Editing Philadelphia Eagles (section)

== History ==

=== Founding ===

The Philadelphia Eagles were founded in '''1933''' by Bert Bell and Lud Wray as a replacement for the bankrupt Frankford Yellow Jackets, which had folded in 1931. Bell and Wray purchased the franchise rights for $2,500 (equivalent to approximately $60,000 today).<ref name="wikipedia">{{cite web |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Eagles |title=Philadelphia Eagles |publisher=Wikipedia |access-date=December 22, 2025}}</ref>

The team was named after the Blue Eagle, the symbol of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's National Recovery Administration (NRA), a New Deal agency designed to stimulate economic recovery during the Great Depression. The Blue Eagle represented American industry and workers coming together, making it a fitting symbol for a Philadelphia sports franchise.

=== Early Years and Championships ===

The Eagles struggled in their early years, posting losing records throughout the 1930s. The franchise's fortunes began to change in the late 1940s under coach Earle "Greasy" Neale, who led the team to consecutive NFL Championships in 1948 and 1949—the only back-to-back titles in franchise history.

The Eagles won their third NFL Championship in 1960, defeating Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers 17-13 in Philadelphia. This remains the only postseason loss in Lombardi's legendary coaching career.

=== The Steagles (1943) ===

The '''Steagles''' were a temporary merger between the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers during the 1943 NFL season. With many players serving in World War II, both franchises lacked enough players to field complete rosters. The NFL approved a one-year merger, creating the "Phil-Pitt Steagles" (often shortened to Steagles).

The combined team, coached by Walt Kiesling of Pittsburgh and Greasy Neale of Philadelphia, played its home games at both Philadelphia's Shibe Park and Pittsburgh's Forbes Field. The Steagles finished the 1943 season with a 5-4-1 record. After the season, both franchises resumed independent operations—the Eagles returned to solo play in 1944, while the Steelers merged with the Chicago Cardinals for that year.

=== Super Bowl Era ===

The Eagles reached their first Super Bowl following the 1980 season, losing Super Bowl XV to the Oakland Raiders 27-10. The team returned to the Super Bowl after the 2004 season but lost Super Bowl XXXIX to the New England Patriots 24-21 in a heartbreaking defeat.