The Story Behind the Eagles Prayer: How This Fan's Viral Prayer Helped Philly Soar Towards a Super Bowl Run

Joe Paige | Sports Editor

Steve B. Coleman with his family and friends/Steve B. Coleman

With the Philadelphia Eagles winning Super Bowl LIX, the birds have never been on a bigger stage than they are right now. In the city of brotherly love, being an Eagles fan isn’t just about football, it’s truly a way of life. From the sold-out crowds on game day to the “Fly Eagles Fly” chants that echo through the city, the passion runs deep. One unique tradition that has captured the spirit of the team is the Eagles Prayer, a fan-created tribute that has grown into a viral rallying cry. I got the chance to sit down with Steve Coleman, lifelong diehard Eagles fan and co-author of the Eagles Prayer, to find out more about the origin and how it helped unite the fan base on their run to their second title in franchise history.  

What is The Eagles Prayer and how did it start?  

About 7 years ago during our last Super Bowl run, a friend of mine, Brent Johnstone, always want to give him his props because he wrote the prayer and put it on Facebook. I saw this prayer and, I read it out loud, it was just the greatest prayer ever. I started saying it before every game and I was introducing my friends to it. Mind you, once again, he wrote it, but after a while I kind of made it my own and added my own personality to it. I just, I live it. And once you hear the prayer, you understand where I’m coming from. Fast forward for the next seven years, I had been saying the prayer continuously after every game, but I never got it out to the mainstream Eagles fan.  

I bumped into Erock, a Philadelphia favorite and diehard Eagles fan like myself, on Broad Street. I showed him the prayer and we posted it on Instagram @steve.b.coleman, at this point right now, the post has about 196,000 views on it. But once we posted it, it went viral and everybody started to see it, they loved it. People also started to notice me, I also got a call from KYW Newsradio, I was Philadelphia’s fan of the week. They interviewed me as well as Brent Johnstone, the original author of the prayer.  

Link to the Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEujIxiO3dQ/?igsh=MW93eGtwYXh1Njdxdg%3D%3D

How would you describe being out in the city right after the Eagles got the win?  

Man, the city is electric. It is one of the greatest times to be an Eagles fan. You got to understand, being an Eagles fan for 26 years, those years were hard. We only really just had the number one defense back with the gang green defense, but other than that it was just hard. But I was a diehard Eagles fan. Win, lose, draw, I bleed green. Everybody knows if you’re from Philly, when somebody greets you, it’s always Go Birds. The proper response to anyone saying Go Birds, is Go Birds! You don’t say hello, you don’t say hallelujah, you say Go Birds. That is the proper, and only, response you can give when somebody says Go Birds.

How do you think the players react to all the fan craze?

They love it, they’re from all over the country and they’re just amazing players, amazing people. I haven’t had a chance to meet many of the current players, but I did get to meet BG, Brandon Graham, number 55, just an-all around cool guy. I had the chance to meet him right before the start of the playoffs. I bumped into him in an office, and we were just talking, he’s just a regular guy. It was great to get a chance to just talk it up with him. But I think they enjoy it, you see the parade, you see them out with the people, they were just having a whole good time.   

The story of the Eagles Prayer is a testament to the well-known connection that Philadelphia fans have with their teams. What began as a heartfelt expression would eventually turn into something much bigger. It’s much more than just fandom, but it captures the spirit of Philadelphia being loyal, loud, and full of heart. Whether it’s on Broad Street after a win, or in a conversation with a fellow fan, the city continues to unite through shared traditions like this. As the Eagles enter this next season with a repeat on their minds, one thing remains clear, no matter what, it’s always, Go Birds.