Getty Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie has turned the franchise into a $2.75 billion business.
Sometimes, the best highlights don’t involve players. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie took a vicious hit at training camp Tuesday morning as he was observing practice from the sideline. Lurie’s cap popped right off his head, according to reporters on the scene.
Lurie wasn’t injured on the play, but Twitter nearly stopped on a dime. Everyone had an opinion on the owner going down, from Eagles fans to the beat reporters who witnessed it live. It was literally the “Shot Heard ‘Round the NovaCare Complex.”
Eagles have a physical practice today, and it just got carried over to the sideline where Jeffrey Lurie was taken down in a sideline collision. Lurie got right back up, put hat back on. Ready for next play.
Jeffrey Lurie just got taken out on the sideline. Legs taken out from under him. Got right back up.
Jeffrey Lurie gets taken out on a pass to sidelines. He puts cap back on and seems ok. #Eagles
While there is no video evidence of the Lurie hit, this photo of the owner soaking in camp from Monday shows him talking to defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and wearing a white baseball hat. It’s probably safe to assume Lurie was wearing it again and positioned in the same spot on the sideline.
Jeffrey Lurie chatting it up with Jim Schwartz before #Eagles practice.
Lurie Has Turned Eagles into $2.75 Billion Business
That’s right. Jeffrey Lurie bought the Eagles for $185 million in 1999 and the franchise is now valued at $2.75 billion, according to Forbes magazine. The Eagles rank 24th overall among the world’s 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams for 2019, one spot ahead of the Boston Celtics. The team has an operating income of $114 million and increased its value by more than $1.4 billion over the last five years.
In a recent interview with The Athletic, Lurie opened up about his charity work and the failed coaching hire of Chip Kelly. He also admitted that he nearly bought an ownership stake in famed English soccer powerhouse Arsenal.
“I did look into buying other sports teams when I owned the Eagles, and I regret maybe one of them. There was probably an opportunity to be a significant owner of Arsenal,” Lurie told The Athletic. “I wasn’t able to convince enough of the people that were possibly interested in selling at the time. But I saw it similar to the Eagles where it’s kind of a difficult stadium situation. And what if you build a new stadium and it’s right in London? I saw it as a refresh (to) energize that franchise, that team.”
DeMarcus Ware Visited Eagles Camp
One interesting tidbit that went unreported Monday was the arrival of former Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware. He was spotted working out with Fletcher Cox after practice and appeared to be getting instructions for bettering his technique. While it’s quick to pile on the Dallas hate here, remember that Ware was one of the best pass-rushers in the league for almost a decade. Ware led the NFL in sacks in 2008 and 2010, with 20 and 15.5 sacks respectively. ESPN’s Logan Banker was the first to report it. He retired with 138.5 career sacks.
Despite playing in Dallas for nine seasons, Ware was actively rooting for the Eagles to win the Super Bowl in 2018. He admitted as much on an appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas.
“[I’m] with the underdog. I’m really not a Pats fan. NFC, I’m rooting for the NFC,” Ware said. “It’s not like I’m a Philly fan, but I’m rooting for the NFC. Philly hasn’t won a Super Bowl, it’ll be big. Get some brotherly love up there in Philly.”
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