“Go Birds!”: Eagles Dominate the 2025 ESPYs as Saquon Shines and Philly Flexes

The 2025 ESPYs had a little bit of everything – “inapropriate” jokes, heartfelt speeches and celebrity sightings, but for fans in Philadelphia, it might as well have been a Super Bowl afterparty. The Birds didn’t just show up, they took over, winning the night’s biggest award, owning the most memorable skits, and getting shoutouts from the host every chance he got.

If you were looking for signs that the Philadelphia Eagles are the standard right now, not just in the NFL but across all sports, you didn’t have to look any further than ESPN’s annual awards show.

Shane Gillis Goes Full Philly

Shane Gillis, a guy whose name is more suited for a Flyers’ defenseman, hosted the ESPYs on Tuesday, where the stand-up comedian, podcaster, and die-hard Birds fan set the tone from the very first moment with a monologue that felt like a blend of Norm Macdonald irreverence and South Philly grit.

Gillis threw more punches than Clubber Lang innhis first title fight. He pummeled everyone from Bill Belichick to O.J. Simpson, and even dropped the hammer on President Donald Trump that shone some awkwardness on the celebrity crowd. But the real MVPs of his monologue, leaving no doubt, the Philadelphia Eagles.

Birds Win it All Again

Just like the Academy Awards wait until the final category of the evenin to present Oscar for The Best Motion Picture, the Espys do the same thing for The Best Team.

In the process of announcing all of the nominees, Gillis managed to throw one more haymaker. “The Eagles are up for best team, Go Birds,” Gillis said. “And I bet you guys think as an Eagles fan, I’m going to trash all the other nominees, but far from it. I’m going to celebrate them. I think this race is wide open. It definitely is not obvious who the best team was this year. One of the nominees for best team is the Dallas Cowboys. No, I’m joking. Obviously, Dallas sucks. Go Birds. They’re obviously not here.”

And the decided to throw a few more jabs at the real nominees. “Only real teams are up for best team,” Gillis said. “Like Ohio State football who won the national championship. Also, lost to Michigan. Michigan who didn’t cheat this time … Also, UConn women. They could also win best team. UConn women, they played against pros, right? Who were on the verge of a Super Bowl dynasty? No, never mind that was the Eagles. Go Birds.

“Or the Florida Panthers who won back-to-back like the Chiefs, who everyone thought was unstoppable until the Eagles absolutely destroyed them. Go Birds. And the New York Liberty. New York, they’re from a classy town in the Northeast where they invented America. Oh wait, that’s also Philadelphia. Go Birds.”

The award was accepted by awarded Nick Sirianni, Jords Mailata, Jalen Carter, and former Eagle Josh Sweat.

“On behalf of the Philadelphia Eagles organization, thank you,” Sirianni said. “What an honor it is to be associated with all the great teams that were up for this award.”

The Saquon No-Show Show

Though he wasn’t in attendance, Saquon Barkley stole the show with another dominant performance, winning not just Best NFL Player, but also taking home the coveted Best Play award for his now-iconic backward hurdle catch and run that became an instant meme and a lasting memory and a play that best symbolizes the Birds’ spectacular season.

Accepting both awards on Barkley’s behalf was offensive lineman and locker-room showman Jordan Mailata, who delivered the kind of acceptance speech only an Eagle could.

“If Saquon was here today he would say that this is a team award,” Mailata said. “He would say that it was because of the team that he could jump 40 inches vertical, backward over a player. He would say that no man is an island and that he draws his strength from others. So, in saying that—thank you to the ESPYs, thank you to the fans who voted for him… and Go Birds.”

The play drew laughs, cheers, and a few jaw-drops from people who still can’t believe Saquon pulled that play off.

The Tush Push Gets the Hollywood Treatment

Because no Eagles season recap is complete without it, the night included a mock movie trailer dramatizing the origin of the most unstoppable short-yardage play in NFL history: the Tush Push.

Gillis introduced the skit like a blockbuster premiere, complete with dramatic music and tongue-in-cheek interviews.

“Could you imagine being a football team and going and complaining about a play working too well?” he joked. “Pathetic, right?” Gillis said.  He then tossed Sirianni, who was in the crowd, a question.

“Did you come up with the play?”  “Yeah, as a staff we did,” Sirianni deadpanned. “Kind of exactly how you showed it right there.”

It was the perfect tribute to a play so effective, the league tried to outlaw it only to fail by a 22-10 vote this past May.

“Thank you to the fans who voted for us and thank you to the best fans in the world back home in Philly.” waxed a very proud and grateful championship head coach.

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