The Philadelphia Eagles, known for their success on the football field, are proving once again that they are more than just athletes—they are also accomplished songbirds. This holiday season, offensive linemen Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson, and Jordan Mailata presented the limited edition vinyl of the year: a dazzling collection of Holiday tunes that both celebrate Christmas and embodies the spirit of Philadelphia. 

Titled, “A Philly Special Christmas Special”, this  holiday charity album has soared to new heights, securing a top spot across various Billboard charts. The 11-track project, featuring 10 covers and one new original song, has impressively debuted  in the top 10 on Top Album Sales, Independent Albums, Top Current Album Sales, Top Holiday Albums, and Vinyl Albums.

Released in December 2022 the inspired trio, “A Philly Special Christmas,”  decided to amplify the festive fun with a sequel. The first album’s proceeds were donated to several charities, and this time around, “A Philly Special Christmas Special” follows the same path. All profits from the album will benefit Philadelphia-area charities, including the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Speaking on their weekly podcast, “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce”. the players shared insights into the recording process, highlighting the joy of witnessing the creation of the songs. Jason Kelce remarked, “It’s really fun watching that go from nothing to something”, speaking of the effort that went into the album.

As the holiday season unfolds, the Philadelphia Eagles continue to score big with their musical talentsnot just on the football field but also on the charts. “A Philly Special Christmas Special” is not just an album: it’s a testament to the spirit of giving back during the most wonderful time of the year.

Track 1: “The Christmas Song” (ft. Amos Lee)

The album’s opener is a delightful kickoff, seamlessly unveiling the players’ hidden talents. Amos Lee’s contribution to “The Christmas Song” is a brilliant addition, completely enhancing the track . “The Christmas Song” has always embodied the true spirit of the holidays, and The Philly Specials have certainly not fallen short of this in their rendition. However, nothing will ever top the original. It was entertaining to hear some of my favorite players sing for the first time, as I am sure a lot of Philadelphia fans resonated with this feeling, as well.

Track 2: “This Christmas” (ft. Pattie LaBelle)

I was extremely excited to hear this song from the album, not just because “This Christmas” has been my favorite Christmas song since middle school, but also since I saw that Patti LaBelle was featured I love myself some Patti LaBelle. From the first verse of the song, Jordan Miatta’s vocal talents take center stage as he effortlessly belts out the lyrics. LaBelle began singing in the second verse-just as I’d expected-like an angel. I’ve always loved duets, as the mixture of two voices is always so melodic and verberating.

Track 3: “Dominick the Donkey”

I was intrigued to listen to this song out of all of them, because I  never listened to the original “Dominick the Donkey.” To me, the song was very cheesy- as it had literal donkey sounds. The song was extremely echoey, almost trying to imitate an old-timey sound. The chorus was cute and the song was an earworm, however I found the donkey sounds bothersome to my ears. My opinion would most likely be different if I’d known the original song.

Track 4: “Santa’s Night”

The background music to this song was absolutely beautiful, serving a country-esque approach. (Which is probably why I liked it so much!) Jason Kelce’s gruff voice was easily recognizable. The song sounded like it was from the perspective of Santa, speaking of wrapping presents and putting gifts under trees. Kelce mimicked the voice of Santa Claus very well. Overall, this was a nostalgic and well-done song.

Track 5: “Christmas Time is Here”

I know this song from “Charlie Brown”. Year after year, I have always added it to my Christmas playlist… just to skip it. I never particularly liked the sound of the “Charlie Brown” character’s voices. They always reminded me of child opera singers. (Although, I’d take the child opera singing over donkey noises any day.) I was pleasantly surprised that an actual choir of children sang the song. It sounded a lot more authentic, which I appreciated. The only criticism I have is that there was absolutely no showcase of the players’ voices. I enjoyed the jazzy sound of the track. I’ve always thought that jazz Christmas music was the most traditional, and I’ve always been a traditional Christmas girl in general.

Track 6: “All I Want For Christmas is You”

The anticipation of this song came pretty close to my exceptional excitement for “This Christmas.” However, they took a more melodic approach to the song, and it was not as hype-filled as Mariah Carey’s original song. It was catchy nonetheless. Something that I found interesting about this song- as well as many of the other songs on the album- was that they incorporated their own original musical elements with new instruments. I noticed it the most in this song, and it certainly added a fun twist to the track.

Track 7: “Pretty Paper”

I’ve never heard the original “Pretty Paper”, so I’m not entirely sure how the song is supposed to sound. Johnson’s voice is similar to that of a country artist’s in this, and so is the background music. This track was way too slow for my personal liking, yet I enjoyed the progression of the song as notes gradually got higher.

Track 8: “The Dreidel Song” (ft. Howie Roseman)

It was nice to see a Hanukkah song on the album! I’m not sure how many songs exist for this holiday, but this was definitely a good choice. “The Dreidel Song” is well-known across the world, even to people who are not Jewish. I loved this song so much. The gang approached it with a melody far different from the original. Another country-sounding song, complete with harmonica sounds, it was super catchy and upbeat. The best part of this song was the feature of Howie Roseman, the executive vice president of the Philadelphia Eagles. I loved the fact that Kelce, Miatta, Johnson, and Roseman sang together throughout the whole song.

Track 9: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (ft. Jordan Davis)

This track featured Jordan Davis, a defensive tackle for the Eagles. I think he has a fabulous voice and was a good addition to the album. His voice contributed to the album’s country-esque approach to Christmas songs. Nothing stood out about “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, which sounds like a bad thing, but I think it was fitting for this song. The song is such a classic and too many alterations would absolutely ruin it.

Track 10: “Fairytale of Philadelphia” (ft. Travis Kelce)

This track was probably the highest anticipated overall, considering Travis Kelce, the world’s most recent heartthrob, was featured. The song featured purely Jason and Travis, an adorable way to showcase their brotherhood. It made me laugh, since the brothers began hurling playful insults at each other as part of the song. This is definitely the funniest track, and I highly recommend listening to it if you want some extra Christmas spirit, accompanied by a good laugh!

Track 11: “Auld Lang Syne” (ft. several Eagles players)

Okay, I may have lied a little bit when I said I was anticipating “This Christmas” the most. “Auld Lang Syne” is the one track on the album that featured the most Eagles players. After the song intro, the players exchanged words with each other in the studio about how thankful they were for various things, such as their families, the team, and Philadelphia.The conversation, ending after around three minutes and leading into the outro, was an interesting approach to a song that probably only Eagles fans would appreciate. I think it was an adorable way to close off the album, since it came out around Thanksgiving. It also served as a great reminder that the album was made for charity purposes, not just for the team to make a profit.

In the words of Jason, Jordan, Lane, and the rest of the Eagles crew, “Here’s to family, here’s to friends, old and new, and here’s to all the hopes and dreams of a new year coming true!”