In the months since Johnny Gaudreau’s tragic passing, he’s been remembered in numerous ways. A devoted husband, an amazing father, an excellent hockey player… Gaudreau was indeed all that and more. But while hockey is what he’s known for best, there’s another sport and team that he held dear to his heart. That’s right, Johnny Gaudreau was also a massive fan of the Philadelphia Eagles.

After news of the tragic accident broke, tributes began pouring in for the two brothers from all corners of the sports world. But the message posted by the Eagles was special as they made sure to highlight the link that Matthew and Johnny shared with the team. “The Philadelphia Eagles are deeply saddened by the sudden loss of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, both cherished members of the Philadelphia & New Jersey community and part of our Eagles family. Our hearts go out to their family, friends, and the entire hockey community during this incredibly difficult time.”

The social media post featured a straightforward yet impactful image, showcasing the two Gaudreau brothers proudly donning their Eagles jerseys. It adds a bittersweet tinge to the Eagles’ second Super Bowl victory in February, for both their family and for hockey fans. But nonetheless, to Gaudreau’s wife, Meredith, the win represented the work of some higher power at play.

While appearing on episode 9 of the podcast, Never Offside with Julie & Cat, Meredith Gaudreau recalled the conviction she felt when watching the Super Bowl. “For me, I just had a good feeling. I was like, ‘They’ll win; that’ll be some divine intervention,'” she said.

But at the same time, it was hard to not think about her Eagles-loving husband during that moment. “But, yeah, and then it’s also like, ‘Oh, they won; John would love to see that,’ but I like to just think, you know, he’s around; he’s with me all the time. He’s, you know, that was really cool to see how much light they brought to the Super Bowl too.”

It’s a sentiment that was echoed by Gaudreau’s mother and sister after the win. They each shared their own posts on social media, with Jane Gaudreau expressing her love for her sons, while their sister Katie wrote of how bittersweet the moment felt. Certainly, the former hockey star had a deep admiration for the sport and would have relished the opportunity to celebrate this moment with his beloved NFL team.

Additionally, Meredith highlighted the impact the Gaudreau brothers have had beyond the realm of hockey, expressing, “Because, like this is crazy, like their impact now is outside of the NHL, but it’s—it was really cool, and , you know, their shirts of them wearing the Eagles jerseys are like, that’s—that’s, you know, they were never too big for their hometown or anything like that; like, they loved all that stuff, and we still love all that stuff, so it’s really cool.” One of the things that remained a constant in Gaudreau’s life was indeed his love for the Eagles.

Johnny Gaudreau – the longstanding Eagles loyalist

Johnny Gaudreau’s passion for the Philadelphia Eagles stemmed from his roots in the area. Growing up in South Jersey, in his hometown of Carneys Point (part of the greater Philadelphia sports region), fostered a deep loyalty to the franchise. He may have been a Jersey man, but the proximity to Philadelphia meant supporting the Eagles was near inevitable. After all, Gaudreau also grew up supporting the Philadelphia Flyers.

Johnny Gaudreau may have been known as Johnny Hockey, but his status as ‘Eagles fan’ is also unquestionable. It’s true that the team was never too far from his mind. Recall the time when Gaudreau was playing for the Flames and was headed down to Chicago for a game against the Blackhawks. It also happened to coincide with the Eagles’ playoff game against the Bears at Soldier Field.

Naturally, Gaudreau and his teammates made sure to secure tickets to the game, and in a stroke of luck for them, the Eagles cinched the victory that day too! “I don’t think many people around me in the stadium were very happy with my celebration,” Gaudreau later admitted. His former teammate Elias Lindholm concurred. “It was a little awkward,” he said. “But Johnny was loving it.” Even this little anecdote speaks to the exuberance and joy that Gaudreau exuded.

Then, of course, was the thrilling Super Bowl victory of 2018. Gaudreau took to Instagram to share his elation with an edited photo of an Eagles player with the simple caption, “Birdssssss!!!!” Earlier that same year, when asked about one of the Eagles’ many wins, Gaudreau responded, “Me and my buddy from Philly sang (Fly, Eagles Fly) a few times last night.”

Matthew and Johnny Gaudreau had a deep passion for Philadelphia’s sports teams, and in return, those teams cherished their support. As their mother, Jane Gaudreau, said, “I know two incredibly happy fans in heaven.“