South-Carolina
Dawn Staley’s Super Bowl 59 prediction for her beloved Eagles: ‘Tush push us over the finish line’
South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley is confident in the Philadelphia Eagles to win Super Bowl 59.
The Eagles, Staley’s hometown team, face the Kansas City Chiefs in New Orleans on Sunday and she believes the Vince Lombardi Trophy is heading back to Pennsylvania.
“Rest assured my Eagles fans, we got this one,” Staley said Wednesday. “Now, get mad if we turn the ball over, get mad if we fumble the ball, get mad if they score on us. Just remember, when the clock strikes zero, we will be winners.”
Staley didn’t give an exact score and said she was thinking a win by two touchdowns but felt like that was a little bit bold. The Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes are trying to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls. The Eagles last Super Bowl win was in 2018.
“But it doesn’t matter, tush push us over the finish line to get us a Super Bowl,” Staley said, in reference to a signature play call from the Eagles.
Despite South Carolina facing Texas on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET, Staley was planning on going to the Super Bowl in New Orleans but no longer can. President Donald Trump announced he will attend the Super Bowl and according to the Federal Aviation Administration, there are laws that restrict air traffic in proximity to the president. Staley said that is why she can’t go.
Ahead of the NFC Championship game on Jan. 26, Staley said she wanted a comfortable lead by the time she boarded the plane to go to Knoxville for a game on the 27th. The Eagles ended up beating the Washington Commanders 55-23.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin