Fresh off their first Super Bowl title, the Philadelphia Eagles arrived home to a hero’s welcome Monday afternoon, hours after overjoyed fans mobbed the streets in a sometimes unruly victory celebration nearly 60 years in the making.
Hundreds of fans greeted the team’s plane at Philadelphia International Airport, cheering and singing “Fly Eagles Fly” as Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie emerged with the Lombardi Trophy.
After getting off the plane, Lurie, Coach Doug Pederson and stars like tight end Zach Ertz and running back LeGarrette Blount approached the chain-link fence separating the underdog Eagles from the fans, smiling, pumping their arms and shooting video with their phones. Fans stood on cars and news trucks to catch a glimpse.
“It’s been a long journey to redemption,” said John Hall, 49, who works at Philadelphia’s public transit agency. “We don’t have to hear the negative anymore, that we don’t have a ring. It’s official now.”
Dan Mazzoli, 53, a disabled construction worker and die-hard fan from New Jersey, shared the moment with his 12-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter.
“We’ve been waiting for this all our lives,” he said.
Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, the unassuming backup quarterback who took over for injured star Carson Wentz and played brilliantly throughout the playoffs, wasn’t on the team plane. Foles headed — where else? — to Disney World, riding a float at the Orlando resort and fist-bumping Mickey Mouse amid a shower of green confetti.
Pats mum on Butler benching
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was no more forthcoming on Monday about his surprise benching of one-time Super Bowl star Malcolm Butler.
Speaking on a conference call the day after the team blew its chance at a sixth NFL title with a 41-33 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Belichick said “there are a lot of things that go into that.” He declined to be specific.
Butler’s interception in the end zone in the final minute of the Super Bowl against Seattle clinched New England’s 2014 NFL title.
He had been one of the Patriots’ steadiest players this season, appearing in 98 percent of the defensive snaps and starting 17 of 18 games.
But the defensive back made it on the field for only one play on Sunday — on special teams. He appeared to be crying during the national anthem. And after the game, he told ESPN he “could have changed that game.”
Said Belichick: “I respect Malcolm’s competitiveness, and I’m sure that he felt like he could have helped. I’m sure other players felt the same way.”
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