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| Frankford Yellowjackets' franchise in the NFL awarded to syndicate headed by Bert Bell and Lud Wray for $2500. Club christened "Eagles" in honor of the symbol of the New Deal's National Recovery Act. Eagles and Chicago Bears play in Philadelphia's first Sunday game (Nov. 12) at Baker Bowl. Game ends in a 3-3 tie. |
| General manager Bert Bell proposes an annual college draft to equalize talent in the league. Proposal is adopted on May 19 for the 1936 season. |
| Eagles have first choice in the inaugural college draft and select University of Chicago back Jay Berwanger but fail to sign him. Bell becomes sole owner of the team with $4,000 bid. Playing site for home games moves from Baker Bowl to Municipal Stadium. |
| Davey O'Brien, Texas Christian's All-America quarterback, signs with the Eagles for a reported $12,000 per year salary and percentage of the gate. O'Brien plays in every game and sets NFL passing yardage record with 1,324 yards. On October 22, the Eagles play in the first televised pro football game and fell to the host Brooklyn Dodgers, 23-14, at Brooklyn Ebbets Field. Allan "Skip" Walz broadcasts the game for NBC from Ebbett's field to the approximate 1,000 TV sets then in Brooklyn. |
| Home playing site switches from Municipal Stadium to Shibe Park (later known as Connie Mack Stadium). Pittsburgh owner Art Rooney buys half interest in the Eagles after selling the Steelers franchise to Alexis Thompson of New York, a 30-year old heir to a six million fortune in steel stocks. |
| Bell and Rooney swap franchises with Thompson, Rooney returning to Pittsburgh and Thompson taking over the Eagles. Bert Bell joins Rooney as a full-time partner in Pittsburgh. Thompson hires Earl (Greasy) Neale as head coach of the Eagles. |
| Eagles merge with Pittsburgh Steelers to form the "Steagles" due to manpower shortage during World War II. Merger dissolved at end of season. |
| First draft choice Steve Van Buren debuts as Eagles' halfback. Team finishes in second place with 7-1-2 record. |
| Team again finishes in second place with 7-3 record and leads league in scoring with 272 points. Van Buren leads NFL with 838 rushing yards and 110 points. |
| Team finishes second for third straight year with 6-5 record. |
| Rookie end Pete Pihos, Van Buren, and Bosh Pritchard combine with an overpowering defense to lead Philadelphia into the NFL championship game for the first time but the Chicago Cardinals earn the NFL title with a 28-21 victory at icy Comiskey Park. |
| Eagles win their first NFL championship, defeating the Chicago Cardinals, 7-0, in a blinding snowstorm at Shibe Park. |
| Thompson sells the team to 100 buyers, each of whom paid $3,000 for one of the 100 shares. They were called the "Happy Hundred" or the "100 Brothers." Their leader was James P. Clark, a Philadelphia sportsman and business executive, and the 100 investors included some of the leading names in Philadelphia business, government and politics, including Leonard Tose. Vince McNally is named general manager. University of Pennsylvania All-America C/LB Chuck Bednarik is a 1st round draft choice. The Eagles win their 3rd straight Eastern Division title and defend their NFL championship with a 14-0 win over the Los Angeles Rams. |
| In Greasy Neale's final season as the Eagles' head coach, they finish tied for third in the American Conference with a 6-6 mark. |
| Alvin (Bo) McMillan replaces Greasy Neale as head coach. McMillan becomes ill the night before the season opener and is replaced by Wayne Millner. End-placekicker Bobby Walston is named rookie of the year. |
| Jim Trimble succeeds Wayne Millner as head coach. Team rides strong defense to 7-5 second place finish. |
| Bobby Thomason and Adrian Burk combine to pass for a league-high 3,089 yards. Pete Pihos catches 63 passes for 1,049 yards and 10 touchdowns to lead league. Eagles finish in second place and snap Cleveland's 11-game winning streak with 42-27 win in season finale. |
| Bobby Walston leads league in scoring with 114 points. Eagles finish second for third consecutive year with second straight 7-4-1 record. |
| Pihos again leads all NFL pass receivers with 62 catches for 864 yards. Joseph A. Donoghue, Eagles' vice president/secretary, is elected assistant treasurer of the NFL. |
| Hugh Devore replaces Jim Trimble as head coach. |
| Rookie QB Sonny Jurgensen highlights a 4-8 season by passing Eagles to a 17-7 upset of the NFL Eastern Division Champion Cleveland Browns. |
| Buck Shaw signs as head coach replacing Hugh Devore. Eagles acquire quarterback Norm Van Brocklin in trade with Los Angeles. Team moves home games from Connie Mack Stadium to University of Pennsylvania's Franklin Field and attendance almost doubles. |
| With Pete Retzlaff and Tommy McDonald his chief targets, Norm Van Brocklin passes Eagles to 7-5 record and second place tie with Cleveland. |
| QB Norm Van Brocklin and Chuck Bednarik, who plays 60 minutes at center and linebacker, pace the Eagles to their first Eastern Division title in 11 years. The Birds then win their third NFL championship with a come-from-behind 17-13 victory over Green Bay at Franklin Field. Van Brocklin, the league's MVP, and head coach Buck Shaw both announce their retirements at the end of the season. |
| Nick Skorich is named head coach and Sonny Jurgensen takes over as the starting quarterback. Despite Jurgensen's record-setting season as a passer and a 10-4 record, the Eagles fail to repeat as division champions. |
| Injuries in unprecedented numbers hit Eagles as the team wins only three games and falls to last place. |
| RB Timmy Brown sets a then NFL record for total offense (2,436 yards; 841 rushing, 487 receiving, 11 passing, 945 kickoff returns, and 152 punt returns) in a season. With the club's 91 outstanding shares now held by 65 stockholders, club president Frank L. McNamee said it would be put up for sale with an asking price of 4,500,000. Jerry Wolman, a 36-year old builder and self-made millionaire from Washington outbid Philadelphia businessman Jack Wolgin and became the new owner. The sale price was $5,505,000. |
| Former Chicago Cardinals and Washington Redskins coach Joe Kuharich signs as head coach and begins a series of major trades to rebuild the club. |
| After extensive roster changes, the Eagles finish 9-5 for their first winning season in five years. |
| Quarterback Norm Snead and flanker Ben Hawkins set team passing and receiving records, respectively, but injuries to other key players contribute to a disappointing 6-7-1 record and a second place finish. |
| After Wolman's empire fell into serious financial trouble, a bankruptcy referee in U.S. District Court in Baltimore oversees the team's sale to Leonard Tose, a millionaire trucking executive. The price was a reported $16.1 million, at the time a record price for a professional sports team. Tose names former Eagles' receiving great Pete Retzlaff as general manager and Jerry Williams as head coach. |
| The Eagles leave Franklin Field for a new home at Veterans Stadium. After three consecutive crushing losses at the beginning of the season, assistant Ed Khayat replaces Jerry Williams (who had led the club to only a 3-10-1 mark in 1970) as head coach. |
| After a stormy 2-11-1 season, Tose accepts general manager Retzlaff's resignation and releases the entire coaching staff. A bright spot, however, is Harold Jackson who leads the NFL in receptions and receiving yards (62-1,048). |
| Under new coach Mike McCormick and new quarterback Roman Gabriel, the Eagles have an exciting offensive season but can muster only a 5-8-1 record. In his first year as a full-time receiver, Harold Carmichael becomes the second consecutive Eagle to lead the NFL in receptions (67). |
| Under newly appointed general manager Jim Murray, the Eagles trade with Cincinnati and acquire LB Bill Bergey. Bergey bolsters the defense and wins Pro Bowl honors along with TE Charle Young, who becomes the third consecutive Eagle to lead the league in pass receptions (63). |
| After a 4-10 season in 1975, Tose appoints 39-year old Dick Vermeil of UCLA as head coach but the Birds again earn a 4-10 mark. |
| QB Ron Jaworski is obtained from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for the rights to TE Charle Young. Bill Bergey, keying the newly-installed 3-4 defense of coordinator Marion Campbell, wins all-pro and all-conference honors and is selected to play in his third Pro Bowl. |
| The Eagles post a 9-7 record, their first winning season since 1966, and make the playoffs for the first time since 1960. They lose the NFC Wild Card playoff game in Atlanta, however, 14-13 as the Falcons score two 4th-quarter TDs and Eagles' Mike Michel misses a 34-yard FG try with 1:34 to play. Wilbert Montgomery, in his first starting season, rushes for 1,220 yards to become the first Eagle since Steve Van Buren to surpass 1,000 in a season. CB Herman Edwards provided the "Miracle of the Meadowlands" when he scooped up a fumbled handoff from Joe Pisarcik to Larry Csonka and raced 26 yards for the winning touchdown with 20 seconds left to play before a stunned Giants Stadium crowd of 70,318. |
| With an 11-5 regular season record - their best since 1961 - the Eagles tie Dallas for first place in the NFC East and go to the playoffs as a wild card team. After beating Chicago, 27-17, in the Wild Card Game, the Birds are upset at Tampa Bay, 24-17 in a divisional playoff round. Wilbert Montgomery sets a club record with 1,512 rushing yards, and Harold Carmichael sets a then NFL record on Nov. 4, catching a pass in his 106th consecutive game. Rookie barefoot kicker Tony Franklin boots the second longest FG in NFL history - 59 yards - in a 31-21 victory at Dallas. Dick Vermeil is voted NFL coach of the year. |
| The Eagles win 11 of their first 12 games and go on to a 12-4 mark and the NFC East championship. The Birds trounce Minnesota 31-16, in the divisional playoff round and then upend Dallas, 20-7 at Veterans Stadium, to win the NFC title and a berth in Super Bowl XV. The Oakland Raiders prevail in that game, however, 27-10. Ron Jaworski leads the NFC with a 90.9 passing rating while throwing for 3,527 yards and 27 touchdowns. He is named NFL player of the year by the Maxwell Football Club and NFC player of the year by UPI. Harold Carmichael's then-record NFL receiving streak is snapped at 127 games when he fails to catch a pass in the regular season finale at Dallas after sustaining a back injury in the first half. |
| After building a 6-0 record early in the season, the Birds struggle in their final eight games, post a 10-6 record and appear in the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year but are upset at home in the NFC Wild Card Game by the NY Giants, 27-21. The Birds' defense ranks first in the NFL in fewest yards allows (4,447) and fewest points allowed (221). On offense, Harold Carmichael enjoys the third 1,000-yard receiving year of his career and Wilbert Montgomery rushes for 1,402 yards. |
| An NFL players' strike takes place after two games and stops play for eight weeks. When play resumes on November 21, the long layoff hurts the Eagles. After splitting their first two games of the season, the Birds come back from the strike to lose four in a row and miss the playoffs for the first time since 1977. A 24-20 Eagles' victory at Dallas on December 26 is the last victory in the Philadelphia career of head coach Dick Vermeil, who resigns shortly following the season after compiling a 55-51-0 overall record. |
| Marion Campbell replaces Dick Vermeil as head coach after six seasons as the Eagles' defensive coordinator. Owner and president Leonard Tose announces in January that his daughter, Susan Fletcher, the Eagles' vice president and legal counsel, would eventually succeed him as primary owner of the Eagles. After winning four of their first six games, the Eagles become mired in a seven-game losing streak and finish with a 5-11 record. The Birds' offense is highlighted by first-team all-pro and AFC-NFC Pro Bowl selection Mike Quick, who leads the league and sets club records with 1,409 yards receiving on 69 catches. |
| After a 1-4 start, the Eagles post a 5-5-1 record over their final 11 games. Philadelphia's swarming defense sets a then club record of 60 quarterback sacks. Wilbert Montgomery establishes the Eagles' career rushing record for yards (6,538) and attempts (1,465) surpassing the marks set by Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Van Buren from 1944-1951. Kicker Paul McFadden establishes an Eagles' season scoring record with 116 points (tops among rookies), surpassing Bobby Walston's 30-year mark of 114, and is named NFC rookie of the year. Ron Jaworski suffers a broken leg at St. Louis in week 13, snapping his streak of 116 consecutive starts (believed to be an all-time record for NFL QBs). |
| On March 12, Leonard Tose, the Eagles' owner since 1969, announces an agreement to sell the team to Norman Braman and Ed Leibowitz, highly successful automobile dealers from Florida for a reported $65 million. After obtaining the approval of the other NFL owners and fulfilling the terms of the transaction, Braman officially becomes the Eagles' new owner on April 29. That same day, Braman elevates Harry Gamble, general manager since February 4, to vice president-general manager overseeing day-to-day operations of the club. All-time Eagles' rushing leader Wilbert Montgomery does not report to training camp and is traded to Detroit for LB Garry Cobb in preseason. The Eagles again overcome a 1-4 start, but fall off the pace and finish 7-9. Head coach Marion Campbell is released on December 16, and Fred Bruney takes over as interim head coach for final game at Minnesota. |
| Buddy Ryan, defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears' Super Bowl XX Champions, is named the 17th head coach in Eagles' history on January 29. On July 16, Norman Braman becomes the sole owner of the team, purchasing the remaining 35 percent from his brother-in-law Ed Leibowitz. Harry Gamble is promoted to president-chief operating officer. Ryan makes sweeping changes in the Eagles' roster, keeping young players and releasing several veterans. The youthful Birds struggle to a 5-10-1 record against the toughest schedule in the league. The Birds place two players on the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl roster: WR Mike Quick and DE Reggie White. White ties a Pro Bowl record with 4 sacks and is named MVP of the game. |
| In March, Ron Jaworski, who set nearly every club passing record from 1977-1986, is put on waivers after the club decides not to guarantee his contract. The Eagles split their first two games of the season before the NFL was beset by a players strike. After all games of Week 3 were cancelled, the NFL resumed play with replacement teams for the next three weeks. The Birds' replacement team goes 0-3 and sets the stage for a surge by the regular players when they return to work. Philadelphia's regulars proceed to win three straight after the strike and move into a tie for 2nd place in the NFC East. They go on to finish 7-8 overall (7-5 in non-strike games) and due to a tie-breaking system, rank 4th in the NFC East behind Dallas and St. Louis who also posted 7-8 marks. Offensively, WR Mike Quick earns his fifth consecutive trip to the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl while QB Randall Cunningham (Pro Bowl 1st alternate) emerges as a rising talent. Cunningham threw 23 TD passes and became the first QB to lead his team in rushing (505 yards) since the Bears' Bobby Douglas did so in 1972. The defense was led by DE Reggie White, who was named the NFL's defensive player of the year. White's 21 sacks set an NFC record and fall one shy of the NFL mark. |
| The Eagles post the NFL's best mark (6-1) over the final seven weeks of the regular season en route to a 10-6 record and the NFC Eastern division title. But their playoff fate is not sealed until moments after the conclusion of their 23-7 victory at Dallas in week 16. It is then that NY Jets' QB Ken O'Brien throws a TD pass to Al Toon to defeat the Giants and ensure the division title for the Eagles. Philadelphia then travels to Chicago for an NFC divisional playoff game against the Bears and a place in NFL history. The game, which begins in sunny, 29 degree weather, would later be dubbed "The Fog Bowl," after a thick fog rolls off Lake Michigan late in the 2nd quarter. Due to the fog, visibility on the playing field was extremely difficult and the Bears prevail, 20-12. The shining season included the selection of QB Randall Cunningham, DE Reggie White and TE Keith Jackson as starters in the Pro Bowl. Cunningham, who sets a number of Eagles' single-season passing records and leads the club in rushing for the second straight season, earns Pro Bowl MVP honors. He also wins the Maxwell Football Club's Bert Bell Award as the NFL's top player. White leads the NFL in sacks for the second consecutive year and Jackson sets an Eagles' receiving record with 81 catches en route to earning rookie of the year honors from The Sporting News. |
| The Eagles used an aggressive, ball-hungry defense - which led the NFL in takeaways (56) and interceptions (30), and set a team record with 62 QB sacks - to finish 11-5. Philadelphia, however, finished second to the Giants in the NFC East (despite two victories in head-to-head competition) and faced the LA Rams in the Wild Card playoff. Although playing a post-season game at Veterans Stadium for the first time since 1981, the Birds fell 21-7. QB Randall Cunningham posted similar numbers to his superb '88 campaign despite missing receivers Mike Quick and Keith Jackson for most of the season due to injuries. A deeper loss came on Dec. 9, when quarterback coach Doug Scovil passed away. The second alternate to the Pro Bowl, Cunningham started for the NFC squad when injuries kept the other QBs from playing. CB Eric Allen led the NFC in interceptions with 8. |
| In February, Buddy Ryan hired Rich Kotite as offensive coordinator to improve the Eagles' sluggish attack. At season's end, the offense led the NFL in rushing (2,556) and time of possession (33:19) and the NFC in scoring (396) and TD passes (34). The defense led the NFL in stopping the run thereby making the Birds the first team to lead the league in both rushing categories since Chicago did so in 1985. A 10-6 record put Philadelphia in the playoffs once again, but the Eagles suffered their third opening round defeat in as many seasons. The 20-6 Wild Card Game loss to Washington signaled an end to the five-year Ryan era. QB Randall Cunningham flourished with an NFC-leading 30 TD passes and 942 rushing yards, while rookie WRs Calvin Williams and Fred Barnett combined to make 17 TD receptions. RB Keith Byars tied a team record with 81 receptions and also threw 4 TD passes. |
| On January 8th, team owner Norman Braman opted not to renew the contract of Buddy Ryan, the Eagles' head coach since 1986. On the same day, Braman promoted then-offensive coordinator Rich Kotite, making him the 18th head coach in club history. They opened with a 3-1 mark, their best start since 1981, despite having lost QB Randall Cunningham for the year due to a knee injury suffered at Green Bay on opening day. After coming on to lead the Eagles to their solid start, backup QB Jim McMahon was also injured in game 5. With McMahon sidelined, the Birds suffered through a four-game skid. By midseason, Philadelphia had used five quarterbacks in eight games and seen its record sink to 3-5. The Eagles regrouped, however, and surged into contention for a playoff spot with a six-game winning streak (the club's longest since the start of '81) that upped their record to 9-5. But a loss at home to Dallas in game 15 ended Philadelphia's playoff hopes. With a record of 10-6, the Eagles joined the 49ers as the only NFL clubs to post 10-or-more wins in each of the last four seasons. The defense finished the season ranked #1 in the NFL in terms of fewest yards allowed overall, vs. the run, and vs. the pass. As such, the Birds became only the fifth club in NFL history and the first since 1975 to accomplish this rare triple. In addition, the Eagles' defense led the NFL in sacks and fumble recoveries and tied for the league lead in takeaways. Five members of that defensive unit represented the Eagles in the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl - DEs Reggie White and Clyde Simmons, DT Jerome Brown, and LB Seth Joyner were selected as starters while CB Eric Allen also made the NFC squad. The selection of White, Simmons, and Brown marked only the sixth time in NFL history that three defensive linemen from one team were elected to the Pro Bowl. |
| The Eagles were dealt a huge blow before the season even began as all-pro defensive tackle Jerome Brown was killed in an automobile accident on June 25th in his hometown of Brooksville, FL. The tragedy overshadowed the promise of the upcoming season which included the return of QB Randall Cunningham - out almost the entire '91 season with a knee injury - as well as the addition of RB Herschel Walker whom the Eagles acquired as a free agent just three days before Brown's death. They finished second in the NFC East with an 11-5 record and returned to the playoffs, earning a Wild Card victory over the Saints before dropping a Divisional Playoff to the eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys. The win over the Saints was the team's first postseason victory since 1981 and its first road playoff conquest since 1949. Offensively, Walker became the fourth Eagle to top 1,000 rushing yards in a season and the first since Earnest Jackson in '85. Off the field, a September 24th ruling by U.S. District Judge David Doty paved the way for free agency in the NFL by finding the league's "Plan B" policy in violation of federal antitrust laws and provided the four plaintiffs in the suit with an opportunity to sign with another club. Among those four was Eagles TE Keith Jackson, who four days later inked a deal with the Miami Dolphins. |
| In January, the NFL and the Players Association signed a Collective Bargaining Agreement, a 7-year deal that would institute a form of limited free agency to replace the "Plan B" system. The most prominent NFL player affected by the settlement was the Eagles' all-time sack leader Reggie White, who went on to sign with the Green Bay Packers on April 5th. On the field, the Eagles produced an 8-8 record. After a flying start in which the Birds jumped out to a 4-0 record on the strength of three consecutive dramatic come-from-behind wins, season-ending injuries to QB Randall Cunningham, WR Fred Barnett and others were followed by a six-game losing streak (their worst skid since '83). Nonetheless, backup QB Bubby Brister led them to wins in 4 of their final 6 contests, a stretch that kept them in the playoff hunt until the final week of the season. |
| A new chapter in Eagles history began on April 6th when Norman Braman, the team's owner since 1985, reached an agreement in principle to sell the franchise to Jeffrey Lurie, a Boston native and president of a Hollywood-based movie production company. Once NFL owners voted to approve the sale on May 6th, Lurie officially took over the club on May 17. Despite losing the opener, the Birds bounced back to win 7 of their next 8 contests, including a 40-8 thumping of the eventual Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers. However, the Eagles went on to drop their last 7 games, finishing 7-9 and out of the playoffs. Two days after the season finale, Rich Kotite's 4-year reign as head coach ended when he was dismissed. RB Herschel Walker etched his name into the NFL record books as the first player in the 75-year history of the league to record a 90-plus yard run, reception, and kickoff return in a single season. Only one other player - Hall-of-Famer Bobby Mitchell - had previously recorded that trifecta in a career. With back-to-back 100-yard rushing performances at SF and vs. Wash., rookie RB Charlie Garner became only the 7th back in NFL history to eclipse the century mark in his first two contests. DE William Fuller, a free agent acquisition from Houston, notched at least one sack in 7 straight games and subsequently broke the club record of 6 consecutive games shared by Reggie White and Clyde Simmons. |
| On February 2, owner Jeffrey Lurie named Ray Rhodes as the 19th head coach in team history. Eleven months and a playoff victory later, that decision resulted in NFL coach of the year honors for Rhodes. In his first season , the former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator battled through a sluggish 1-3 start to put the Eagles back on the winning track. Rodney Peete took over at QB for Randall Cunningham and led them to 9 wins in their final 12 games. RB Ricky Watters, one of the NFL's most prominent free agent acquisitions of the year (he left the 49ers for the Eagles on 3/25/95), combined with Charlie Garner to give Philadelphia the league's 4th best rushing attack. In the postseason, the Eagles routed the favored Detroit Lions, 58-37, in a Wild Card game. Philadelphia's season, ended, however, a week later as they bowed out to the eventual Super Bowl champion Cowboys, 30-11, at Texas Stadium. At season's end, Watters, DE William Fuller (an NFC-high 13 sacks), and LB William Thomas (whose 7 INTs were the most by an NFL linebacker since 1983) represented the Eagles in the Pro Bowl. Off the field, team owner Jeffrey Lurie and his wife, Christina, oversaw the formation of Eagles Youth Partnership (EYP). The charitable wing of the Eagles, EYP was formed in order to improve the quality of life and enhance opportunities for children in the Greater Philadelphia region. |
| For the second consecutive year the Eagles compiled a 10-6 regular season record and earned a Wild Card playoff berth. As such, Ray Rhodes became the first coach to lead the Eagles into the playoffs in each of his first two seasons at the helm. In the NFC Wild Card game, however, the Eagles fell to the host San Francisco 49ers, 14-0, in rain-drenched 3Com Park. For the third time in six seasons, the Eagles lost their starting QB to injury early on as Rodney Peete ruptured a tendon in his right knee vs. Dallas. Ty Detmer led the Birds to four straight wins and teamed with WR Irving Fryar and RB Ricky Watters to fuel the conference's #1 offense (351.7 yds/game). Fryar recorded career highs in TDs (11) and receptions (a team-record 88) and also tied a Birds' single-game record with four TD catches vs. Miami on 10/20. Watters a Pro Bowl berth with personal bests in rushing atts. (353), rushing yards (1,411), TDs (13), and total yards from scrimmage (a league-leading 1,855). DE William Fuller again led the team with 13 sacks en route to his 3rd straight Pro Bowl. MLB James Willis' interception in the end zone in the final moments of game 9 at Dallas sealed a big win. Willis' theft off QB Troy Aikman and subsequent lateral to CB Troy Vincent resulted in a 104-yard TD return. The Eagles were one of the NFL's most aggressive teams in free agency. The signing of Vincent along with that of Watters the previous year, made Philadelphia the only team to land another club's "transition" free agent in 1995 and '96. |
| After a 4-6 start clouded the club's shot at the post-season, the Eagles turned to 2nd-year QB Bobby Hoying. A 2-0-1 record in his first three starts brought them back into contention, but ended the year with a 6-9-1 record. Injuries plagued the club as 42 different players started, including three different QBs (Ty Detmer, Rodney Peete and Hoying). WR Irving Fryar posted 86 receptions for a career-high 1,316 yards and RB Ricky Watters became the first Eagle to top the 1,000-yard rushing plateau in three consecutive years. The defense's most memorable performance came in a win vs. Green Bay as they held the Pack without a TD, snapping a string of 85 games (incl. playoffs) in which they had scored a TD. |
| A disappointing 3-13 season led to the dismissal of head coach Ray Rhodes on December 28th, one day after the season finale. In Rhodes' fourth season at the helm, the Eagles started 0-5 before posting their first win. RB Duce Staley led the Eagles in rushing (1,065 yards), receptions (57), total yards from scrimmage (1,497), and TDs (6) as he became the first Eagle draft pick to top the 1,000-yd. rushing plateau since Wilbert Montgomery (1981). On defense, the Eagles procured one of the DE Hugh Douglas in a trade with the Jets. Douglas led the Eagles and finished 7th in the NFL with a career-high 12.5 sacks, including a club-tying record of 4.5 at San Diego. |
| Former Green Bay quarterback coach Andy Reid was named head coach on January 11th. Three months later, the club used the 2nd overall draft choice to select QB Donovan McNabb, one of the most accomplished athletes to ever come out of Syracuse. Their 2-7 start prompted Reid to insert McNabb into the starting lineup for six of the final seven contests. In his first start on Nov. 14th vs. Washington, McNabb sparked the Eagles to a 35-28 win over the Redskins. RB Duce Staley garnered his second straight 1,000-yd. rushing season and accounted for a NFL-best 41% of his team's offense. New defensive coordinator Jim Johnson turned up the heat as his troops accounted for a league-best 46 take-aways, including 28 interceptions (3rd in NFL), five of which were returned for TDs (a team record). FS Brian Dawkins and CB Troy Vincent earned their first Pro Bowl selections. Vincent's 7 INTs tied for the league lead and became the first Eagle to top the entire NFL in INTs since 1972 (Bill Bradley). Although the Eagles finished 5-11, Reid implemented a positive attitude in his young group of players that included 14 true rookies on the season-ending roster. |
| Andy Reid, the NFL's coach of the year, led the Eagles to the greatest turnaround in franchise history, finishing 2nd in the NFC East at 11-5. The season started with a perfectly executed onsides kick by David Akers to kickoff the season opener at Dallas, leading to a 41-14 win. The Eagles won 10 of their next 13 contests and earned the top Wild Card spot in the NFC. In the playoffs, the Eagles overwhelmed Tampa Bay, 21-3, before losing to the eventual NFC Champion NY Giants in the Divisional Playoffs. After RB Duce Staley went down for the season with a foot injury in game 5, Donovan McNabb became a legitimate MVP candidate (he finished 2nd in AP voting to Rams RB Marshall Faulk). McNabb accounted for 74.6% of the team's total net yards. TE Chad Lewis led all NFC tight ends in receptions (69) and earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl. The defense featured 3 Pro Bowlers in CB Troy Vincent, DE Hugh Douglas (15 sacks, 2 in playoffs), and MLB Jeremiah Trotter. First round draft choice DT Corey Simon recorded a rookie team-record 9.5 sacks. |
| The Eagles captured their first NFC Eastern Division Championship since 1988 and their first appointment in the NFC title game since 1980. Adversity hit this club early and often. The first preseason game was cancelled due to problems with the Veterans Stadium NeXturf. Starting C Bubba Miller was lost to a season-ending foot injury. And they dropped their season opener in overtime to the Rams before true adversity devastated the entire world on September 11th when terrorist attacks struck the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. As a result, a week's worth of NFL games were postponed. The Eagles were 2-2 before beating the Giants, 10-9, on Monday Night Football for the first time since 1996 (a span of nine games). The Eagles won 8 of their last 10 games, including a dramatic 24-21 win over the Giants on December 30 to clinch the NFC East title. In the playoffs, the Eagles defeated the Bucs again, 31-9, and in the Divisional playoffs, Donovan McNabb made his homecoming to Chicago a sweet one, winning 33-19 at Soldier Field. The Pro Bowlers on defense were DE Hugh Douglas, MLB Jeremiah Trotter, CB Troy Vincent, and FS Brian Dawkins. The unit allowed the 2nd fewest point total in the NFL (208), including a league low 64 points permitted in 8 road games. In fact, their 7-1 road record was the best in franchise history. David Akers earned his first Pro Bowl berth and set a club record with 17 consecutive FGs made. |
| In the 31st and final season at Veterans Stadium, the Eagles set a team record for points scored (415) and sent a league-high 10 players to the Pro Bowl. However, they fell in the NFC Championship game for the second consecutive season. Andy Reid, the consensus coach of the year, proved the Eagles were not a one-man show, winning five of six games without Donovan McNabb (broken ankle). McNabb returned for the playoffs and directed a win in the Divisional playoff after 3rd QB A.J. Feeley started the final five games, winning his first four. Although the Eagles lost their season finale to the Giants, they were still able to clinch home field after the Jets trounced the Packers in the same stadium one day later. The defense finished in the top five in numerous categories and sent four players to the Pro Bowl: CB Troy Vincent, CB Bobby Taylor, FS Brian Dawkins, and DE Hugh Douglas. The offensive line also featured multiple Pro Bowl selections for the first time since 1980 with Tra Thomas, Jon Runyan and Jermane Mayberry. David Akers set a team record with 133 points to a Pro Bowl berth. |
| In a season marred with injuries, controversy, and a slow start, the Eagles captured their third consecutive NFC East division title and third straight trip to the NFC title game, a loss to Carolina. Lincoln Financial Field officially became the Eagles new nest with a season-opening Monday night contest vs. Tampa Bay. But the Eagles not only lost their first two contests, they were left without the services of Pro Bowl defensive backs Brian Dawkins and Bobby Taylor for a large chunk of the regular season (foot injuries). After various other injuries, two key players, LB Carlos Emmons (ankle) and RB Brian Westbrook (triceps), were felled by season-ending ailments in December. After a 2-3 start, the Eagles rattled off nine straight wins, tying a team record previously set in 1960. That win streak was propelled by an improbable win at NYG on October 19. Trailing the Giants 10-7 with 1:34 remaining, no timeouts and a sputtering offense, Westbrook fielded a bouncing punt and raced 84 yards for the dramatic, game-winning score. During that win streak, the Eagles toughed out a crucial win at Green Bay with a last-minute, game-winning drive directed by Donovan McNabb and ended up earning home-field advantage in the playoffs for the 2nd straight season. After suffering through a paltry QB rating of 51.1 in the first six games, a nagging thumb injury in his throwing hand, and disgraceful, racial commentary by former ESPN analyst Rush Limbaugh following the 0-2 start, McNabb thrived. He garnered NFC offensive player of the month honors in November, leading Philadelphia to a 5-0 month. He engineered a come-from-behind playoff win vs. Green Bay before suffering a rib injury a week later vs. Carolina that sidelined him in the 4th quarter. The Eagles employed a unique running back trio (Westbrook, Correll Buckhalter, and Duce Staley), dubbed the "three-headed monster," that racked up 1,618 rushing yards, 2,465 total yards from scrimmage, and 29 total TDs. Despite giving up the ball 8 times during their 0-2 start, the team established a club record for fewest turnovers in a season with 22. They also turned in a franchise-record 6 games without a give-away. |
| One of the most eventful off-seasons in team history helped propel the Eagles to their first NFC Championship and subsequent Super Bowl appearance in 24 years. Although they lost a hard-fought battle to the Patriots, 24-21, in Jacksonville, the Eagles milestones were plentiful as they captured their 4th consecutive NFC East division title and won a franchise record 13 regular season games, while Andy Reid became the all-time winningest coach in franchise history surpassing Greasy Neale. The season started on the first day of the free agent signing period as they inked DE Jevon Kearse and later acquired WR Terrell Owens in a trade. Owens ended up with 77 catches for 1,200 yards and 14 scores. Donovan McNabb also turned in a stellar campaign, completing 64% of his passes for 3,875 yards (both franchise records), 31 TDs and just 8 INTs for a career-high 104.7 QB rating. He became the first player in NFL history to finish a season with 30+ TD passes and fewer than 10 INTs and his 24 consecutive completions over a span of two games set an NFL record previously held by Joe Montana (22) in 1987. McNabb, Owens, Brian Westbrook (1,515 total yards from scrimmage and 9 TDs) and LT Tra Thomas earned Pro Bowl berths on the offensive side of the ball. The defense meanwhile, was led by Kearse (7.5 sacks), a trio of Pro Bowl defensive backs (FS Brian Dawkins, SS Michael Lewis, and CB Lito Sheppard), and MLB Jeremiah Trotter, who earned a Pro Bowl berth despite not being inserted into the starting lineup until game 9. Trotter returned to the Eagles in July after being released by the Redskins. The defense finished 2nd in the league in points allowed (16.3 per game) and sacks (47). K David Akers, who set a NFL record with 17 FGs of 40-yards-or-more, and LB Ike Reese both earned Pro Bowl berths from the special teams. In all, a league-best 10 Eagles earned trips to Hawaii. The Eagles stormed out to a 7-0 record and after a win at NYG on November 28, clinched the NFC East title with 5 games remaining. They went on to clinch home field advantage in the NFC after compiling a 13-1 record. In the playoffs, the Eagles topped Minnesota in the Divisional playoff round and Atlanta in the NFC Championship game. |
| Stymied by injuries and a plethora of off-the-field distractions, the Eagles finished with a 6-10 record and out of the playoffs for the first time since 1999. The defending NFC champions began the season with a 4-2 record, including a dramatic come-from-behind win at Kansas City in which they overcame a 27-6 first half deficit to win, 37-31, and an equally heart-stopping victory vs. San Diego in which Matt Ware returned a blocked field goal 65 yards for the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter. But injuries suffered by many key players led to a string of 8 losses in the final 10 contests as starters Donovan McNabb (sports hernia), Brian Westbrook (foot), Hank Fraley (rotator cuff), Todd Pinkston (Achilles), Lito Sheppard (ankle), and Tra Thomas (back) all missed significant game action. In addition, WR Terrell Owens was suspended for four games for conduct detrimental to the team and ended up not playing in the final nine games of the season. Despite the injury-riddled season, McNabb became the first quarterback in team history to top the 300-yard passing mark in three consecutive games and earned NFC Offensive player of the month honors in September. He also set the franchise record with 35 completions vs. San Diego. MLB Jeremiah Trotter earned his fourth Pro Bowl berth with a team-high 169 tackles. With all the injuries, many young players took advantage of their opportunities, including WR Reggie Brown, who set the club rookie wide receiver record with 43 receptions. Reggie White's #92 was officially retired in an emotional halftime ceremony of a Monday night contest vs. Seattle on December 5. The ceremony included Reggie's wife, Sara, and their two children, as well as more than 20 of his former teammates and coaches. The Eagles also negotiated long-term contracts with two of their most productive players in Westbrook and David Akers. |
| The Eagles showed great character and toughness in claiming their fifth NFC East Division Championship in six years, as they reeled off five consecutive wins at the end of the regular season to finish 10-6. In a season that felt like a rollercoaster ride with many ups and downs, the Eagles jumped out of the gate with an impressive 24-10 victory in their season opener at Houston. Newly acquired wide receiver Donté Stallworth, who the Eagles nabbed in a trade from New Orleans on August 28th, immediately exhibited his big-play abilities, tallying 141 yards and a touchdown in his first game as an Eagle. After enduring a stunning overtime loss in their home opener against the New York Giants - a game in which they also lost star defensive end Jevon Kearse for the year with a left knee injury - the Eagles went on a three-game winning streak and perched themselves atop the NFC East with a 4-1 record. The hot start was capped off by an emotional 38-24 victory at home vs. Dallas on October 8th, in which Pro Bowl cornerback Lito Sheppard made two crucial interceptions, the second of which he returned 102 yards for a touchdown in the waning seconds. However, the team then lost five of their next six contests and quarterback Donovan McNabb for the remainder of the season to a torn ACL, which he suffered in the second quarter of a November 19th loss to Tennessee. 36-year-old Jeff Garcia was handed the reins of the quarterback position, and after a devastating 45-21 loss at Indianapolis, Garcia rallied the Eagles to five straight wins and a division title. Led by the gritty and fiery play of Garcia, who threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns, the Eagles pulled out a crucial 27-24 win over the Panthers. With a treacherous three-game road stretch against division rivals looming, the Eagles took a game-by-game approach and recorded three straight wins, taking the division lead on Christmas Day at Dallas in a decisive 23-7 victory. The following week, Andy Reid was able to rest his starters at home in the season finale against Atlanta when news arrived midway through the first quarter that the Cowboys had lost to the Lions, and Philadelphia had been crowned NFC East Champions once again. The Eagles celebrated a 23-20 Wild Card game victory the following week against the Giants, riding a walk-off 38-yard field goal by David Akers. A week later, however, the Eagles came out on the losing end of a 27-24 battle at New Orleans. The Eagles got key contributions from many players during their dramatic run to the playoffs. Brian Dawkins was named to his sixth Pro Bowl and earned NFC Defensive Player of the Month honors for December. RG Shawn Andrews and Lito Sheppard also earned Pro Bowl berths. Brian Westbrook became the focal point of the Eagles offense, as he posted four 100-yard rushing performances in the final eight games of the year, on his way to his first 1,000-yard rushing season. Westbrook also amassed 1,916 yards from scrimmage, which was third most in team history. The offensive line proved to be durable as it became one of two squads in the NFL to start the same five linemen in all 16 games. Jeff Garcia provided valuable leadership, going 6-2 as a starter (including playoffs), and showed poise and accuracy on the field as he threw 11 touchdown passes with just two interceptions in those starts. In 2006, The Eagles signed eight players to long term deals: G Shawn Andrews, WR Reggie Brown, DE Trent Cole, FS Brian Dawkins, G Todd Herremans, C Jamaal Jackson, P Dirk Johnson, and DT Mike Patterson. |
In the team's 75th anniversary season, the Eagles could not overcome a 1-3 start as they finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs for the just the 2nd time this decade. The Eagles welcomed back starting quarterback Donovan McNabb, who underwent a grueling rehabilitation after suffering a season-ending knee injury in November, 2006. He completed 61.5% of his passes (2nd best percentage of his career) for 3,324 yards and an 89.9 QB rating. Although he missed two games due to ankle and thumb injuries, McNabb regained his mobility and confidence as the season progressed.
As McNabb recaptured his touch, his multi-talented backfield mate, RB Brian Westbrook, set two single-season team records for total yards from scrimmage (2,104) and receptions (90). He became the first Eagle to lead the league in total yards from scrimmage since 1996 (Ricky Watters) and the first NFL player from a non-Division I-A school to do so since 1979 (Philadelphia's Wilbert Montgomery). Westbrook also logged career highs in rushing yards (1,333), receiving yards (771), touches (368), and offensive touchdowns (12). WR Kevin Curtis posted career highs in catches (77), yards (1,110), and total touchdowns (8) in his first season in Philadelphia after signing a lucrative free agent contract. For the first time in franchise history, the Eagles featured three players (Westbrook, Curtis, WR Reggie Brown) with over 60 catches and 700 yards each. With all those numbers, though, the Eagles failed to score 21 points in 10 of their games, including five of their first six. After that 1-3 start, the team managed to fight their way back to a 5-5 record as they headed into Gillette Stadium to face the 10-0 New England Patriots. A valiant effort by back-up QB A.J. Feeley and the Eagles fell just three points short in a 31-28 loss and the team subsequently dropped their next two tightly-contested games (28-24 to Seattle and 16-13 to the Giants) to fall to 5-8 and virtually out of playoff contention. Philadelphia ended the season on a high note, winning their final three games, including victories at Dallas and New Orleans. Westbrook and RG Shawn Andrews both earned Pro Bowl honors, while DE Trent Cole was selected as a first alternate after leading the team with 12.5 sacks. Cole (103 stops) and DT Mike Patterson (114) became the first pair of Eagles defensive lineman to notch 100 tackles in the same season since 1991. |
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