Eagles fans weigh in on the new stadium chatter: ‘If you can’t play in the cold, then you’re weak’

As Jalen Hurts emerged from the tunnel at Lincoln Financial Field, wearing his red practice jersey with a green No. 1 plastered across his chest, the quarterback crouched down to touch the ground before he ran onto the field. The Philly faithful erupted into cheers and faint “MVP” chants once their QB1 was visible during Sunday’s open practice.

The crowd was as loud as ever, with perhaps the loudest pops of the day occurring for DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown, Hurts, Saquon Barkley, Cooper DeJean, and Reed Blankenship. With a Chris Brown concert taking place across the street at Citizens Bank Park, fans still showed up ready to watch their defending Super Bowl champs in action — even if it was just practice.

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“I just want to be around the fan base,” said 26-year-old Christopher Crump. “I’ve been to Eagles practices since I was [young], playing Pop Warner football. We go every year. I never miss it.”

It’s hard to picture the scene from Sunday taking place anywhere other than Lincoln Financial Field. But, after the Eagles sent out a survey to season-ticket holders last month about potentially building a new stadium or making renovations to the Linc, it’s an image that has been lingering in the back of fans’ minds, including that of 23-year-old Ethan Rubincam.

The survey presented examples of newly constructed stadiums with glass roofs, including Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium and Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium. When asked about Lincoln Financial Field potentially adding a dome, Rubincam completely disagreed with the idea.

“Me, personally, I feel like us having an open stadium like this is what makes us Eagles fans,” Rubincam said. “It’s what makes us bleed green. It’s what makes other fans not want to come here because in December, it’s too cold, we’re too wild, no matter what. I played football and although it wasn’t too fun in the cold, it is a December sport in my mind.”

Lincoln Financial Field was home to the iconic Snow Bowl in 2013. A forecast that called for a few flurries ended up turning into a blizzard, resulting in LeSean McCoy rushing for 217 yards and two scores in the Eagles’ 34-20 win over the Detroit Lions. The Linc was also home to a more recent Snow Bowl in last year’s divisional round, a game highlighted by Saquon Barkley’s dominant 205-yard rushing performance in a 28-22 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

“I definitely don’t want a new stadium,” said 15-year-old South Jersey native Ashley Griffin. “There was already the Sixers with their drama of it. It’s definitely unnecessary. I absolutely don’t want a dome. It’s helped us with the Rams in the playoffs. I think the snow is part of the game. If you can’t play in the cold, then you’re weak, you’re not a real football player. You should be able to play in all weather.”

While most fans ruled out the idea of adding a dome to the Linc, 30-year-old West Philadelphia native Tristan Epps started to think about the bigger picture.

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“I like outdoor football, but if a dome is going to get us [to host] a Super Bowl, then you can’t pass up that opportunity,” Epps said. “And it would mean so much for the city. I mean it’s a sports town, they talk trash about our fans, but they can really come to experience it and see what a real sports city looks like.”

The Super Bowl is a marquee sporting event that draws attention from fans around the globe. Hosting the event would be a huge honor for any city. However, most Super Bowls have been played in stadiums that have domes or in cities with year-round warm weather — the exception being Super Bowl XLVIII, which was held in 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. That game ended up being the third-coldest Super Bowl in history with a temperature of 49 degrees at kickoff.

The survey also included room for fans to request new potential amenities — including faster entry into the stadium, more bathrooms, and improved WiFi. However, most fans we spoke to said they enjoy the atmosphere the Linc provides. The only renovation idea mentioned was making seats more accessible.

“Some seats are a hike to get to,” Griffin said. “So, I’d say maybe come up with easier ways to get to certain seats.”

Although most fans were against a new stadium, 35-year-old West Philadelphia native La’Seana Ford considered the idea — but only if the stadium remained in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.

“Absolutely, keep it in the Sport Complex area,” Ford said. “Traffic is already crazy right here. So, keep it here. People already know what to expect. It’s been here for so long. Why change a good thing?”