The Real Reason Philadelphia Eagles Fans Love Kelly Green
Philadelphia Eagles fans will finally have the opportunity to buy newly-made Eagles Kelly Green gear starting at 9 am on Monday, July 31.
The team’s official website hyped up the new releases, stating that “The color, jersey, and style that symbolized the grit and grind of the early ’90s Eagles is finally hitting the shelves.”
It’s great that fans are excited about new merchandise, but why is Kelly Green such an incredible appeal to the Philadelphia fan base?
Think we posted too many memes 🤷♂️@Toyota | #KellyGreenIsBack pic.twitter.com/2PsgNhAJDh
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) July 29, 2023
Eagles in Kelly Green Vs. Eagles in Midnight Green
The “grit and grind” of Reggie White, Jerome Brown, and the ferocious Gang Green defense will always hold a special place in the hearts of Eagles fans. However, shouldn’t Midnight Green be the color that’s glorified?
The Birds started wearing the Midnight Green in 1996, shortly after Jeffrey Lurie bought the team from Norman Braman.
The improvement of the team came gradually and consistently. The era of Andy Reid and Donovan Mcnabb in the new millennium began a period of sustained success. It’s reached a point where Adam Schefter called the Eagles one of the “marquee franchises” in the NFL in 2023.
That simply wasn’t true while the Eagles wore Kelly Green. They wore the glorified color in only one Super Bowl in 1980. Their NFL Championships don’t typically play much of a factor in the minds of Philadelphia fans in modern times.
They’ve worn the new style in three Super Bowls in the new millennium. Teams in Midnight Green clearly have a more important place in franchise history, so what gives?
Sure, Irish people from Delco will buy pretty much anything that’s Kelly Green, but there’s more to it.
The Real Appeal of Kelly Green Eagles Gear
The Eagles are as central to the identity of Philadelphia as Benjamin Franklin and the Declaration of Independence.
If you need proof of that, think back to the night of Super Bowl LII. Eagles fans of all ages ran around the streets of Philadelphia praying to deceased relatives and thanking the Lord that the long-awaited Lombardi Trophy had finally come.
Rooting for the Birds is a beloved tradition passed down through generations. Wearing Kelly Green reminds some younger fans who weren’t even alive to see the Dick Vermeil era or the dominance of Gang Green that their parents and grandparents passed the passion down to them.
Fans of the Philadelphia Eagles have been through hardship, but they’ve come out on the other side with the reward of watching one of the most successful organizations in the NFL since 2000.
Wearing Kelly Green does not belittle the success of teams wearing Midnight Green. It reminds Eagles fans that they’ve taken a few punches to get to a point when they can appreciate modern success while honoring the roots of the tradition and the identity of the fan base.
Tricky Nicky!
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) February 5, 2018
Nick Foles is first ever to throw and catch TD in #SuperBowl
Eagles fans doin #Foles #Skol chant in #Vikings house #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/DH5NNPfw2W
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