Philadelphia Eagles "Pillar Guy" Smashes Into Poles Before Games for Good Luck
Jigar Desai is one of the many Eagles fans who are superstitious about game day rituals.
Philadelphia Eagles fans are some of the most superstitious in the NFL. Whether their ritual is wearing the same (unwashed) item of clothing every game day or watching the game from the same place every week, many feel as though they are influential in helping the team win by independently doing their thing.
However, one superfan has taken his superstition above and beyond: Before every game, he smashes into poles and pillars to help the team win.
In 2018 Jigar Desai went viral for a video of himself smashing into a subway platform prior to the Eagles winning the Super Bowl. He became a local celebrity, with people even taking pictures with him because they felt he contributed to the Birds winning the trophy.
In the video taken on Jan. 21, 2018, before the Eagles beat the Vikings 38-7 in the NFC Championship game, Desai, wearing Brian Dawkins jersey, stands on a subway platform. As the train pulls away from the station, he runs beside it, face-first into a pillar.
"When I saw the train of Eagles fans I obviously got excited. I pounded on the train and yelled 'Go Birds, E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!'" Desai told Philadelphia Inquirer. "When the train started moving, I thought it might be good to do a final 'Go Birds,' but the rest is history. It was a clean hit."
This season, prior to every playoff game, Desai runs into a pillar. And, if he happens to be in South Philly near Ellsworth-Federal Station, he will run into the same pillar as in the video. However, if he's at home, he will run into a pillar in his house. "It's working," he added. "Let's not mess with a good thing."
Desai, whose Twitter display name is "Eagles Pillar Guy," has some advice. "If you're going to have a knuckle-headed moment make sure it comes with big impact," he said. He plans on running into a pillar this weekend before the NFC Championship game. "This is the best Eagles team I've ever seen assembled on this field," he said. "I wholeheartedly believe we're going to the Super Bowl again."
