August 04, 2023
@Eagles/Twitter
The Eagles fan who leaked pictures of their kelly green jerseys says he found the images on the team's own website.
The Eagles went to great lengths to tease fans about the release of their long-awaited kelly green throwbacks.
Fans had been clamoring for the classic look to be revived as an alternate jersey for years, and it had been known that 2023 would mark their return after the NFL changed its rules to accommodate more retro looks.
But as other teams shared their throwbacks last month — the Seahawks' dropped their original blues and the Titans revealed an old-school Houston Oilers look, among others — the Eagles social media team enjoyed torturing fans with a bunch of memes referencing the upcoming announcement.
When the Eagles finally announced they'd be dropping the new uniforms and merchandise on Monday, July 31, they apparently were not banking on a man from West Virginia accidentally finding photos of the jerseys on the team's own website.
Axios reported Thursday that Brandon Winston, the man who leaked images of the jerseys online, found them by clicking on a "Go Green" tab that he thought would lead him to information about the Eagles' recycling program. He wasn't wrong — that's where the link goes now — but for reasons the team has not explained, Winston got a glimpse of the kelly greens. He shared them with his friends, on a private Facebook page and on Twitter.
@lord_brunson pic.twitter.com/sep4t4tJFB
— brandon winston (@brandonwin82821) July 29, 2023
At the time, Winston didn't think he was the first to leak the images. He started getting tons of messages from friends, and some speculated that the photos were doctored. Others thought the leak was done intentionally to draw fans to the Eagles Pro Shop on Monday morning, when it was mobbed with people ready to buy jerseys.
But the Eagles' social media simply acknowledged that their strategy of teasing fans had gone on a bit too long and the internet found a way to beat them.
Yes, we know the internet is undefeated…
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) July 30, 2023
But don’t worry, we have lots more to come 😈#KellyGreenIsBack pic.twitter.com/nN7M3ZdVlM
Winston, who reportedly has an Eagles man cave and a dog named Philly, told Axios he didn't mean to spoil the team's plans.
"I bleed green," Winston said. "I would hate for them to be pissed at me."
The Eagles will wear the kelly green jerseys when they play the Miami Dolphins on Oct. 27 and the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 26.
