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EAGLES HALL OF FAME
Recognized as the greatest kicker in franchise history, Akers earned five
Pro Bowl nods as an Eagle and established regular-season and postsea-
son team records in points (1,323; 134) and field goals made (294; 31).
During his time in Philadelphia, Akers ranked 2nd in the NFL in points
and field goals made. His recognition as one of the league’s best kickers
earned him a spot on the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s.
DAVID AKERS
KICKER
Eagles Career: 1999-2010
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2017
ERIC ALLEN
CORNERBACK
Eagles Career: 1988-94
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2011
A second-round draft choice of the Eagles in 1988, Allen played seven
seasons in Philadelphia, earning five Pro Bowl and three All-Pro selec-
tions. He is tied for the Eagles all-time record with 34 interceptions.
Allen also holds the team mark with five interception return touchdowns,
including an NFL record four in 1993. A native of San Diego, CA (born
11/22/65), Allen played collegiately at Arizona State. He went on to play
for the New Orleans and Oakland. He finished his career with 54 inter-
ceptions and nine total touchdowns.
MAXIE BAUGHAN
LINEBACKER
Eagles Career: 1960-65
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2015
The 20th overall selection in the 1960 NFL Draft, Baughan spent his
first six seasons in Philadelphia, earning five Pro Bowl nods during that
span. As a rookie, he played a key role on the 1960 NFL Championship
team, starting in every game and achieving All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.
Baughan was a nine-time Pro Bowler and a four-time All-Pro selection,
totaling 18 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries during his 12-year
career with the Eagles, Rams and Washington. He was born on August
3, 1938 in Forkland, AL.
CHUCK BEDNARIK
CENTER/LINEBACKER
Eagles Career: 1949-62
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1987
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 1967
“Concrete Charley” played in 253 games during his illustrious 14-year
career. He also played in a team record 8 Pro Bowls. Although the Ea-
gles won the NFL championship in 1949, his rookie year, his star shined
brightest in 1960 when he played every minute at both center and line-
backer during the NFL Championship victory over Green Bay. Born May
1, 1925, in Bethlehem, PA, he was an All-America selection at Pennsyl-
vania in 1948 before being selected with the first overall draft choice by
the Eagles in 1949.
As the first owner of the Eagles (1933-40), co-owner of the Steelers
(1941-46), and NFL commissioner (1946-59), Bell instituted the college
draft and implemented TV policies, including the home game blackouts.
In 1933, he moved the Frankford Yellowjackets to Philadelphia and re-
named them the Eagles. In 1946, he moved the NFL office from Chicago
to Bala Cynwyd, PA. Bell played and coached at Pennsylvania and led
the Quakers to the Rose Bowl in 1916. A founder of the Maxwell Football
Club, Bell was born February 25, 1895, in Philadelphia.
BERT BELL
OWNER
Eagles Career: 1933-40
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1987
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 1963
After coming to the Eagles in a 1974 trade with Cincinnati (in exchange
for Philadelphia’s first round picks in 1977 & ‘78 as well as a second
round pick in ‘78), Bergey recorded nearly 1,200 tackles in seven sea-
sons as an Eagle. He was a key factor in the Eagles rise to the 1980 NFC
Championship and a berth in Super Bowl XV. His play also earned him
Eagles MVP status 3 times and trips to the Pro Bowl on 4 occasions. He
was born February 9, 1945 in South Dayton, NY.
BILL BERGEY
MIDDLE LINEBACKER
Eagles Career: 1974-80
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1988
Bradley played 8 years (1969-76) with the Eagles as a defensive back,
punter, and returner. A three-time Pro Bowler, he is tied for the team’s
all-time lead in interceptions (34) and became the first player in NFL
history to lead the league in that category in consecutive seasons (1971
& 1972). A 3rd round draft choice from Texas in 1969, he also handled
the punting duties for six of his eight years with the Eagles. He was born
January 24, 1947 in Palestine, TX.
BILL BRADLEY
FREE SAFETY
Eagles Career: 1969-76
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1993
Originally a 10th-round pick from Colorado, Brookshier made an imme-
diate impact with 8 interceptions in his rookie season of 1953. Then,
after a two-year stint in the Air Force, the defensive back returned to the
Eagles and twice earned all-pro honors - first in 1959, and again in 1960
as a member of the NFL championship team. In all he spent seven sea-
sons with the Eagles and collected 20 interceptions. Upon retiring as a
player, he entered the broadcast booth on CBS’s telecasts of NFL games.
TOM BROOKSHIER
DEFENSIVE BACK
Eagles Career: 1953, 1956-61
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1989
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EAGLES HALL OF FAME
A first round draft pick out of Nebraska in 1964 (2nd overall), Brown
went on to earn an impressive five All-Pro selections and three Pro Bowl
berths during his five-year tenure in Philadelphia. During his 10-year
NFL career with the Eagles, Rams and Raiders, Brown earned All-NFL hon-
ors seven times, NFL/NFC offensive lineman of the year three times, and
six Pro Bowl selections – three with Eagles, two with Rams, and one with
Raiders. Brown was named to the NFL’s All-Decade team of the 1960’s.
He was born December 8, 1941, in Cleveland, OH.
BOB BROWN
TACKLE
Eagles Career: 1964-68
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2004
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 2004
A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Brown’s life was cut short at the age
of 27 in a tragic auto accident on June 25, 1992, in his hometown of
Brooksville, FL. A 1st round draft pick out of Miami in 1987, Brown will be
remembered as a key figure on the Eagles legendary 1991 defense - a
unit that led the NFL in terms of fewest yards allowed overall, against
the run, and vs. the pass. He capped that season by joining linemates
Reggie White and Clyde Simmons as starters in the Pro Bowl. Brown was
born February 4, 1965.
JEROME BROWN
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Eagles Career: 1987-91
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1996
Brown holds the club record for longest kickoff return with a 105 yarder
in 1961. He also shares the NFL record for kickoff returns for TDs in
a game with two vs. Dallas in 1966. A 27th round draft pick of Green
Bay in 1959, Brown was signed by the Eagles as a free agent in 1960
and finished his Eagles career in 1967 as the 3rd leading rusher in club
history in yards (3,703) and touchdowns (29). Brown was born May 24,
1937 in Knightstown, IN.
TIMMY BROWN
RUNNING BACK
Eagles Career: 1960-67
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1990
A pioneer in the sports ticketing industry and nominated for the Pro
Football Hall of Fame in 2007, Carlin served as a member of the club for
more than five decades. He originally joined the Eagles as a part-time
ticket office employee in the 1960 NFL Championship season before
joining the front office full-time in 1964. Carlin helped oversee the Ea-
gles’ moves from Franklin Field to Veterans Stadium to Lincoln Financial
Field, and also helped the Eagles become the first NFL team to merge
ticketing with computer data processing. A graduate of St Joseph’s Prep
and St. Joseph’s University, he is a veteran of the United States Marine
Corps. Born in Atlantic City, NJ, on September 16, 1937, Carlin and his
wife, Kay, have seven children
LEO CARLIN
EXECUTIVE
Eagles Career: 1960-2015
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2012
A four-time Pro Bowler, the 6-8 Carmichael was not only one of the
tallest receivers ever to play the game, he was one of the best. A 7th
round pick out of Southern in 1971, he played 13 seasons with the Ea-
gles before finishing his career with Dallas in 1984. He finished his career
ranked sixth on the NFL’s all-time reception list with 590 and remains
the Eagles career leader in terms of receptions (589), yards (8,978) and
touchdowns (79). He was born on Sept. 22, 1949 in Jacksonville, FL,
where he attended Raines HS.
HAROLD CARMICHAEL
WIDE RECEIVER
Eagles Career: 1971-83
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1987
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 2020
Dubbed the “Ultimate Weapon” by Sports Illustrated, Cunningham was
one of the most electrifying players in NFL history. He made numerous
highlight-film plays with both his arm and his feet during his 11-year
career in Philadelphia. A 2nd round draft pick from UNLV in 1995, he
earned two NFL All Pro honors as well as three Pro Bowl selections
during his tenure in Philadelphia. Cunningham threw for 22,877 yards
and 150 touchdowns while rushing for 4,482 yards and 22 scores in
122 games as an Eagle. He is still the NFL’s all-time rushing leader as a
quarterback with 4,928 yards. Cunningham finished his career with stints
in Minnesota, Dallas and Baltimore. He was born on March 27, 1963 in
Santa Barbara, CA.
RANDALL CUNNINGHAM
QUARTERBACK
Eagles Career: 1985-95
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2009
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The Eagles head athletic trainer for 23 years, Davis was a five-time recip-
ient of the National Athletic Trainers Association’s “Professional Trainer
of the Year” award. He also was a member of the Athletic Trainers Hall
of Fame. From 1971-89, he was the executive director of the NATA,
an organization whose national headquarters office building in Dallas is
named in his honor. A native of Elgin, TX, Davis graduated from Lamar
and earned his master’s degree from Kent State. He died May, 2, 2000.
OTHO DAVIS
HEAD TRAINER
Eagles Career: 1973-95
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1999
Nicknamed “Weapon X” for his ferocious and energetic style of play,
Dawkins was the unquestioned leader of the Eagles defense for 13 sea-
sons. An eight-time Pro Bowler, Dawkins finished his Eagles career in
2008 as the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (183) and inter-
ceptions (34). A second round pick out of Clemson in 1996, Dawkins was
recognized as a member of the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s, was
voted the starting safety on the Eagles 75th Anniversary Team by the
fans and was a five-time All-Pro selection. A self-proclaimed “free-lance
safety”, he helped redefine the safety position, notching 26 sacks and 37
forced fumbles in his career, becoming one of five players in NFL history
to record at least 30 interceptions and 20 sacks in a career. He was born
on October 3, 1973 in Jacksonville, FL.
BRIAN DAWKINS
SAFETY
Eagles Career: 1996-2008
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2012
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 2018
An Eagles executive from 1949-95, Gallagher worked with 17 head
coaches and for 12 owners, GMs, and team presidents. During that time,
he saw the Eagles capture two NFL titles and one NFC crown. A graduate
of Northeast Catholic HS and an Army veteran of the Korean War, he
joined the Eagles in 1949 and was named personnel director in 1957.
He went on to serve stints as director of public relations and director of
sales and marketing before being named the club’s director of alumni
relations and traveling secretary in 1990. It was in that capacity that he
served until retiring on August 1, 1995.
JIM GALLAGHER
EXECUTIVE
Eagles Career: 1949-95
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1995
Hewitt was the first player to be named All-NFL with two different teams
- the Bears (1933, ‘34, ‘36) and Eagles (1937). Nicknamed “Stinky,” Hewitt
is known for pitching a lateral to Bill Karr for the touchdown that won the
1933 NFL Championship game for the Bears. He also was credited with
inventing many trick plays. Hewitt, who played without a helmet until a
rule change forced him to wear headgear, was born October 8, 1909,
in Bay City, MI. He died in an automobile accident on January 14, 1947,
at the age of 37.
BILL HEWITT
END
Eagles Career: 1936-39, 1943
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1987
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 1971
After coming to the Eagles in a 1977 trade with the LA Rams, Jaworski
enjoyed a stellar 10-year career in Philadelphia. He set seven passing
records, including career marks for completions (2,088), TDs (175), and
yards (26,963). After leading the Eagles to the NFC title in 1980 and a
berth in Super Bowl XV vs. the Raiders, the Youngstown State product
earned a Pro Bowl selection and was named the NFL Player of the Year
by UPI and the Maxwell Football Club. The durable Jaworski started 116
consecutive regular season games. Jaworski was born March 23, 1951
in Lackawanna, NY.
RON JAWORSKI
QUARTERBACK
Eagles Career: 1977-86
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1992
One of the most innovative and successful defensive masterminds in
NFL history, Johnson served as the team’s defensive coordinator from
1999 until his passing in 2009. His aggressive style kept Philadelphia
at or near the top of the NFL in nearly every major defensive category
during his tenure. During his 10-year stay in Philadelphia, the Eagles
earned seven playoff berths, five trips to the NFC Championship game
and one Super Bowl appearance (following the 2004 season). A native
of Maywood, Illinois, Johnson (born 5/26/41) played quarterback at Mis-
souri, and tight end for the Bills. He went on to coach at the collegiate
and professional level for 42 years.
JIM JOHNSON
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Eagles Career: 1999-2008
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2011
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EAGLES HALL OF FAME
Seth Joyner, who was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year by Sports
Illustrated in 1991, played linebacker for eight seasons in Philadelphia
(1986-93), where he was a three-time All-Pro selection (1991-93) and
two-time Pro Bowler (1991, 1993). Joyner is the only player in Eagles
history to record at least 35 sacks and 15 INTs and is one of just two
players in team history with 20 forced fumbles, joining Pro Football Hall
of Fame inductee Brian Dawkins (32). Joyner was originally selected by
the Eagles in the 8th round (208th overall) of the 1986 NFL Draft. In 120
games with the Eagles, he totaled 875 tackles, 37.0 sacks, 17 INTs, 21
FF, 8 FRs and 5 defensive TDs.
SETH JOYNER
LINEBACKER
Eagles Career: 1986-93
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2018
Despite spending the final 10 years of his career with Washington, Jur-
gensen is remembered as one of the best quarterbacks ever to wear an
Eagles uniform. A 4th-round draft pick of the Eagles in 1957, Jurgensen
backed up another Hall of Fame quarterback, Norm Van Brocklin, on
the 1960 NFL Championship team. The following year the rifle-armed
redhead took over as the starting signal caller and threw a then-club
record 32 TD passes.
SONNY JURGENSEN
QUARTERBACK
Eagles Career: 1957-63
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1987
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 1983
In his career with Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Philadelphia, Matson
compiled some very impressive numbers – 12,844 combined net yards
and 5,173 yards rushing. He was selected to five Pro Bowls and earned
MVP honors for his effort in the 1956 Pro Bowl. Matson was traded to
the Rams by the Chicago Cardinals for nine players in 1959. The speedy
halfback was also a medal winner in track at the 1952 Olympics.
OLLIE MATSON
HALFBACK
Eagles Career: 1964-66
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1987
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 1972
“If I had 11 Tommy McDonald’s on my team, I’d win a championship
every year,” Vince Lombardi once said. The 5-9, 176 pounder dazzled
fans with acrobatic receptions for 12 seasons and finished his career
ranked 6th all-time in receptions (495), 4th in yards (8410), and 2nd in
TDs (84). In 1960, he registered 13 TDs for the NFL Champion Eagles.
Born July 26, 1934, in Roy, NM, he starred at Oklahoma. As a senior, he
won the Maxwell Award as the nation’s top collegian.
TOMMY MCDONALD
WIDE RECEIVER
Eagles Career: 1957-63
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1988
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 1998
Selected by the Eagles with the second-overall pick of the 1999 NFL
Draft, McNabb served as the field general during one of the most suc-
cessful eras of Eagles football, leading the team to five NFC East division
titles, five NFC Championship games and an appearance in Super Bowl
XXXIX. The winningest quarterback in team history, McNabb finished
his career as the franchise’s all-time leader in pass attempts (4,746),
completions (2,801), yards (32,873) and touchdowns (216). He also be-
came one of just four players in NFL history to amass 30,000 passing
yards, 200 TD passes, 3,000 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns
in his career. A six-time Pro Bowler, McNabb was selected as the starting
quarterback on the Eagles 75th anniversary team in a vote by the fans.
DONOVAN MCNABB
QUARTERBACK
Eagles Career: 1999-2009
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2013
A 6th round pick out of Abilene Christian in 1977, Montgomery finished
his Eagles career as the club’s all-time rushing leader in terms of yards
(6,538) and attempts (1,465). His 194-yard effort in the 1980 NFC Cham-
pionship Game victory over Dallas, including a 42-yd. TD on the Eagles
second offensive play from scrimmage, will never be forgotten. In all,
Montgomery scored 58 career TDs as an Eagle. Montgomery played in
the Pro Bowl following the 1978 and 1979 seasons. He was born Sep-
tember 16, 1954 in Greenville, MS.
WILBERT MONTGOMERY
RUNNING BACK
Eagles Career: 1977-84
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1987
After coaching extensively on the collegiate level at Marietta, Washington
and Jefferson (1922 Rose Bowl team), Virginia, and West Virginia, Neale
broke into the NFL in 1941 and quickly turned the Eagles into contend-
ers. He captured 3 straight Eastern Division crowns and back-to-back
NFL championships in 1948 and 1949. He was recognized as a master of
the T formation. From 1918-22, he was an outfielder with the Cincinnati
Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies. Neale was born in Parkersburg, WV,
on November 2, 1891.
EARL "GREASY" NEALE
HEAD COACH
Eagles Career: 1941-50
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1987
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 1969
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EAGLES HALL OF FAME
A member of the Eagles 1948 and 1949 championship teams, Pihos en-
joyed a career that included six trips to the Pro Bowl and three straight
seasons leading the NFL in receptions. He may best be remembered
for his game-winning catch in the 1949 NFL Championship game vs. the
Rams. A 3rd round draft choice by the Eagles out of Indiana in 1945, he
caught 373 passes and 61 TDs during his career in Philadelphia. He was
born on October 22, 1923 in Orlando, FL.
PETE PIHOS
END
Eagles Career: 1947-55
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1987
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 1970
One of the most graceful receivers ever to play the game, Quick became
a fixture in the Pro Bowl, earning five consecutive trips to Hawaii from
1983-87. A former first round draft choice of the Eagles from North Car-
olina State in 1982, he etched his name into the team’s record books,
ranking among the club’s all-time career and single-season receiving
leaders in terms of catches (363), yards (6464), and TDs (61). He was
born on May 14, 1959 in Hamlet, NC.
MIKE QUICK
WIDE RECEIVER
Eagles Career: 1982-90
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1995
Considered one of the most recognizable and influential figures in all
of sports broadcasting, Merrill Reese has been the “Voice of the Eagles”
since 1977. As the longest-tenured NFL play-by-play announcer at the
time of his induction – which coincided with his 40th season in the radio
booth – Reese has called many of the franchise’s most unforgettable
moments and games alongside his colleague and fellow Eagles Hall of
Fame inductee, Mike Quick. Reese has been honored as a two-time
Pennsylvania Sportscaster of the Year by the National Association of
Sportscasters and Sportswriters, Broadcaster of the Year by the Penn-
sylvania Association of Broadcasters and was inducted into the Penn-
sylvania Sports Hall of Fame. A graduate of Overbrook High School and
Temple University, Reese began his career as a public affairs officer in
the U.S. Navy.
MERRILL REESE
RADIO PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER
Eagles Career: 1977-present
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2016
Acquired off waivers from Detroit in 1956, Retzlaff converted from full-
back to tight end and went on to earn Pro Bowl honors 5 times. He
finished his career as the club’s all-time leader in receptions (452) and
yards (7,412). A 22nd-round draft pick of the Lions in 1953, he scored 47
TDs in his career. In 1965, he earned the Washington Touchdown Club’s
Pro Football Player of the Year Award and the Maxwell Club’s Bert Bell
Award. Instrumental in founding the NFL Player’s Association, he served
as the Eagles general manager from 1969-72. Retzlaff was born August
21, 1931 in Ellendale, ND.
PETE RETZLAFF
END
Eagles Career: 1956-66
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1989
Jim Ringo entered the NFL with the Packers in 1953 and capped his
career with 10 Pro Bowl selections to go along with two NFL Champi-
onships. Ringo, who started in a then NFL-record 182 straight games
from 1954-67, played on Green Bay’s 1961 and 1962 NFL Championship
teams. After an 11-year stint with the Packers, he spent his final four
seasons in Philadelphia. Ringo was born Nov. 21, 1931 in Orange, NJ.
JIM RINGO
CENTER
Eagles Career: 1964-67
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1987
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 1981
Clyde Simmons earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 1991 and 1992.
He recorded 720 tackles, 76.0 sacks, 12 FFs, 10 FRs and 3 defensive TDs
in 124 career games with the Eagles and ranks third on Philadelphia’s
all-time sacks list, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Reggie
White (124.0, 1985-92) and Trent Cole (85.5, 2005-14). Over a five-year
span from 1988-92, Simmons ranked 2nd in the NFL with 63.0 sacks
including a league-leading 19.0 in 1992.
CLYDE SIMMONS
DEFENSIVE END
Eagles Career: 1986-93
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2018
A first-round draft pick of the Eagles out of Texas in 1973 (3rd selection
overall), Sisemore became a cornerstone of an offensive line that helped
lead the Eagles to the playoffs five straight times, including the 1980 NFC
Championship and a berth in Super Bowl XV. He ranks 5th all-time in
franchise history in seasons (12) and games played (156). He started 127
consecutive games and was selected to the Pro Bowl following the 1979
and 1981 seasons. He was born on July 16, 1951 in Olton, TX.
JERRY SISEMORE
TACKLE
Eagles Career: 1973-84
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1991
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EAGLES HALL OF FAME
Nicknamed the “Axe Man,” Jeremiah Trotter stood as a daunting pres-
ence in the middle of an Eagles defense that ranked among the NFL’s
top-five defenses in fewest points allowed for three seasons (2000-01,
2004). Selected in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft out of Stephen
F. Austin, Trotter spent eight of his 11 seasons in Philadelphia where he
totaled 1,065 tackles, 35 passes defensed, 12.5 sacks, eight intercep-
tions, eight forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in 127 career
regular-season and postseason games (106 starts). At the time of his
retirement in 2009, the two-time All-Pro became one of only four Eagles
linebackers in franchise history to have garnered four Pro Bowl berths.
During his three separate stints in midnight green, the Eagles earned five
playoff appearances, three NFC East crowns, an NFC Championship and
a trip to Super Bowl XXXIX. The Texarkana, TX, native was a consensus
All-American at Stephen F. Austin.
JEREMIAH TROTTER
LINEBACKER
Eagles Career: 1998-2001, 2004-06, 2009
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2016
Acquired in a 1958 trade with the LA Rams, Van Brocklin went on to
quarterback the Eagles for three years. The fiery signal caller helped
turn a last place Eagles into a NFL championship squad in 1960. This
storybook ending would garner him the league’s MVP award and provide
a fitting end to his playing career as he retired at the end of that season.
An All-America selection at Oregon, he went on to participate in 10 Pro
Bowls and throw for 23,611 yards and 173 TDs in 12 seasons. He was
born March 15, 1926 in Eagle Butte, SD.
NORM VAN BROCKLIN
QUARTERBACK
Eagles Career: 1958-60
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1987
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 1971
The Eagles first round draft choice (5th overall) out of LSU in 1944,
Van Buren signed his first contract ($4,000) with a team that had never
finished above 4th place. Three straight division titles and back-to-back
NFL Championships (1948 & 1949), he cemented his place as one of the
most talented backs ever. Nicknamed “Wham-Bam” for his quick and
punishing running style, he captured the NFL rushing title four times. In
the 1948 title game vs. the Cardinals, he scored the game’s only TD in a
blinding snowstorm. A year later, he waded through mud and torrential
rains in the Los Angeles Coliseum to rush for 196 yards vs. the Rams
in the title game. His 205 yards rushing vs. Pittsburgh in 1949 is a club
record. He finished his career with 5,860 rushing yards and 77 TDs. A
5-time all-pro, he was selected to the NFL’s 75th Anniversary Team in
1994. Born December 28, 1920, in LaCeiba, Honduras.
STEVE VAN BUREN
HALFBACK
Eagles Career: 1944-51
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1987
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 1965
The Eagles head coach from 1976-82, Vermeil will long be remembered
as a workaholic, a perfectionist, and as a winner. A success at every
level of coaching, from his first high school head coaching job in 1960,
to a stint at UCLA in 1974-75 and with the Eagles, Vermeil attacked his
profession with a degree of passion rarely seen. A native of Calistoga,
CA, Vermeil coached the Eagles into the playoffs four consecutive times
from 1978-81, including a trip to Super Bowl XV as NFC Champions in
January of 1981.
DICK VERMEIL
HEAD COACH
Eagles Career: 1976-82
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1994
A five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro selection as an Eagle, Vin-
cent spent eight seasons in Philadelphia, recording 28 interceptions, 10
forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and one interception returned for
a touchdown in 118 starts. In 2002, Vincent was a first team All-Pro Se-
lection and also garnered the prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year
award for his work with the Troy Vincent Foundation, which provides
educational and counseling services to troubled youth, among other
organizations. His five Pro Bowl selections are tied for the most in team
history as a cornerback and his 28 interceptions rank seventh all-time in
team annals. Vincent was born on June 8, 1971, in Trenton, NJ.
TROY VINCENT
CORNERBACK
Eagles Career: 1996-2003
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2012
A 9th round draft pick of the Bengals out of Syracuse in 1972, Walters
joined the Eagles via trade in 1975. He went on to play in 122 consecu-
tive regular and post-season games for Philadelphia at left tackle and an-
chored the team’s offensive line during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
A key member of the 1980 NFC championship squad that participated
in Super Bowl XV, he was honored by his peers following the 1978 and
‘79 seasons when he was selected to the Pro Bowl. He was born May
27, 1948 in Rutherford, NJ.
STAN WALTERS
TACKLE
Eagles Career: 1975-83
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1991
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EAGLES HALL OF FAME
A two-time Pro Bowler and member of the NFL 1950s All-Decade Team,
Walston was one of the league’s most unique talents, excelling at WR
and TE while also serving as the team’s placekicker throughout his 12-
year career in Philadelphia. From 1951-62, he led the NFL in points
scored (881, 2nd-most in franchise history) and ranked 4th in receptions
(311), 5th in receiving yards (5,363) and 6th in receiving TDs (46). His 25-
point performance at Washington on October 17, 1954 still stands as
the Eagles’ single-game scoring record.
BOBBY WALSTON
WIDE RECEIVER/TIGHT END
Eagles Career: 1951-62
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2019
A multi-threat back armed with exceptional playmaking abilities, West-
brook finished his Eagles career as the franchise’s all-time leader in
total yards from scrimmage (9,785). During his time in Philadelphia, the
two-time Pro Bowler and first-team AP All-Pro selection helped guide the
club to four NFC East crowns, four NFC Championship appearances and
a berth in Super Bowl XXXIX. Westbrook is widely remembered for his
iconic, game-winning 84-yard punt return touchdown at Giants Stadium
in October 2003, best known as the “Miracle at the Meadowlands II.”
Upon his retirement, he became one of only six players in NFL history
with 30+ rushing touchdowns (41) and 30+ receiving touchdowns (30)
in his career. Born on September 2, 1979, Westbrook was a consensus
All-American and a two-time A-10 Offensive Player of the Year at Villa-
nova University.
BRIAN WESTBROOK
RUNNING BACK
Eagles Career: 2002-09
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2015
Nicknamed the “Minister of Defense,” White is the club’s all-time leader
in sacks with 124 in just 121 games, including a team-record 21 in 1987.
White earned seven Pro Bowl appearances during his eight-year stint
with the Eagles, who signed him after a two-year stint with Memphis of
the USFL. White earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1987
and 1991. He was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Teams of the 1980
and 1990s, the 75th Anniversary Team, and was voted first-team All-Pro
10 times in his 15-year career with the Eagles, Packers and Panthers. He
was born on Dec. 19, 1961 in Chattanooga, TN. He died December 26,
2004 at the age of 43.
REGGIE WHITE
DEFENSIVE END
Eagles Career: 1985-92
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2005
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 2006
During his nine-year career in Philadelphia, Wistert earned NFL All Pro
honors an amazing eight times as a dominant force on the Eagles offen-
sive line. Wistert was a member of the Eagles back-to-back NFL champi-
onship teams in 1948-49 and played in the first-ever Pro Bowl in 1951.
He played in 95 games with the Eagles as a two-way player. His jersey #
70 was retired by the team in 1952. Wistert was a 5th round draft pick
from Michigan in 1943. He was born December 28, 1920 in Chicago, IL.
AL WISTERT
TACKLE
Eagles Career: 1944-51
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 2009
A two-time All-America selection at Fordham where he was the center
on the famed `Seven Blocks of Granite’ line, Wojciechowicz was the
Lions top draft pick in 1938. One of football’s original “iron men,” he
joined the Eagles in 1946 as a linebacker and helped the Eagles capture
back-to-back NFL championships in 1948 and ‘49. Born August 12, 1915,
in South River, NJ, he organized the NFL Alumni Association.
ALEX WOJCIECHOWICZ
CENTER
Eagles Career: 1946-50
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1987
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee: 1968
NFL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS
1948 & 1949
Eagles Hall of Fame Inductee: 1999
No NFL team before or since ever posted consecutive shutouts in cham-
pionship play. No NFL team can claim to be more dominant over a two-
year period. The Eagles won back-to-back NFL Championships in 1948
and 1949, first shutting out the Chicago Cardinals, 7-0, and then blanking
the Los Angeles Rams, 14-0. Under legendary head coach Greasy Neale,
Philadelphia finished the 1948 regular season with a 9-2-1 record and
took on the Cardinals in the championship game with a foot of snow
covering Shibe Park. RB Steve Van Buren scored the game’s only touch-
down on a 5-yard TD run, while the defense limited the Cards to just 6
total first downs. The Eagles continued their dominance in 1949 with an
11-1 record in the regular season and a victory over the Rams in the
championship game on a rain-soaked Los Angeles Coliseum field. Van
Buren again led the Eagles as he rumbled for 196 yards on 31 carries. In
those two seasons, the Eagles outscored their opposition 761-290. They
were lovingly called “the duffel-bag dynasty.” Many players were young
men who had served their country in World War II and returned home
trying again to settle into a regular life.
