There will be no Super Bowl hangover for the Eagles

There’s little reason to believe these Eagles will rest on their laurels.

The memories of 2023 still haunt us. Same with 2018, to a lesser degree. Let’s pretend 2005 never happened..

The Eagles have been to four Super Bowls over the last 20 years, three in the last seven. They won two titles. The seasons that followed in those four years did not result in a repeat trip to the Big Game, and in three of the four instances, the team suffered serious letdowns.

Folks, the Super Bowl Hangover is a real thing. It generally comes harder for the team that loses, which is why this is a fantastic year to pick an AFC team other than the Chiefs to go all the way, but teams that win it all must be careful not to fall victim to the dreaded hangover, too.

Offensive lineman Lane Johnson is one who is all too aware of what can happen to a team after they reach the Super Bowl. This will be his third time entering a season as either the defending world champs or the defending NFC champions. On the WIP Morning Show Wednesday, he explained why it is so hard to match the previous season’s energy.

“Super Bowl teams lose so many guys in free agency, so you know, some of that nucleus is broken up a little bit. What I do remember is that we started off not very good in 2018 and finished pretty good. We had a chance to go to the NFC Championship Game. In 2023, we started off hot and then did a dumpster dive in the end.

But through both of those, what I remember most is just being distracted. Trying to achieve, you know, hit a home run every game, trying to be a hero every game instead of just playing the game.”

Departures

There’s no doubt the Eagles suffered the loss of some key free agents, most notably on defense. The departures of Josh Sweat and Milton Williams, as well as Brandon Graham to retirement, affected the depth of the line. The CJ Gardner-Johnson trade hurts the secondary’s play-making ability, and although Darius Slay is on the downside of his career, his departure means a cadre of youngsters will be counted on to hold down the fort.

The good news is the replacements seem capable of doing it. Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith appear to be on the verge of becoming impact pass rushers. Moro Ojomo flashed at the end of the season and in the playoffs. First round pick Jihaad Campbell’s surprise appearance during the first day of training camp was most welcome, giving the team another pass rusher from the linebacker position. Kelee Ringo joins an already star-studded cornerback duo in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.

Even better news is the offense returns almost fully intact. The only departure of note was Mekhi Becton, who will be replaced by either former third-round pick Tyler Steen or reclamation project Kenyon Green.

The rest of the offense is still in their prime.

Jalen Hurts is coming off his best overall season and a Super Bowl MVP. Saquon Barkley probably won’t rush for 2,000-plus yards again, but if healthy, he’s almost a lock for 1,500. A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith are still one of the two or three best wide receiver duos in the league, Dallas Goedert is back for another year, and the offensive line remains the most dominant unit in the league.

On the field, the Eagles boast one of the best rosters in the NFL, and enter training camp almost fully healthy, with only linebacker Nakobe Dean not yet ready to play.

Previous Hangovers

In 2005, the Eagles’ Super Bowl loss to the Patriots was deflating, especially after losing three straight NFC Championship Games just to get there. The Terrell Owens contract dispute was a huge distraction, as was a contract dispute with Brian Westbrook. Injuries bombarded the team in the middle of the season, T.O. was eventually suspended, and the season blew up with a 6-10 record.

Following their miraculous victory over those same Patriots in Super Bowl 52, the 2018 preseason was clouded with a fierce debate at quarterback. Should Nick Foles, the team’s savior following Carson Wentz’ devastating knee injury late in the ‘17 championship run, be the long term starter, or should Wentz, who was the MVP front-runner when he got hurt, get the job back? The Eagles smartly gave the job to Wentz once he was ready to return in Week 2, but he was never right and eventually was lost late in the season yet again, this time to a back injury. Foles took the Eagles on another post-season run, coming within a dropped Alshon Jeffrey pass in the divisional round from reaching a second straight NFC title game.

Had the ‘18 team not started slowly with a Super Bowl/Wentz/Foles Hangover, maybe things turn out differently.

In ‘23, the Eagles lost their offensive coordinator, Shane Steichen, to the Colts, as well as defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, to the Cardinals. Nick Sirianni, Hurts and new offensive coordinator Brian Johnson were never able to get on the same page. After agreeing to a new franchise-QB contract that off-season, Hurts did not deal with the bitter defeat to the Chiefs well, eventually leading to a rift with his head coach and a regression in his play as the season wore on. Defensively, Sean Desai was not up to the task, demoted late in the season for Matt Patricia, who turned a middling defense into one of the worst we’ve ever seen.

A 10-1 record devolved into six losses in their last seven games, including their humiliating wild card loss in Tampa.

Why This Year Is Different

It’s much different coming off a Super Bowl victory than a Super Bowl defeat. There is nothing but good vibes surrounding the team. After a very quiet off-season, the 2025 Eagles come into training camp with pristine vibes. There are no contract disputes. There are no complaints about roles. The new offensive coordinator, former passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo, seems more up to the job than Johnson was when he got it. Sirianni and Hurts’ relationship has healed.

Most importantly, just as how the Eagles used what they learned in Super Bowl 57 to inform their mindset heading into Super Bowl 59, they will use what they learned enduring the disappointment of 2023 to inform how they approach this year.

Johnson’s comments reek of welcome self-awareness. It’s impossible to believe Hurts will not be motivated to push for another title, and hopefully he’s learned how to stay motivated without going overboard.

A.J. Brown is hungry to prove he’s the best wide receiver in the league.

Saquon Barkley is turning the page.

The defense is full of young, hungry players out to prove they belong.

Talk is cheap, obviously. But there’s reason to believe this year will be different.

Nick Sirianni is firmly entrenched as the team’s head coach. He knows what his role is. He has people in place he trusts. Vic Fangio almost certainly won’t be able to replicate what his No. 1-ranked defense did a season ago, but he’s still one of the best defensive minds in the game. His return gives that side of the ball a sense of calm, even with all the turnover.

The Eagles have a healthy roster that can win it all and, just as important, a mindset that appears to be striking a balance between motivation and desperation.

That’s not to say they’re definitely going back to the Super Bowl. There are some very good teams in the NFC who believe it’s their year as well. But one thing Eagles fans shouldn’t worry about is a Super Bowl Hangover in 2025.