The NFL full schedules are finally out, and part of the anticipation was seeing how each team’s marketing department raised the bar with their reveal video.
The Eagles didn’t really blow anyone away with their attempt. The “Sunrise” fanfare, from German composer Richard Strauss’ “Also sprach Zarathustra,” is played by the Philadelphia Orchestra as shots of the team’s most recent Lombardi Trophy are shown, in an homage to Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
Cool. Does what it says on the tin. Majestic, if perhaps a bit hackneyed.
It’s easy to chalk this off as the Birds reaching the summit of the sport and going simple and straightforward. What more is there to say when you’re the champs?
Instead, let’s turn our attention to how the team’s opponents this season have portrayed Philly in their schedule reveals, and whether they can be used as additional fuel for the rivalries (or not, in the best “Everybody hates us, we don’t care” tradition).
Week 1 versus the Dallas Cowboys (Thursday, Sept. 4, at 8:20 p.m.)
Before officially revealing the schedule, the Cowboys dropped Easter eggs into the livestream they were running throughout the day leading up to the announcement.
There was a stuffed Eagle, possibly a tee cover, during the Dallas players’ golf outing. Literally blink and you’ll have missed it.
Takin’ a closer look at America’s Stream 🔍
We dropped clues in today’s livestream to reveal our 2025 schedule!
🎟️ Get @SeatGeek tickets now ➡️ https://t.co/FCzHg3KRmU pic.twitter.com/Ez83OcHnLx
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) May 15, 2025
Week 2 at Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday, Sept. 14, at 4:25 p.m.)
Kansas City re-created “Cash Cab,” complete with the show’s host, Ben Bailey, asking trivia questions about the opponents in the Chiefs’ schedule for the chance to win game tickets.
“This team’s quarterback once made a cameo on the show ‘Abbott Elementary,’ ” Bailey asked his passengers.
One group guessed “Miami,” and somehow got enough of the next answers right to remain in the cab and win the tickets.
Buckle up.
The Chiefs Cab has arrived with our 2025 schedule 🚕 pic.twitter.com/gkHxczPmoa
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) May 15, 2025
Week 3 versus the Los Angeles Rams (Sunday, Sept. 21, at 1 p.m.)
Brenda Song played a news anchor and kicked to Rams linebacker Jared Verse, stepping in as a field reporter, for his feelings on Philly.
Unsurprisingly, he gave two thumbs down.
BRENDA. KNOWS. BALL.
🚨 Schedule Update '25 with Brenda Song pic.twitter.com/1M4uUDf0dp
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 15, 2025
Week 4 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday, Sept. 28, at 1 p.m.)
Jon Gruden unboxed the new schedule for Tampa Bay’s 50th season, harping on the Bucs’ biggest moments against each opponent.
When it got to the Eagles, he pulled out the football Ronde Barber intercepted from Donovan McNabb for the pivotal pick-six in the 2002 NFC Championship Game, with a piece of Veterans Stadium turf. Ouch!
The 2025 schedule’s got @BarstoolGruden feelin’ nicey 😎 pic.twitter.com/khoxdFwbwM
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) May 15, 2025
Week 5 versus the Denver Broncos (Sunday, Oct. 5, at 1 p.m.)
Cowkids with logos of the opposing teams on their helmets took turns “Mutton busting,” ie, riding a sheep in a rodeo ring.
“Fly, mutton, fly,” the announcer quipped as the child representing the Eagles tossed a clump of dirt in frustration after picking himself up off the ground.
Just rub some dirt in it 🐑
A #UniquelyBroncos Schedule Release pic.twitter.com/i6qSdtQPXB
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) May 15, 2025
Week 6 at the New York Giants (Thursday, Oct. 9, at 8:15 p.m.)
There’s clearly still some sore feelings about the Saquon Barkley trade in this one.
Portraying New York’s opponents as dating contestants, Philly is represented by Joey, spelt out “J-E-O-Y” by him. He’s a collection of every negative stereotype you can throw out about Birds fans: Delco accent, reading “Inner Excellence” upside down, and a “pretty intense guy.”
Week 7 at the Minnesota Vikings (Sunday, Oct. 19, at 1 p.m.)
Fans put their bodies on the line for, we have to be honest, great traditional-style tattoos of the opponents, each with a little Vikings spin.
The Eagles’ tat honestly wouldn’t feel out of place at a Linc tailgate.
Scars fade.
Our 2025 schedule is permanent.#Skol pic.twitter.com/JebmBYp7mq
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) May 15, 2025
Week 8 versus the Giants (Sunday, Oct. 26, at 1 p.m.)
Done already, but still pretty peeved about it.
Week 9 Bye
Week 10 at the Green Bay Packers (Monday, Nov. 10, 8:15 p.m.)
Josh Jacobs has that nightmare we’ve all had, where you have that assignment due imminently and you’ve done none of the prep.
It plays out like a fever dream, with mediocre green screen comping and After Effects filters. There’s no explicit reference to any team — as far as we can tell, we’re not big surrealist cinema watchers — and the schedule eventually plays out over color bars and an obnoxiously loud beeping.
Somewhere between between dreams and reality….@ticketmaster pic.twitter.com/mZvOv1sea4
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) May 14, 2025
Week 11 versus the Detroit Lions (Sunday, Nov. 16, at 8:20 p.m.)
Drone footage around Ford Field and downtown Detroit stops at pairs of helmets of the Lions and the opponent they’ll be facing off with.
The Eagles matchup reveal occurs in front of Michigan Central Station, a historic former rail hub that has been revitalized into technology and cultural space by the Ford Motor Company.
Detroit, we love you@Ticketmaster pic.twitter.com/PWAZHxMTCS
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) May 15, 2025
Week 12 at the Cowboys (Sunday, Nov. 23, at 4:25 p.m.)
Already covered.
Week 13 vs. Bears (Friday, Nov. 28, 3 p.m.)
Lamorne Morris accidentally sends out the confidential schedule to every Ben Johnson on the Bears’ email list and has to intercept their devices before the email is opened, with the help of some players and “New Girl” castmate Jake Johnson.
Couldn’t catch an explicit Eagles reference in this one.
Week 14 at the Los Angeles Chargers (Monday, Dec. 8, 8:15 p.m.)
Hopping on the Minecraft bandwagon, this in-game footage had a re-creation of Broad Street and City Hall, with a procession of zombies, Jalen Hurts, Philly Elmo, “Exciting Whites” Cooper DeJean and Reed Blankenship, and what appears to be Big Dom protesting to save “the Tush Push.”
Barkley also made an appearance as a ghost haunting Giants fans.
should we REALLY make our schedule release video in minecraft?
yes yes yesyes
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yes yes yesyes pic.twitter.com/gxk31Dql5L
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) May 15, 2025
Week 15 versus the Las Vegas Raiders (Sunday, Dec. 14, at 1 p.m.)
This one was a series of “This is SportsCenter” style mockumentaries that play on a bunch of references and appearances, but doesn’t quite land any of them.
The Eagles’ “Brotherly Shove” continues to live rent-free in the NFL’s collective heads. Here it’s used to help push a cart full of office supplies over a raised strip in the middle of a hall, for some odd reason.
This is Schedule Release.
📺 Tune in to NFL Schedule Release 2025 on NFL+
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) May 15, 2025
Week 16 at the Washington Commanders (Saturday, Dec. 20, 4:30 p.m. or 8 p.m.)
Remember “Rollercoaster Tycoon?” Well, Washington used in-game footage of the 1999 management sim classic to build out rides re-creating memorable moments from past matchups against upcoming opponents.
For Philly, they constructed a “Luvu Leap” rollercoaster, where the cars hop a gap like Frankie Luvu did repeatedly to try to halt — you guessed it! — “the Tush Push” last season.
The gates are open…time to ride 🎢@Seatgeek | 🎟️ https://t.co/aSQQqWGJdw pic.twitter.com/WH3tPZYwbn
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) May 15, 2025
Week 17 at the Buffalo Bills (Sunday, Dec. 28, 4:25 p.m.)
Bills GM Brandon Beane misinterprets quarterback Josh Allen’s advice to use artificial intelligence for the schedule reveal and instead invites Sixers legend Allen Iverson (AI, get it?) to hold up the barely legible schedule on a sheet of paper for a couple seconds.
Philly sports fans might have been upset by this easy paycheck grab by “The Answer,” until he politely declines to give a “Go Bills” at the end.
Our 2025 schedule powered by AI.@AllenIverson | @Ticketmaster pic.twitter.com/ohmuEVsJWm
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) May 15, 2025
Week 18 versus the Commanders (Saturday, Jan. 3, or Sunday, Jan. 4, TBD)
Done, but bravo again for seeing the funny side of it.