Epic games often come with epic names, leaving indelible marks on teams and their fan bases. While some remember these games for miraculous moments, others are haunted by them—painful reminders etched into highlight reels forever. Classics like the Music City Miracle, Hail Flutie, The Immaculate Reception, and The Minneapolis Miracle dominate football lore, each featuring jaw-dropping finishes that still amaze even neutral fans.
The Philadelphia Eagles have experienced their share of heartbreak and triumph in such moments, many involving their NFC East rivals. On the positive side, they’ve had Miracle at the Meadowlands I, II, and III, The Bounty Bowl, The Body Bag Game, 4th and 26, and The Double Doink. The last two were unforgettable divisional playoff victories against the Packers and Bears, respectively.
However, Philadelphia fans also carry bitter memories of games that derailed Super Bowl dreams. Among the worst is the Fog Bowl of 1988, when an eerie fog engulfed Soldier Field, neutralizing Randall Cunningham’s 400+ yard passing game and allowing the Bears to prevail.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 19: The Philadelphia Eagles bench watches as Ronde Barber #20 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers runs for a touchdown after intercepting a Donovan McNabb pass during the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship Game at Veterans Stadium on January 19, 2003. The Buccaneers defeated the Eagles 27-10. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Yet even the Fog Bowl pales in comparison to what Philly fans simply call The Ronde Barber Game. On January 19, 2003, in the final game at Veterans Stadium, Barber’s 92-yard pick-six sealed a 27-10 Buccaneers victory in the NFC Championship Game, denying the Eagles a trip to the Super Bowl. That game still stings deeply for Eagles fans, but a new nightmare could emerge this Sunday.
As an Eagles rival, the Commanders are generally less despised than the Cowboys or Giants. That could change in an instant. Sunday’s matchup between the Eagles and Commanders carries stakes that go beyond the standings, infuriating Philadelphia fans before kickoff.
If you’re a Sixers fan, you’re already familiar with frustration. The team’s once-promising “Process” is a long-running disaster, weighed down by the health and inconsistency of franchise centerpiece Joel Embiid. The Sixers haven’t advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs, and their popularity among Philadelphians continues to plummet.
Enter Josh Harris, majority owner of the Sixers and, as of last year, the Commanders. Harris’s tenure with the Sixers has been marked by chaos. He botched the “Process” by letting NBA Commissioner Adam Silver interfere and then replaced innovative GM Sam Hinkie with Bryan Colangelo, whose hiring was widely criticized.
Adding to the frustration, Harris also owns the NHL’s New Jersey Devils and once made a bid for the New York Mets. While his portfolio is impressive, Philly fans care little for his wealth unless it results in championships. For now, he remains a figure of mistrust and disdain.
But if the Commanders win on Sunday and Harris finds himself hoisting the NFC Championship trophy on Lincoln Financial Field—just steps from where the Sixers play—it will ignite unprecedented fury. Harris will be seen as a traitorous figure, a villainous owner celebrating a rival’s success on sacred Philadelphia ground.
And let’s not forget that Magic Johnson is a minority owner of the Commanders. For Sixers fans, his involvement adds insult to injury. Memories of Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals, when a rookie Magic filled in for an injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and dropped 42 points and 15 rebounds to defeat the Sixers at the Spectrum, still linger.
If Sunday ends with the Commanders triumphing, Josh Harris might not just be a villain—he’ll cement his status as Philadelphia’s anti-Christ, a common enemy for the city to loathe until the next disaster looms. Grudge on, Philly!
