Beautiful Veterans Stadium, the Eagles' new home, is America's newest multi-purpose outdoor stadium. Built at a cost in excess of $40 million, the octorad-shaped facility has a football seating capacity of 65,000 and parking spaces for 11,000 vehicles. The stadium's entire four acre playing surface utilizes artificial turf. In addition, there are a total of 60 concession stands, 62 restroom facilities, four elevators and a press dining club on the fourth level. Veterans Stadium is the Eagles' fifth home stadium since the club's 1933 founding.
– Eagles 1971 Media Guide
The stadium at Broad and Pattison Avenues in South Philadelphia, which would become known as "The Vet," opened its doors for the Eagles' first regular-season home game on September 26, 1971, when they hosted the Dallas Cowboys.
Eagles veteran cornerback and kick returner Al Nelson helped open the stadium in historic fashion that afternoon. Five years earlier, in the final home game of the 1966 season against Cleveland at Franklin Field, he returned a missed field goal attempt 100 yards for a touchdown in a 33-21 win.
"Lou Groza was the kicker, and he kicked the ball short," Nelson said. "You know how when you catch a kickoff, you kind of give and step back with one leg. I guess I was straddling the end zone and I just brought it all the way back out.
"I just ran as fast as I could, and I believe I was untouched. It was common to put someone back on long field goal attempts, especially when you catch somebody asleep so you could improve your position on the field."
Against Dallas, he caused 65,358 fans to rise from their brand-new seats during the first football game at the sold-out Veterans Stadium when he topped his old mark by scoring another touchdown off a missed field goal attempt and running the ball back 102 yards for Philadelphia's only points in a 42-7 loss.
"It was the same type of deal, and I wasn't touched on that one either," Nelson said. "I was somewhat surprised myself that I was able to score untouched. I was elated! For a defensive player to score was pretty exciting. I was happy to score the touchdown, but it was sad to lose the game like that."
Win or lose, Eagles fans filled Veterans Stadium from the first game in 1971 to its last at the end of the 2002 season and have fond memories of the players they cheered for and sometimes booed. Those players have fond memories of the fans, as well.
Fred Barnett, Wide Receiver
"I didn't play but for one other team, and that's Miami. And to compare those fans to Eagles fans, it's not even comparable. I've heard the term 'bleed green,' there's some people who really bleed green. They have their jobs, they live their lives, but the Eagles are part of their family.
"When the Eagles lose, it's almost like a family member that's lost. And when the Eagles win, it's like they win. The Super Bowl (victory) was something that was so gratifying not only to the organization and to the players, but to the city and to the fans. It's hard to even explain how deep of a connection that the Eagles fans have with the team."
Brian Dawkins, Safety
"Gamedays in Philadelphia during the football season, it's different. Baseball is cool. Basketball is awesome. Hockey is wonderful. But there's a different electricity that comes on gameday in Philadelphia when it comes to football.
"Eagle fans are knowledgeable about the game and will let you know exactly what they're feeling. When they come to the game, they don't come to the game to just watch the game. They come to be, for better or worse, a part of the game."
Jeremiah Trotter, Linebacker
"The fans, man, I'm talking awesome. I've been in Tampa, I've been in Washington, no disrespect to those guys and their fans, but the Eagles fans are unparalleled. It's not even close. Their passion, literally, when their team loses, those guys go through it just like we go through it after a loss.
"They're hard on their team, and a lot of guys that come in from other teams, they don't understand the passion that the Eagle fans have. 'Why are they coming down on us?' But that's just their passion. When you ground your kids or take things away that they like, you take it away because you love those guys. You want to see them do better. That's the way the Eagles fans are."
Brian Westbrook, Running Back
"I've only played in two places, Philadelphia and San Francisco, and the fans in Philadelphia are far and away above any fans in the National Football League. Their passion for the game, the way they understand the game, and the way they expect excellence from the players is something that you don't get in a lot of different cities.
"Philadelphia is one of those cities where they want you to do well, and they expect you to do well. While doing that, they expect you to leave everything out there on the field. And hopefully throughout my career I was able to do just that and show the fans and the people of Philadelphia that everything I had, I left on the field."
Mike Reichenbach, Linebacker
"They're engaged. It's not just a game to them; it's a way of life. If the Eagles play well, their week goes better. If they lose, their week is miserable. They might boo you, but if you played well, they appreciated that. They were always there. They were very loyal, no matter how bad it got. It was a great place to play.
"And it was interesting, (Giants linebacker) Lawrence Taylor came into the stadium one time and said, 'Mike, what's wrong with these fans? We just walked out to warm up, and they're throwing things at us, they're yelling at us, and they're spitting at us.' And I said, 'Lawrence, if we don't play well, they do that to us.'"
To honor the Eagles' players and devoted fans who called Veterans Stadium home for 257 games over 32 seasons (1971-2002), Bird Gang Spirits and Fireball are releasing commemorative bottles this fall and Two Robbers is creating limited-edition cans. Featuring the classic mark, these bottles and cans celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Eagles' first regular-season game and recognize the gone, but not forgotten, chapter of Philadelphia's and the team's history.
