PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Eagles fans woke up bright and early Sunday morning for the pregame tailgate, with some fans celebrating much more than just the best team in football.
“The first time I cried was the ’80 Super Bowl when the Raiders beat us,” said Dan McAlee, who has been an Eagles fan since he was six years old.
This game became one of his all-time favorites before the team even took the field. The Vietnam veteran’s entire family surprised him for his 70th birthday.
“I went to help the bus driver get his truck off the freeway and they were all on board. I got on there and there they were all,” he said.
In a sea of thousands of Eagles fans, Dan wasn’t the only one celebrating his big day with a tailgate.
“I turned 30 today, so it’s a good day. All my friends and family are here having a great time,” said Rob D’Adrea of Northeast Philadelphia. He got on a bus to the stadiums with 75 of his closest friends and family, bringing lots of games and lots of good food.
“We’ve smoked jerk chicken, we’ve smoked pulled pork here, baked mac and cheese,” he said showing off his spread, which is, of course, the centerpiece of any good Eagles tailgate.
“We got the breakfast sandwiches, the bacon egg and cheese, the pork egg and cheese. We got the tater tots and the mimosas. The most important part, the mimosas,” said Courtney Bartkowski of Ewing, New Jersey.
She and her friends started the day off right. Eagles fans everywhere wanted to show Tennessee why Philadelphia is the best football city.
“This is a city like no other. Everyone has a great time when they come to Philly,” said Shelley Holt of Lawrenceville, New Jersey.
Help Eagles fans cheer for the number one team in football. It’s the gift that keeps on giving to lifelong fans like Dan.
“I think this is the best team I’ve seen in a long, long time,” he said.
Dan’s actual birthday isn’t until January. Now that he has had his party, he expects one more gift; an Eagles trip to the Super Bowl.