MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Richmond County and Hamlet native Dannell Ellerbe helped make NFL history Sunday night. And it was history in the making for a long time coming.
The Philadelphia Eagles, a franchise founded in 1933 that has endured nearly six decades without a championship, finally brought home its first Super Bowl title Sunday following a 41-33 underdog win against the favored New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis.
And for Ellerbe, who is currently an Eagles linebacker, it marks his second Lombardi Trophy win. He noted that he was “excited” to be back on the world’s biggest stage, but felt a sense of calm because he “feels like he’s at home” on the football field.
“I can’t really put it into words what it means to be a part of history,” Ellerbe said in an exclusive interview with the Richmond Observer following Philadelphia’s win. “We’re the first team to bring Philadelphia a Super Bowl. I’m happy to be able to be a part of that.
“It feels great (to win another Super Bowl),” he continued. “That’s why (Philly) brought me here – to help them win. I feel like I didn’t let them down because we won. And that’s all that matters.”
After being activated from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the NFC Championship two weeks ago against Minnesota, Ellerbe saw some snaps on defense Sunday night. Noting he didn’t play as many defensive snaps in the Super Bowl as he’d have liked, Ellerbe will still go down as a part of the team that delivered a long-awaiting Eagles’ fanbase the championship title it so much deserves.
In a game that was highlighted by 17 broken Super Bowl records, most of them relating to a culmination of Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady’s illustrious Super Bowl career, both teams combined for an all-time record (regular or postseason game) with 1,151 combined total yards of offense.
From the game’s opening drive, in which the Eagles scored on a 25-yard field goal, Philadelphia was all business and only gave up its lead for a brief 7:01 in the fourth quarter. Super Bowl LII MVP and Eagles quarterback Nick Foles didn’t appear to feel the pressure of playing in his Super Bowl debut, as he went 28-for-43 passing with 373 yards and three touchdowns.
There were also a handful of trick plays by both teams, but it was Foles who was successful compared to his New England counterpart, as he caught a touchdown on a gutsy fourth-and-goal trick play. With just 34 seconds before the end of the first half, Foles appeared to be directing his linemen when a direct snap to tight end Trey Burton set the play in motion. Burton tossed to a wide open Foles in the right flat to push the score to 22-12.
Despite losing his third career Super Bowl, Brady, playing in his record eighth title game, lit up the stat sheet by throwing for a Super Bowl record 505 passing yards. The Patriots also racked up a Super Bowl best 613 yards of total offense.
All that said, the game’s outcome hinged on what Ellerbe knew what was bound to happen.
Perhaps the most pivotal moment in the entire game came, surprisingly, on defense. Following a 14-play, 75-yard Philadelphia scoring drive that culminated in an 11-yard touchdown reception to tight end Zach Ertz from Foles to put the Eagles up 38-33 with 2:21 remaining, Brady and company were put in the same must-win situation that they’ve excelled at so many times before.
Taking the ball at their own 25-yard line, the Patriots opened with a passing play to tight end Rob Gronkowski for eight yards. But on the ensuing play, the game’s only sack took place. And it was a big one.
Philadelphia defensive end Brandon Graham lined up on the interior of the line and blew through New England’s offensive lineman Shaq Mason before ricocheting himself into Brady and strip-sacking the quarterback before he could get a pressured pass off.
With 2:16 left in the fourth quarter, fellow defensive end and rookie Derek Barnett collected the loose ball and gave Philadelphia possession at the New England 28-yard line. And that’s when Ellerbe knew he was going to notch his second title in five seasons.
“It’s something that we’ve been doing all year,” Ellerbe said of the Eagles’ ability to create turnovers. “The defensive line we’ve got, they’re hell, man. They know how to get after the quarterback and create chaos for offenses.
“It wasn’t a surprise, we knew it was coming,” he continued. “We were due because they (New England) were able to get the ball out quick and we couldn’t stop them like we wanted to. But we stopped them when it mattered.”
Eagles’ rookie kicker Jake Elliott, who broke the rookie Super Bowl record earlier in the night with a 42-yard field goal, extended Philadelphia’s lead to the eventual final score 41-33 when he effortlessly drilled a 46-yarder following Graham’s forced fumble.
“Going into halftime, I thought we were going to come out of it and steamroll them,” Ellerbe noted when it was all said and done. “But (Brady) is one of the best quarterbacks for a reason. We just had to make sure we played 60 minutes of football. But after that strip sack, I knew it was a done deal.”
In a season that Ellerbe has seen his fair share of ups and downs, including the nine-year NFL veteran getting released from the New Orleans Saints during training camp, to an eventual Super Bowl LII championship Sunday, Ellerbe has learned to enjoy the moment when he can.
“I’ve learned to trust the process,” Ellerbe said reflecting back on his season. “Everybody knows I can play. Basically, what I took away from it is to trust the process – whatever is going to happen, is going to happen.
“But whenever you get your shot, you have to be ready to make something happen,” he continued. “That’s the way I’ve looked at everything throughout my entire career. Just have to keep your head down and keep working hard.”
With his second Super Bowl title in the books, Ellerbe is adamant about continuing on with his career. When asked what his future holds, he said it was “time to start chasing a third ring,” giving no hint at retirement.
Ellerbe’s current deal with the Eagles, which he signed in mid-November, will expire at the end of the season. He plans to play the free agency market, which is set to begin March 14, to see where he ends up for the 2018 regular season.
The city of Philadelphia has announced the team’s victory parade for Thursday at 11 a.m., which will run along the iconic Broad Street starting in South Philadelphia. The first championship parade the city has seen since the 2008 World Series-winning Phillies, record-breaking crowds are expected to flood the streets.
Ellerbe is a two-time, and current reigning, Super Bowl champion. And that’s all that matters right now.
