Jan 07, 2026
3 min read
The Eagles were the number 3 seed in the playoffs five times.In four of them they did not manage to pass the divisional round.
The Eagles have a tough playoff road, as few No. 3 seeds have made it to the Super Bowl
The Eagles have been the No. 3 seed in the playoffs five times, failing to advance past the divisional stage four of those times.
Nick Sirianni's decision to rest the Eagles' starters in Sunday's loss to the Washington Cardinals has had a lot to say, especially after a loss to the Chicago Bears opened the door for the Birds to clinch the No. 2 seed.
Philly sports talkers debated the decision all week, but what's done is done.The Eagles enter the playoffs as the No. 3 seed, a position that has produced surprisingly few Super Bowl teams.
Wharton professor Deniz Selman ran the numbers.Since 1975, when the current playoffs began, only five No. 1 seeds have been ranked.3 made it to the finals and ended up in the Super Bowl.By comparison, 55 No. 1 seeds, 24 No. 2 seeds and 11 No. 4 seeds made it to the big game.
The last No. 3 seed to advance to the Super Bowl was the Kansas City Chiefs, who reached Super Bowl LVIII in the 2023 season, defeating the No. 1 San Francisco 49ers.
The Eagles' four Super Bowl appearances have been No. 1 or No. 2, including last year's win over the Chiefs.
The Eagles entered 2013 as the No. 3 seed, but lost to the New Orleans Saints in the wild card round at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Birds reached the NFC Championship Game as the No. 3 seed in the 2001 playoffs, but lost to the St.Louis Rams up 29-24 when Aeneas Williams intercepted Donovan McNabb with less than two minutes left.
No. Here are five NFL teams that entered the tournament as the No. 3 seed and advanced to the Super Bowl:
1979: The Los Angeles Rams lose in Super Bowl XIV
1987: Washington won Super Bowl XVIII
2003: Carolina Panthers lose in Super Bowl XXXVIII
2006: The Indianapolis Colts win Super Bowl XLI
2023: The Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl LVIII
