The Eagles did it last year. They won the Super Bowl that had eluded every single Eagles team for the previous 51 years.
Now what?
It's pretty clear that winning a Super Bowl is the biggest source of motivation for any team in the NFL. But after that happens, how do players stay motivated? Maybe that's why it's been so rare to see repeat winners.
Anyway, we asked a bunch of players a variation of this one question over the last week:
After winning the Super Bowl last year, what's your next biggest source of personal motivation?
Here's what they said:
Doug Pederson
"The goal is to obviously win another one and to win another one and to win another one. I mean, that's why we get into this business. That's the motivation. But listen, I'm not going to focus on the end result. I'm focusing on today. We're going to get better today, and then we'll worry about tomorrow. Obviously, the ultimate goal is to try to win again. We know how hard that is in this league. A lot of good football teams in this league. We've got our work cut out for us."
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Jay Ajayi
"Always to get another Super Bowl, to continue to add that to my legacy. At the end of the day, as well, this is my contract year. Obviously, I'm not putting that on my mind every day because I want to be able to go out and just play the game. But at the same time, I understand what is going on and how this year is going to affect the rest of my life. That's definitely something to be motivated about, being able to provide for my family and myself for the rest of my life. It's exciting for me. I'm just excited to go out and play the game and really showcase again who the Jay Train is, because I feel like people have kind of forgotten a bit."
Lane Johnson
"I'm trying to be the best right tackle in the league, every year. If I've got the ability, there should be no reason (why I can't) as long as I put the work in and execute my assignments and go out there and play well. My motivation is, you only have a certain timeframe to do this. I'm on a thin ledge as well, that's what motivates me. Most guys rarely play into double-digit seasons, 10-plus years. It makes me think, give it all I got while I can."
Chris Long
"I mean, you want to get back, you want to do that type of thing again. I know we have to sit here and answer the questions about the Super Bowl, but the Super Bowl has to be the last thing on guys' minds. Because, at the end of the day, there's so much work to do before you can even enter that conversation. Everybody's goal, all 32 teams, whether you were there last year or not, have that same goal in mind. It's no more relevant to us than it is to everyone else. So if you start thinking we have to consider it more or less than anybody else, that's when you get into trouble. I know we have to answer more questions about it, but it can't enter into your daily conversation."
Fletcher Cox
"Just be better than I was last year. Individual goals are good but it's all about the team, not me. We just have to embrace and enjoy and go out every day during training camp, compete and get ready for Week 1."
Stefen Wisniewski
"Win it again. That was really fun. I've never had more fun in a football season in my life than last year. The bottom line is winning's really fun. I think myself, and I think most people in this building, we're not the kind of people who think ‘oh I won, I'm good now, I'm just going to coast.' You don't get to that level of success and ability and all that without having a really strong drive. I think just because you achieve the top goal, I don't think we turn off the switch. That's not how I think, I don't think that's how the guys in this locker room think."
Rodney McLeod
"I think it's doing it again. Honestly, I think it makes you even hungrier after you do it one time. You get a taste of it and you see what it took, everything that comes with the Super Bowl, being on top. That's why we play this game. Our mentality doesn't change. Every year it's to raise that Lombardi Trophy."
Zach Ertz
"Having sustained success. Anyone can do anything once in life. One Pro Bowl, one Super Bowl. But to separate yourself from good to great, you gotta be able to do it repeatedly and that's the mindset I have."
Jake Elliott
"I just think getting back after it, knowing that we can build on the momentum and, honestly, just looking at one practice at a time right now. Not looking into February right now. Just staying the course."
Nigel Bradham
"Win another one. Simple as that. I know what it feels like. I had so much fun, I gotta do it again."
Rasul Douglas
"We want to win again. S---, we ain't had one in 51 years. We need more than one. One ain't gonna do enough. Ain't nobody satisfied here with one. Everybody is ready to work to get another one. Some people been playing in this league, JP (Jason Peters) been playing in this league 14 years, it don't make everybody happy. That was February. It's July and August now. We're ready to do this again. I think that's everyone's motivation."
Jalen Mills
"To get that feeling all over again. That feeling was amazing. That's one feeling that I want to feel again."
