and landing further from contention.” Tis a decision that has Eagles fans rejoicing.
Three other former Penn State players will bask in the glamour and excitement of Super Bowl LIX. Wide receiver Jahan Dotson and cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields will suit up for the Eagles. Offensive lineman Hunter Nourzad will be wearing the Chiefs colors.
A few more days of talking and pre-game hype lay ahead, but the Pennsylvania influence on both teams will be a deciding factor in the game’s outcome.
