Here’s everything to know about the Philadelphia Eagles sophomore Christmas album, including its release and special guests on the track

A Philly Special Christmas/ YouTube

The Philadelphia Eagles double as athletes and songbirds, too!

Players of The Birds have once again transitioned their team spirit into holiday spirit as they join forces for their sophomore album, A Philly Special Christmas Special.

Leading the charge on the project are offensive linemen Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata. The players second musical collaboration follows the release of their debut studio album, A Philly Special Christmas, in December 2022.

Their seven-track album nonetheless brought the holly and jolly, prompting the triad of Philadelphia Eagles to team up once again for some festive fun. “We sing around a lot, like Lane and I will go in the same car after a game sometimes, and we’ll listen to songs,” Kelce told Today’s co-host Sheinelle Jones.

A Philly Special Christmas Special includes various holiday hits with cameos from other players on the team and a notable name in music who hails from the Philly area. In addition to the album, the special includes an eight-minute animated film and a limited-apparel collection.

The money raised from the first album sales went to several charities, with A Philly Special Christmas Special having similar proceed plans to benefit causes close to the athletes’ hearts.

Read on for everything to know about A Philly Special Christmas Special.

What is A Philly Special Christmas Special?

A Philly Special Christmas/ YouTube

Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata recording in the studio.
A Philly Special Christmas Special is the second studio album released by Philadelphia Eagles Jason Kelce, Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson. The project serves as a follow-up to their debut EP, A Philly Special Christmas, which was released on Dec. 22, 2022.

In addition to the album, there’s an eight-minute animated film component that was released worldwide on Thanksgiving Day.

How many songs are on A Philly Special Christmas Special?

The 11-track album consists of a variety of holiday hits, like Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and “The Christmas Song,” in addition to several original numbers.

When speaking on the Kelce brothers’ weekly podcast, New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, Mailata shared some insight into the recording process with his teammates.

“We got to see the creation of the songs more this year than we did last year, and I’m going to take that with me forever,” he said on the episode. Jason agreed, saying, “I’m right there with you, and I think that me, you and Lane get put on the face of the album, but there are so many musicians.”

“It’s really fun watching that go from nothing to something,” he added.

Below is the complete A Philly Special Christmas Special tracklist:

“The Christmas Song”
“This Christmas”
“Dominick the Donkey”
“Santa’s Night”
“Christmas Time Is Here”
“All I Want for Christmas Is You”
“Pretty Paper”
“The Dreidel Song”
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
“Fairytale of Philadelphia”
“Auld Lang Syne”

Who is featured on A Philly Special Christmas Special?

Philadelphia Eagles/ Instagram

Philidelphia Eagles christmas album
Kelce, Johnson and Mailata are joined by several guests on Philly Special Christmas Special, ranging from Philadelphia Eagles teammates to Philly’s very own Patti LaBelle.

Of the collaboration, Mailata said on the Kelce podcast that it was “nerve-wracking” to sing “in front of a great” like her. Meanwhile, the Eagles tackle has been singing since he was young, previously telling ABC 6 that “music was [his] first love before sports.”

However, Jason told listeners that Mailata is “very talented” musically, and has even “been teaching himself banjo in the locker room” this season.

In addition to LaBelle, Jason’s brother Travis Kelce was tapped for the album’s “Fairytale of Philadelphia.” The original song allowed the NFL stars to embrace their brotherly love, Philly style.

Travis’s verse includes playful jabs at Jason, like calling him a “phony” and an “a–” and hoping for “this Christmas to be our last” in the song.

Will Taylor Swift be featured on A Philly Special Christmas Special?

Kevin Winter/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

Taylor Swift performs onstage for the opening night of “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour”
While Patti LaBelle sings a duet with Mailata on the sophomore effort, Kelce shared that he wouldn’t be opposed to singing alongside Taylor Swift, amid her new romance with his little brother Travis. However, she’s not featured on A Philly Special Christmas Special.

“Maybe, not this one, not this time around,” Kelce said after Today’s Jones when she asked about the possibility of Swift joining in. “That would be pretty incredible, maybe in the future.”

But despite Swift’s absence on the album, the power of the Swifties is present. Within hours of its release on Nov. 15, “Fairytale of Philadelphia” made its way into the top 10 songs on iTunes and moments later reached the No. 1 spot.

“We owe a big thanks to one group in particular, besides the 92 percenters,” Kelce said on the podcast, referencing New Heights listeners. “And that’s the Swifties, because the Swifties came out.”

“One thousand percent,” agreed Travis.

Where will A Philly Special Christmas Special proceeds go?

The proceeds from A Philly Special Christmas Special will benefit the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, per Today. The Eagles’ debut holiday album raised over $1 million for local charities following its 2022 release.

“They just always support the team,” Johnson told the outlet of the community, noting that fans understood how important this project was for them. “Once they found out it wasn’t a joke, and it was actually some little bit of talent on there and ability. It (meant) more.”

How to listen to A Philly Special Christmas Special?

A Philly Special Christmas/ YouTube

Jason and Travis Kelce in the studio
A Philly Special Christmas Special is available to pre-order now. The album will be sold as a limited-edition red vinyl, limited-edition gold vinyl and a double disc, which will include the first album.

When will A Philly Special Christmas Special be released?

A Philly Special Christmas Special is to be released in full on Dec. 1, 2023. Meanwhile, three singles have already been released. Jason and Travis’ duet, “A Fairytale of Philadelphia” is out now — along with Mailata and LaBelle’s “This Christmas” and the trio of Eagles’ rendition of “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”