Back in 2018, GQ magazine ranked Phillies fans as the worst fan base in sports. Eagles fans came in a close second. The article called out a string of infamous moments, from booing Santa Claus to turning on their own star players, and even booing a ceremonial first pitch thrown by the recipient of America’s first hand transplant.
Advertisement
It’s not hard to see where the reputation comes from. Philly fans have done things that are hard to defend. One of the most talked-about moments came in 1999, when some Eagles fans cheered after Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin suffered a career-ending neck injury. More recently, in 2024, a survey by agamble.com named Eagles fans the rudest in the NFL, with “starting fights” listed as their biggest offense.
But people who actually live in Philly—or support its teams—often see things differently.
Kylie Kelce, a lifelong Eagles fan, has spoken up in defense of the city’s fan base. “Not everyone is cut out to handle this area,” she said. “Our media is tough.”
She also mentioned something her husband, former Eagles center Jason Kelce, often says: that Philadelphia fans are “some of the most educated football fans,” which makes their criticism harder to brush off.
And that’s the thing—Philly fans are intense because they care. A lot. They follow their teams closely, they know the stats, and they have high expectations. When those expectations aren’t met, they’re vocal about it. Sometimes too vocal.
There’s no denying that some of the behavior over the years has crossed a line. But there’s also something unique about how deeply Philly fans are invested in their teams. It’s not always pretty, but it’s rarely indifferent.
In the end, maybe it’s just this: Philly fans show up, they stay loud, and they never pretend to be something they’re not.
