In the case of parade speeches, the Eagles know they don’t need to force a Jason Kelce moment

While it’s only natural to feel a temptation to live up to Kelce’s standards, these Eagles know that any attempt to create that iconic moment will come off as disingenuous.

Jason Kelce might have set the bar for all-time parade speeches during his monologue in 2018. But the Eagles know they don't necessarily need to raise it.Read moreDAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer

by David Murphy | Columnist

Published Feb. 14, 2025, 5:00 a.m. ET

Nakobe Dean is intrigued.

Cooper DeJean is doubtful, but he may dress for the occasion.

Zack Baun is mostly thinking in terms of quantities of alcohol.

Seven years after Jason Kelce donned a Mummer’s outfit and turned himself into a national icon with a rousing Parkway speech, this year’s Eagles spent their last day in the locker room pondering the heaviest of questions.

You gonna say something at the parade?

The answer is more intimidating than you might think. Few members of this year’s team were present in 2018 when Kelce stole the show at the Eagles' first ever Super Bowl parade. But most of them were his teammates. Those who weren’t are well aware of the speech’s legendary status within the organization and the city. It’s only natural to feel a temptation to live up to those standards, especially in light of the material rewards that Kelce has reaped from his moment. At the same time, any attempt to create a similar moment can come across as disingenuous.

Jordan Mailata understands the tension. As one of the more eloquent speakers in the locker room, and with an Australian accent to boot, he seems a prime candidate for keynote duties. Yet he is self-aware enough to understand the downsides that can come with such a role.

“That’s the thing,” Mailata said. “I don’t think it’s about trying to replicate that Kelce speech ... That stuff has got to come from the heart. I don’t think any one of us is going to replicate that or is trying to walk down those same footsteps. One, that’s dangerous territory. Uncharted territory. That speech has its own journey, its own story. Now it’s different. That was the first Super Bowl. Now, it’s the second.”

So, what’s a 2024 Eagle to do?

“I don’t know,” Mailata said. “If I speak, I speak. I haven’t made up my mind. I don’t know if I will. Maybe liquid courage will help me.”

In fact, the consensus among Eagles players on Thursday is that alcohol will be a driving factor. Somebody asked Mekhi Becton if he stood by his previous comments that Friday would be the most drunk he has ever been.

Becton answered by holding up an unopened bottle of Don Julio 1942.

Like Becton, linebacker Baun fits the mold of a man who possesses some untapped oratory greatness. Baun, a free-agent-to-be, earned himself a lot of money with the star turn he took this season. It isn’t hard to envision his on-field energy translating to the stage. Like any good linebacker, Baun said he will need to wait for the moment and then read the field.

“It depends on how intoxicated I am at the time,” he said. “I don’t think that I’ll be nervous, it’s just that ... I don’t know. We’ll see.”

Baun could get an assist from his fellow linebacker. Dean addressed the team before the Super Bowl, which he missed due to injury. The last time he attended a championship parade, he didn’t get a chance to address the crowd.

“They had that all planned out ahead of time,” said Dean, one of six Eagles who were members of Georgia’s 2021 title team. “They didn’t ask me if I wanted to speak.”

This time is different. The Eagles have let their players know that anybody who wants the microphone can have it.

“We’ll see,” Dean said with a smile. “We’ll see. If I’m convicted enough, I’ll get up there and say something.”

Judging by the flicker in his eyes, there is a decent chance he will find that conviction.

Each of the players who discussed the matter on Thursday sounded keenly aware of the need to avoid a moment that feels forced. Right tackle Lane Johnson said that head coach Nick Sirianni has preached a simple message in the aftermath of the Eagles’ blowout win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday’s Super Bowl.

“Just be yourself — don’t be somebody you’re not,” Johnson said. “I’m not sure who is speaking tomorrow, but there will be a lot of unique personalities on the mic. Hopefully, we bring something of substance and meaning to the community. Nothing will ever take back Kelce’s speech, but hopefully, somebody will provide some good stuff”

One thing everybody seems to understand: a big part of the reason Kelce’s speech was so well-received is that it felt so genuine. What they may not understand: it was, genuinely, a damn good speech. The structure, the pacing, the language, the anecdotes: this was a masterclass in speech-writing. From his opening lines about Howie Roseman’s exile to his roll call list of grievances for all 22 Super Bowl starters, Kelce’s tribute drew its power from the material as much as from the Mummers suit.

That is a tough act to follow. The Eagles seem to understand that it would be unwise for them to try.

“I’m not a big public speaker,” said DeJean, whose interception return for a touchdown will go down as the defining moment of the Super Bowl. “I’ll just sit back and have a few drinks and enjoy the show.”

Though, he won’t rule out a statement outfit.

“I don’t have anything planned,” DeJean said, “but you never know what can happen in the next few hours.”