Griffin Speaks is no stranger to Auburn football’s pregame eagle flight tradition.
The Auburn native and reserve defensive back grew up going to games at Jordan-Hare Stadium, and he’s seen his share of flights. But Saturday’s A-Day spring game gave him and his teammates an unprecedented view of the tradition that’s uniquely Auburn, with players on the field for the pregame flight.
“All of the sudden, we look up and there’s an eagle in the air,” Speaks said. “Nobody knew what was going on, and I explained it a little, of ‘Hey, this is what we do before games. It’s what gets us going. This is the eagle.’ It was cool. It was a great moment.”
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Since 2000, fans have let the words “War Eagle” hang in the air above Pat Dye Field as five different eagles have now taken flight. But it’s a tradition that’s occurred with players in the locker room.
So, when Aurea the Golden Eagle took off from the upper deck of the Jordan-Hare stands and soared an atypical route directly to the midfield logo, it was technically a bit of history. And it was something Auburn’s players didn’t know was coming.
“That was actually my first time seeing it, because when I was in high school, I never really went to a game,” Auburn receiver Camden Brown said. “So I was like, 'Wow. That was pretty cool.'”
Brown, who had three catches and 45 receiving yards in the 28-27 spring game win for Auburn’s offense, said Aurea’s flight path took her right over the top of him. And safety Jerrin Thompson, a Texas transfer, said he’d never seen anything like it — even though his former school has a live mascot of its own.
“But he wasn’t moving,” Thompson said of Texas' live mascot, Bevo. “He wasn’t moving like that. He stays stationary.”
As unique and exciting as the moment was for Auburn’s roster, they were split on whether or not they’d want to be out there for every pregame flight. Speaks was understandably eager at the prospect of it.
“It fires us up like it fires the fans up,” he said. “It was a special moment.”
Teammates like Thompson, however, weren’t as optimistic.
“I’m not messing, the defensive back said. “I done seen some eagles tear some big mammals up. So I’m not going to mess with that.”