Yes, that was the greatest team in Eagles history

Were the 2024 Eagles the greatest team in franchise history? To answer that question, you have to first decide who their biggest competition is. 

Yes, prior to last night, the 2017 team was the only Eagles squad to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. But what made that season so special is the amount of major injuries the Eagles overcame. Do-it-all-weapon Darren Sproles, special teams ace Chris Maragos, middle linebacker Jordan Hicks, future Hall of Fame left tackle Jason Peters and, of course, MVP frontrunner Carson Wentz were all lost for the season.

There was an aura to the 2017 Eagles, but the legend grew from the fact that they managed to peak at the exact right time, despite losing significant chunks of their roster. If you play out the 2017 postseason 10 times, how many times do the Eagles win the Super Bowl with Nick Foles at quarterback? 

With all due respect to the 2004 NFC Champions and the 2017 Super Bowl Champions, the most impressive Eagles team I had seen in my lifetime coming into this year was the 2022 squad. Yes, they came up short in the Super Bowl, losing to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs 38-35 in one of the better championships in NFL history. But the 2007 New England Patriots were probably the best team in the history of that franchise, and yet they aren't one of the six to win a Super Bowl. Sometimes it works out that way. 

What the Eagles had in 2022 was a breakout season from Jalen Hurts, who finished second in NFL MVP voting. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith were as good as any wide receiver duo in the sport. Jonathan Gannon's defense wasn't great, but they did enough to help the Eagles go 14-3 in the regular season, earn a first-round bye and then steamroll both the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers in the postseason. 

Where the 2022 Eagles were elite, elite at was the offensive line. Center Jason Kelce and right tackle Lane Johnson were each First-Team All-Pro selections. Left guard Landon Dickerson was a Pro Bowler. Left tackle Jordan Mailata and right guard Isaac Seumalo were among the best at their positions. If that wasn't the best offensive line of the last 20 years, it wouldn't take more than a few fingers to count those that were superior. 

Hurts had a better overall season in 2022 than 2024. Haason Reddick had 16 sacks for the team in 2022, so the Eagles were better off the edge than in 2024. With the retirement of Jason Kelce, the 2022 team might have a slight edge on the offensive line, although in 2024 Johnson, Dickerson and Mailata remained impressive, Cam Jurgens did a great job replacing a legend and Mekhi Becton was arguably most physically-intimidating right guard in NFL history. 

Even if you give the 2022 team a slight nod on the offensive line, the list of areas where the Eagles were significantly better in 2024 tilts the scale. 

• With all due respect to Miles Sanders — who rushed for 1,269 yards in 2022 — Saquon Barkley just set the single-season rushing record (playoffs included) with 2,504 yards. He didn't have an impressive game statistically in Super Bowl LIX, but the Chiefs had to sell out to stop him, which did help to open things up for the passing game.
• The starting defensive tackles for the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII were Javon Hargrave, Fletcher Cox and Linval Joseph. Hargrave had an excellent season with 11 sacks, but Cox and Joseph were in the twilight of their respective careers. The 2024 trio of Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis and Milton Williams kind of blows them away.
• Darius Slay, James Bradberry and Avonte Maddox were the starting corners for the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. Is there anyone in the world that would take them over Slay, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean? No disrespect to T.J. Edwards — who had 159 tackles for the 2022 Eagles — but he pales in comparison to the season that Zack Baun just had. Baun was a First-Team All-Pro and Defensive Player of the Year finalist, capping off an incredible season with a crucial interception of Mahomes in the second quarter of Super Bowl LIX. 

Zack Baun appreciation tweet ✅

pic.twitter.com/96pfpdhlaR

— On Pattison (@OnPattison) February 10, 2025

Ultimately if you're trying to break any ties, execution on the highest stage has to play a factor here too. 

The 2022 Eagles' defense didn't have any answers in Super Bowl LVII when the Chiefs offense used motion on them. They gave up 38 points, with the final three points coming on a Harrison Butker field goal that essentially sealed the game after Bradberry held JuJu Smith-Schuster. 

The 2024 Eagles' defense — coordinated by Vic Fangio — swallowed up the Chiefs without blitzing. They got home on six sacks of Mahomes in Super Bowl LIX, with Josh Sweat turning in the best performance of his career with 2 1/2 of them. DeJean and Baun each had picks, the first of which was returned for six. The Chiefs ended up with 20 points, but that's misleading. They were shut out in the first half, and had just six points halfway through the fourth quarter. Fangio's defense curbstomped the Chiefs' offensive line, and with it Mahomes: 

COOPER DEJEAN LFGGGGG! 💪

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— On Pattison (@OnPattison) February 10, 2025

So yes, there are individual positions where maybe you can point to the 2022 Eagles — or another great Philadelphia team from the past — having a slight edge over the 2024 team. But it's nothing glaring, and when you consider the additions that the Eagles have made via the draft and free agency over the last two years, those more than cancel out any deficiencies. And with a blowout Super Bowl victory against the same opponent, the 2024 Eagles have taken the crown as the greatest team in franchise history from whoever you previously thought had it.