On September 26, at about 10:30 a.m., Pope Francis will arrive in Philadelphia and hold Mass at Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul located at the east side of Logan Square on 18th street. His Holiness will spend the weekend making visits across the city, but will close out his public appearances in the City of Brotherly Love with a Mass on Sunday on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. While most observant Catholics likely just count themselves lucky enough to feel the papal presence in their fair city, one Philadelphia Eagles fan is hoping to get a little more out of the experience. This intrepid fan has begun a Change.Org petition to convince Pope Francis to take some time out of his busy schedule to visit the team's facilities at One Novacare Way and bless quarterback Sam Bradford's knees. Check out his reasoning... (h/t to Enrico Campitelli of CSN Philly)
"The Pope is coming to Philly! Our city! With this Eagles season coming up, a lot of our Super Bowl hopes rely on Sam Bradford's knees staying healthy. So, with one of the most religious representatives in the world visiting our wonderful place we call home, how about we get him to bless Bradford's knees during his visit to Philly! This town deserves a Super Bowl, and a healthy Bradford is the only way we will have a parade down Broad Street! Please sign this petition and Go Eagles and Welcome to Philly, Pope Francis!!!!"
The petition - which now has over 500 supporters - may be a joke, but Bradford's injury history is all too real, as fans of the St. Louis Rams, the team that drafted the former Oklahoma standout first-overall in the 2010 NFL Draft, know. After tearing the ACL in his left knee during a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns last year, Bradford was dealt this offseason to the Eagles in exchange for quarterback Nick Foles and a second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Bradford is now the de facto starter in Philly despite having not started a regular season game in over 18 months.
While Pope Francis likely has much larger concerns on his mind, it's just as likely that many Eagles fans will spend a fair amount of the remainder of the preseason and the upcoming year praying that Bradford's surgically repaired ACL holds up well into the season and, potentially, beyond. And considering the trouble he's had staying on the field to this point in his NFL career - Bradford's now missed 31 of a possible 80 professional games - every little bit could probably help.
