A Springboard to the Super Bowl
The 1980 Philadelphia Team Was the First Eagles to play in the Super Bowl, and a Playoff the Year Before Helped propel them.
This is the story of an Eagles team that had it all: an up-and-coming young coach, a nearly unstoppable top running back, and an elite possession receiver.
No, this is not the 2024 Philadelphia Eagles.
We’ve all heard the story of the 1980 Philadelphia Eagles. It was one of the best seasons in the Eagles’ history. An NFC East-best 12–4 record. A Divisional Round win with Marion Campbell’s defense locking down the Minnesota Vikings. Eagles running back Wilbert Montgomery blasted through the offensive line forty-two yards for a touchdown in the NFC Championship Game. The Cowboys never recovered in that game as the Eagles won the NFC Title 20–6.
PHOTO: Bill Streicher/Imagn Images
It’s been forty-six years since Dick Vermeil’s Philadelphia Eagles lost in the Divisional Round of the NFC Playoffs in Tampa Bay by a final score of 24–17. The loss — which helped propel the Eagles into the Super Bowl the following year — had many parallels to the disappointment of last season’s 32–9 thumping in Tampa that ended with a closeup of Jason Kelce’s emotional outpouring on the sideline of his last game and the resurgence of this team the following year.
The following year, in 1980 — the Eagles returned to the playoffs as the second seed in the NFL Playoffs after posting a 12–4 regular season record — and beating the Minnesota Vikings 31–16. During the NFC Championship Game at Veteran’s Stadium — the Eagles faced the franchise that they had worked so hard to eclipse — the Dallas Cowboys and would advance to the franchise’s first Super Bowl ever.
The parallels between the 1980 and 2024 Eagles are unmistakable. This year’s team secured the second seed in the NFC Playoffs, just like in 1981. Like this Eagles team, they will enter the Playoffs after a bad loss in Tampa Bay the prior year.
They are both led by young NFL Head Coaches. One significant difference remains — however.
These 2024–2025 Eagles — are the much better team.
PHOTO: Bill Streicher/Imagn Images
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