AILSA CHANG, HOST:
An ecstatic Philadelphia held a jam-packed parade today, celebrating the Super Bowl win by the Philadelphia Eagles. City officials estimate that more than a million people lined the 3 1/2-mile parade route. Peter Crimmins from member station WHYY was there.
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UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Chanting) E, A, G, L, E, S - Eagles.
PETER CRIMMINS, BYLINE: The celebration has been a long time coming. Two years ago, the Eagles lost the Super Bowl to Kansas City. Only this time, the Eagles clearly dominated, winning 40 to 22.
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JALEN HURTS: We can't do it without the fans.
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HURTS: We all appreciate you. We love you.
CRIMMINS: That's quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts. He walked up to the podium on the same steps made famous in the movie "Rocky," saying he had not been there since he joined the Eagles in 2020.
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HURTS: You know, I told myself that when I got drafted, then I wouldn't come to the "Rocky" steps until I won the championship. And now we're here.
CRIMMINS: Hurts spoke to a sea of green, the fans wearing jerseys in the Eagles' colors. Kenise Shelton was at the first Eagles Super Bowl parade back in 2018. She brought her friend, Aisha Ahmed, and said it really felt different this time.
KENISE SHELTON: It feels different. It's more happier 'cause Philly had went through a lot, so this is, like, a good - like, you know, for us to all come together and be happy and excited. We need this. Our mental health needs this (laughter).
CRIMMINS: At least a half a dozen men took advantage of the parade occurring on Valentine's Day to bring their girlfriends to the city's famous LOVE sculpture to propose marriage. Adam Gallaher was one of them. He proposed to Lainie Koleszarik, who didn't see it coming.
LAINIE KOLESZARIK: It's just, like, a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Like, Eagles parade, Valentine's Day - I just - I'm shaking. I'm in shock.
CRIMMINS: Philadelphia's known as the City of Brotherly Love, and even Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie was feeling it.
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JEFFREY LURIE: Today, Valentine's Day, is the perfect day to celebrate this love affair between this sports team and Eagles fans here and everywhere. We share an amazing bond that is second to none.
CRIMMINS: Lurie predicted the Eagles will win even more Super Bowls, but fans were savoring this current victory, and they broke out in a familiar song.
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UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Singing) We are the champions. We are the champions.
CRIMMINS: For NPR, I'm Peter Crimmins in Philadelphia. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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