When Brian Dawkins made his exit from the Eagles a few weeks ago, I heard plenty of arguments about where he fit among the greatest players in team history.
It sounded like a thought-provoking discussion, so I decided to put together my list of the top 10 Eagles players of all-time. In no particular order, here are my top 10.
Brian Dawkins may be the most complete safety who has ever played the game. He was the cornerstone of the Eagles’ defense for 13 years, was always a big-play guy and fittingly is tied for the most interceptions by an Eagle. He also is one of the few NFL players who has more than 20 interceptions (34) and sacks (21) in his career.
Dawkins could do anything a coach could ask of a defensive back. During this period of increased passing around the NFL, his value couldn’t be overemphasized. His versatility gave defensive coordinator Jim Johnson expanded freedom in his defensive calls because Dawkins could run and cover like a cornerback, then slide into the box and hit like a linebacker.
In addition to all that, he was a tremendous leader who challenged his teammates to take their games up to his level. Dawkins was a fan favorite here in Philadelphia because of his sincere humility and brutal honesty with the fans, in addition, of course, to his stellar play on the field.
My former teammate, Reggie White, was arguably the greatest defensive end in the history of the NFL. He was unblockable and consistently dominant against both the run and the pass.
The jovial defensive lineman from Tennessee was consistently double- and triple-teamed to no avail. It didn’t matter what scheme the opposing team used to block him, he would still get pressure on the quarterback.
White was a massive man who could throw offensive linemen around like hubcaps, then go from sideline to sideline to chase down running backs. He played eight years for the Eagles and recorded 124 sacks during that stretch. In the strike-shortened 1987 season, he had 21 sacks in only 12 games.
The “Big Dog,” as we playfully called him, finished his career with a total of 198 sacks, which was the all-time record when he retired in 2000.
I know he doesn’t own a Super Bowl ring, but as far as I’m concerned, Donovan McNabb is the best quarterback in Eagles history. He holds the team records for pass completions (2,534), passing yardage (29,320) and touchdown passes (194).
However, what impresses me most about McNabb, a five-time Pro Bowler, is his ability to generate offense while staying away from turnovers. In fact, his touchdown-to-interception ratio is among the best in NFL history.
Despite the lack of a dominant running game and the absence of Pro Bowl receivers, McNabb has been able to lead this team to double-digit victories year after year. He has led the Eagles to more regular-season and playoff wins than any other Birds quarterback, and it’s not even close. He has taken them to one Super Bowl and five NFC championship games during his outstanding career.
He stood only 5-foot-10 and weighed only 196 pounds, but Wilbert Montgomery was a workhouse during his eight years with the Birds. In the Eagles’ Super Bowl year in 1980, Montgomery ran the ball 338 times for 1,512 yards.
He wasn’t a big back, but he was physical runner who always took a pounding. Montgomery was equally adept at running the ball between the tackles or lining up outside and then darting inside to catch the ball on a slant route. In many ways, he was a forerunner to Brian Westbrook.
Speaking of guys who could catch the football, Tommy McDonald was without a doubt one of the top 10 Eagles of all-time. He played seven seasons for the Birds from 1957-1963 and despite his size (5-9, 176), he was always a playmaker. McDonald was drafted as a running back but went on to become one of the greatest wide receivers who ever played the game.
He finished his career with 495 receptions for 8,410 yards with 84 touchdowns. During the 1960 season, the last year the Eagles won the NFL championship, McDonald scored 13 touchdowns in as many games.
If you look at his numbers, you might not be very impressed, but you have to take into account that he was playing on a team that loved to run the ball during an era when anything was fair game in terms of covering receivers.
Defenders could hit them any time they wanted to after the ball was snapped. Nowadays, a cornerback can’t touch a receiver after he gets five yards from the line of scrimmage.
There may have been players bigger and faster than Chuck Bednarik, but there surely weren’t any tougher players than the man they called “Concrete Charlie.”
Bednarik was the last of the 60-minute players who played both ways. The eight-time Pro Bowler led the Eagles to their last NFL championship in 1960 and also played on their title-winning team in 1949.
He was a hulk of a man who was known for his vice-like grip, which wrapped up opposing ball carriers when he was playing middle linebacker and gave defensive linemen nightmares when he was playing center.
Steve Van Buren is a Hall of Famer who led the league in rushing four times and ran for 5,860 yards and 77 touchdowns. He is one of the few players from the past who could be just as much of a star today he was back in the 1940’s and 1950’s. He had a combination of size and speed that was unheard of during his day.
One of the best things about Van Buren was the fact that he was a big-game player. In the 1948 championship game, the Eagles played the Cardinals in a severe snowstorm. Van Buren was responsible for the only score of the game. In the 1949 title game, the Eagles played the Rams in a rainstorm. Van Buren ran through the mud for 196 yards.
I doubt that you have heard of Al Wistert, but that’s not unusual because I’m talking about an offensive tackle who played in the 40’s and 50’s.
He was the captain of the 1948 and 1949 Eagles teams that won consecutive NFL championships. He was the first Birds player to have his number retired and was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection.
Randall Cunningham was called the “Ultimate Weapon” by Sports Illustrated and rightfully so. He could run and make defenders miss like a great running back and also could throw ball nearly the length of the field.
Cunningham operated without a running game and behind one of the worst offensive lines you’ve ever seen. He had to create time for himself, then use his rocket of an arm to get the ball to his receivers.
In his banner season of 1990, he ran for astonishing 942 yards, along with passing for 3,466 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Watching Cunningham was like viewing a highlight film. He was without a doubt the most exciting Eagles player I’ve ever seen.
Another exciting player was Harold Carmichael, who stood head and shoulders above defenders at 6-6. Carmichael had an amazing streak of over 100 consecutive games where he caught at least one pass. He accomplished this despite playing for a team that liked to run the ball.
Carmichael played 13 seasons with the Eagles and was a key target for quarterback Ron Jaworski on the 1980 team that went to the Super Bowl. He went to four Pro Bowls and was virtually unstoppable when he was in his prime. He ended his career with 590 receptions for 8,985 yards and 79 touchdowns.
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