How could any possibly go wrong for the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles after owning the NFL in 2024?
They finished with a 14-3 record, won the NFC East, beat three of their postseason opponents by double digits, and got their revenge on the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl with an 18-point win to take home the Lombardi Trophy for the second time in franchise history. Oh, they also had running back Saquon Barkley break the NFL rushing record with 2,504 yards and win the AP Offensive Player of the Year award. Also, don't forget about winning the Tush Push verdict and Barkley gracing the cover of EA Sports' Madden NFL 26 video game.
Let's face it: the past year has been good for the Eagles. They had a solid offseason, marked by roster moves and the acquisition of great young talent in the draft. The franchise appears to be on a roll.
Nothing can ruin it right? Right?
One sentence will create nightmares for Eagles fans in 2025
Bleacher Report writer Brad Gagnon shared one sentence that would describe the nightmare 2025 season for all 32 NFL teams. Gagnon suggested a couple of things for the Eagles that could turn their season upside down.
"A post-Super Bowl slump alone might not constitute a nightmare, so you would probably also need a long-term late-season injury to a superstar that could linger into 2026."
The first thought that comes to fans' minds is, of course, Barkley. The dreaded Madden curse nipped San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey in the butt with multiple injuries last year that cost him 13 games. Losing Barkley would be a nightmare for sure, but Will Shipley and A.J. Dillon would be able to make at least the rushing attack solid, just not elite.
Losing starting quarterback Jalen Hurts would also hurt the football team, despite the renewed confidence the franchise has in backup Tanner McKee. Last year, McKee demonstrated his ability to fill in the short term. A long-term Hurts injury would not be good, as his mobility would be sorely missed.
History has not been so kind to Super Bowl winners, as being a repeat champion has only happened nine times in the NFL. It's only happened twice in the last 22 years, with the New England Patriots in 2003 and 2004, and the Chiefs in 2022 and 2023.
There's a lot that can go wrong, but the good part about this Eagles team is that they are young and deep at every position so they are set up for injuries to occur if they happen. One sentence shouldn't scare Eagles fans as this team is loaded at every position and poised to be the 10th team to repeat as Super Bowl champs.
