From Broad Street to Main Street: ESPN to Premiere ‘The Philly Special’ 30 for 30. There is a specific kind of magic that happens when the grit of South Philly meets the World called Disney. As a Philly expat now calling Walt Disney World home, I’ve seen my share of parades, but nothing quite compared to the sea of midnight & Kelly green that flooded Magic Kingdom just last year.
I’m still buzzing from covering Jalen Hurts as he rolled down Main Street, U.S.A., following the Eagles’ thrilling 40–22 victory in Super Bowl LIX. Seeing our MVP QB lead the “E-A-G-L-E-S” chant from a float alongside Mickey Mouse, just hours after he took down the Chiefs in New Orleans, was a full-circle moment for every Birds fan in the Sunshine State. But before Jalen was conquering TRON Lightcycle / Run, there was the “underdog” spark that started the revolution.
ESPN Films has officially announced that the next installment of its acclaimed 30 for 30 series, titled “The Philly Special,” will premiere on February 6 at 9 p.m. ET. The documentary dives deep into the gutsy trick play that didn’t just win a championship—it defined a city’s soul.
Produced by NFL Films, the documentary recounts the moment Doug Pederson looked at Nick Foles on 4th-and-goal and agreed to the most audacious call in Super Bowl history. While the play lasted mere seconds, its legacy has spanned nearly a decade.
The film features the “Core Four” who made the magic happen:
- Jason Kelce: The legendary center and vocal heart of the team.
- Corey Clement: The rookie who took the direct snap.
- Trey Burton: The tight end who threw the perfect spiral.
- Nick Foles: The backup QB who became a Super Bowl MVP.
A Real-Life Rocky Story
“Everybody loves the Rocky movies, but they were fiction,” said co-director Angela Zender. “The amazing thing about ‘The Philly Special’ is that it’s a real-life Rocky story. A group of five underdogs went up against the greatest dynasty in NFL history and pulled off an upset worthy of Hollywood.”
For those of us living in Central Florida, that 2018 win set the stage for the Jalen Hurts celebration we just witnessed. I still remember the “I’m going to Disney World!” commercials that bridge the gap between Philly’s underdog identity and the “Most Magical Place on Earth.”
- Premiere Date – February 6, 2026
- Time/Channel – 9 p.m. ET on ESPN & ESPN App, also available on Disney+
- Directors – Angela Zender & Shannon Furman
- Key Interviews – Doug Pederson, Frank Reich, Jeffrey Lurie, and more
The film doesn’t just stick to the X’s and O’s. It explores how the play has been immortalized on everything from restaurant menus to tattoos and even that bronze statue at the Linc. It’s a love letter to Philadelphia—a city that lives and dies with its teams, fueled by a unique blend of “notorious pessimism and unbridled passion.”
Whether you’re watching from a row home in Delco or a resort at Disney, this is one piece of sports history you won’t want to skip.
Fly Eagles Fly!
