Yahoo Sports Lincoln the Bald Eagle Is the Lucky Flier Who Gets a Bird's-Eye View to Every Philadelphia Eagles Home Game
Jessica Hall, executive director at the American Eagle Foundation, says Lincoln will "definitely" go to Super Bowl LIX "if we get invited"
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Lincoln the Bald EagleA 27-year-old bald eagle named Lincoln has become a fan favorite at Philadelphia Eagles home games.
Although Lincoln lives at the American Eagle Foundation in Tennessee, football fans in the City of Brotherly Love have grown fond of the North American bird of prey, who was chosen as the team’s mascot in 2018.
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Lincoln, the bald eagle"Even though we're flying him for the Philadelphia Eagles, we're doing it in a way that allows us to educate the public on why this very beautiful, majestic animal needs protection still to this day," Jessica Hall, executive director at the American Eagle Foundation, told Knox News on Tuesday, Jan. 28.
"He has endeared himself to fans in Philly and they have welcomed us with open arms," she continued.
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His game-day tradition at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field kicks off with him taking flight during the national anthem as fans cheer him on.
Lincoln hatched at the American Eagle Foundation’s Eagle Mountain Sanctuary in 1998.
He was released in the wild about eight weeks later, but was unable to catch prey for himself — often scavenging for food, such as fried chicken from a boat dock in Indiana and bacon from a family’s backyard in Michigan, according to the sanctuary.
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Lincoln, the bald eagleSince he could not hunt, Lincoln was captured and returned to the sanctuary, where he was fed until he was a healthy weight.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife considered the bald eagle non-releasable, making the American Eagle Foundation his permanent home.
However, Lincoln still spent plenty of time outdoors before becoming the Philadelphia Eagles’ mascot.
In addition to flying at educational programs, he trained for five years at local high school football games and also practiced at the University of Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium before making his NFL debut.
Game days that feature the bald eagle appearing at Lincoln Financial Field typically begin with a road trip from the non-profit organization in Kodak to Philly.
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Will Shipley (left) and Saquon Barkley during the Philadelphia Eagles' victory over the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 26According to Hall, Lincoln travels in a custom van, big enough for 15 passengers, for the 13-hour journey. During the trip, his handlers make sure to take breaks every couple of hours so that he is able to stretch his wings.
The American Eagle Foundation’s executive director also clarified that Lincoln has enough space for his travels.
"Believe me, he's far more comfortable than we are," she said of his custom 5x5 kennel.
Hall also teased that there could be one more road trip for Lincoln in the very near future.
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"If we get invited, we would definitely go," she said of the 2025 Super Bowl.
Super Bowl LIX is set for Sunday, Feb. 9, in New Orleans, where the Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Eagles at the Caesars Superdome.
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