In case you missed it, the Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59 to become the newest NFL champions. But even greater than the win itself are the players' and coaches' fantastic stories of comebacks and redemptions.
Jalen Hurts went from being benched at Alabama to having people question his talent as an NFL passer, but now he's a Super Bowl MVP and chamion. Head coach Nick Sirianni, a regular hot topic in the media after the 2023 collapse, showed he could lead a group of men and take them all the way to a title.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio also drew a lot of conversation. He's coached in the NFL since the mid-1980s and was kicked out by Miami after the 2023 season, but he turned the Eagles defense into a powerhouse unit and, on the ninth try and in the biggest game of his life, defeated Patrick Mahomes.
All these developments are great, and all deserve the spotlight. But digging a little deeper allows us to uncover the stories of guys who are not stars — or even starters — but have tales that make this ring that much sweeter.
The Steelers failed Eagles backup QB Kenny Pickett
After a solid five-year career at the University of Pittsburgh, Kenny Pickett didn't move out of the city in which he made his college legend, as the Steelers took him with the 20th pick of 2022's first round. The quarterback class was thin that year, to the point that the team might have been able to wait another round to pick the local option.
Instead of sitting a year and developing behind Mitchell Trubisky, he was instead thrown into an inept offense. The Steelers wanted him to deliver miracles as a rookie after Week 4 of the 2022 season. But he had Matt Canada, one of the worst offensive play-callers in the team's history, directing the offense during his two years with the team. Fans even chanted "Fire Canada!" during games.
During his two seasons in Pittsburgh, Pickett threw for 4,474 yards with 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He also missed games due to injuries, the Steelers did not exactly set him up to succeed with horrible play-calling, and he was sacked 50 times in that span.
The Steelers gave up on Pickett in March 2024 and sent him to the team he grew up cheering for: the Philadelphia Eagles.
Pittsburgh thought it was riding high this season with Justin Fields and, later on, Russell Wilson starting at quarterback. Well, that fell flat as the team lost its last six games with Wilson as the starter.
Pickett instead got the last laugh. Not only did he go to a franchise with a good offensive coordinator (Kellen Moore), but he also got mentored by one of the more dynamic quarterbacks in the league (Jalen Hurts).
We don't know what the future may hold for Kenny, but he was thrown away by the Steelers and was made a champion by the Birds.
The Trotter family is nothing but winners in Philly
Unlike Kenny Pickett, who was traded to the city of Brotherly Love, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. was selected by the Eagles in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft to continue his family's legacy with the team.
His father was Jeremiah Trotter Sr., one of the best linebackers the Eagles have ever had. The "Axe Man" recorded 696 tackles, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 11 sacks, seven interceptions, and two interceptions in 116 games.
Trotter Sr. returned to the Birds in 2004 after a two-year stay in Washington and helped improve the run defense immensely, which set up a run to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, though, Philly fell to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 39, 24-21.
Twenty years later, Trotter Jr. honored his father's legacy by wearing the No. 54 jersey in his rookie season and collecting 25 tackles and 0.5 sacks in a role that predominantly featured him as a backup and special-teams contributor.
Junior also got to do something his father didn't by hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. That had to be a sweet feeling, not only for himself but also for a sure-to-be emotional father who saw his son reach the ultimate pinnacle of the sport.
That winning moment, however, was likely a little bittersweet for Trotter Jr. because his mom wasn't there for the celebration. She sadly passed away from breast cancer in 2023, but we are sure she was there in spirit and proud of her son.
