Football has brought communities together for years, uniting fans worldwide with players on the field. The city of Philadelphia is home to one of the most notable fanbases. Thanks to the Eagles, the NFL fans have been connected through a love of football and celebrations. However, with a record of 11-6-0 for the 2025 season, only 20% of fans believed that the Eagles would win the Super Bowl 2026, according to the USA TODAY NETWORK. A poll about the Eagles’ performance in the game on January 11 revealed that 80% of fans believed the offensive coordinator was the leading cause of the Eagles’ loss. The recent loss has left fans to decide how they feel the Eagles’ season will end this year.
The game on January 11 left the fans upset as the Eagles were eliminated from the playoffs in the Wild Card round. Derek Lacey, an NFL fan, expressed how he believes that coaching style plays a bigger role than roster talent when it comes to getting a team to the Super Bowl. He said, “If you don’t have good plays or lineups, you can’t execute your available talent.” 31.4% of fans expressed the same frustration in the poll when voting that coaching was the cause of the loss.
Despite the coaching struggle, the fans held similar opinions on the performance of players. Saquon Barkley stood out, in a good way, to 12.9% of fans. He held the majority of votes. When asked about opinions on the consistent strength of the Eagles franchise, Lacey explained that he believes the team is not a very strong franchise. “Not really. The team has been pretty under the radar until the recent signing of Saquon.”
Kylie Fabey, another fan of the NFL, had an opposing view. She feels the Eagles are a strong franchise. “They seem to be able to play well and have a good season, but when they’re not playing well, they’re able to assess how they’re playing and figure out the problem.”
Even though the Eagles have faced hardships in the past games, the Pro Football Reference ranks the team as 1st in the NFC East Division. During the 2017 and 2024 seasons, the Eagles were also ranked 1st in the division. In 2018 and 2025, they won the Super Bowl. Fabey believes division strength impacts how far a team can go in the postseason. “I think it definitely plays a part because if you’re going into a postseason game with all these wins, it can intimidate the other teams, and though it’s a physical sport its also a psychological game.”
As we enter the end of the NFL season, fans across the globe are kept on the edge of their seats as they watch their teams fight one last time for the number one spot. With the Super Bowl coming up, it’s becoming clearer who has a chance of taking the win. Eagles fans are upset with the recent loss, but the love for the team will continue to keep the city alive and excited for the next season.
Sources:
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/phi/2025.htm
https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/eagles-super-bowl-appearances
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/phi/2017/gamelog/
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/phi/2024.htm
https://www.delawareonline.com/story/sports/2026/01/09/who-is-playing-in-super-bowl-2026-see-date-time-predictions-odds/88103078007/
https://polymarket.com/event/philadelphia-eagles-stage-of-elimination-20252026
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/super-bowl/2026/01/10/2026-nfl-playoff-predictions-afc-nfc-super-bowl/88056454007/
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBj66qQuPYIR7oWfoMoCc_fXjBTCSDhfvNYl-_4xkdKZfQNA/viewform?usp=header
