There is a saying – before you embark on a journey, make sure your heart is in the right place. For the Eagles, the journey started many, many years ago. The objective was to be a franchise the Philadelphia community would be proud of. To be a team that resonates with the streets of Philly, to reflect what it means to be from Philadelphia. Well, if the Eagles were to ever stray from the path, they will always have Swoop to guide them.

Yes, the Eagles mascot. Generally, mascots are for good luck. But Swoop’s duties are far greater. His origin story is as supernatural as Captain America’s. And like Steve Rogers, Swoop has a good heart. He is the compass of the team, so you know when the team is out on the gridiron, they won’t let their fans down. So, let’s get to know the people who so grandly bring Swoop to life.

Who plays the Philadelphia Eagles’ mascot, Swoop?

Over the years, Swoop has been the identity of different people, who have been honored and joyed to put on the costume and be the emblem of the NFL team. Jeff Alexander, an intern at the Eagles organization, was the first ever Swoop. In fact, it was Jeff to whom the idea of Swoop came.

Initially, Swoop wasn’t so friendly-looking and despite the popularity, Swoop was still a bit off-putting among the younger population. Jeff explained – “I was doing 300 appearances a year and meeting with kids in schools and malls and there were definitely a few times where that look was not received well. It was outstanding in the 700 level at Veterans Stadium. But at Children’s Hospital, not so much.”

In 1998, when Alexander stepped down, the mantle was taken up by Ryan Hughes, a Delaware University graduate. For 12 years, Ryan was the 6’3”, 216 lbs. eagle. Ryan perfectly describes what it means to be Swoop: “Swoop is part of people’s families.”

We don’t know who Swoop is currently, but whoever he is, we know it is a full-time job and then some. So, it’s fair the compensation is enough to be Swoop as a full-time career.

What is Swoop’s salary?

The man playing Swoop is paid around $60000 a year in salary by the Eagles. But it doesn’t stop there. There’s extra money involved in bonuses and other gigs, and Swoop gets a lot of invites for private appearances. That can include birthdays, children’s events, and even non-profit organizations asking for Swoop. His demand mostly goes up during the off-season, and obviously so.

For the private appearances, Swoop charges $400 per hour, even though for the non-profits, the asking price is lowered. All in all, when added up, Swoop has made a healthy living being the lovable yet gritty protector of Philadelphia since 1996.

How old is our beloved Eagles mascot?

In 2025, the white-headed Swoop turns 29. As the lore goes, in 1996, Swoop was hatched in the Neshaminy State Park. He was born with very poor eyesight and was not very strong, even though he had a good and kind heart. But the magic happened when an Eagles fan gave him the Green and White jersey. Instantly, his size grew, and he became as big as a human. And not just an average human, Swoop became a 6’3” 216lbs guardian of Philadelphia.

Swoop’s eyesight problems disappeared. He was so quite strong to take on anybody. You can see Swoop in South Philly, nested atop the Lincoln Financial Field. You will see him too at this Super Bowl LIX with his team. Swoop will be there to encourage the Philly fans to get behind their team one last time in the 2024-25 season.