By Gabbie Burton
Contributing Writer

The night every Eagles fan has been impatiently waiting for finally arrived last Sunday night. Thousands of the faithful flocked for watch parties and celebrations across Chester County, with seemingly no Chiefs fans in sight, to watch their beloved Eagles get revenge for their Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs two years ago. 

To properly gauge the local fandom and admire the smackdown, I attended two bars with watch parties: Giordano’s in Kennett Square and the Octoraro Tavern (OTE) in Oxford, in order to get the full Chester County Super Bowl experience.

4:30 p.m.: The night begins at Giordano’s

Wearing my only Eagle-green shirt, I arrived in Giordano’s parking lot and had to sit for 20 minutes in an effort to relax, anticipating the night ahead of me. It might be worth noting now, I’m not really an Eagles fan, and my body entered fight or flight when I realized I’d be surrounded by so many of them on their biggest night of the year. My anxiety was begging for a win. 

The Giordano’s party started at 5:00 p.m., but fans were already taking up space at the bar and tables. The DJ, Andrew Hugh, began playing music at the party’s kickoff, an hour and a half before the actual kickoff. To fill the time, those in attendance ate, drank and bid on the gift card and Saquon Barkley jersey raffle benefiting Kennett Area Community Service (KACS). 

5:00 p.m.: A nun on the radio

After making the rounds in the bar, two fans -- Mark and Mary Kay Woodruff -- shared that they came just for the pregame party and would return home before kickoff. Actually, the pair had tickets to the game in New Orleans but revealed they sold them in order to enjoy the game with “their people,” here at home. 

This was a common theme for many of the fans in attendance. The day was about football, but behind that, the familial and friendly connections that drive the Eagle’s fanbase were on full display. 

Mary Doyle, Rusty Colp, and Mike and Tammy Clendenin were watching from the same table they sat in to watch the playoffs. 

“A nun on the radio said to keep everything the same,” Colp said. 

The family revealed they were not only in the exact same place, but ordered the same food and wore the same Eagles gear, changing nothing in order to protect the team’s luck. They explained the magic of the Eagles fandom. 

“Fans are passionate and very communal,” Doyle said. “Differences don’t matter.”

That is as long as you’re in the fandom. "Otherwise, they can be a bit rude, though.”

5:30 p.m.: A tally of jerseys

The bar was becoming increasingly more crowded but was still not packed. I took a lap to tally all the jerseys I could amidst the sea of green and Jalen Hurts’ #1 jersey was by far the most popular with 15 sightings followed by Saquon Barkley’s #26 and A.J. Brown’s #11 at five each. In the hour before kickoff, there were seven E-A-G-L-E-S chants that were assisted by the DJ. Repetition in the name of fanhood just doesn’t get old for these fans. 

6:00 p.m.: Community, love and family

Opening festivities began on the restaurant’s big-screen televisions and I acknowledged a noticeable uptick in drinks being prepared and going out. I found a corner with a clear view to watch both the game and the people. A group of women on the other end of the bar, closest to the DJ booth, were having way more fun than anyone else surrounding them, so I decided to get their take on the Eagles’ fandom. 

Darlene Christie described the fandom as “community, love and family.” She also shared Doyle’s earlier remark that differences don’t matter within the fandom. Is this the Eagles secret ingredient? I wonder if on the inside of the hardened, gritty and rowdy fanbase, there actually is a secret inclusive community?

First Quarter: Palpable passion

The bar erupted in a typical symphony of boos and jeers when the Chiefs were shown and claps and cheers for the Eagles. Chants of “You can’t do that,” begin with the group of 20-something guys next to me every time the Chiefs received a flag. 

The Eagles’ first touchdown of the night was overturned, setting up the famous Tush Push which saw Hurts shoved through bodies into the end zone. The place erupted. Nearly everyone leapt off their seats, screaming, shaking pom poms and high fiving. The passion across the room was palpable. Drinks kept flowing, as did the spirit and optimism of the fans.

Second Quarter: Dancing ensues

Cooper DeJean’s pick six managed to bump the energy of the room even higher, giving the Eagles a 17-0 lead. Joey Haass shared that he has never felt more confident in a game in his life despite his friend, Eric O’Neill, revealing his prior stress all week. Hass had $100 in bets riding on the game, or at least that’s how much he was willing to reveal in front of his girlfriend, she said.

O’Neill shared that same unique passion and excitement that only Eagles fans seem to muster before ultimately concluding, “If you’re not an Eagles fan, we hate you.” A.J. Brown’s touchdown pushed the lead 24-0 and pushed the confidence of the fans even higher. The music during commercial breaks grew louder and dancing ensued. 

Halftime: Driving down Route 1

As the second quarter came to a close, I left Giordano’s for the 26-minute trek back to Oxford. I decided to go to the OTE as I can’t report at the bar I work at but still wanted to highlight my home Oxford crowd.  

I missed Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show but had my own, blasting Chappell Roan in my car down Route 1, headed to my next destination. 

Third Quarter: ‘Unbelievable’

I arrived at the OTE in a whirlwind, but I’ve seen larger crowds here before. I was greeted by the friendly faces of some regulars and the team working there while being offered food and drinks. Before I knew it, nearly half of the quarter flew by. 

I was introduced to Daryl Thomas, a lifelong Eagles fan. While Thomas was cautiously optimistic about the direction of the game, he shared his insights on this year’s team. 

“They are showcasing the team they’ve been all season right now,” he said. “They have worked harder than any other team in the NFL.”

Jennifer Stoltzfus was simply awed by the Eagles’ dominance. Describing the night as “unbelievable,” she shared her excitement. 

“These are the most supportive fans around,” she said. “There’s so many of us here right now and we just love Philadelphia. I’m feeling optimistic.”

The Eagles extended their lead to 34-0 before allowing the Chiefs to score, but no one at the OTE cared. The boos weren’t quite so loud now, and people were swatting their hands and scoffing at the Chiefs’ first touchdown. 

“Let them have it,” someone said. 

While no one quite said it out loud, the whole room knew the 34-6 deficit was too great and that the Eagles would win this year’s Super Bowl.

Fourth Quarter: All of the victory, none of the drama

The OTE was buzzing. The Birds kept adding to their score, first 37-6 then up to 40-6 and everyone exploded with each score. At that point, the celebrations consisted more of hugs than anything else. The end was in sight and everyone was ecstatic.

“Oh my God, we’re so good,” someone yelled. 

Chiefs manage to move their score to 14 and then 22, but again, no one really cares. “You still suck!” was the last jeer of the night. 

Celebrating a Super Bowl win without the drama of a close game gave a sense of levity and relief to the room but was also semi-anticlimactic, although I didn’t think any of the real fans minded that.

Game Over: The Eagles win their second Super Bowl championship, and the party continues to the balcony 

When the Eagles were declared the winners of the Super Bowl, the OTE faithful roared louder than ever, to the sound of champagne bottles popping and people yelling “Cheers” over their shots, and all through it – all through the noise – were sighs of relief, pats on the back, laughs and high-fives.

The whole room seemed to embrace each other to celebrate. The party continued to the balcony of the OTE, where cars driving by lay on their horns and fireworks blazed off in the distance. 

One attendee, Gary Franklin, shared why this win is different from their last and what it means to the fans. 

“This is different because it’s Mahomes,” he said. “This is our revenge game, and we deserved to win.”

The largest takeaway of the night is that Eagles mania will continue to remain strong here in Chester County. To understand the Eagles fandom, it comes back to the City of Philadelphia itself, the City of Brotherly Love – a love that’s tough, honest, unwavering and all encompassing – just like those Eagles fans who see the team through no matter what. 

To contact Contributing Writer Gabbie Burton, email [email protected].