Flying High: Comparing Swimming’s Best To The Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles

Flying High: Comparing Swimming’s Best To The Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles

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Over the weekend, the Philadelphia Eagles soared to a Super Bowl victory, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22. Some of the world’s best athletes were on display for hundreds of millions to see, with Eagles stars like Jalen Hurts and Devonta Smith dominating in victory. It made us here at Swimming World wonder, how do the world’s best swimmers compare to these world champions?

Here are some connections.

Caeleb Dressel-Jalen Hurts

We’ll start with the man who’s been the face of U.S sprint swimming for years now. Dressel has had his ups and downs, as he struggled this past year in individual events. Hurts faced similar adversity early this year, as the Eagles’ offense struggled throwing the football.

But both athletes adjusted to become the ultimate teammate. Hurts adjusted to throwing the ball less, leading to the most explosive run game in the NFL. And Dressel scored golds on both the 400 freestyle and 400 mixed medley relays at the most recent Olympic Games. Despite the pressure of being some of the biggest names in their respective sports, both have shown up, leading their teams to victory.

Bobby Finke-Saquon Barkley

Who better to be matched with the Eagles’ star running back than the man who constantly wins the war of attrition? Just like Barkley, Finke is known to take a little time to heat up. But both athletes are famous for their explosions at the finish, whether it be Barkley’s breakaway playoff run vs. The Rams or Finke’s Olympic excellence. Competing against either athlete is as exhausting as it gets, with their “big-play abilities” making for exciting moments.

Katie Ledecky-Lane Johnson 

Katie Ledecky of United States of America reacts after competing in the swimming 400m Freestyle Women Heats during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at La Defense Arena in Paris (France), July 27, 2024.

Both Johnson and Ledecky have one thing in common: over a decade of unprecedented dominance. Ledecky has ruled over swimming’s distance events for over a decade, while Johnson continued to fortify the Eagles’ offensive line. Both athletes were captains on their championship teams this past year, constantly referred to as leaders both on and off the field. Both USA Swimming and the Eagles are surely hoping they’re back for at least another season (2028 in L.A for Ledecky), needed as leaders for one last spectacular run.

Ariarne Titmus-Jordan Mailata

Even with Johnson and Ledecky’s preeminence over their respective fields, they still have ample competition. Johnson’s rivalry comes internally, with one of the best tackles in the game joining him on the O-Line. Mailata was one of the most underappreciated players on this year’s Eagles team, with his great play giving the Eagles a superstar offensive line. Titmus, on the other hand, similarly has been just as dominant as her rival Ledecky at a younger age. However, the fellow Aussie swims for the USA’s rivals, taking over Ledecky’s place as the fastest 400 freestyler and challenging her in the 800. It’ll be fun to watch both athletes grow, still in their mid-20s and already historically great.

Jordan Crooks-A.J Brown

Two of the most physically imposing athletes in their sports, Crooks and Brown do plenty to scare their opponents. But as imposing as they may look, what they can do in competition is even scarier. Brown is one of the fastest in the league, able to balance his physicality and athleticism to be one of the best receivers in the league. As for Crooks? He is now the world-record holder in the 50 free (SC), a new titan in the sprint world.

Mollie O’Callaghan-Devonta Smith 

Mollie O’callaghan of Australia reacts after winning the gold medal in the swimming 200m Freestyle Women Final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at La Defense Arena in Paris (France), July 29, 2024.

While Brown and Crooks are two of their sports’ most physically imposing, Smith and O’Callaghan find themselves often counted out. Both are on the smaller side for their respective “positions” as sprint freestyler and wide receiver. Nevertheless, it would be a big mistake to count out either athlete. Smith has become one of the NFL’s most consistent wide receivers, a polished all-around player with impeccable technique. O’Callaghan is similarly skilled, winning the 200 free and helping set multiple relay records for Australia at the Olympics. For both these athletes, technique mastery outweighs size, inspirational for young athletes everywhere.

Gretchen Walsh-Jalen Carter

For both sprint swimmers and defensive lineman, power creation is everything. It’s crucial to be as fast as possible for a limited period of time, making short bursts of power even more important. Carter and Walsh excel at this, two of the best pure athletes in their respective sports. Walsh’s signature underwaters have helped her glide past the competition, breaking world records left and right this short course season. Carter, meanwhile, has become one of the best defensive tackles in football, showcasing a variance of power and speed moves to chase down the quarterback. Both athletes are young and talented enough to torture opponents with their freak athleticism for a long time.

Summer Mcintosh/Leon Marchand-Cooper Dejean/Quinyon Mitchell

These pairs of young stars have set the sporting world ablaze, performing well beyond expectations. Mcintosh and Marchand, at just 18 and 22 years old, have quickly become two of the most versatile competitors in swimming. Both were able to win multiple events across very different strokes and distances at the Paris Olympics, Marchand winning the 200/400 IM, 200 fly and 200 breast and Mcintosh winning the 400 free, 200 fly, and 400 IM. The Eagles’ rookies exhibited this same versatility. The two played fantastic while covering all different types of wide receivers in coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense, requiring a unique blend of speed, strength, and athleticism. Both groups of athletes should dominate their multitude of roles for the next decade.

Gregorio Paltrinieri-Zach Baun

Speaking of versatility, these two athletes are emblematic of the term. Baun was initially a defensive lineman, before making the switch this year to linebacker in a new defense. He was better than ever in his new role, earning All-Pro honors and becoming the Eagles’ leader on defense. Paltrinieri has long had a knack for distance swimming, winning Olympic gold in the 1500 in 2016 and multiple World Championships. However, the Italian world record holder has also shown his talent in the open water, with multiple World Championships in the 10K open water. Through making big shifts in roles and being fantastic in them, Baun and Paltrinieri have proved to be some of the best athletes in the world.

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