Back in 1984, it looked like the Philadelphia Eagles were on the verge of leaving the city. Then-owner Leonard Tose reportedly agreed to sell off a portion of the team with the stipulation that they moved to Phoenix the following season.

Moving from Philadelphia to Phoenix, of all places, seemed like a stupid decision both then and now.

Tose wanted to sell the team to cover his gambling debts, which is honestly something I can understand. I’ve debated on countless occasions selling any spare items around my house to chase another parlay with the hopes of making hundreds of dollars.

Selling a football franchise over millions in gambling debt is on a whole different level. Imagine what was going through Leonard Tose’s head while figuring out his options. It would have broken me into a million pieces.

However, NFL Commissioner at the time, Pete Rozelle realized that Leonard Tose was acting like an idiot and called an emergency meeting to keep the team in Philly. Norman Braman eventually purchased the franchise for $65 million and promised to keep the team in Philadelphia.

Recently, a Reddit user by the name of u/inchipwetrust, sent a photo created by the Eagles’ organization in 1984. The shirt was part of a series of mock-ups of what would have likely been the team’s logo if they packed up and left for Phoenix.

Overall, the design looks very identical to what the team was wearing at the time. The font remains the same, obviously not considering “Phoenix” written where Philadelphia typically resides.

The entire “re-design” seems pretty lazy. I’m not sure how kelly green in the desert would have made sense? You would think if you’re moving a football franchise across the country, there would be more thought into the branding and change of scenery, but I digress.

This design is a unique but forgotten piece of the franchise’s history. Hard to think that roughly 30-40 years ago the Eagles were going to be leaving the city due to their owners massive gambling debt. With how long ago this occurred, there’s a good chance this shirt is the only physical piece of evidence we will ever see of a potential Eagles relocation.

Mandatory Credit: Blame my Father