Former Eagles great Brian Dawkins announced his retirement today on Twitter.
“The Lord has blessed me to play in the NFL for 16 years. I would like to thank the Eagles and the Broncos for believing in me. I would like [to] thank all of my teammates & coaches that I have been blessed [to] go to battle with. Along with [you], the fans, [for] helping make my career [one] that I have enjoyed tremendously. In other words, I am announcing my retirement from the NFL.”
I believe he will be selected for the NFL Hall of Fame when the opportunity presents itself and he will forever be known for his tremendous commitment and effort.
He was a tremendous leader for the Birds for 13 years then he finished his career up in Denver with the Broncos for three years. Amazingly Dawkins continued to play great football in Denver through the final years of his career.
Dawkins is expected to return to Philadelphia some this week so that he can sign a contract with the Birds are retire as an Eagle.
First ballot no doubt.Ability to play the center field and lay the wood when needed. Was a pleasure being able to see him play live and admired the way he played the game with heart and intensity. Great career and a better person.
I considered Brian Dawkins “retired” three years ago.
Birdo…If you considered Dawk retired 3 years ago ..then what do you consider Nate Ass Allen now?
How many Pro Bowls have any Eagles Safety been to since he left?
You know Dawk been to 2 pro bowls after the Eagles right?
So, if you considered Dawk retired we may as well consider Nate Allen “Dead”.
My favorite football player of all time and one of the best professional athletes there will ever be!!! H O F no doubt.
his tank must be totally empty , with manning in charge the broncos could make a nice playoff run ! i cant imagine dawk not wanting to be a part of that !
Songs, I’ve bit my tongue long enough but are you familiar with the word “has?” It’s the rules of grammar 101 that you perpetually violate on every single one of your posts. For example, you say “How many Pro Bowls have any Eagles Safety been to?” This was kind of a tricky one the way you worded it but when you’re talking about a single entity (e.g. Eagles Safety), it’s HAS. Here’s a quick example.
Right: Brian Dawkins has a ton of pro bowls under his belt.
Wrong: Brian Dawkins have a ton of pro bowls under his belt.
When Dawk left Philly, thats when he left my heart.
I will not remember him or refer to him as a Bronco. I refuse.
Thank you btw…always looking to improve grammar.
How many pro bowls has any Eagles Safety been to since Dawk’s departure?
Good buddy?
Nate Allen is ass!
Is that good grammar?
“is ass”……
What you say BTW
It’s not a slam dunk that Dawkins make into the HOF in his 1st Try,
In fact, I expect it will take a few tries..
Dawkins did not have the INT’s/Sacks that a Troy Polamula/Ed Reed Have or the Championships that Ronnie Lott/Ron Woodson had..
I believe Dawkins gets in and obviously is the best Safety in Eagles Franchise History, but it will not be a slam dunk when you take an objective look at it…
Also saying that he played at a very high level in Denver is not entirely accurate.. He was on the sidelines for probably 50% or even more of the snaps the last 2 Seasons while the Broncos were breaking in younger players that they Drafted..
A Class Act and a Great Football Player, I wish him and his family well and hopefully he can come back and work for the Eagles Organization in some capacity whether a Coach, Mentor or Public Relations…
A really good football player and an even better dude.
If dawkins is retired then allen is dead, priceless rev. songs.
Anyone recall how long it took TB Buc Safety John Lynch to make the HOF or the Bronco’s Dennis Smith or Cowboys Darren Woodson or if anyone of them have .. I would expect a similar time table for Dawkins as a comparision, All were very good players on good teams but proably not the Playmakers in terms of Int’s,Fumbles and Sacks that a Ronnie Lott,Ron Woodson or that Palomula or Ed Reed have and these over 6 Safeties all have Super Bowl Championships..
Remember, just because a player is the best in Eagles Franchise History does not necessarily mean that they are HOF players (McNabb, Westbrook come to mind also) but I do belive Dawkins will make the HOF 1 day while McNabb and Westbrook are simply very good players, but not elite..
Hall of Fame for former Eagles players…
Brian Dawkins = Yes
Donavan McNabb = No
Songs –
Eagles have had 1 safety go to the pro bowl since Dawkins left –
but there are 18 other NFL teams that have not sent a safety to the pro bowl since Dawkins left for Denver!
I wonder if they have a dick on their blog site constantly calling thier players ASS?
I love Dawkins. Probably my favourite Eagles after the Reggie/Jerome years. Fantastic player.
However, I might push Paulman’s thoughts one step further. I don’t think its a lock Dawkins makes the HOF. In fact, I think it might be doubtful.
It’s really a numbers game – one of the problems with the HOF.
There are only 8 safieies in the hall right now. The last one inducted in 1998. Its not a glamour position (compare to 36Rbs, 31QBs, 16 WRs etc.)
John Lynch will be up for eligibility in 2012 (I thnk) and he will be a very good measuring stick as to whether Dawkins makes it. Dawk’s numbers are a little better. More sacks and Ints. 2 more all-pro teams, though both made the probowl 9x. Lynch does have the SB win though.
If Lynch does get in, then I can’t see how Dawk doesn’t make it….however…
If Lynch doesn’t go in on 1st ballot (and I don’t think he will)…he gets pushed back….closer to 2017 when Dawk will be eligible….why is this a problem? Because soon after Ed Reed and Polumano are going to come up.
Ed Reed is going in. (despit about 1/2 as many tackles as Dawk he’s got more ints to go with a SB and a couple defensive player of year awards….he’ll be putting up m,ore #s the next couple seasons)
Polomalu is also up. His numbers not as impressive, but he has 4 SB rings and a defensive player of the year. He’s also going to be adding to his totals the next few years. Plus he’s done a better job marketing himself, and has a huge national profile. Plus he’s on the Steelers, which counts.
I think Dawkins should be in the HOF, I just think he’s going to have to wait for a while to get in. Manybe I’m wrong. He just picked a bad time to be so great!
Last one inducted in 2000 sorry. Ronnie Lott
the Dawkins/Allen conversation is ASSININE. The only thing that exhibits anymore stupidty that Songs’ statements about Dawkins and Allen (and the disrespect it shows Bdawk on this day) is someone PRAISING songs for making the stupid statement in the first place – Jakedog.
Calling a guy ‘Dead’ in comparing him to a retiring HOF candidate legend while ENTERING HIS THIRD NFL SEASON, with a so-far injury riddled carrer is JUST PLAIN STUPID.
Ed Reed does not have a Superbowl ring. He was not on the team in 2000 when they won the suoerbowl.
Stat comparison…
Dawkins – 1131 tackles 26 sacks 37 int’s 28 forced fumbles
9x Pro Bowl, 6x All Pro
Reed – 554 tackles 6 sacks 57 int’s 11 Forced fumbles
8x Pro Bowl, 8x All Pro 2004 Def player of the year
Both players in my mind are surfire Hall of Famers. Dawk may take a year or 2 to get in but will go!
Vinnie, get your facts straight, Ed Reed DOESN’T have a Super Bowl ring.
And Polamalu only has two rings, not four. What type of NFL are YOU watching?
Polomalu has 2 Superbowl rings , not 4… played one less year than Ed Reed
607 tackles, 9 sacks, 29 int’s
7x Pro Bowl, 5x All Pro, 2010 Def player of the year.
SONGS Loves him some Dawk…..LAMO
Everyone loves Dawk – some folks think its a little better to take the time to remember the man and player then to use the moment as yet ANOTHER chance to re-re-re-re-re-re hash the issue of the current eagles safety?
I mean – do you think Dawk would say a disparaging word about Allen? I mean even the mighty Dawk didn’t make his first pro bowl till his fourth season –
Dawkins provided some of my greatest memories in some 50 years of Eagle watching. Stripping Roethlesberger, destroying Crumpler, terrifying Vick to name a few. You just knew he was back there and that at any time he would make a play that could change the game, and it made watching the Eagles D exciting.
No negatives on this day.
My Favorite is when Vick took off for the endzone and Dawk came flying in like a bullet and smacked him. I thought he killed vick.. I sure hope they offer him a job.
I don’t know why I put the wrong #s down for the SBs. That bing said both Reed and Polu will be adding to their totals over the next few seasons.
And it still doesn’t change the reality that over the next decade there are probably going to be 4 safties up for HOF consideration…to be added to a class that only has 8 members.
I think it will be interesting to see if the voters are going to increase that by 50% over a short period of time.
I remember that hit on VIck. Was there. Didn’t everyone just know the Birds were going to win that game? I did. Vick was the opposing QB.
solid point VV on adding to number of safeties – just looking at the inducs by year they seem to spread out among the positions… will be interesting to see but I think guys will look and try to decide which 2 or 3 vice selecting all 4 (lynch, Palo, reed and Dawk)
Examining these Dawkins highlight shows how pathetic our safeties are. How could the eagles disrespect Dawk like that?
Songs – you just don;t get it do you…
examining a Dawkins highlight film will make 95% of all safeties that ever played in the NFL look pathetic – he has maybe, maybe 4 peers – and the adults have already been talking about them..
it is only you that continues to drone on and on and choses to use this (and every single other minute) to disrespect the man by using his memory to bash current eagle players
How is it that Philadelphia sports consider Brian Dawkins a HOF but Mcnabb not? when we talk strictly the play on the field of these two players Mcnabb wins by a long shot. I understand Dawkins had the passion and the fire which you fell in love with and Mcnabb was a complete goofball but we’re talking the HOF here. Some people point out Mcnabb hasn’t done anything since leaving Philadelphia.. Well neither has Dawkins but lets put him on a pedestal before we do the 2nd best QB in Eagles history?
Boy i’d love to be in the same room with songs and Brian Dawkins. I’d love for Dawk to overhear songs saying what he posted above, and then go talk some sense into him.
Songs you are the one showing disrespect for him by implying that his level of player is a dime a dozen. If it were truly that negligent for the eagles to not replace him with an equal player, than he wouldn’t be a special player.
Can you grasp that simple truth?
ES — McNabb’s play on the field makes him win HOF honors over Dawk by a longshot? I think I’m gonna puke, but that’s more like McNabb’s play on the field. Seriously, McNabb is borderline HOF at best (but I don’t see him getting in). Dawk is probably borderline at worst. Difficult comparing QB and Safeties for HOF honors. There are a lot of QBs in the HOF so it’s easier to measure McNabb. That’s why many say “no” for #5. Not so easy to measure Dawk but his stats are very impressive for Safeties past and present. 16 years in the NFL is also impressive and compelling.
Triangle whats up man? I see your point and it is very valid.
B-dawk thanks for the memories, hall of famer no doubt. You know whats funny in my era of watching eagles football I have only seen three eagles who are or potentially will be hall of famers. Reggie white, Brian Dawkins and Terrell Owens. Terrell was obviously more of a forty niner than an eagle but he is a first ballot hall of famer. His numbers are sick, that just goes to show how poorly we draft. Hopefully in two days we will start moving in a great direction. And why in the hell is Clyde Simmons not a hall of famer he was a beast?
I wanted so badly for B-Dawk to get a ring with the Eagles. The guy put his heart out on the field every single game. Hopefully the Eagles can draft a player similar to what B-Dawk gave to this team. Would be great if he joins the Eagles front office someday. Class act through and through.
Class act. Top notch human being. Great football player. A TRUE EAGLE, THROUGH & THROUGH & loved this city. Next to Reggie White & Jerome Brown, he is my all time favorite Bird. Just about 10 years ago, I took my twin boys to training camp, he came over talked my boys for at least twenty minutes. Because of course they had his jersey on. Signed their Uni’s & gave them 2 footballs signed. Cool @$$ cat. Will miss you Dawk. Good luck with your next adventure. Should be HOF first ballot. McChoke IS NOT, & I repeat, IS NOT!
McNabb single-handedly lost the Super Bowl. that is his legacy.
jmac – that’s BS. The pats were cheating first of all. It’s a team sport.