The New York Knicks’ Game 4 victory against the San Antonio Spurs on June 10 was marked as one of the greatest comebacks in NBA Finals history. The Knicks rallied all the way back from a 29-point deficit to execute a miraculous 107-106 victory, which helped them get one step closer to their first championship in 53 years. While it was OG Anunoby’s tip-in that helped the Knicks get the important win, according to Knicks president Leon Rose, Philadelphia Eagles‘ GM Howie Roseman played an indirect hand in their historic triumph.

“Share this with everybody,” said Rose in a video shared by NFL insider Ari Meirov. “Howie Roseman, general manager of the Philadelphia Eagles, came tonight with his boys. And he gave me this gift, which is a piece of slate from the City of David in ancient Jerusalem that he got when he was there. And it was given to him. He either got it or it was given to him in 2024. He took it to the Super Bowl and won the Super Bowl. And he gave it to me for good luck… before the game.”

Howie Roseman may have intentionally gifted the piece of slate from the City of David to Leon Rose. The thought process behind the gesture was clear. Roseman seemingly wanted the Knicks to beat the Spurs at Madison Square Garden that day. And they did, and somehow the good luck factor from gifting the ‘piece of slate’ to the Knicks president worked out.

However, the Eagles GM didn’t just randomly give the historic slate to Rose. The Knicks president noted how that particular object also helped Roseman & Co. win the Super Bowl in 2025. The Philadelphia Eagles faced the Kansas City Chiefs in that game at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. And with a scoreline of 40-22, the Eagles comfortably defeated their rivals. Hence, Rose believed in that good luck factor that came from holding that slate.

But the Knicks president and Roseman share a bond that goes beyond just exchanging gifts or holding executive roles at two of the standout franchises in the US. Their roots are connected to the Jewish community. Not just that, both Roseman and Rose have been inducted into the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, though in separate years, 2019 and 2011.

Leon Rose was born and brought up in New Jersey, which is about 60 miles from Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Howie Roseman was recognized for his role in building the Eagles’ championship roster and for his extensive community and philanthropic work in the Philadelphia area. However, the Eagles GM is a native of Brooklyn, New York.

Hence, one cannot blame Roseman for gifting his token of good luck to the Knicks President. But the 50-year-old Eagles executive has always been someone with a keen eye towards superstitions. Notably, during the 2020 NFL Draft, which was held virtually due to the pandemic, Roseman was teased by his peers for being the only general manager to wear a formal tie while working from home. However, he had his reasons.

“I don’t know that I’ve worn a tie since,” said Roseman. “I was actually thinking [I might] wear one at this game because we’ve won one world championship. And I wore a tie, and I’m a little superstitious.”

As things stand, the Eagles have consistently qualified for the postseason games since 2021. Whether or not Roseman’s superstitious game has something to do with it is yet to be determined. But for the Knicks, it did work to achieve a historic feat.