The Philadelphia Eagles’ season ended in disappointing fashion, but Troy Aikman went and rubbed salt in the wound by comparing them to the putrid Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots.
After beginning the season 10-1 and looking like Super Bowl favorites, the Eagles collapsed, losing six of their last seven games, capped off by getting knocked out of the playoffs Monday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And just as the lost season was becoming a reality, Aikman hit the Eagles and their fanbase with a brutal gut punch.
Troy Aikman comparing the Eagles to Carolina and New England… pic.twitter.com/o6Hqk6wCi4
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 16, 2024
“Having been on this end of it, when you get to the postseason, and you lose the first round…it is an empty feeling,” Aikman admitted during ESPN’s NFL Wild Card broadcast. “And really, when you had the expectations that the Eagles had this year, you’re no different than the New England (Patriots), Carolina (Panthers) or any of these other teams that didn’t have near the season, didn’t win near the games. But the only thing you have to say for your year is you got to play one more game than they did.”
And at times Monday night, Philly didn’t even look like they wanted to play that one more game as it repeatedly missed tackles and failed to come up with any answers for Tampa Bay’s blitz. But still, comparing the 11-6 Eagles to the 4-13 Patriots or the 2-15 Eagles? That’s cold. As if Philly fans needed any more reason to feel animosity toward Aikman, the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback went there on the broadcast.
At least the Eagles enjoyed some semblance of success this season, even if that success began to falter a couple months too early. But comparing a franchise that went to the Super Bowl last year, made the playoffs this season, and remains decently set up for the future to a 2-15 team without a first-round pick seems like a bit of a stretch. One game was not the only difference between the Eagles and Panthers this season.
[ESPN]
