ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – Things may not have gone the Washington Commanders’ way in Sunday afternoon’s NFC title bout against the divisional rival Philadelphia Eagles. However, the team’s fans were still out in full force to cheer on their team at several local restaurants and bars.
“Lots of the fans in here, probably about 20 to 25 percent, are Commanders,” said EJ Moses, owner of The Front Row Bar and Grill in Roanoke.
Moses is a lifelong Washington fan himself, and said that while the NFL playoffs are always good for business, this year’s Washington run has taken the crowds up a notch.
“This year it’s been a big plus,” he said. “We had a good Saturday night last week and today it’s been a pretty good crowd for us.”
Ultimately, the game resulted in a 55-23 victory for the Eagles, but for many of the lifelong fans, the season had already been marked as a win because of the way their squad had overachieved.
“It’s been a long time coming and it’s just burgundy and gold for life for me,” said Commanders’ fan Keith Pullen. “Win, lose, or draw, it’s been a great season.”
It was the franchise’s first NFC Championship appearance since 1992, and The Front Row was just one of a number of local spots that reported great showings throughout Washington’s playoff run.