Ten reasons why Eagles reached 2025 Super Bowl: Saquon Barkley is a machine, Philly defense hunts for ball

Philadelphia is headed to its second title game in three seasons

For the second time in three seasons, the Philadelphia Eagles are going to the Super Bowl. Running all over their rival Washington Commanders on Sunday, the Eagles captured the NFC crown in historic fashion, setting a conference-title record with 55 points in front of their home crowd. And now it’s onto New Orleans, where the Birds will look to capture their second Lombardi Trophy of the last seven years.

How, exactly, did they get here? Here are 10 of the top reasons the Eagles are Super Bowl-bound:

1. Saquon Barkley is MVP material

The Eagles broke character to pay big bucks for the former New York Giants running back last offseason. He’s already more than lived up to the deal, clearing 2,000 yards on the ground in the regular season before translating his awe-inspiring breakaway ability to the playoffs. Talk about a home run hitter.

2. Jalen Hurts controls the ball when it matters

The Eagles quarterback isn’t always the prettiest passer in the game, but he comes up big when he’s needed. Excellent with his ball placement against the Commanders, the former MVP candidate has totaled just one turnover in his last seven playoff games dating to 2022. He’s also undeniable as a short-yardage rusher, and his unbothered attitude helps set the tone for the entire program.

3. Their offensive line remains one of the NFL’s best

Playmakers are fun, but oftentimes champions are fueled by what happens in the trenches. And the Eagles are sterling from left to right, even when interior bruisers like Cam Jurgens and Landon Dickerson are trading snaps to weather injuries. Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson at tackle are simply elite.

4. Nick Sirianni rebuilt the locker room

The Eagles coach has occasionally rubbed fans — even local ones — the wrong way with his exuberant personality, but he’s totally deserving of their faith (again) after steadying a team that ended 2023 in utter dysfunction. The players love his authenticity, and it’s shown in the brightest moments.

5. Vic Fangio toughened up the defense

Speaking of impressive coaching jobs, Sirianni’s new defensive coordinator, a long-respected sage at the position, has brought a discernible physicality to every level of a unit that looked entirely lost a year ago. His group thrives while defending a lead, punching at the ball until it finally breaks loose.

6. Their rookie defenders are built for the pros

Fangio’s defense has clamped down on even high-octane attacks thanks in large part to the veteran-level poise of top draft picks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, who’ve been total-package starters in the secondary. The former is a lock-down cover man on the perimeter, and DeJean can move all over.

7. Their pass catchers rival the NFL’s best

The Eagles are crushing the competition mostly because of their steadily dynamic rushing attack, but the ground-heavy approach shouldn’t overshadow the fact that A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert are blue-chip playmakers in the passing game. Brown is an alpha out wide, Smith is a pristine route-runner, and Goedert is good for a key broken tackle or three every week.

8. Howie Roseman struck gold on offseason moves

Barkley is the blockbuster name, but the general manager’s additions go well beyond the star ball carrier. Linebacker Zack Baun, an overlooked former New Orleans Saints backup, has been lights out as a do-it-all defender. Guard Mekhi Becton, a former New York Jets castoff, has resurrected his blocking career on the interior. And safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, now in his second stint with the team, brings elite energy.

9. They don’t blink in the face of trouble

Cliche? Perhaps. But this Eagles group has actually been through a lot. The core leadership (i.e. Hurts, Sirianni, etc.) endured a painful Super Bowl loss in 2022, then a dramatic collapse in 2023. The fact they’re back on the doorstep of football glory speaks to their fortitude. And the fact they endured some slug-it-out playoff matchups, like the snowy divisional-round win over the Los Angeles Rams, suggests they’re built to win in all fashions. As Hurts says: “Rain, sleet or snow, the Eagles train to go.”

10. The playoffs ran through Philly

All year, the Detroit Lions were understandably hyped as the class of the NFC, and once Dan Campbell’s powerhouse clinched the NFC’s No. 1 seed, it seemed like a lock that the road to Super Bowl LIX would run through Motor City. Then the Lions failed to control the ball against the Commanders in their divisional-round upset, and the Eagles, this year’s No. 2 seed, were guaranteed home-field advantage as long as they kept taking care of business. And going to Philly, before that roaring crowd, can be imposing.

Eagles Super Bowl gear now available

The Eagles are back in the Super Bowl! They’ll take on the Chiefs on Sunday, February 9 in New Orleans. Get the latest Eagles Super Bowl jerseys, shirts, hats, and more to gear up for the big game. Fly, Eagles Fly!