Times have changed. Once the low-hanging fruit of “no rings” jokes, the Philadelphia Eagles are the NFC’s model franchise. Let’s examine their history in the 21st century, and where they stand today.
Eagles’ Stats in the 21st Century
According to StatMuse, the Eagles possess the NFC’s second-best record (231-155-2) in the 21st century, trailing only the Green Bay Packers. Winning 59.54% of their games since the 2001 NFL season, the Birds are, evidently, a recipe to copy.
In the playoffs, the Eagles have the NFL’s most wins behind the New England Patriots, with 19 to their name. Aside from the Kansas City Chiefs, they’re the only team with multiple Super Bowl championships since 2017. They’ve accounted for half of the NFC’s Super Bowl victories in the past decade.
With eight NFC Championship Game appearances since 2001, the Eagles lead the pack. They’ve been in one-third of NFC Championship Games in that span, and have five more appearances than the rest of their division (Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and Washington Commanders) combined.
The Eagles have had more Super Bowl wins since 2017 than the Cowboys and Commanders have had NFC Championship Game appearances since 1997.
Why the Eagles Have Been Successful
There are a lot of reasons the Eagles have been so successful. In the 2000s, they were led by an excellent defense, a mastermind head coach (Andy Reid), and Donovan McNabb under center. They didn’t win any championships, to be clear, but they established themselves as one of the best organizations in football.
In 2017, the Eagles really took a jump after some forgettable seasons throughout the 2010s. Led by aggressive general manager Howie Roseman, the team won its first Super Bowl. After a steady decline into an eventual rebuild, things didn’t look good for him—many called for his head.
Roseman’s ability to escape that rebuild is what really transformed the franchise. In an instant, the team went from bad with a relatively old core to young and promising. Led by sophomore Jalen Hurts, rookie DeVonta Smith, a veteran offensive line, and a solid defense, they made the playoffs. After adding superstar receiver A.J. Brown and some more pieces to their defense, they made the Super Bowl.
They lost that Super Bowl, though, and things could have gone badly for them afterward. The Cincinnati Bengals are an example—they lost the Big Game in the 2021 season, lost in the AFC Championship the next season, and missed the playoffs back-to-back.
The Eagles are not the Bengals. Thanks to a trade to acquire the New Orleans Saints’ 2023 first-round pick in the previous offseason, they were able to trade up for and draft now-superstar defensive tackle Jalen Carter. The team won 10 of their first 11 in the 2023 season but fell apart. They were blown out in the Wildcard Game.
Instead of being content, the Eagles signed superstar running back Saquon Barkley, following the retirement of crucial center Jason Kelce. The addition of Barkley, plus new offensive and defensive coordinators and depth pieces, helped the Eagles return to the Super Bowl. Not only did they return, but they beat the brakes off the Chiefs team that beat them two years prior, 40-22.
Notice the aggressiveness? That’s not normal. Roseman is a general manager who is willing to take major risks for major rewards. While others are afraid to put their job on the line, his disregard for personal consequences has allowed him to be one of the best in the business.
By the way, that takes an incredible owner to do. Jeffrey Lurie isn’t invasive and gives Roseman the space to do what he needs to do. If a risk needs to be taken, Lurie is okay with letting that happen. He could’ve easily fired Roseman following the 2020 season, when the Eagles finished 4-11-1 and had a seemingly long rebuild ahead of them. Not doing so is why Philadelphia is a city of champions again.
That’s how you become a model franchise in the NFL.
The Eagles used to be the least successful franchise in the NFC East. While that’s still the case in terms of total Super Bowl titles, nobody touches the modern-day Birds in terms of success. They are a model that the entire conference should study.
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