It was a historic night for the Philadelphia Eagles as they dominated their way to the second Super Bowl in franchise history. Going against the back-to-back defending champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, it was a tall order for Philadelphia.
But even as the underdogs, they put together a defensive clinic to shut out the Chiefs in the first half. Led by two interceptions, it solidified an Eagles team that finished as the second-best defense in the league, by PFSN’s Defense+ metric.
Zack Baun Opens Up on the Philadelphia Eagles’ Season
One of the key contributors on that defense was linebacker Zack Baun. After a slow start to his career with the New Orleans Saints, Baun came to the Eagles in the offseason and immediately became one of the best players in the league.
En route to a Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro selection, he tallied 151 total tackles and even recorded 3.5 sacks on the year, more than in his entire career with the Saints. Reflecting on such a historic season, Baun couldn’t help but marvel at their success.
Speaking to PFSN after their Super Bowl 59 victory, Baun could best describe it as a “wild year” as a newcomer on the squad. “A wild year that needs to be documented for sure. Maybe I’ll write a little book on it because it’s been crazy.”
“From my son being born in April and moving to Philly three weeks later and getting to know the guys, the city, and moving my family. A lot of ups and downs, but the team and the guys embraced me and my family and just made us feel really comfortable.”
Alongside the comfort and the camaraderie, a lot of success followed for an Eagles team that most counted out after last season. “And accolades, personal accolades, with the Super Bowl being the biggest and the most meaningful one.”
The Super Bowl was a homecoming of sorts for Baun. After spending the first four seasons of his career in New Orleans, he was very familiar with the Caesars Superdome. Still, the moment didn’t feel real for a man many had as the Defensive Player of the Year.
“It doesn’t feel real, it feels like a dream. I can’t even put it into words. The confetti falling, I’m so happy for this team. This is what we talked about, and just super thankful and excited.”
ZACK BAUN WITH THE PICK‼️pic.twitter.com/Soao1qkQ1T
— PFSN (@PFN365) February 10, 2025
But, the victory was real, and he had a huge role to play in it. A spectacular interception on Patrick Mahomes, as Baun leaped and caught the ball with both hands, set the stage for Philly’s touchdown in the first half and gave them a 27-0 lead going into the break.
From there, it was a mere formality as they dominated their way to a 40-22 win and lifted their second Lombardi trophy.
