Philadelphia Eagles' chaplains are praying for a 2nd Super Bowl ring: "God likes eagles"
In this lead up to Super Bowl LIX, players and coaches typically get the most attention, but so many more people are part of the team. And when it comes to the Philadelphia Eagles, a higher power may be on their side.
"When they're out there on the field, we're praying, we're praying in our seats," Pastor Dawn Winsley says.
Pastor Dawn and Pastor Ted Winsley are the husband-and-wife spiritual team behind the Eagles. Pastor Dawn guides the wives and girlfriends while Pastor Ted leads the players and coaches.
Pastor Ted has been the Philadelphia Eagles' chaplain for 23 seasons. Together, they're family in more ways than one.
"We kind of feel like proud parents," Pastor Dawn says. "One in particular, just watching B.G. Brandon [Graham] come in his rookie year and then, you know, girlfriend and then fiance, then his wife, and then one baby comes and another baby comes. Watching his career over time has really just been an honor."
"We're godparents to children," Pastor Ted added. "I think I've probably done maybe about seven weddings."
And as chaplains for the team, their role is to help with spiritual guidance and mentorship both on and off the playing field.
"It'll say on the schedule, training, they gotta eat, they gotta have this meeting, chapel, Bible study," Pastor Ted says. "So, it's a part of the culture. The messages kind of ground them. The messages, you know, kind of put everything in perspective. Even from the perspective that we're talking about football, that the quarterback can throw the ball to a place, but you have to be there to receive it. So, that's what we're talking about for this Sunday coming up."
Despite the biggest game of the year on the horizon, they say they're not feeling the pressure. After all, Pastor Ted has been to the Super Bowl before.
"The first one we lost," Pastor Ted says. "The second one we won. The third one we lost. And the fourth one we're winning. I know what people are saying, you know, does God choose? Yes and no. But we do know that God likes eagles, because it's in the Bible. It's biblical. It's biblical. My prediction, because chaplains get rings, is I'm going to get my second Super Bowl ring."
The last time Pastor Ted will speak with the team is on the Saturday before the Super Bowl. On game day, he'll be in a seat watching like the rest of Eagles Nation. Although, he does say he has gotten text messages from players while in the stands during games.
