PHILADELPHIA (AP) The Latest on the parade for the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles (all times local):
2:45 p.m.
The championship Philadelphia Eagles ended their raucous, emotional rally by giving props to their fans.
Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles and Carson Wentz thanked the roaring crowds from the ”Rocky” steps at the art museum Thursday, and Jason Kelce gave a rousing lecture on the meaning of the word underdog for Philadelphia.
It was a passionate defense of the coach and general manager and went through all the criticism they have faced over the years.
Malcolm Jenkins also hit the underdog theme: ”They doubted us as players, they doubted us as a team.”
The team descended the art museum steps to Meek Mill’s ”Dreams and Nightmares.” The incarcerated Philadelphia rapper’s song has become an anthem for the team this season.
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2:25 p.m.
The Eagles have landed on the ”Rocky” steps. The parade is over but the Super Bowl victory rally is roling with the team descending the art museum steps to Meek Mill’s ”Dreams and Nightmares.” The incarcerated Philadelphia rapper’s song has become an anthem for the team this season.
Three fighter jets buzzed overhead, as trumpeter Jesse McGuire performed ”The Star Spangled Banner.”
Owner Jeffrey Lurie is telling the crowd ”Philly, you are super bowl champions. And I have one final message for you: We are just beginning. ”
It’s the Eagles first NFL title in nearly 60 years.
Players are taking turns thanking the roaring crowd.
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12:30 p.m.
The championship Philadelphia Eagles are making their way through the jubilant throngs of fans at the city’s first-ever Super Bowl parade, but don’t expect any official estimate of the crowd size.
The city has said they aren’t planning to release any crowd size estimates after Thursday’s festivities, making any number a guess as easily inflatable as a football (sorry Pats fans).
But there’s certainly a massive, roaring crowd. Easily hundreds of thousands of groupies are lining the 5-mile (8-kilometer) route from the stadium to the art museum’s ”Rocky” steps. It’s a much longer route than the Phillies had for their 2008 World Series championship parade in 2008, and more spread out than the crowds for Pope Francis’s visit in 2015.
Organizers prepared for as many as 2 million people.
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11:25 a.m.
The Philadelphia Eagles are thanking the fans and sharing their championship glory as the Super Bowl parade makes its way up Broad Street, the main thoroughfare from the team’s stadium to city hall.
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie stood atop an open-air double-decker bus along with quarterbacks Nick Foles, Carson Wentz and third-stringer Nate Sudfeld as they made their way through the throngs. Lurie held a sign reading ”Thank You Fans” and a smiling Super Bowl MVP Foles brandished the Vince Lombardi trophy. Coach Doug Pederson disembarked from the bus to show off the trophy to the thrilled crowds; other players tossed T-shirts to fans along the route.
And Jason Kelce walked along – dressed in full Mummers regalia looking somewhat like Aladdin – shaking hands with fans and leading them in chants.
Hundreds of thousands of roaring, jubilant fans are in position to cheer their heroes along the way to the art museum’s ”Rocky” steps.
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11 a.m.
The Eagles have landed on Broad Street: The championship parade Philadelphia has dreamed about for decades is finally underway.
Players are cruising along the 5-mile (8-kilometer) parade route atop open-air, double-decker buses. They started off near their stadium just before 11 a.m. Thursday and winding up at the art museum’s ”Rocky” steps.
Many players are sporting their parade finest: Chris Long is donning a faux full-length fur coat over an Allen Iverson 76ers jersey. Jason Kelce is in full Mummers regalia, faintly resembling an Aladdin costume in a nod to Philadelphia’s raucous annual parade on New Year’s Day.
Hundreds of thousands of roaring, jubilant fans are in position to cheer their heroes along the way. Organizers are prepared for as many as 2 million people.
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7 a.m.
All roads and rails lead to Philadelphia as fans pour into the city for the Eagles’ Super Bowl parade.
People began lining the 5-mile (8-kilometer) route before dawn Thursday. Organizers are prepared for as many as 2 million people, but the actual number may be much lower.
Many fans are taking mass transit. New Jersey Transit on Wednesday suspended ticket sales on its Atlantic City Line into Philadelphia. All 50,000 special parade day tickets for the SEPTA regional railroad lines sold out.
The city’s two subways are free all day.
Schools and government offices are closed in the city. The Erco company gave more than 100 employees in New Jersey and Delaware a paid day off so they can celebrate.
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6:15 a.m.
Early birds are headed to the Eagles Super Bowl parade in Philadelphia.
Before dawn in frigid wind chills in the low 20s, people have started lining the parade route Thursday to celebrate the team’s first NFL title in nearly 60 years.
Other fans lined up for mass transit. The city’s two subways are free all da. But all 50,000 special parade day tickets for the SEPTA regional railroad lines sold out. The rapid transit system connecting Philadelphia and southern New Jersey also sold parade tickets, but that doesn’t guarantee a ride.
The parade starts near the team’s stadium and culminates its 5-mile (8-kilometer) trek at the art museum steps that Sylvester Stallone climbed in the ”Rocky” movies.
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12 a.m.
The championship parade Philadelphia has dreamed about and agonized over is finally here.
The city’s first Super Bowl parade steps off Thursday, capping a glorious week for jubilant fans celebrating an NFL title that had eluded them for nearly 60 years. Led by backup quarterback Nick Foles and second-year coach Doug Pederson, the Eagles beat the New England Patriots 41-33.
Schools, museums, courts, government offices and even the Philadelphia Zoo will be shut down.
Organizers say they’re preparing for as many as 2 million people to jam the parade route.
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