From victory to violence

By Amie Anh April 2, 2025

A rowdy mob erupted in victorious shouts as a bus in the nearby distance went up in a strong hue of blazing orange and yellow flames. The crowded streets of Philadelphia after the Eagles victory in the Super Bowl seemed suffocated with drunken jubilation as fans tore down streetlights, climbed poles—greased or not—and lit fires. Eagles’ violently dedicated fans reflect a broader trend of mob mentality in sports which go beyond boundaries of safety and respect. 

Super Bowl LIX took place on Feb. 9 in New Orleans, with the Kansas City Chiefs facing off against the Philadelphia Eagles. The game saw an overwhelming Eagles 40-22 victory, marking a defeat for the Kansas City Chiefs, the widely disliked team in the National Football League (NFL) fans due to their high publicity and accusations of referee bias. Due to their opponents’ reputation, Eagles fans felt a strong degree of pride with their win, culminating in violent celebrations on the streets of Philadelphia. 

Philadelphia mayor Cherelle Parker, knowing how extreme Eagles fans are, issued a public statement telling fans to keep from climbing poles or any other equipment. In January, Parker also warned that fans must not use firearms to celebrate the National Football Conference (NFC) Championship win. 

The celebrations that took place were a repeat of what occurred after the 2018 Eagles Super Bowl victory, where hundreds of thousands of fans filled the Philadelphia streets. Similar events occurred in January, where over 30 arrests were made—many of which charged for assault on police—and a teen died after falling from a pole. However, this extreme part of Eagles fan culture is not unique to football. For example, in 1985, Japanese Hanshin Tigers fans vandalized shops and private property, threw a statue of Colonel Sanders from a KFC  into the Dotonbori Canal and jumped into the Dotonbori River after the Hanshin Tigers won the Central League pennant, causing injury and death.. 

“The Eagles themselves should play a role in stopping such riots from happening. Similar to the mobs at Travis Scott’s concert that the artist unfortunately did not speak up about, although the players are not directly part of the acts, they should actively discourage their fans for their safety,” Sophomore Nile Rahman said. 

In addition to a crowd providing anonymity for individuals and their actions, mob mentality influences individuals to blindly follow  the crowd. Introducing alcohol and drugs elevates the celebrations to another level of chaos, making them more prone to intoxicated violence. 

“Although these celebrations should be kept from becoming dangerous, nobody specifically is at fault and thus destruction is preventable only to an extent. Damage by rowdy mobs is inevitable, and the only current solution is providing more damage control at the scene,” Freshman Brian Lie said. 

When mob mentality combines with proud victory, it spirals into an uncontrollable fan celebration. While sports fans want to express their passionate support, the resulting chaos raises concerns about public safety, yet, effective solutions are still to be found to prevent damage on and beyond the streets of Philadelphia. 

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About the Contributor

Amie Ahn is a sophomore at Leland High School and a writer for the Charger Account. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, hanging out with friends and eating.