While the Dallas Cowboys have long claimed the crown of “America’s Team” (don’t ask me how they got it – I won’t waste time researching), the Eagles have built something more authentic, more defiant, and frankly, more relevant to our times. The Cowboys and Eagles are mortal enemies, sure, but it goes deeper than that. They’re not like us. They never were.
Take the Kansas City Chiefs – they’re giving off serious Cowboys energy these days. No, they are not treating their players like enslaved Africans, like Dallas owner Jerry Jones. And, yes, there’s the obvious weird “Cowboys and Indians” dynamic, but it’s more than that. Their quarterback Patrick Mahomes, talented as he is, represents what mainstream America seems to prefer: excellence without disruption, Blackness without challenge. Mahomes is the NFL’s Drake – Black, but perfectly aligned with the status quo. Add the Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift “All American” romance, and you’ve got a PR-ready package that fits comfortably within existing power structures.
But the Eagles? We’re built different. Philadelphia is a blue-collar, hard-nosed city with an informal motto that says it all: “Nobody likes us, we don’t care.” After winning the 2017-2018 Super Bowl, the team declined Trump’s White House invitation. This year, when they were asked about visiting again, the majority said no. Trump, in classic fashion, reportedly “revoked” their invitation after they’d already turned him down. That’s the Eagles for you – standing on business.
Consider our track record. The Eagles have started more Black quarterbacks than any other NFL franchise, starting with Randall Cunningham. Cunningham wasn’t just a quarterback; he was the blueprint for today’s mobile QB. He destroyed the bland stereotypes about pocket passers, and also gnawed away at the notion that Blacks could not be leaders. I won’t delve into what they said about our intelligence.
When Michael Vick was vilified by white America, who gave him a second chance? The Philadelphia Eagles. They dusted him off, built him back up, and now he’s a legend. That’s what Philly does – we take the discarded and turn them back into greatness. We know people are imperfectly perfect and we’re empathetic souls when we want to be.
Now we’ve got Jalen Hurts – almost perfect in an Obama-like way – who faces endless scrutiny despite his winning record. When he donned that Malcolm X hat after beating Kansas City in November 2023, it wasn’t a fashion statement – it was a message. His all-female (majority Black) management team? Also a message. The Eagles signing of Saquon Barkley after the Giants disrespected him? You guessed it – message.
We see value in things others miss.
This matters more than ever. As we watch DEI initiatives being rolled back, as Nazi symbols creep back into public spaces, as political forces try to drag us backward, the Eagles stand as a counterpoint. When The Eagle’s Autumn Lockwood became the first Black female assistant coach to win a Super Bowl, her smile said everything. “God is so good,” she said – reminding us that from our ancestors to now, faith and progress have always gone hand in hand.
Being “Black America’s Team” doesn’t mean the Eagles aren’t for everybody – quite the opposite. Like Hip-Hop, which grew from Black expression to become a global force, the Eagles represent values that unite us all: resilience, authenticity, and the courage to speak truth to power. When institutions support Black excellence, everyone benefits. Just ask the Trump voters that voted against their own interests. Now they watch their own opportunities disappear, realizing too late that oppression doesn’t discriminate among the non-elite.
The Eagles symbolize something bigger than football and I could go on and on. I m mention that Kendrick Lamar’s polarizing halftime show was the perfect compliment to the Eagles victory. Hate it. We don’t care. Real talk: Super Bowl LIV was David versus Goliath, biblical in scale. They take down giants. They defy the establishment. (Salute head Coach Nick Sirianni for being thee best! Critics be damned.) The players are led by a Black quarterback who believes in Black love and Black excellence. And they win – not just games, but cultural victories.
As Kendrick Lamar put it, “We’re what the culture’s feeling.” And right now, the culture is feeling the Eagles – a team that proves sometimes the most American thing you can do is challenge America to be better. Do better.
That’s why they’re Black America’s Team. And this is why it matters.
