Eagles Senior Vice President of Media and Marketing, Jen Kavanagh, is a Special Olympics board member and has been a key cog in the partnership with the organization and the Eagles. Kavanagh found out about a similar Special Olympics event that took place in Pittsburgh through a fellow board member who created it, and she helped it come together in Philadelphia with a twist.
“I realized that there was an opportunity to do something that was like that event but a little more football-centric here in Philly,” she said. “We transitioned some elements of the event, turned it into a combine, obviously. And this is our third year, and it’s continuing to grow but has been a great fit for me in terms of this contribution as a board member. And then the connection to the Eagles, I think, has really made it fun for the community and the athletes, too.”
As the event came to a close, Jalen Hurts emerged onto the practice field. He spent time playing catch with dozens of the Special Olympic athletes and their families before the combine concluded.