The story of Philadelphia Eagles coach and players professing their love for God before and after Super Bowl victory

SportsRation presents the story of how the Philadelphia Eagles coach and his players professed their love for God before and after Sunday’s Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.

After a painful loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl two years ago, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts made a promise to return. Despite playing one of the best games of his career, he fell short by just a field goal.

That defeat, however, fuelled Hurts and the Eagles to not only make it back to the Super Bowl but to leave as champions. On Sunday night, they defeated the Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.

Hurts was named MVP of the game. He completed 17 of 22 passes for 221 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He also ran for 72 yards and another touchdown, setting a Super Bowl record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback, surpassing his own previous record from the loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. This win made Hurts only the fourth starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl after losing in their first attempt.

This victory gave the Eagles their second Super Bowl win, following their first in 2017-18 when they defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII. It was the team’s fifth appearance in the big game.

Hurts credited the loss two years ago as a key motivator for the team’s success. “Going through those emotions and processing that experience really ignited a fire in me and greatly increased my desire to win,” he said after the game.

Reflecting on his football journey, Hurts said the win “means a lot.” His path to this point has been anything but ordinary. He won a national championship in 2018 with Alabama but was benched during the game, only to watch his replacement lead the team to victory. Hurts transferred to Oklahoma to finish his college career, was drafted by the Eagles in 2020, and became the starting quarterback after just 12 games.

Hurts has always said that he tries to stay grounded, no matter the highs or lows, and turns to God for guidance. “God is good. He’s greater than all the highs and lows,” Hurts said after the game. “Personally, I’ve just used every experience—good or bad—to fuel my drive for greatness. I couldn’t have done any of this without my teammates. We had something special this year, and we learnt from the past.”

Hurts has spoken about his faith many times before. “My faith has always been part of me,” he said earlier this week. “I want to keep God at the centre of everything I do. Through all the highs and lows, He’s greater than them all, and that’s something I always remember.”

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni also gave thanks to God after the game. “God has blessed us so much,” he said on the field. “He gave us all the talents to get here, so first and foremost, thanks to Him.” Sirianni, who became head coach in 2021, added, “Thank God, thank You Jesus.”

Sirianni’s first season as head coach saw a 9-8 record, followed by a 14-3 record this season, and a Super Bowl appearance. The Eagles made improvements to their defence, which became the best in the league this year. Their defence was key in the Super Bowl, forcing three turnovers, including a pick-six, and limiting the Chiefs to just 49 rushing yards.

Sirianni reflected on the team effort, saying, “You don’t do great things without the guys around you.” Hurts echoed this sentiment, saying, “You can’t be great without the greatness of others.”

In the midst of the celebrations on the field, Sirianni paused, looked upwards, and shared his thoughts. “All glory to God,” he said. “He gives us the talents to be in these situations, to coach football, and to have the opportunity to do so. Just gratitude right there.”