Bring on the Eagles Fans after City Loosens COVID-19 Attendance Restrictions

In the good book of Eagles football, the city of Philadelphia decreed on Tuesday: let there be fans.

So fans there will be, beginning with Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens at Lincoln Financial Field. Not every seat will be filled. Not even close.

There will be more empty chairs than ones with people in them, but, hey, even a few thousand can help make a difference. Look at the announced crowd of 4,708 that sat socially distant at Heinz Field last Sunday when the Eagles played the Steelers.

“For the most part, you could hear the cadences, but there were a couple of times on third down it was getting pretty loud and rowdy,” said left tackle Jordan Mailata. “A couple times I was like, ‘No way (4,708) fans can cause this amount of noise,’ so it was kind of fishy, but it shows how fans influence a play and influence the situation. I’m hoping that our fans can bring it.”

Both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are allowing 7,500 fans to attend, but that is the total number of people allowed in the stadiums, so the number of actual fans will likely be capped at 5,500.

Due to the limited capacity, single-game tickets versus the Ravens and New York Giants (Oct. 22) will go on sale to season ticket members who have opted into the 2020 season beginning on Wednesday.

Tickets will be sold in groups with the ability to purchase as many as six tickets in the same seating pod. Any remaining tickets for the Ravens and Giants games will go on sale to the general public and communicated at a later date. Single-game tickets for the remaining 2020 home games will go on sale in the coming weeks.

The Eagles are 0-1-1 at home so far this season but are now entering a stretch where they will play three straight games at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Giants (Oct. 22) and Dallas Cowboys (Nov. 1) follow the Ravens into the Linc.

“We could’ve used their help in the first two games,” said Mailata. “We miss these guys a lot. Fans are a big part of momentum and causing third-down distractions. Hopefully, whatever number of fans we have this weekend, they can still be rowdy as hell.”

Finding a win against a 4-1 Ravens team with a quarterback in Lamar Jackson, who Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said on Tuesday “is probably the most dangerous player in the league,” will be no easy task.

“We’re definitely going to hear them on Sunday,” said receiver Greg Ward about Eagles fans. “Definitely will be loud. I know the fans are going to have a lot of energy and we just have to match it and be ready.”

Among the fans who won’t be in attendance are Mailata’s parents, who won’t be making the trip in from Australia.

“I am super excited to finally play in front of fans being a starter,” said Mailata. “It’s long been a dream of mine to play in front of a home crowd and be starting so I am extremely excited.

“As for the family, COVID restrictions will not be allowing any travel outside of Australia right now, especially for my parents’ health. It’s easier for them to stay home. I’d love for them to be here for my first game with fans at home, but due to the COVID-19 restrictions, it’s just easier to stay at home and support from there.”

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