An ‘Always Sunny’ Eagles tailgate, Terrell Owens disses the Cowboys, and more

The Eagles home opener should be considered a holiday in Philadelphia. Rain or shine, SEPTA cuts or no SEPTA cuts, Eagles fans were showing up to the South Philadelphia sports complex to tailgate no matter what — and we can’t blame them, Thursday’s game had it all. Home opener, check. Banner ceremony, check. Rivalry game against the Dallas Cowboys, check.

“Being from Philadelphia, I can only think that this is the biggest rivalry in the NFL,” said 57-year-old Tim Logan. “I love this rivalry because we kick their butt every time we play them. At least that’s what it seems like.”

» READ MORE: Eagles unveil Super Bowl champion banner before taking on Cowboys

To prepare for the game, fans tailgated in the lots, stars from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia joined them, and some fans made their way to Brooklyn Bowl, located on Canal Street, for the DraftKings Ultimate Kickoff event — which featured guest appearances from former Eagles legends.

Here’s everything you missed:

Despite the cloudy skies that started to cover the tailgating lots, H lot had a sunny presence. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia actors Rob Mac (formerly McElhenney) and Glenn Howerton (Dennis) stood in the middle of H4, raised a glass of their Four Walls Whiskey, and led fans in an Eagles chant.

The duo arrived at the TrueFan Tailgate just moments after Mac posed for a photo with play-by-play announcer Merrill Reese at Lincoln Financial Field ahead of the Birds’ opener against the Cowboys.

They stood side-by-side with the Philly Sports Guy as they celebrated the start of the season. It wasn’t the first time the actors have made their Eagles fandom known, either.

Mac, a Philadelphia native and creator of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, has highlighted that fandom in different episodes of the 17-season show — including “The Gang Wins the Big Game,” and “The Gang Gets Invincible.”

On Thursday, the gang went to an Eagles tailgate.

Ahead of the Super Bowl last year, they even created an advertisement for the Irish whiskey brand they co-own with fellow Always Sunny star Charlie Day, featuring references to the Eagles and the Tush Push.

As fog covered the stage at Brooklyn Bowl, former Eagle Terrell Owens stepped onto the stage to the sound of Future’s “Superhero.” Eagles fans welcomed the Hall of Famer as he joined Nick Foles, David Akers, Fletcher Cox, and Brent Celek for the DraftKings Ultimate Kickoff.

To celebrate the season opener, the former wide receiver — who spent two seasons in Philadelphia and three seasons in Dallas — made it clear who he was rooting for on Thursday.

“Our own Philadelphia Eagles vs. the Dallas Cowboys, who suck by the way. Yes, I said that,” Owens said.

The message sent the crowd into an uproar as “Dallas Sucks” chants filled the venue.

Those chants were soon silenced after a bizarre start in which Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was disqualified from the game before the first play from scrimmage. In Carter’s absence, the Cowboys scored a touchdown their first drive.

However, things quickly picked up for fans at Brooklyn Bowl after Jalen Hurts scrambled for the first Eagles touchdown of the season.

Logan, of Royersford, has been tailgating Eagles games since 1999. As the self-proclaimed “Mayor of F2 Lot,” Logan believes the Cowboys-Eagles rivalry is one of the biggest in the NFL.

“[I hate] the fact that they live in the past,” Logan said. “I mean, I grew up when Dallas was really good. Everybody around the Philadelphia area who are Dallas fans, they weren’t from Dallas. Like, I appreciate a Dallas fan who’s from Dallas. I’m OK with that.

“But if you’re from this area, it’s been 30 years since they won a Super Bowl, 29 or whatever it is. Stop being America’s Team. You’re not America’s Team anymore.”

Karl Lewis’ earliest memories as an Eagles fan who grew up to hate the Cowboys came in 1989 at Veterans Stadium when he pelted former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson with snowballs.

“You hate the Cowboys, and you hate the Giants, but Dallas is the one,” the 54-year-old Delaware native said. “It’s just ever since you grew up and you had the ‘I hate Dallas’ T-shirts and the ‘Cuss word Dallas’ T-shirts — it’s the best rivalry.”