Gov. Shapiro Flies Chiefs Flag After Eagles Super Bowl Loss

HARRISBURG, PA — A visitor to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's office this week might have been confused as to what state they were in.

Flying above the governor's desk was the red and gold flag of the only team to vanquish the region's beloved Philadelphia Eagles this postseason: the Super Bowl winning Kansas City Chiefs.

He also made a few phone calls and shipped some of the Keystone State's most iconic snacks and treats from Pennsylvania to Kansas.

That's because of big Super Bowl bets between Shapiro, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly. Before the game, the trio agreed that the loser would fly the winner's flag in their office, and that Kansas would get some of Pennsylvania's finest foods in the event of a Chiefs win.

"It wasn’t fun looking at a Chiefs’ flag in my office today, and I sure wish I had some snacks from Kansas — but a bet is a bet," Shapiro said. "Congratulations (to governors Parson and Kelly) on your win, but I'm ready for next year, Eagles!"

Among the foods that Kelly will receive from Shapiro are soft pretzels from Philly Style Hand Twisted Soft Pretzel Bakery in Bucks County, cheesesteaks from Tony Luke’s in Philadelphia, and Eagles mini-donuts from Collegeville Italian Bakery.

Had the Eagles had won, Shapiro would've gotten Creekstone Farms Black Angus Beef and chocolate-covered sunflower seeds from Kansas.

"It hurt to make that call," Shapiro said in a video he published from his office, before pointing an arm to the Chiefs flag on the wall. "But what hurts even more is looking at that."

The Super Bowl bet between governors is a long tradition, and one that former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf was on the winning end of when the Birds beat Tom Brady's New England Patriots five years ago. Five years ago, Wolf received the following items from Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker:

• Clam chowder from Legal Seafoods (Boston)
• Craisins from Ocean Spray (Middleborough)
• Apple cider donuts from Smolak Farms (North Andover)
• Apple pie, chicken pot pie, and maple syrup from Hollis Hills Farms (Fitchburg)
• Grillo's Pickles (Needham)
• Cupcakes and lemon squares from Koffee Kup Bakery (Springfield)

Wolf donated the items to a local food pantry.

Of course, if you need to feel better about how 2023 turned out, perhaps the most unforgettable bet of 2018 is still paying dividends for Eagles fans. A baby goat named "Foles" after Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles still haunts the environs of Boston's Franklin Park Zoo.

Shapiro did end the video by saying he thinks the Eagles will be back next year, perhaps with an "Eagles-Steelers Super Bowl," he said.