Jeffrey Lurie, owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, didn’t take kindly to Terry Bradshaw’s remarks after the NFL icon suggested the team’s Super Bowl bid was unforeseen.
Following their dominant 55-23 victory against the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship game, the Eagles are preparing to battle either the Kansas City Chiefs or the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl LIX.
It’s Philadelphia’s second Super Bowl appearance in three years, having already dispatched the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams this post-season. Confronted with Bradshaw’s probing question: “How unexpected is this?”, Lurie retorted: “Well, it’s kind of expected, I think.”
While Lurie shrugged off the comment and focused on praising his team’s achievements and their exciting journey to the Super Bowl, fans flocked to social media to mock Bradshaw’s assertion.
Critics pointed to the Eagles’ solid track record, questioning how the second-seeded team with a 14-3 season could be viewed as an underdog. One fan tweeted: “Terry Bradshaw is insufferable. Picked all 3 teams we played in the post to beat us, and then asked the owner ‘How unexpected was this’ – go back to Pittsburgh. You only won rings because of your defense.”
Another fan said: “Bradshaw saying unexpected? Pretty sure most folks had the Eagles in at least the NFC Championship game. So how unexpected is it that your second-seeded, 14-3 team made the Super Bowl?”
The Eagles have been the statistical favourites in every playoff game this season, with their narrowest win margin being six points against the Rams. Their performance against the Commanders sent a powerful message to the AFC, as both their offence and defence demonstrated championship-worthy football.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts rushed for three touchdowns during the match, bringing his career total to nine. Hurts has now surpassed Steve Young for the most postseason rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in NFL history, with three of those coming from the Super Bowl two seasons ago.
Running back Saquon Barkley also scored three touchdowns and rushed for 118 yards, adding to his impressive debut season. After being released by the New York Giants, Barkley signed a three-year contract with the Eagles this past offseason and has since been a thorn in the side of the NFC East division.
Barkley has dreamt of a Super Bowl championship his entire life, and until this season, had only made one playoff appearance throughout his seven-year career. Now, Barkley and the Eagles are just one victory away from realising that dream.
Fittingly, Super Bowl LIX coincides with his birthday, which falls on February 9.
This article originally appeared on Mirror US.
