Five years after the Philadelphia Eagles had their first Super Bowl win, the franchise is back in the big game. Led by coach Nick Sirianni, quarterback Jalen Hurts, and a ferocious pass rush, the Eagles are hoping to defeat a Chiefs team that is also in search of its second Super Bowl win in recent years.
When Super Bowl LVII kicks off in a matter of hours from Glendale, Arizona, it will mark the fourth Super Bowl appearance for the Eagles, who played in their first Super Bowl way back at the end of the 1980 season. Four coaches have led the Eagles to the big game: Sirianni, Hall of Famer Dick Vermeil, current Jaguars coach Doug Pederson and Andy Reid, who will try to defeat his former employer on Sunday.
The Eagles went 1-2 in their first three Super Bowls. Here's a look at what happened in those games ahead of Sunday's showdown in Arizona.
Super Bowl XV: Raiders 27, Eagles 10
Philadelphia defeated Oakland in Week 12 after recording eight sacks of Raiders quarterback Jim Plunkett. History did not repeat itself in the Super Bowl, however, as Plunkett was sacked just one time. The former Heisman Trophy winner, who started the 1980 season as a backup, took home Super Bowl MVP honors after throwing for 261 yards and three touchdowns. Plunkett's play helped the Raiders become the first wild card team to win the Super Bowl.
Plunkett was deserving of his MVP, but the award also could have gone to Raiders linebacker Rod Martin, who picked off Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski a record three times.
The game's turning point occurred late in the first quarter. Trailing 7-0, the Eagles appeared to tie the score after Jaworski hit Rodney Parker for a 40-yard score. But an offsides penalty wiped out the score, and the Eagles ended up with no points on the drive after punting two plays later.
Oakland pounced on the Eagles' mistake, as Plunkett and Kenny King connected on a then-Super Bowl record 80-yard touchdown pass on the Raiders' ensuing possession.
Super Bowl XXXIX: Patriots 24, Eagles 21
After three years of coming up just short, Reid's Eagles finally reached the Super Bowl. Their reward was a matchup against the dynastic Patriots, led by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.
The Eagles stood toe to toe with the defending champions for most of the game. Philadelphia took an early lead and was able to tie the score before the half after briefly falling behind. The Eagles offense was buoyed by the return of wideout Terrell Owens, who caught nine passes for 122 yards despite suffering a broken leg and a torn ligament in his right ankle less than two months earlier.
As good as Owens was, he couldn't do anything to prevent the Patriots from taking over the game after scoring on consecutive drives in the second half. The first drive, which was punctuated by Corey Dillon's short touchdown run, was set up by completions of 13, 12 and 14 yards to fellow running back Kevin Faulk.
The Eagles scored a late touchdown to make things interesting, but it was too little too late. Philadelphia's last-gasp heave was picked off the air by Patriots safety Rodney Harrison, who secured the Patriots' third win in four years. The MVP went to wideout Deion Branch, who tied a then-Super Bowl record with 11 receptions for 133 yards.
Super Bowl LII: Eagles 41, Patriots 33
One of the most exciting Super Bowls ever capped off a magical run for the Eagles and Nick Foles. Foles, who replaced injured starter Carson Wentz with three games left in the regular season, took home MVP honors after throwing for 373 yards and three touchdowns. Foles more than held his own against his counterpart, Brady, who in defeat threw for a Super Bowl record 505 yards.
The game's most memorable play was not a throw but a catch by the Eagles quarterback. Ahead 15-12 late in the first half, the Eagles faced a fourth-and-goal from the Patriots' 1-yard-line. Instead of playing it safe, Pederson called "Philly, Philly," a trick play that resulted in Foles being on the receiving end of a pass thrown by tight end Trey Burton.
Philadelphia briefly trailed in the fourth quarterback before taking the lead for good on Foles' 11-yard touchdown pass to Zach Ertz. The Eagles clinched their first Super Bowl win when Rob Gronkowski was unable to corral Brady's Hail Mary heave on the final play.
Running back Corey Clement led the Eagles with 100 receiving yards that included his 22-yard touchdown reception midway through the third quarter. New England had a record three players reach 100 yards receiving, with Danny Amendola leading the way with 152 yards on eight grabs.