ESPN Films today released the official trailer for “The Philly Special”, a new 30 for 30 documentary film from its Peabody and Emmy Award-winning series. Premiering February 6 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN and the ESPN app, the film explores how one play call has come to represent the hopes and dreams of the Philadelphia Eagles fanbase.
Produced by NFL Films and directed by Angela Zender and Shannon Furman, “The Philly Special” tells the story of the moment that propelled the Eagles to an upset win over the Patriots for their first Super Bowl title in 2018, told through the perspectives of the players, coaches, and fans who experienced it. It’s also a personal look at the city of Philadelphia, with its unique mix of heartfelt optimism, notorious pessimism, and unbridled underdog passion.
“Everybody loves the Rocky movies, but they were fiction,” said NFL Films co-director Angela Zender. “The amazing thing about ‘The Philly Special’ is that it’s a real-life Rocky story. A group of five underdogs went up against the greatest dynasty in NFL history and pulled off an upset worthy of Hollywood. That underdog mentality is something that will resonate with people all over the country.”
NFL Films co-director Shannon Furman said, “I grew up an Eagles fan, so ‘The Philly Special’ has been a dream project. It was surreal to stand in front of the statue of Doug Pederson and Nick Foles at the Linc with the five men who made one of the most iconic plays in NFL history happen. There’s no doubt fans will enjoy re-living the Eagles’ first Super Bowl as much as I did.”
In the eight years since it was run, The Philly Special has been immortalized on t-shirts, tattoos, murals, a statue outside Lincoln Financial Field, restaurant menus and multiple holiday albums recorded by the Eagles. It’s been everywhere and on everything, transcending football to become part of Philadelphia’s cultural identity. It’s not just a play; it’s a rallying cry for a city used to being overlooked. While Philadelphia might be the birthplace of America, the 6th most populous city in the country lives and dies with an underdog mentality – one epitomized by the Founding Fathers, Rocky Balboa…and The Philly Special.
Featured throughout the film are Kyle Brandt, Angelo Cataldi, Ray Didinger, Malcolm Jenkins, Chip Kelly, Jeffrey Lurie, Sal Paolantonio and Frank Reich, along with the head coach who called the Philly Special, Doug Pederson, and the four players whose hands touched the ball: Jason Kelce, Corey Clement, Trey Burton and Nick Foles.