How the Cuban Missile Crisis ruined former US President John F. Kennedy's plan of purchasing Philadelphia Eagles in 1962
The Philadelphia Eagles recently set the benchmark by offering quarterback Jalen Hurts the largest contract NFL history. The five-year deal reportedly worth $255 million made the Philly QB the highest-paid player in league history.
That sum now dwarfs the amount that the franchise was once listed for back in 1962. An interesting potential suitor was in the mix to purchase the franchise. Any guesses as to who we're referring to?
That potential suitor was none other than John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States of America. His brother Edward had disclosed back in 2005 how the infamous Cuban Missile Crisis thwarted the former President's ambitions of purchasing the Eagles franchise.
The Kennedy family's dream of owning an NFL team was shattered when the crisis unfolded. As per a transcript sourced from the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, Edward said:
"I had been in touch with my brother just before the Cuban Missile Crisis when I was running because the Philadelphia Eagles came up for sale. The fellow who owned the Baltimore Colts, Carroll Rosenbloom, had called my father and said, 'If your sons want to buy that, you can get it for $6 million.'"
Upon learning of the offer, the Kennedy brothers were interested in pulling through with the deal. The former president was in on the deal. Their brother, Robert, who later served as the 64th US attorney general too was on board with the proposition.
The Kennedy brothers, fueled by their shared passion for sports, were poised to embark on a venture that would have potentially changed the NFL landscape forever.
But the bid never came through as Edward went on to explain:
"Boom! The Cuban Missile Crisis happened. And at the end of it, after October 22nd, by about November 1st, I asked, 'Are we still in?' and that thing had gone. They said they’d wait four or five days to see whether the Kennedy brothers were interested in it, but, boy, after that thing, the offer was gone.”
The Cuban Missile Crisis, was ultimately resolved without nuclear catastrophe. It not only reshaped Kennedy's presidency but also altered the trajectory of his personal ambitions.
The Philadelphia Eagles, an iconic NFL franchise, slipped through his fingers due to the tumultuous events that unfolded during that fateful year.
Eagles fans get encouraging update on Jalen Hurts' ankle surgery
Soon after signing his record-breaking deal, it was revealed that Hurts had undergone ankle surgery to address a nagging issue. Fans have been speculating about how the surgery went and that doubt seems to have been addressed by the franchise's Reddit page when they responded to a question about the matter:
"He is 100 percent fit and great and just an awesome franchise quarterback."
The surgery reportedly took place shortly after the Eagles' loss in Super Bowl 57 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The surgery was considered minor and Hurts has since participated in limited team activities.