The City of Brotherly Love might be their moniker but the love in Philadelphia extends to its residents only. Since time immemorial, players and athletes coming into the city have spoken out about the harshness of the environment. Beyond the physical ailments, Philadelphia is an extremely hostile crowd to play against, especially in the NFL.
But it hasn’t always been limited to the players themselves. It’s in the very DNA of the city and its fan base, leading to some infamous moments from the crowd as well. Let’s take a look back at the history of the Philadelphia Eagles fan base and the rowdiness they’ve caused.
What Makes Philadelphia So Hostile?
Since the early 1960s, the Eagles’ fan base has embraced their gritty persona. While they may not outright claim it, a series of instances has led fans to garner such a notorious image. But at this point, it’s wired into their DNA and, subsequently, into the makeup of the league itself.
That isn’t to say that crowds haven’t taken it a step too far on occasion. It has even led to players calling them out specifically, with the most recent example being Los Angeles Rams’ rookie linebacker Jared Verse.
The odds-on-betting favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, Verse was bold in his hatred for Philly’s fan base.
“I hate Eagles fans. They are so annoying. I hate Eagles fans. When I see that green and white, I hate it. I actually get upset, like I actually genuinely get hot,” the rookie said.
Without diving into the socio-political or even psychological reasoning behind the very fabric of the Philadelphia mindset, the sheer number of incidents is hard to ignore.
Eagles Have the Toughest Crowd in the NFL
All stories about these crowds have to begin with 1968.
In a moment that is as synonymous with the league as it is infamous, the 2-12 Eagles had not made their fans happy. So, when a Christmas Day game began, fans were angsty to begin with.
To lift the crowd’s spirit, a Christmas pageant had been organized during the halftime show. Unfortunately, Santa Claus didn’t show up, and the crew had to make do with a makeshift Santa in the form of a member of the crowd.
The already on-edge crowd lost it and jeered down on a Christmas icon before pelting him with snowballs. Yet, it wasn’t the only incident.
Nearly 20 years later, Eagles fans essentially boycotted the team, with just a shade over 4,000 people showing up when the team took on the replacement unit of the Chicago Bears in 1987. Unfortunately, just two years later, it got worse.
While Jimmy Johnson is famous for coining the “How ‘Bout ‘Dem Cowboys” catchphrase, he was also on the receiving end of a second snowballing by the crowd, led by future mayor and governor at the time, Ed Rendell.
Things quietened down for a while before a fan shot off a flare gun in the stands in 1987 against the San Francisco 49ers. The next season, a literal court and jail were set up in the stadium to keep unruly fans at bay.
If it wasn’t to their liking, they weren’t shy about picking fights with their own either, as quarterback Donovan McNabb found out in 1999. Drafted by Philadelphia, McNabb was rained down with boos anytime he stepped on the field for a fan base that desperately wanted Ricky Williams instead.
More recently, fans have butted heads with head coach Nick Sirianni and his perplexing ways, leading him to trash talk to his own fan base after a win.
Throughout its history, the Philadelphia fan base has been littered with incidents of varying degrees of magnitude. Earlier in the week, one fan was permanently suspended for exceptionally gross comments he made against a Green Bay Packers fan in the Wild Card round.
But, for those who love the city, there isn’t an alternative they would choose. It’s how Saquon Barkley has come into tune with them. Speaking about Verse’s comments, Barkley warned the rookie defensive edge on the potential ramifications of his comments.
“Probably not the smartest thing to say coming to Philadelphia. I’ve been on the other side and even if I felt some type of way, probably wouldn’t give them any extra fuel. Pretty sure Philly fans seen that comment. It was already going to be loud and rocking, so just only going to add to it.”
“Probably not the smartest thing to say coming to Philadelphia…Probably wouldn’t give them extra fuel”
— Saquon Barkley on Jared Verse saying he hates Philly fans pic.twitter.com/lR4fKZHdSv
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) January 17, 2025
You’re either with us or against us.
