Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

The Philly Special is coming to ‘Madden NFL 20’

There will be “Fake Philly Specials” in the playbooks, too.

Nick Foles runs untouched into the end zone on the Philly Special during the Eagles' Super Bowl win over the Patriots.
Nick Foles runs untouched into the end zone on the Philly Special during the Eagles' Super Bowl win over the Patriots.Read moreMichael Bryant / File Photograph

EA Sports will have a special delivery for Eagles fans when Madden NFL 20 is released Aug. 2: The addition of the Philly Special — and fake Philly Specials — to its playbook.

Anthony White, game designer for EA Sports, announced the addition of the plays to the popular football video game on the Eagle Eye in the Sky podcast Monday.

Despite some copycat plays by other teams, game developers decided to stick with calling the play by the name it’s known as, and loved by, in Philly, White said.

“I know the Browns ran it. Do we call it the Cleveland special in their playbook?” White said of the developers’ decision process. "So we’re actually just going to leave it Philly even if we put it in another team’s playbook.”

The bold and brilliant Super Bowl LII play firmly secured former Eagles backup quarterback Nick Foles anything he ever wants in Philly for the rest of his existence. With that play, Foles also made history as the first player to catch and throw touchdowns during a Super Bowl.

But players will have to do some in-game trading if they want Foles, who is now with the Jaguars, to execute the play instead of Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz.

White said developers also threw some “fake versions” of the Philly Special in that “sort of keeps you on your toes.”

The Philly Special is so beloved in the city that it’s inspired tattoos, baby reveals, statues, and even beer trucks.