{"id":188972,"date":"2026-05-11T04:08:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T04:08:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/188972\/"},"modified":"2026-05-11T04:08:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T04:08:12","slug":"why-is-philly-calling-me-philadelphia-sports-nation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/188972\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Is Philly Calling\u00a0Me? – Philadelphia Sports Nation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Eagles<\/a>\u2022More PHL<\/a>\u2022News<\/a>\u2022Unique Columns<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\" \"Photo\"Photo<\/a><\/p>\n

That\u2019s right<\/a>, Makai Lemon<\/a>. You\u2019ll be in Midnight Green next year instead of Black and Gold. One week before the Philadelphia Flyers sent the Pittsburgh Penguins packing<\/a> with a thrilling overtime victory 4\u20133 thriller\u200a\u2014\u200athe Philly vs. Pittsburgh rivalry proved to be alive and<\/a> well when the Eagles interrupted a call from<\/a> the Steelers to Lemon to move up and select Makai with the 20th selection in the 2026 NFL<\/a> Draft. Literally.<\/p>\n

For many of us growing up around the Delaware Valley\u200a\u2014\u200ahistorically when the Eagles season was over with a playoff loss or not even have qualified for the NFL Playoffs at all\u200a\u2014\u200awe casually<\/a> watched the Steelers. In the 1970s\u200a\u2014\u200abefore Dick Vermeil showed up in South Philadelphia and instilled a new kind of discipline<\/a> into the Eagles which translated into winning\u200a\u2014\u200athe legendary Steel<\/a> Curtain Pittsburgh defense was the team to watch. And then again in the early 1990s\u200a\u2014\u200awhile the Eagles were featuring<\/a> an annual early-playoff exit year after year\u200a\u2014\u200aBill Cowher\u2019s Steelers<\/a> were among the best teams in the AFC.<\/p>\n

And why not cheer for another Pennsylvania team?<\/p>\n

After all\u200a\u2014\u200athe Eagles and Giants rivalry<\/a> began at the Polo Grounds in 1933, the Washington rivalry not long after that<\/a>. And then in the 1970s \u2014a hatred towards those Dallas Cowboys\u200a\u2014\u200aculminating<\/a> in a 1981 NFC Championship Game at Veterans Stadium.<\/p>\n

But somewhere in between wishing that those Eagles\u2019 teams were more competitive and the swirling animosity directed at our cross-state neighbors\u200a\u2014\u200aa rivalry began fueled by Pittsburgh fans flaunting of multiple Super Bowl victories<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Flyers and Penguins rivalry heated up, the Phillies and<\/a> Pirates, too. But perhaps\u200a\u2014\u200ait was a merger of necessity during World War II\u200a\u2014\u200awhen the war-depleted rosters of each team forced a merger<\/a> of convenience and the Steagles were born. The 1943 Steagles<\/a> didn\u2019t win anything. But the end of World War II was the beginning<\/a> of the Eagles ascension to dominance in the late 1940s\u200a\u2014\u200aand eventually the Steelers<\/a>\u200a\u2014\u200ato mediocrity.<\/p>\n

\"Feb\"Feb<\/a>PHOTO: Bill Streicher\/Imagn Images<\/p>\n

So while we are on the topic. The Steelers haven\u2019t been to a Super Bowl since 2010<\/a>\u200a\u2014\u200athe Eagles have played in three during<\/a> that time. The Eagles have two Super Bowl victories in the last eight<\/a> years\u200a\u2014\u200aas well as three conference championships. The Eagles are a Super Bowl contenders <\/a>once again in 2026, the Steelers are now rebuilding under Mike McCarthy.<\/p>\n

And Philly has Makai<\/a> Lemon on the roster now, too.<\/p>\n

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Tags: 2026 NFL Draft<\/a> DeVonta Smith<\/a> Dick Vermeil<\/a> Drew Allar<\/a> Makai Lemon<\/a> Mike McCarthy<\/a> Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a> <\/p>\n

Categorized:Eagles<\/a> More PHL<\/a> News<\/a> Unique Columns<\/a><\/p>\n