Just before 10 p.m. Sunday, Philadelphia erupted into a sea of green in a way it hadn’t since 2018.
What started as a few scattered “Go Birds” along Broad Street quickly swelled into a thunderous roar as thousands of Temple students flooded the streets, leaving their watch parties behind to storm City Hall in celebration of the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX victory.
Student energy was palpable — swarms of ecstatic fans gathered under the haze of fireworks and marched to Center City together. Not even a subway shutdown could prevent their two-mile journey.
“This is the best day of my life,” said Charlie Mazaleski, a senior supply management major.
The Philadelphia Eagles crushed the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday night 40-22 in a blowout victory. The Chiefs didn’t score until the third quarter, by which point the Eagles had already accumulated 34 points.
“I’m pretty sure I blacked out just from adrenaline,” said Amelia Fetco, a junior advertising major. “The game was just exhilarating. That was the best they ever played. And Jalen Hurts is the MVP of my life.”
Many students had faith in their beloved home sports team, even after the Eagles lost to the Chiefs during Super Bowl LVII in 2023. Kansas City was aiming for a three-peat, after narrowly defeating the Eagles in 2023 and the San Francisco 49ers in 2024.
Some fans in Center City climbed on top of salt trucks and let off fireworks in the middle of the street. Broad Street turned into a sidewalk, as thousands of fans poured toward City Hall. Devoted Eagles supporters dodged cars and sang chants during their lengthy walk to and from campus.
During past high-stakes Philly sporting events, students’ passion turned destructive, spurring multiple warnings from Temple administration ahead of Sunday’s game and an increased police presence on campus during celebrations, The Temple News reported. Ahead of the 2023 Super Bowl, two students turned themselves in after flipping a car during a block party on Arlington Street near 17th.
On Feb. 6 the university urged students not to commit acts of vandalism and warned them of disciplinary or criminal consequences.
“Even behavior that isn’t breaking the law may prove disruptive or disrespectful to our neighbors,” the statement wrote.
Yesterday’s Super Bowl victory means the world to some Temple seniors, who have longed for a moment like this for their entire college careers. Aidan Kosich, a senior business major, felt over the moon with excitement to end his time at Temple with an Eagles win.
“Listen, it was always our year,” Kosich said. “It took the Avengers two times to beat Thanos. [Patrick] Mahomes is Thanos.”
After the Eagles succumbed to the Chiefs in a close 38-35 loss during their previous Super Bowl match, many students were left disappointed, but never without hope for a comeback. The Eagles steadily dominated throughout their game on Sunday, never leaving fans a chance to doubt they would come out on top.
“I had this insane feeling in my chest the day before,” Fetco said. “And I was like, ‘We are gonna win this game.’ And then during the game, I’m like, ‘What’d I say?’”
Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance stirred controversial discussions online and on campus. Lamar’s infamous beef with Drake was brought to the surface when he said “Hey Drake,” and smiled at the camera. Lamar also brought tennis superstar Serena Williams, Drake’s ex-girlfriend, onstage to further his diss.
Stephen Mistalski, a junior sports and recreation management major, was thoroughly entertained by the performance and supported Lamar’s decisions.
“Bringing Serena Williams too, onto the stage to dance,” Mistalski said. “It’s just insane. Yeah, he did everything that he got told not to do. So I’m kind of happy about that.”
Many students feel the Eagles represent a sentiment more important than sports. Justin Kahrimanian, a senior finance major, credits Philadelphia sports teams for being the face of fortitude for the city.
“I’ll tell you what this means,” Kharimanian said. “All of the hard work that goes into not only the team, but the city of Philadelphia — that goes into all the hard work. All the grit, all the pain and suffering that is a Philadelphia sports fan.”
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