Eagles Fans Remembered by ESPN as Diehards

When the Green Bay Packers play the Philadelphia Eagles tonight in the City of Brotherly Love, it’s likely that they will discover – not for the first time – that Philly fans aren’t much for living up to their city’s nickname. Instead, they can expect eggs thrown at their team bus, insults and boos hurled at players, and a general hostility that is unique to Philly fans and known throughout the NFL. ESPN published a piece yesterday in advance of tonight’s game. It reiterated what most NFL fans already know: Philly fans are either the actual worst or the very best, depending on how you look at it.

Eagles fans are known for their take-no-prisoners attitude towards visiting teams, from lobbing eggs at the bus to hurling a volley of insults at players. It’s a sign of their love for the game, says Aaron Rodgers.

Aaron Rodgers, the Packers’ quarterback, reminisced not-so-fondly on the days when a team’s players would be announced one-by-one, allowing rowdy Eagles fans to start chanting “[insert visiting team player’s name here] SUCKS!” Now the whole team is introduced together. It hasn’t stopped the razzing, however. Rodgers says that he remembers being benched the entire game as Brett Favre’s backup. One fan in particular wouldn’t stop yelling down to him about “getting the splinters out of [his] butt,” Rodgers said. Of course, the fan used the more colorful expletive for the rear end, and he also didn’t let up the entire game. Rodgers noted that one almost has to admire the temerity of Philly fans, who are relentless in their torture of opposing teams out of fierce loyalty to the Eagles.

It’s not just opposing players who risk the Eagles Nation’s wrath, either. ESPN talked to Packers defensive line coach Mike Trgovac, who worked as an assistant for the Eagles from 1995 to 1998. He described how his neighbors would gladly welcome him over to their houses for a beer after a win, but gave him a frosty reception after a loss. “There’s the old saying, ‘They love you win or tie.’ Well, they love you win,” Trgovac said.