The 5 Eagles Who Soared Higher Than Most
The beginning of the NFL season has hardly been mind-blowing from a Philadelphia Eagles perspective with a won one, lost two, won one record – although it’s not really a surprise given pre-season took on a similarly inconsistent trend.
That’s not to say it’s been all bad though and Carson Wentz has made a solid start.
That got us thinking and here you’ll see who we believe to be the five best Eagles of all time.
5) DONOVAN MCNABB
McNabb joined the Eagles as the second pick in the 1999 draft and it proved to be more than a shrewd move. After graduating from Syracuse as their star player he went on to establish himself as a legend with the Eagles over an 11-year stay, which culminated with the side retiring his number 5 jersey, something his college football team did as well.
The Eagles were a near-permanent fixture in the play-offs throughout McNabb’s stint in Philadelphia and his performances were a huge factor in the success as he set records for pass yards and touchdowns.
4) BRIAN DAWKINS
Dawkins was a safety who was far from a safe bet when he jetted into the Eagles as a round 2 pick at number 61 in 1996; 13 years later it was fair to say his contribution couldn’t be questioned. During his career in the NFL, including three years with the Denver Broncos, Dawkins recorded a phenomenal 1100 sacks and his displays were acknowledged much beyond his own teams as he was named in the Team of the Decade and his nine appearances in the All-star game, seven of which were earned during his time as an Eagle, is not to be sniffed at.
3) STEVE VAN BUREN
Van Buren is the man who dates back the furthest on our list as he joined the Eagles from LSU at pick five in 1944. He remained loyal to Philadelphia until an injury forced his retirement just seven years on. Van Buren had more than endeared himself to the fans in that time though having been the standout man of the 1948 and 1949 consecutive Championship wins. Even today, nobody in Eagles history has achieved more rushing touchdowns than Van Buren and in four seasons he bossed the league in rushing yards and touchdowns. It’s scary to think what might have been achieved had injuries not taken their toll.
2) CHUCK BEDNARIK
Bednarik was a two time All-American (earned in 1947 and 1948) and in 1949 he traded the college game for a lifetime with the Eagles. He was the number one pick in the draft and the two parties were a match made in heaven. Bednarik quickly established himself as a big hitter and in his first year, the Eagles won the NFL Championship – a feat they wouldn’t repeat for 12 years, when Bednarik was by now a stalwart of the team.
The Pennsylvanian born linebacker was named an All-Pro on 10 occasions with eight of them back to back and, at the 75th anniversary, Concrete was announced in the NFL all-time team. Forever an Eagle.
1) The late great, REGGIE WHITE
Often when you think your way through a top-five list you encourage debate as all fans see things differently; that won’t be the case for Reggie White at number one in this list.
White’s professional journey into football started with the Memphis Showboats in the United States Football League but that fell apart before the world had seen his true ability. The Eagles swooped and from 1986 through to 1998, the defensive end was ever-present in the Pro-Bowl.
In 1988 he led the league for sacks for a second consecutive year and his career sacks of 198 puts him right up there as one of the best to have ever graced the game.
White was a consistent force and his levels never dropped, which is proved by the fact he was named NFL defensive player of the year twice – 10 years apart in 1988 and 1998 respectively. It would have been a disgrace if White never triumphed in a Super Bowl and, although we wish it could have been with the Eagles, he achieved that in 1996 as his Packers side defeated the Patriots.
There you have it, five of the greatest players ever to have represented the Eagles. Do you agree with our picks? Will Wentz be held in the same regard in the future and shine to the starlight like a horse in the Breeders Cup picks?
Featured Image:
Discover more from Philadelphia Sports Nation
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Categorized:Eagles News WegENT Blog