'They're going to win!': Wilmington principal in the running for NFL's Fan of the Year honors

A principal in Wilmington, and a die-hard Eagles fan, is in the running for the NFL’s Fan of the Year and Matt Auerbach’s connection to the team goes far beyond the field.

"I just opened up the mail one day and this huge box, Fan of the Year!" exclaimed Matt Auerbach. "Fan of the Year jersey. Pretty cool."

The Philadelphia Eagles Super Fan of the Year. A man with so much love for his beloved Birds.

"This is a very special jersey. Probably one of most prized possessions," Auerbach said. "Here is my Randal Cunningham jersey and he was a hero of mine. I would go to the Eagles games when I was a kid and watch Randal play, kinda like my own son watching Jalen Hurts right now."

And, that love of the Eagles is in his genes. Auerbach used to go to the games with his dad, Allen, a doctor who embodied the American dream, but passed away five years ago.

Matt’s grandmother survived the Holocaust and brought Allen to America when he was just two years old. "It’s just so awesome. That’s what my dad was all about and I know he’s watching over me right now. It was just an amazing experience."

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A truly amazing experience when the Eagles came to Mount Pleasant Elementary School, where he’s the principal, to tell him he’d won the title.

"Very, very exciting. I was really happy for him, he deserves it. He needed something amazing. He’s a really good guy, so it was good," Matt’s wife, Sara, explained.

And, now they’re both headed to Phoenix for an all-expense trip to the Super Bowl, convinced they’ll be cheering the Eagles on to victory, in his dad’s honor.

"They’re going to win, they’re going to win! Two times in five years, the Super Bowl! It’s just incredible. You know, he’s with me right now, in spirit!" Matt exclaimed.

There's still time to vote for the national winner, so head to the NFL's Fan of the Year contest page to cast a vote for Matt. You can vote more than once and voting ends February 12th.