How the 2024 Eagles Team changed my life

The 2024 Eagles football season is one for the storybooks. Years-long redemption arcs, second chances, relentless perseverance in spite of relentless adversity — and really, really good ball.

Being a long time Philadelphian is to be forcibly exposed to football, but this year I got really hooked — on my own terms. Obsessed. I'm even looking forward to Draft Night 2025.

I've been gradually becoming obsessed with sports in adulthood. Learning about the physical, intellectual, and psychological complexity of each sport feeds my respect and curiosity. Getting to know the unique winding journeys of individual players — season to season, game to game, or even day to day — reveals that the whole process is a lot like mine or anyone else's who is trying to make something of themselves and their talents. Through the 2024 Eagles season I saw and learned so much about life that goes beyond entertainment and inspires me in my own day to day.

Without further ado...

Keep the main thing the main thing (KTMTTMT)

Jalen Hurts' now famous phrase.

No, poetry.

"Keep the main thing the main thing": direct, focused, no-nonsense yet light — mirroring its meaning. Poetry!

It's so easy to get off track from our own best interests and pursuits — our would-be and so-called life journeys. Discouraged by normal challenges and hardships, or pulled away in other directions by criticism, entertainment, or others' visions for us. It's easy to lose focus and direction, and even if recognized in time, to get back on track. This happens constantly.

For QB1 Jalen Hurts, despite winning game after game, the media and some fans were hellbent on doubting him — specifically him. That same media praised less winning QBs consistently, even after walloping losses. What's that about?

QBs are traditionally judged by personal stats like yards thrown. True, Jalen Hurts doesn't rank high on many of those lists — but that's by design. Personal stats are a distraction. Throwing a lot of yards is impressive, but it doesn't equate to winning. A game is won by many means, and any means necessary. The only stat that matters at the end of the day is winning. Despite winning all games he started and finished all season, he was publicly doubted in a way no other QB was.

Jalen Hurts is now a Super Bowl champ. Super Bowl MVP. He played one of the best games of his life in SB59. Without a word, he proved every critic wrong beyond a shadow of a doubt on the field: "The Dagger" throw, zero fumbles, beast runs, flawless play-call changes. Elite athleticism, and mature football IQ.

Hurts won big because he never lost sight of the real goal at any point in the season — and knew the only way to get there was to focus and grind. The real work is tough, detailed, ego-less, and relentless. From season footage, the whole team's mindset reflected that. Resetting mentally after each play, successful or not. Unwavering belief in oneself and the team to adjust and get it right after setbacks. The Chiefs fell apart at SB59 in this mental and social game — it was clear as day on TV from their faces and interactions. There is no room for ego, only what it takes to be excellent, and every '24 Eagle is a powerful example of the results that come from that process.

Keep focused on you and what you need to do to get where you want to be. Everything else, praise or criticism, is an empty distraction.

The Eagles started the season shaky, and intentionally adjusted major aspects of their game. Hurts got "put in a straight jacket" (his words) to eliminate turnovers. Mailata and other O-liners advocated for a play style change to take advantage of new team talent.

KTMTTMT reminds me to keep my voice and my goals center stage. The way Jalen Hurts lived the past few seasons carves a clear example: when you're prepared, put yourself in the face of opportunity, and apply yourself, the results will come. Jalen and the Eagles inspire me to be more dedicated, consistent, persistent, and tough in how I navigate challenges in my life's areas of focus.

In my corner of the world, I both need and appreciate reinforcement to turn back to myself and my personal missions. Under 1000 hot lights, the '24 Eagles and especially Jalen Hurts lived and proved a system that works.

You can't be great without the greatness of others

Football is called the ultimate team sport.

I've learned enough to agree. It's physical, and every one has a critical role in a play. If the offensive line protecting the QB is shaky, it doesn't matter how much raw talent a QB has — he will not look good. There can't be one weak link in the line on any play.

Jalen Carter, on the defensive line, is such a threat that other teams are forced to block him with two players, which frees up other Eagles D-linemen to attack and shine.

Saquon Barkley will be remembered as one of the best football players of all time because of this season. He's no less talented today than his six years prior on the Giants, but he was able to have an NFL record shattering season because the Eagles coaches and his fellow O-line designed a run-game around him and he executed.

Mekhi Becton was on a one-year prove-it deal. A former first-round draft pick labelled a "bust" with the Jets, Becton had his NFL career and his self-belief shaken. He said that the Eagles team camaraderie and acceptance was something he hadn't felt since high school. He gave the season his all, grew beloved by Eagles fans, and walks away from the seasons with a SB ring, a renewed career, and his self-confidence back.

Being in the right environment amplifies performance and talent, and can breathe new life into someone. Camaraderie and chemistry on a team cannot be underestimated. Don't lose faith in yourself when you're not in the right situation. Look for a different environment and try again.

The art of communication

I've loved getting a peek into the world of football communication — the how of communication, not the terminology. I'm sure there's overlap between sports, but I'm here to talk football.

Coaches: They have a way of motivational speaking that is so specific to their role, and doing it right is an art. Motivating without preaching, criticizing while building camaraderie. Speaking in anecdotes and catchphrases. Coaches are well represented in media so I'll end there.

I love listening to mic'd up videos from games. Trash talking is psychological warfare, and no one does it better in the NFL than Eagle Brandon Graham. BG's trash talk always sounds positive. He always talks with a deep belly laugh and a smile. He's having fun and sometimes, so is the other guy. His trash talk gets into opposing player's heads without being mean spirited — it's good sportsmanship. BG's talk constantly reinforces a mood of confidence and dominance, and befriends refs while he's at it. I will sorely miss BG trash talking: I find it so dang delightful.

A new-to-me element of football communication is what happens pre-snap. Coaches call most plays during a game, but QBs have final say on the field and can change plays based on their read of the defense. They use verbal code words and subtle body language to communicate, and teammates are trained to read them and adjust on the fly. According to what I've read, Jalen Hurts has really improved his read and play calling, and its made a noticeable impact on the team's success. I don't mind not knowing what the signals are — it adds a magical element to the game.

All players communicate on field, often via subtle body language. This takes strong trust, awareness, and understanding among the team. Sometimes it's just quick eye contact or a hand wave. In a viral mic'd up moment, Jalen Carter thanked longtime teammate Nolan Smith Jr. for trusting his on-field signal, and Nolan barked back — "If you see that shit, call that shit! Don't thank me!"

Unity

"Party on Broad!" is Philly code for a championship win. After a title (baseball or football only), Philadelphians famously pour out onto Broad Street to celebrate, filling the four-lane throughfare for miles. After a Super Bowl win, the City throws a parade. This year over 1 million people attended — in a city of 1.5 million. That's insane! Gathering on Broad holds huge cultural value.

So do other public shows of Eagles love. During the season, it is friendly, common, and perhaps superstitious to exchange a "Go Birds!" with anyone you pass on the street wearing team gear. Normally, people keep to themselves, but during football season, a chant of "E-A-" will be met quickly and passionately with "G-L-E-S, EAGLES!" from strangers. While hugely beloved, the Phillies don't inspire similar cultural norms.

That shared joy and shared language builds bonds. Like when a baby mirrors its caregiver’s facial expressions, or when you sing in harmony with a choir — there is a physical, emotional connection. Sharing joy and passion with your neighbor in Philly (or anywhere the Eagles are playing on a TV) feels like something — and it bonds us.

This easy way to break down walls and connect with strangers safely is therapeutic.

Partying on Broad lets us have fun together, without the usual dividers like age, class, race, gender, or social convention. We can let loose with joy in public without fear of being misread as a threat by police. Law enforcement relaxes during Eagles wins, and we feel safe expressing joy: shouting, twerking in the street, drinking in public with friends, setting off fireworks, and yes — climbing greased poles.

In a time when it feels like we’re more different than alike, the Eagles give us a container to prove otherwise.

The Intangibles

A lot of what makes a football team great comes down to what the industry calls “the intangibles” — soft skills, emotional intelligence, personalities, and mindsets that elevate the team.

The Eagles invest in what they call “difference makers” — not just raw on-field talent, but people who are leaders, team fits, and cultural glue. After the 2024 season, they had tough staffing decisions. Cash-strapped and near the salary cap, they chose to extend contracts for AJ Brown, Saquon Barkley, Lane Johnson, and Zach Baun. All elite talents and serious leaders.

They’ve done this before. For example, they brought back CJGJ for his fiery passion — even when it occasionally gets him into trouble — because it ignites the team. The Eagles have passed up trades and drafts for lack of character or personal fit, even declaring that anyone with a history of domestic violence is not of interest to the team.

I love this. It recognizes how real life works. The interpersonal dynamics happening daily won’t necessarily get picked up by media and they certainly won't show up on stat sheets.

I’ve been on many teams — social and professional — and reviewed hundreds of job applications. I can vouch: if that “special people sauce” isn’t there — the mindset, communication, attitude — the hard skills barely matter.

Football is an Analogy for Life

I've seen and felt so many lessons on how to approach life from the 2024 Eagles (and 2022, 2023 teams). It feels wholesome and grounding, especially when so many powerful people seem untethered from reality, morally bankrupt, cheat the system and get ahead.

There is no shortcut that exists — like wealth, fame, drug, or technology — that changes what it takes to play a physical team sport well. And there never will be. (Steroids are a non-argument — without the work, a player is toast. And football players get drug tested regularly.)

Sports are pure, basic, and human. You have to lift weights, practice, sweat, struggle mentally, ache, eat healthy, kill your ego, day in and day out. You have to form a brotherhood/sisterhood with the people standing shoulder to shoulder with to you. There's no compartmentalization, no putting on a "work self". It is totally embodied. It is your whole body, mind, past effort, present moment, and future — all at once. To stay in the game and be great, you must evolve in all aspects.

And it shows in many of the 2024 team's stories: Jalen Hurts, Brandon Graham, AJ Brown, Zach Baun, even staff like Coach Nick Sirianni and General Manager Howie Roseman.

Until September 2025

The 2024-2025 postseason was all-consuming. For weeks, I was constantly planning the next Eagles watch party. As much as I’d love to watch this team forever, I was also happy to reclaim my mental attention when the season ended. Time to get back to keeping my main thing the main thing.

At the same time, I'm still hovering in the air. I haven't fully come down from the emotional high of Super Bowl 59 or the celebrations in Philly. I smile everytime I see someone wearing Eagles gear — which, in this town, is every day. It's baseball season, but, emotionally, I'm still with the Birds. I swear the whole city feels happier. We have the psychological buouy that is the Eagles season to thank.

Except for newly retired legend BG, my new role models will still play in the league for years to come. I will cheer for Big Play Slay on the Steelers, CJGJ on the Texans, Sweaty on the Cardinals, but most of all for my Eagles. In these dark and dividing times, I'm grateful for the bright, burning light of the Eagles.

Can't wait for the 2025 season!