February 8, 2023 • 24 mins
As we inch closer to Super Bowl LVII, Eagles Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie joins Peter from Arizona to discuss the incredible connection between the Eagles and the Chiefs, what drew him to Nick Sirianni, and the one thing Philly fans keep telling him.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
The Season with Peter Schreger's a production of the NFL
in partnership with iHeartRadio. Welcome everybody to the season with
Peter Schreger. I am Peter Schreger. I'm the host of
(00:27):
Good Morning Football Monday to Friday on NFL Network. I
also work on the Fox Studio show Fox NFL Kickoff
on Sundays. And I am beyond excited about our guest today.
You know, there's all these different athletes and players who
are at the Super Bowl and they're working radio row,
and oftentimes they're they're just to you know, enjoy the
(00:49):
week in Arizona. Sometimes they're promoting products, other times they're
promoting their foundation, their causes. I wanted to do something
different this week. I wanted to have a guest that
perhaps no other podcast would have on and it really
was relying on a my relationships around the league. But
all so whether or not the guests would be willing
(01:09):
to do it. Jeffrey Lourie is the CEO and chairman
of the Board of the Philadelphia Eagles. He has been
since he purchased team in nineteen ninety four. Since then,
the Philadelphia Eagles have been to multiple Super Bowls. They
have won one Super Bowl ring and they are back.
You see, Jeffrey Lourie lives in Breeds Eagles football. I
(01:32):
assumed he did, but I didn't know until we spoke.
We recorded this earlier in the week, and I'll tell
you I was blown away with his in depth knowledge
of not only how the roster was built and how
the hirings have gone as these coaches, but also what
makes this team tick, what motivates this group, and what
this team means to the city of Philadelphia. With no
(01:56):
further ado, the man in charge of the Philadelphia Eagles
and the guy that is looking to bring a second
Super Bowl championship to the city of brotherly love to
Jeffrey Lourie, I'm ecstatic to introduce our guests for today's podcast.
(02:19):
In his twenty ninth year as chairman and chief executive
of the Philadelphia Eagles, he is a few days away
from yet another Super Bowl appearance, and he is being
so cool this time to join us now, Jeffrey Loriie,
Welcome to the season with Peter Schreger. Peter, great to
be with you. As always, It is awesome to have
you on here. You just got to Arizona. As we
(02:42):
record this today, what are your initial feelings as you
embark upon another Super Bowl week and another chance to
hoist that Lombardi. You know, it's kind of like, you're
so excited you have a chance to win another world championship,
and you have a chance to lose as well. So
it's it's extraordinary difference. And but you know, I'm struck
(03:03):
by it's like just another game week. There's so much
going on around it. But really I'm like headed to practice,
walk through, team meetings, team barbecue, all that kind of
stuff amidst you know, national and global hoopla. Yeah, you know,
it's a cool thing with this Eagles team because there
is that core. There's seven players who are on the
(03:25):
last Super BOWLD championship team and you got that core
four of you know, Kelsey and Graham and Fletcher Cox
and there's that group. But there's also getting coach and
Lane Johnson, and you got a new coach, got a
new quarterback. I think it's a testament to the business
as a whole that you guys didn't rebuild necessarily. But
this is a different team than the one that was
(03:46):
wearing the underdog masks in Minnesota a few years back. Yeah,
you know, it's it's been different. I'm proud of the
fact that five of the last six seasons we've been
in the playoffs while we try to get better. And
you're right, different coach, different quarterback, but same mentality, same culture,
same approach to building a roster, a lot of similarities,
(04:09):
but it's it's very fulfilling, you know, with a whole
different group and we just want to win it for
our fans, our players, our coaches, everyone in the building.
I mean, you're just so pumped to try to win
a super Bowl, you know, another one. It's so cool.
And you know, Sirianni comes in and he's this higher
last year where it wasn't a household name to everybody,
(04:29):
But you guys must have seen something in the interview
process down in Florida when you brought him in. What
stuck out from Nick Sirianni's interview with you guys a
couple a couple of years ago now, So you know
a few things. First of all, starts with football, IQ.
I mean you have to be really quick, really sharp,
and really innovative to kind of be considered to be
our head coach and aggressive I mean it has to
(04:51):
fit the mentality of the organization the way we feel
it gives us the best chance of winning. But he
connected like no other. I mean not just with us,
but we could see the way he connects with anyone
around him and include specially players and other coaches. He's strong,
He's has a great combination, and we can see it
(05:13):
in the interview process but also researching it where he's
just very comfortable with himself, Peter, and yet allows himself
to be really strong and very passionate and just smart
and you know, and surrounds himself with excellent coaches and
you know, wants to be the best. And it's been
(05:35):
an incredible season. He's the coach. One thing that you
can never say about the Eagles that they don't have
the resources and the aggressive nature in free agency and
in roster building. You guys added so many key players
this past offseason, whether it be A Hassan Reddick or
an A. J. Brown. And Howie Roseman does get his
flowers and is respected around the league, but that comes
from the top also to say, hey, Howie, go do
(05:56):
what you have to do. Let's make this the best
team we possibly can't what's that relationship with as how
he's been there now twenty years. Well that you know,
Howie is superb first of all and smart, creative, always
trying to figure out how to help make the team better.
That's our philosophy. I mean, I think the reason we've
worked so well together and now over twenty years, not
(06:18):
all with him as the GM, but he's been a
key part of what we've been doing is we share
that aggressiveness, that think outside the box mentality, whether it's
helping choose a new head coach or the kind of
players we want, or be aggressive when there's an opportunistic
moment in the marketplace to pounce and try to pick
(06:39):
up the James Bradberry or make the Garner Johnson trade
or aj Brown situation, you know, things like that. And
to me, how he is just ideal for everything we
believe in. He's able to execute it, he's smart, and
he fits the culture of what we've always been which
is don't try to be like you know, everybody else
(07:00):
and try to forge your own way. You're going to
make mistakes along the way, but go for it, and
you know, at the same time, always build for the future.
And that's that's you know, it's not full proof, but
that's the plan. No, And it's scary. People look at
the Eagles future picks and it's like, well, they're still
loaded with the draft, like they still did they didn't
mortgage everything to get what they needed. And I think
(07:23):
that's a lot about forward thinking business planning. You know,
it is interesting. We certainly are loaded with the picks. Also,
the top three picks this year, when you look back
on it, are really more for the future. Except Jordan
Davis has got to play some and he's going to
be a very very good defensive tackle for US. But
Cam Jorgens is sitting there because someday we're going to
lose our Hall of Fame center. Jason Kelsey might be
(07:45):
soon and Nkobe Kob opportunistic and uh you know, terrific
young player and sitting there too. So it's it's kind
of a combination of always trying to maximize what you got,
very opportunistic, I hope, and think outside the box, but
also an eye towards next year the year after. And
(08:06):
certainly that was with Jaalen too. I mean, yeah, you know,
the whole Jaalen thing was this is a quarterback that
is triple threat, big upside and phenomenal character and you
got to be patient, and you know, sometimes it pays off,
sometimes it doesn't. But it was kind of a no
brainer for myself, Howie, and to take the upside opportunity there,
(08:30):
you know, And yeah, it was I know it was
how heavily criticized, But I think one of the keys
to our success is we just do what we think
is right and sometimes we're going to be wrong and
you move on. And you know, Jaalen very special individual
and special quarterback. Yeah, I got to know him personally
just through my job as a reporter when he came
(08:51):
through the draft process and he waited his turn behind Carson.
What did you see in Jalen those early months of
him being in the building that you can kind of
spot weight. This guy's got leadership qualities up and down.
You can see it right away, and you know, nothing
phased him. Yes, he was sitting on the Carson was starting,
but he thought of himself as potentially a star quarterback
(09:12):
in this league. Somebody who even at age twenty two,
felt like he could lead others because he always had Alabama,
Oklahoma and now an NFL team is just a natural,
natural leader and you know, extremely talented. We saw it
in practice at times, but had to all like part
of the process, you know, learn to get better and
(09:34):
attack his weaknesses. And nobody works harder than Jayal And
I will say that you grew up loving sports, Boston sports.
You listen to the Red Sox on your transistor radio
before you went to sleep. Such a passion for sports.
The Eagles situation arises, you get in it. That was
nineteen ninety four. When you look back now on this
(09:54):
time as the chairman of the Eagles, that going back
to those days, did you ever think it would be
as rewarding as it is right now? No, you know,
you're right. I'm you know, incredibly obsessed with sports, all
for major American sports, football number one. But I never
think I don't think I ever realized the camaraderie. That's
that's the thing. I mean players would say it, but
(10:16):
as an owner, the camaraderie you have as building a
football family, you know, for everyone in the building, it's
that that high of bringing everyone together is probably the
greatest thing of all. And yes, you know you're obsessed
with winning. Your ossessed the winning big and yet that
camaraderie you have with the players, the coaches, everyone in
(10:39):
the building, it takes a village. I mean, it's real
and that I cherished the most. Yeah, And as Nick
Sirianni is your current coach, obviously you can't write these scripts.
Coach of the Chiefs is the guy that we all
love in Big Red. When you hired Andy back then
in the late nineties, do you remember those interview processes
and where the Andy Reid hire came to be? Yeah,
(11:01):
I do, And I really remember how unpopular a decision
it was because nobody heard of Andy Reid. Nobody interviewed
Andy Reid except for us. But I had gotten to
know Andy at the Combine, interestingly in the early days
through Mike Holmgren and Railroads and those guys, and uh,
you know, always kind of like hmm heard this guy
(11:22):
was a great leader and kept we wanted an offensive
coach at the time, develop a young quarterback because we
were about to draft one. And you know, just just
you know, first ballot Hall of Fame coach, even better
person and a lot of the things we do today
are instilled by the culture that Andy Reid helped form.
(11:46):
And uh, you know, I love the guy. There's so
many former Eagles people in that Chiefs building and they
all but they all love their time. And like Brett
Beach was raving about it, and Steve Spagnola was raving
about it, and you've got even Eric bi Enemy was
a former player in the nineties with the Eagles. It's
it's an incredible connection between these two teams. Do you
(12:06):
feel as watching these guys in the red and white? Now?
I do. And their president as was a senior executive
with us, and these are all great people. And Spags,
you know, we've stayed in touch. We're both Boston guys.
We've stayed in touch. We've gone to Fenway together, you know,
things like that, and uh yeah, there's that. But you know,
I think they want to absolutely annihilate us in the
(12:27):
Super Bowl and we want to win too, in a big,
big way. And but it's a great, great kind of
It just shows a little bit about the NFL and football.
You can be very close and respectful and feel it throughout,
yet you want to beat that other team. You want
to win, so you want to win. This is about
(12:48):
winning another Super Bowl championship and for them too, so
uh yeah, and Andy's formidable, I mean, offensive mastermind, as
I said, first ballot Hall of Famer. And yet you know,
we've got a great young coach and great young coaching
staff and you know, real good roster, and so do they.
So it's it's a great sunday I think for the
(13:11):
NFL to have these two teams. Yeah, they get along,
but they're not going to get along on the field. No,
there's no, there's not gonna be any nostalgia for Matt
Naggie's Eagles days when he's drawing up place here zero zero. Um,
your Sunday, any other Super Bowl, you might go to
the Commissioner's party, NFL honors, and then when you are
(13:33):
the participating team, what is that day like? Well, huh,
hopefully you didn't have to take some pill to fall
asleep the night before, you know, that's that's uh, I
guess you know. It's it's this weird combination of tremendous
excitement and you're filled with anxiety, and so you know, oh,
(13:55):
we've got a little visitor here. Who we got, who
we got? Syndey come over? Yeah it's okay, Um, yeah,
this is this is this is the work from home.
Let's go special. Bring her right over then, the official
dog of the Eagles. When you know what she thinks
she's a dog, she's actually yeah, she's a teddy bear.
(14:16):
Oh my, she is a teddy bearne Sydney like Sydney, Australia. Oh, Sydney,
I love it. Like. Okay, she's Sydney. You're gorgeous. She's
she thinks she's a dog, but she's she's like a
pet teddy bear. That's one of the most beautiful dogs
I've ever seen. Sydney. She's awesome. Do you run the
(14:37):
forty in Sydney? Six for six? Not bad? She's she's
a possession receiver. That's it. Great chasing right over the right.
We can do this interview with Peter. That's Peter. Yeah,
just hang in okay, Sydney, Okay, sorry, it's a Super
Bowl Sunday. You got all get there, ball kicks off
(15:01):
where you at? What's the situation. I know yet Bradley
Cooper in the in the sweet last time, but I
don't know. Super Bowl might be difference. No, no, he
probably he might be there someday. Okay, okay, a long yeah,
I mean, you don't have too many people. I'm someone
as those that know that sit with the even regular season,
other than halftime and pregame, I don't talk. I'm like,
I am so I don't want to dine, and every play,
(15:26):
you know, and it's like every play is crucial, and
the regular season too. I mean it's not like but
the super Bowl it's heightened. And um, all I can
say is you're just so wound up and excited but nervous,
and you want to you want to win so bad
that you just you know, you become like this automaton
(15:47):
because you're so focused. You can't really talk to anybody.
So it's it's enjoyable that you're there, but you don't
feel the enjoyment, uh, every any moment while you're there.
It's a funny thing. When did it crystallize for you
the last time around? Was it the sack and the strip?
Was it the parade? Were so and Beachie sacked Brady?
(16:07):
We got the ball? I thought, well, we've got a
chance to win this, you know, finally special not Philly special.
I love that, but no, and we practiced that in
the lobby, so we like had to keep that one special. Um,
So you know, I think it was obviously the ball
dropped in the end zone. You couldn't we couldn't sack
Brady on the hill. Mary really wanted to sack him
(16:29):
there he got away, Gronk had a free release. I
was like, oh my god, this is not happening. Is
it where they're gonna, you know, score and then get
a two pointer and the ball dropped and it was like,
oh my god, we just won the Super Bowl. And
so that's that's the moment. When the ball dropped. I
had to look at the time clock to make sure
(16:50):
zero seconds left, uh you know, and realized it and
oh my god, I think it was with my son
hugged him and whoever else was there, my mom was there,
and uh you know, and then the parade just culminated.
These fans, as you know, phil fans, Philly fans are
the most passionate and wonderful. Eagles fans are just, you know, unbelievable.
(17:14):
We sometimes feel like even away games, they're almost like home.
Oh yes, so it's it's a wow And yeah, I
mean so it really probably was. The ball dropped, looked
at the clock zero seconds left, and then oh my god,
we won the Super Bowl, and the parade of course,
was just the culmination. We're in the ice cold in
(17:34):
Minnesota when that's all happens, and I'm I'm saying there
as person member of the media, and because it was
so cold, we couldn't go out on the street and
get a car, get a cab, get a taxi. You
get to walk those corridors in Minnesota and the echoes
of the Eagles chants. Yeah. Still I still have goosebumps
of it because it's in nineteen sixty and you had
great grandfather, grandfather, father son, four generations of Eagles fans
(17:59):
just channing fly Eagles fly for a two mile walk together.
I could cry. It is one of the most beautiful
moments I've had in my career. I can only imagine
in the reward it felt for you seeing those Eagles
fans finally. Yeah, to be able to fulfill everyone's dreams
like that, including our own, it was unbelievable. Today, it's funny,
it's been four plus years, almost five, and I still
get people who come up to me crying, you know,
(18:22):
grown men, grown women, um crying, And I know why
they're crying because it's happened so many times. But then
see it come up. I know what you're about to say,
you know, and it's it's very rewarding. Uh, and hopefully
we can get another one. Yeah. Look, I'm not gonna
take up any more of your time, but I think
(18:42):
there's more to the Eagles than just the football. I
think what you guys do with autism and autism research
is incredible. If you can take just a moment, I
know it's a cause that's close to you, and also
the organization as a whole, the work that you guys
do in that field. So, Peter, you know, we've established
Eagles Autism Foundation about five years ago and we've we've
tried to make the Eagles as synonymous with autism as
(19:04):
we can. It's the fastest growing developmental disorder, one in
forty something births in the United States across the globe,
and you know, my brother is autistic. And we've established
this foundation that's based on real dynamic research to try
to make a huge difference, and it's been wildly successful.
In our end zone and all of our home games,
(19:26):
whenever there's a field goal, a touchdown, anything going on,
it's Eagles Autism Foundation, and it's created it's sort of
an amazing global fundraising. At the same time, scientists are
attracted to everything we're trying to do and very proud
of it. It's it's going to continue to grow, but
it's it's a chance to leverage a sports team with
(19:47):
a condition. It's not just a foundation. It's autism and
it's it's been you know, it's both rewarding, but the
potential of it is spectacular and we just we just
want to make a difference. And so yeah, Eagles and autism,
you'll see it. It's it's synonymous. Twenty million dollar in
research in five years is an incredible number to any cause,
(20:10):
but this one's so unique to the Eagles. And yeah,
you know, I tell this story. I remember meeting Jordan
by A Latta as part of the international player pathway
before the draft. He came on our show Good Morning Football.
I said, this is some young man. Let's fast forward
all this time. He's a star, He's a fixture. But
the amount of fans that we get who watch our
show because of the Eagles and my Alatta from Australia
(20:33):
and New Zealand is something I never imagined. That is
a real thing. The international fan base around this Eagles.
Do you feel it, do you guys sent it? I
do feel it. And Jordan is I mean quite a guy,
great young player, a great singer and he's mass singer, yeah,
mass singer and Christmas album with the offensive lineman. I
(20:54):
mean amazing, great guy, young and his fan base is
all of Australia. I think, um, not because of him,
but our dog. You just met our Teddy bearrys So
his name, his name Sydney same spelling, actually named him
because the night I thought of the name was the
night Sydney partier died and he was one of my
favorite actors of all time. Wow and so and then
(21:17):
I love the city Sydney if you ever been up
the great optimistic, upbeat Sydney city. And Jordan played for
a Sydney team and that's how we kind of initials.
You got it. So, yeah, he's he's awesome and you
know the country doesn't quite know him yet in the US,
but they will. He's very special. Yeah. And closing, your
(21:42):
message to Eagles fans who are either gearing up to
come to Arizona or they're ordering their wings and pizza
and right to have another all time day, what's your
message to them? As we head towards Super Bowl Sunday.
We're in it to win it. We're gonna go for
it all. We got a real good team. So to
the Chiefs, we highly respect them. We hope we can
bring another Super Bowl home to our amazing fans. Jeffrey Lourie,
(22:03):
I appreciate you taking the time and what must be
a very busy week, you're joining our podcast. It means
a lot and UH as always, good luck and thank
you for all you do for the league and all
all you do for all the different causes that are
so close to you. Yeah, Peter, thank you very much.
Great to be on good Luck. Tell you what, it
(22:24):
was a pleasure speaking with Jeffrey Lorie. U great, great
magnetism to him and truly a great man to be
at the forefront of a lot of causes, but also
the Philadelphia Eagles. But the highlights to me was getting
a chance to see Sydney the Dog. Aaron Kaufman, you're
my producer, Aaron. When Sydney the Dog jumps up on
(22:45):
Jeffrey Lorie's lap and engages with us, were you in
agreement with me? That might be the most beautiful dog
you've ever seen in your life. Hey, yeah, that was
a pretty dog. That was good dog. Are you a
dog guy? You are loved dogs, grew up with dogs? Allergic?
What kind of dog was Sydney? I don't I'm not like,
I don't I know him, but uh, some kind of
midsized poodle mix. I think the hair is very poodlee gorgeous,
(23:07):
gorgeous dog named after Sidney Potier, which I thought was
pretty cool. The Eagles are in good hands, Aaron, would
you agree? Like incredibly impressive and if I'm a player,
I would love to play for that dude. Yeah, yeah,
I mean he was all in on like his rookies
and and you know, like it seemed like he was
(23:29):
so invested in everyone on the team, just like how
he talks about Jalen Hurts and everything was really optimistic
and promising, and like, I loved hearing an owner speak
about their teammates like that. It was great, very rare
we get owners on a podcast. So I do want
to thank the Eagles for help setting that up, and
(23:49):
of course I want to thank Jeffrey Lorie for taking
some time. I also want to thank you Aaron Kaufman.
I want to thank Jason English. I want to thank
Matt Schneider at the NFL. I want to thank Jason
Kleinman at the NFL, Meredith Batton at the NFL, and
Jack Rudd who does our music here. Jeffrey Lorie awesome,
awesome interview, and I am so excited to see he
(24:12):
and Clark Hunt go head to head in a Super Bowl.
Two of the best teams in football and two of
the best run organizations Chiefs versus Eagles. Guys are almost there.
(24:48):
The Season with Peter Schrager is a production of the
NFL and partnership with iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio,
visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts.
The Season with Peter Schreger's a production of the NFL
in partnership with iHeartRadio. Welcome everybody to the season with
Peter Schreger. I am Peter Schreger. I'm the host of
(00:27):
Good Morning Football Monday to Friday on NFL Network. I
also work on the Fox Studio show Fox NFL Kickoff
on Sundays. And I am beyond excited about our guest today.
You know, there's all these different athletes and players who
are at the Super Bowl and they're working radio row,
and oftentimes they're they're just to you know, enjoy the
(00:49):
week in Arizona. Sometimes they're promoting products, other times they're
promoting their foundation, their causes. I wanted to do something
different this week. I wanted to have a guest that
perhaps no other podcast would have on and it really
was relying on a my relationships around the league. But
all so whether or not the guests would be willing
(01:09):
to do it. Jeffrey Lourie is the CEO and chairman
of the Board of the Philadelphia Eagles. He has been
since he purchased team in nineteen ninety four. Since then,
the Philadelphia Eagles have been to multiple Super Bowls. They
have won one Super Bowl ring and they are back.
You see, Jeffrey Lourie lives in Breeds Eagles football. I
(01:32):
assumed he did, but I didn't know until we spoke.
We recorded this earlier in the week, and I'll tell
you I was blown away with his in depth knowledge
of not only how the roster was built and how
the hirings have gone as these coaches, but also what
makes this team tick, what motivates this group, and what
this team means to the city of Philadelphia. With no
(01:56):
further ado, the man in charge of the Philadelphia Eagles
and the guy that is looking to bring a second
Super Bowl championship to the city of brotherly love to
Jeffrey Lourie, I'm ecstatic to introduce our guests for today's podcast.
(02:19):
In his twenty ninth year as chairman and chief executive
of the Philadelphia Eagles, he is a few days away
from yet another Super Bowl appearance, and he is being
so cool this time to join us now, Jeffrey Loriie,
Welcome to the season with Peter Schreger. Peter, great to
be with you. As always, It is awesome to have
you on here. You just got to Arizona. As we
(02:42):
record this today, what are your initial feelings as you
embark upon another Super Bowl week and another chance to
hoist that Lombardi. You know, it's kind of like, you're
so excited you have a chance to win another world championship,
and you have a chance to lose as well. So
it's it's extraordinary difference. And but you know, I'm struck
(03:03):
by it's like just another game week. There's so much
going on around it. But really I'm like headed to practice,
walk through, team meetings, team barbecue, all that kind of
stuff amidst you know, national and global hoopla. Yeah, you know,
it's a cool thing with this Eagles team because there
is that core. There's seven players who are on the
(03:25):
last Super BOWLD championship team and you got that core
four of you know, Kelsey and Graham and Fletcher Cox
and there's that group. But there's also getting coach and
Lane Johnson, and you got a new coach, got a
new quarterback. I think it's a testament to the business
as a whole that you guys didn't rebuild necessarily. But
this is a different team than the one that was
(03:46):
wearing the underdog masks in Minnesota a few years back. Yeah,
you know, it's it's been different. I'm proud of the
fact that five of the last six seasons we've been
in the playoffs while we try to get better. And
you're right, different coach, different quarterback, but same mentality, same culture,
same approach to building a roster, a lot of similarities,
(04:09):
but it's it's very fulfilling, you know, with a whole
different group and we just want to win it for
our fans, our players, our coaches, everyone in the building.
I mean, you're just so pumped to try to win
a super Bowl, you know, another one. It's so cool.
And you know, Sirianni comes in and he's this higher
last year where it wasn't a household name to everybody,
(04:29):
But you guys must have seen something in the interview
process down in Florida when you brought him in. What
stuck out from Nick Sirianni's interview with you guys a
couple a couple of years ago now, So you know
a few things. First of all, starts with football, IQ.
I mean you have to be really quick, really sharp,
and really innovative to kind of be considered to be
our head coach and aggressive I mean it has to
(04:51):
fit the mentality of the organization the way we feel
it gives us the best chance of winning. But he
connected like no other. I mean not just with us,
but we could see the way he connects with anyone
around him and include specially players and other coaches. He's strong,
He's has a great combination, and we can see it
(05:13):
in the interview process but also researching it where he's
just very comfortable with himself, Peter, and yet allows himself
to be really strong and very passionate and just smart
and you know, and surrounds himself with excellent coaches and
you know, wants to be the best. And it's been
(05:35):
an incredible season. He's the coach. One thing that you
can never say about the Eagles that they don't have
the resources and the aggressive nature in free agency and
in roster building. You guys added so many key players
this past offseason, whether it be A Hassan Reddick or
an A. J. Brown. And Howie Roseman does get his
flowers and is respected around the league, but that comes
from the top also to say, hey, Howie, go do
(05:56):
what you have to do. Let's make this the best
team we possibly can't what's that relationship with as how
he's been there now twenty years. Well that you know,
Howie is superb first of all and smart, creative, always
trying to figure out how to help make the team better.
That's our philosophy. I mean, I think the reason we've
worked so well together and now over twenty years, not
(06:18):
all with him as the GM, but he's been a
key part of what we've been doing is we share
that aggressiveness, that think outside the box mentality, whether it's
helping choose a new head coach or the kind of
players we want, or be aggressive when there's an opportunistic
moment in the marketplace to pounce and try to pick
(06:39):
up the James Bradberry or make the Garner Johnson trade
or aj Brown situation, you know, things like that. And
to me, how he is just ideal for everything we
believe in. He's able to execute it, he's smart, and
he fits the culture of what we've always been which
is don't try to be like you know, everybody else
(07:00):
and try to forge your own way. You're going to
make mistakes along the way, but go for it, and
you know, at the same time, always build for the future.
And that's that's you know, it's not full proof, but
that's the plan. No, And it's scary. People look at
the Eagles future picks and it's like, well, they're still
loaded with the draft, like they still did they didn't
mortgage everything to get what they needed. And I think
(07:23):
that's a lot about forward thinking business planning. You know,
it is interesting. We certainly are loaded with the picks. Also,
the top three picks this year, when you look back
on it, are really more for the future. Except Jordan
Davis has got to play some and he's going to
be a very very good defensive tackle for US. But
Cam Jorgens is sitting there because someday we're going to
lose our Hall of Fame center. Jason Kelsey might be
(07:45):
soon and Nkobe Kob opportunistic and uh you know, terrific
young player and sitting there too. So it's it's kind
of a combination of always trying to maximize what you got,
very opportunistic, I hope, and think outside the box, but
also an eye towards next year the year after. And
(08:06):
certainly that was with Jaalen too. I mean, yeah, you know,
the whole Jaalen thing was this is a quarterback that
is triple threat, big upside and phenomenal character and you
got to be patient, and you know, sometimes it pays off,
sometimes it doesn't. But it was kind of a no
brainer for myself, Howie, and to take the upside opportunity there,
(08:30):
you know, And yeah, it was I know it was
how heavily criticized, But I think one of the keys
to our success is we just do what we think
is right and sometimes we're going to be wrong and
you move on. And you know, Jaalen very special individual
and special quarterback. Yeah, I got to know him personally
just through my job as a reporter when he came
(08:51):
through the draft process and he waited his turn behind Carson.
What did you see in Jalen those early months of
him being in the building that you can kind of
spot weight. This guy's got leadership qualities up and down.
You can see it right away, and you know, nothing
phased him. Yes, he was sitting on the Carson was starting,
but he thought of himself as potentially a star quarterback
(09:12):
in this league. Somebody who even at age twenty two,
felt like he could lead others because he always had Alabama,
Oklahoma and now an NFL team is just a natural,
natural leader and you know, extremely talented. We saw it
in practice at times, but had to all like part
of the process, you know, learn to get better and
(09:34):
attack his weaknesses. And nobody works harder than Jayal And
I will say that you grew up loving sports, Boston sports.
You listen to the Red Sox on your transistor radio
before you went to sleep. Such a passion for sports.
The Eagles situation arises, you get in it. That was
nineteen ninety four. When you look back now on this
(09:54):
time as the chairman of the Eagles, that going back
to those days, did you ever think it would be
as rewarding as it is right now? No, you know,
you're right. I'm you know, incredibly obsessed with sports, all
for major American sports, football number one. But I never
think I don't think I ever realized the camaraderie. That's
that's the thing. I mean players would say it, but
(10:16):
as an owner, the camaraderie you have as building a
football family, you know, for everyone in the building, it's
that that high of bringing everyone together is probably the
greatest thing of all. And yes, you know you're obsessed
with winning. Your ossessed the winning big and yet that
camaraderie you have with the players, the coaches, everyone in
(10:39):
the building, it takes a village. I mean, it's real
and that I cherished the most. Yeah, And as Nick
Sirianni is your current coach, obviously you can't write these scripts.
Coach of the Chiefs is the guy that we all
love in Big Red. When you hired Andy back then
in the late nineties, do you remember those interview processes
and where the Andy Reid hire came to be? Yeah,
(11:01):
I do, And I really remember how unpopular a decision
it was because nobody heard of Andy Reid. Nobody interviewed
Andy Reid except for us. But I had gotten to
know Andy at the Combine, interestingly in the early days
through Mike Holmgren and Railroads and those guys, and uh,
you know, always kind of like hmm heard this guy
(11:22):
was a great leader and kept we wanted an offensive
coach at the time, develop a young quarterback because we
were about to draft one. And you know, just just
you know, first ballot Hall of Fame coach, even better
person and a lot of the things we do today
are instilled by the culture that Andy Reid helped form.
(11:46):
And uh, you know, I love the guy. There's so
many former Eagles people in that Chiefs building and they
all but they all love their time. And like Brett
Beach was raving about it, and Steve Spagnola was raving
about it, and you've got even Eric bi Enemy was
a former player in the nineties with the Eagles. It's
it's an incredible connection between these two teams. Do you
(12:06):
feel as watching these guys in the red and white? Now?
I do. And their president as was a senior executive
with us, and these are all great people. And Spags,
you know, we've stayed in touch. We're both Boston guys.
We've stayed in touch. We've gone to Fenway together, you know,
things like that, and uh yeah, there's that. But you know,
I think they want to absolutely annihilate us in the
(12:27):
Super Bowl and we want to win too, in a big,
big way. And but it's a great, great kind of
It just shows a little bit about the NFL and football.
You can be very close and respectful and feel it throughout,
yet you want to beat that other team. You want
to win, so you want to win. This is about
(12:48):
winning another Super Bowl championship and for them too, so
uh yeah, and Andy's formidable, I mean, offensive mastermind, as
I said, first ballot Hall of Famer. And yet you know,
we've got a great young coach and great young coaching
staff and you know, real good roster, and so do they.
So it's it's a great sunday I think for the
(13:11):
NFL to have these two teams. Yeah, they get along,
but they're not going to get along on the field. No,
there's no, there's not gonna be any nostalgia for Matt
Naggie's Eagles days when he's drawing up place here zero zero. Um,
your Sunday, any other Super Bowl, you might go to
the Commissioner's party, NFL honors, and then when you are
(13:33):
the participating team, what is that day like? Well, huh,
hopefully you didn't have to take some pill to fall
asleep the night before, you know, that's that's uh, I
guess you know. It's it's this weird combination of tremendous
excitement and you're filled with anxiety, and so you know, oh,
(13:55):
we've got a little visitor here. Who we got, who
we got? Syndey come over? Yeah it's okay, Um, yeah,
this is this is this is the work from home.
Let's go special. Bring her right over then, the official
dog of the Eagles. When you know what she thinks
she's a dog, she's actually yeah, she's a teddy bear.
(14:16):
Oh my, she is a teddy bearne Sydney like Sydney, Australia. Oh, Sydney,
I love it. Like. Okay, she's Sydney. You're gorgeous. She's
she thinks she's a dog, but she's she's like a
pet teddy bear. That's one of the most beautiful dogs
I've ever seen. Sydney. She's awesome. Do you run the
(14:37):
forty in Sydney? Six for six? Not bad? She's she's
a possession receiver. That's it. Great chasing right over the right.
We can do this interview with Peter. That's Peter. Yeah,
just hang in okay, Sydney, Okay, sorry, it's a Super
Bowl Sunday. You got all get there, ball kicks off
(15:01):
where you at? What's the situation. I know yet Bradley
Cooper in the in the sweet last time, but I
don't know. Super Bowl might be difference. No, no, he
probably he might be there someday. Okay, okay, a long yeah,
I mean, you don't have too many people. I'm someone
as those that know that sit with the even regular season,
other than halftime and pregame, I don't talk. I'm like,
I am so I don't want to dine, and every play,
(15:26):
you know, and it's like every play is crucial, and
the regular season too. I mean it's not like but
the super Bowl it's heightened. And um, all I can
say is you're just so wound up and excited but nervous,
and you want to you want to win so bad
that you just you know, you become like this automaton
(15:47):
because you're so focused. You can't really talk to anybody.
So it's it's enjoyable that you're there, but you don't
feel the enjoyment, uh, every any moment while you're there.
It's a funny thing. When did it crystallize for you
the last time around? Was it the sack and the strip?
Was it the parade? Were so and Beachie sacked Brady?
(16:07):
We got the ball? I thought, well, we've got a
chance to win this, you know, finally special not Philly special.
I love that, but no, and we practiced that in
the lobby, so we like had to keep that one special. Um,
So you know, I think it was obviously the ball
dropped in the end zone. You couldn't we couldn't sack
Brady on the hill. Mary really wanted to sack him
(16:29):
there he got away, Gronk had a free release. I
was like, oh my god, this is not happening. Is
it where they're gonna, you know, score and then get
a two pointer and the ball dropped and it was like,
oh my god, we just won the Super Bowl. And
so that's that's the moment. When the ball dropped. I
had to look at the time clock to make sure
(16:50):
zero seconds left, uh you know, and realized it and
oh my god, I think it was with my son
hugged him and whoever else was there, my mom was there,
and uh you know, and then the parade just culminated.
These fans, as you know, phil fans, Philly fans are
the most passionate and wonderful. Eagles fans are just, you know, unbelievable.
(17:14):
We sometimes feel like even away games, they're almost like home.
Oh yes, so it's it's a wow And yeah, I
mean so it really probably was. The ball dropped, looked
at the clock zero seconds left, and then oh my god,
we won the Super Bowl, and the parade of course,
was just the culmination. We're in the ice cold in
(17:34):
Minnesota when that's all happens, and I'm I'm saying there
as person member of the media, and because it was
so cold, we couldn't go out on the street and
get a car, get a cab, get a taxi. You
get to walk those corridors in Minnesota and the echoes
of the Eagles chants. Yeah. Still I still have goosebumps
of it because it's in nineteen sixty and you had
great grandfather, grandfather, father son, four generations of Eagles fans
(17:59):
just channing fly Eagles fly for a two mile walk together.
I could cry. It is one of the most beautiful
moments I've had in my career. I can only imagine
in the reward it felt for you seeing those Eagles
fans finally. Yeah, to be able to fulfill everyone's dreams
like that, including our own, it was unbelievable. Today, it's funny,
it's been four plus years, almost five, and I still
get people who come up to me crying, you know,
(18:22):
grown men, grown women, um crying, And I know why
they're crying because it's happened so many times. But then
see it come up. I know what you're about to say,
you know, and it's it's very rewarding. Uh, and hopefully
we can get another one. Yeah. Look, I'm not gonna
take up any more of your time, but I think
(18:42):
there's more to the Eagles than just the football. I
think what you guys do with autism and autism research
is incredible. If you can take just a moment, I
know it's a cause that's close to you, and also
the organization as a whole, the work that you guys
do in that field. So, Peter, you know, we've established
Eagles Autism Foundation about five years ago and we've we've
tried to make the Eagles as synonymous with autism as
(19:04):
we can. It's the fastest growing developmental disorder, one in
forty something births in the United States across the globe,
and you know, my brother is autistic. And we've established
this foundation that's based on real dynamic research to try
to make a huge difference, and it's been wildly successful.
In our end zone and all of our home games,
(19:26):
whenever there's a field goal, a touchdown, anything going on,
it's Eagles Autism Foundation, and it's created it's sort of
an amazing global fundraising. At the same time, scientists are
attracted to everything we're trying to do and very proud
of it. It's it's going to continue to grow, but
it's it's a chance to leverage a sports team with
(19:47):
a condition. It's not just a foundation. It's autism and
it's it's been you know, it's both rewarding, but the
potential of it is spectacular and we just we just
want to make a difference. And so yeah, Eagles and autism,
you'll see it. It's it's synonymous. Twenty million dollar in
research in five years is an incredible number to any cause,
(20:10):
but this one's so unique to the Eagles. And yeah,
you know, I tell this story. I remember meeting Jordan
by A Latta as part of the international player pathway
before the draft. He came on our show Good Morning Football.
I said, this is some young man. Let's fast forward
all this time. He's a star, He's a fixture. But
the amount of fans that we get who watch our
show because of the Eagles and my Alatta from Australia
(20:33):
and New Zealand is something I never imagined. That is
a real thing. The international fan base around this Eagles.
Do you feel it, do you guys sent it? I
do feel it. And Jordan is I mean quite a guy,
great young player, a great singer and he's mass singer, yeah,
mass singer and Christmas album with the offensive lineman. I
(20:54):
mean amazing, great guy, young and his fan base is
all of Australia. I think, um, not because of him,
but our dog. You just met our Teddy bearrys So
his name, his name Sydney same spelling, actually named him
because the night I thought of the name was the
night Sydney partier died and he was one of my
favorite actors of all time. Wow and so and then
(21:17):
I love the city Sydney if you ever been up
the great optimistic, upbeat Sydney city. And Jordan played for
a Sydney team and that's how we kind of initials.
You got it. So, yeah, he's he's awesome and you
know the country doesn't quite know him yet in the US,
but they will. He's very special. Yeah. And closing, your
(21:42):
message to Eagles fans who are either gearing up to
come to Arizona or they're ordering their wings and pizza
and right to have another all time day, what's your
message to them? As we head towards Super Bowl Sunday.
We're in it to win it. We're gonna go for
it all. We got a real good team. So to
the Chiefs, we highly respect them. We hope we can
bring another Super Bowl home to our amazing fans. Jeffrey Lourie,
(22:03):
I appreciate you taking the time and what must be
a very busy week, you're joining our podcast. It means
a lot and UH as always, good luck and thank
you for all you do for the league and all
all you do for all the different causes that are
so close to you. Yeah, Peter, thank you very much.
Great to be on good Luck. Tell you what, it
(22:24):
was a pleasure speaking with Jeffrey Lorie. U great, great
magnetism to him and truly a great man to be
at the forefront of a lot of causes, but also
the Philadelphia Eagles. But the highlights to me was getting
a chance to see Sydney the Dog. Aaron Kaufman, you're
my producer, Aaron. When Sydney the Dog jumps up on
(22:45):
Jeffrey Lorie's lap and engages with us, were you in
agreement with me? That might be the most beautiful dog
you've ever seen in your life. Hey, yeah, that was
a pretty dog. That was good dog. Are you a
dog guy? You are loved dogs, grew up with dogs? Allergic?
What kind of dog was Sydney? I don't I'm not like,
I don't I know him, but uh, some kind of
midsized poodle mix. I think the hair is very poodlee gorgeous,
(23:07):
gorgeous dog named after Sidney Potier, which I thought was
pretty cool. The Eagles are in good hands, Aaron, would
you agree? Like incredibly impressive and if I'm a player,
I would love to play for that dude. Yeah, yeah,
I mean he was all in on like his rookies
and and you know, like it seemed like he was
(23:29):
so invested in everyone on the team, just like how
he talks about Jalen Hurts and everything was really optimistic
and promising, and like, I loved hearing an owner speak
about their teammates like that. It was great, very rare
we get owners on a podcast. So I do want
to thank the Eagles for help setting that up, and
(23:49):
of course I want to thank Jeffrey Lorie for taking
some time. I also want to thank you Aaron Kaufman.
I want to thank Jason English. I want to thank
Matt Schneider at the NFL. I want to thank Jason
Kleinman at the NFL, Meredith Batton at the NFL, and
Jack Rudd who does our music here. Jeffrey Lorie awesome,
awesome interview, and I am so excited to see he
(24:12):
and Clark Hunt go head to head in a Super Bowl.
Two of the best teams in football and two of
the best run organizations Chiefs versus Eagles. Guys are almost there.
(24:48):
The Season with Peter Schrager is a production of the
NFL and partnership with iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio,
visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts.
Host
Peter Schrager
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