How Eagles, Zack Baun honored the late Bill Bergey during playoff run

How Eagles, Zack Baun honored the late Bill Bergey during playoff run originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Zack Baun was sitting in a linebacker meeting at the NovaCare Complex last month when he heard a knock on the door. It was Howie Roseman.

The Eagles’ general manager had in his hands a medallion that belonged to the late, great Bill Bergey. Roseman told Baun he wanted him to have it for the rest of the playoff run. So Baun wore the gold medallion, which features the old Eagles logo with spread wings, to the NFC Championship Game at the Linc and to Super Bowl LIX at the Superdome.

“Absolutely honored,” Baun said last week. “Absolutely honored to be representing him, his family, his legacy that way. It’s really cool.”

When Bergey died on Christmas morning after a long battle with cancer, Roseman reached out to Bergey’s son Jake to offer his condolences. The two exchanged several messages and then the week before the NFC Championship Game, Roseman reached out again and asked Jake if his dad had any type of good luck charm. After talking to his mom, Jake offered up the medallion and delivered it to the NovaCare Complex.

The initial plan was for Roseman to hold on to it but then he had a better idea. He wanted Baun to wear it as a fellow All-Pro linebacker. He sent Jake a message on the morning of the NFC Championship Game to tell him that Baun had the medallion.

“It made total sense,” Jake Bergey said. “My daughter showed me on Instagram before that game, him walking in with the medallion. Just a really cool full-circle story.”

Bill Bergey’s wife, Mickey Kay, got him the necklace after the 1974 season. That was Bergey’s first season in Philadelphia and his first time being named an All-Pro. Bergey ended up playing for the Eagles for the final 7 years of his career, made 4 Pro Bowls, was a first-team All-Pro twice and a second-team All-Pro three times. Bergey was inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame in 1988.

And he wore that medallion for all of it.

“He never took it off,” Jake said. “Never. As long as I can remember him, he wore it. Mom got it for him when he was All-Pro his first time and he never took it off. He showered in it, he played in it, everything. He never took it off.”

The Eagles went through some lean years at the linebacker position but Baun was incredible in 2024. Baun was a bit of an afterthought signing in March but ended up being a full-time starting inside linebacker and had 151 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 11 tackle for loss and an interception this season.

Baun, 28, was the right guy to wear Bergey’s keepsake.

“My dad watched every game through this whole season up until his passing,” Jake Bergey said. “He certainly admired the way [Baun] played. He’d often just mention how much he liked watching him play. It was fitting that he wore it.”

The Eagles trip to Super Bowl LIX was their second trip to New Orleans this season. Before their Week 3 game against the Saints, Roseman found out that Bergey was sick. He reached out and told the Eagles Hall of Famer that the Eagles were going to win the game and he’d bring him a game ball. The Eagles won 15-12 and Roseman delivered that game ball.

The Superdome was also the host site for Super Bowl XV after the 1980 season. The Eagles lost 27-10 to the Oakland Raiders in Bergey’s final NFL game. Forty-four years later, Baun walked back into the Superdome wearing Bergey’s medallion.

This time, the Eagles were able to get a win.

Not only that, but the game was played on Feb. 9. Everyone knows that the Super Bowl was played on Saquon Barkley and Cooper DeJean’s birthday, but it was also Bill Bergey’s birthday. The Eagles’ legend would have turned 80 that day.

“Unfortunately, he didn’t make it to see it,” Jake said, “but he was certainly cheering on somewhere.”

On Super Bowl Sunday, the Bergey’s all gathered at mom’s house — between Jake, his two brothers and their families, there about 20 of them — most wearing Bill’s iconic No. 66 jersey. They got to watch as the Eagles dismantled the Chiefs 40-22 to bring home the second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.

They sang and danced and played the fight song after every score.

“It was kind of surreal watching them take it to them like that,” Jake said. “We had a great time. We certainly missed my dad but it was as good as it possibly could be.”

At some point over the next couple of weeks, Roseman and the Eagles will return the golden medallion to the Bergey family, where it belongs.

But it was nice to have this fairytale ending first.

“It was just an honor to wear it,” Baun said, “and to represent him and his family.”

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