EPISODE · Feb 6, 2026 · 10 MIN
ESPN's The Philly Special Directed By Eagles Fan Shannon Furman
from Arroe Collins: Unplugged & Totally Uncut · host Arroe Collins
The newest installment of ESPN’s acclaimed 30 for 30 series, The Philly Special, focuses on the moment that propelled the Philadelphia Eagles to an upset win over the Patriots for their first Super Bowl title in 2018, told through the perspectives of the players, coaches, and fans who experienced it. It’s also a personal look at the city of Philadelphia, with its unique mix of heartfelt optimism, notorious pessimism, and unbridled underdog passion. Since 2018, the Philly Special has been immortalized on t-shirts, tattoos, murals, a statue outside Lincoln Financial Field, restaurant menus and multiple holiday albums recorded by the Eagles. It has transcended football to become part of Philadelphia’s cultural identity. It’s not just a play; it’s a rallying cry for a city used to being overlooked. While Philadelphia might be the birthplace of America, the 6th most populated city in the country lives and dies with an underdog mentality – one epitomized by the Founding Fathers, Rocky Balboa…and The Philly Special. The Philly Special was directed by Shannon Furman and Angela Zender. An Emmy Award winning director and producer with over 20 years of storytelling and production experience, Shannon Furman directed 10 seasons of the critically acclaimed series Hard Knocks (HBO). She is the lead director and showrunner for the Emmy nominated series Hey Rookie (ESPN) and is also a director on the hit series Quarterback (Netflix). She has directed All or Nothing (Amazon), and her work on the series A Football Life (NFL Network) includes directing the untold story of Brandon Marshall.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.
What this episode covers
The newest installment of ESPN’s acclaimed 30 for 30 series, The Philly Special, focuses on the moment that propelled the Philadelphia Eagles to an upset win over the Patriots for their first Super Bowl title in 2018, told through the perspectives of the players, coaches, and fans who experienced it. It’s also a personal look at the city of Philadelphia, with its unique mix of heartfelt optimism, notorious pessimism, and unbridled underdog passion. Since 2018, the Philly Special has been immortalized on t-shirts, tattoos, murals, a statue outside Lincoln Financial Field, restaurant menus and multiple holiday albums recorded by the Eagles. It has transcended football to become part of Philadelphia’s cultural identity. It’s not just a play; it’s a rallying cry for a city used to being overlooked. While Philadelphia might be the birthplace of America, the 6th most populated city in the country lives and dies with an underdog mentality – one epitomized by the Founding Fathers, Rocky Balboa…and The Philly Special. The Philly Special was directed by Shannon Furman and Angela Zender. An Emmy Award winning director and producer with over 20 years of storytelling and production experience, Shannon Furman directed 10 seasons of the critically acclaimed series Hard Knocks (HBO). She is the lead director and showrunner for the Emmy nominated series Hey Rookie (ESPN) and is also a director on the hit series Quarterback (Netflix). She has directed All or Nothing (Amazon), and her work on the series A Football Life (NFL Network) includes directing the untold story of Brandon Marshall.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.
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ESPN's The Philly Special Directed By Eagles Fan Shannon Furman
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