The final 25 years of Eagles soccer has unquestionably been the most effective the franchise has ever skilled.
They’ve been to the playoffs 17 occasions. In solely eight of the final 25 seasons did the Birds fail to succeed in the postseason. They’ve reached eight NFC Championship Video games, gained three of them, two within the final three years, been to 4 of their 5 Tremendous Bowls and gained two of them.
With all of that success, the Eagles have been blessed with numerous generational abilities during the last quarter century of soccer in Philadelphia. Attempting to prepare them right into a Prime-10 checklist might be silly and can nearly definitely result in disagreement and name-calling.
Seems like content material to me!
Listed here are my Prime 10 Eagles of the final 25 years:
1. Jalen Hurts
I’ve seen all the opposite lists. I’ve seen what others are saying about Jalen Hurts. I do know all of the methods through which he doesn’t measure as much as his contemporaries and I do know he has his deficiencies.
The issue is that individuals permit their nitpicking of these points to cloud actuality. Merely put, Jalen Hurts is the best winner the Eagles have ever had below heart. He’s the success of what was promised with Randall Cunningham and Donovan McNabb. He performs his greatest video games within the greatest moments, as evidenced by his two other-worldly efforts in his two Tremendous Bowls.
Has he benefitted from excellent rosters in his two Tremendous Bowl seasons? Completely. He’s not the one one. Joe Montana had Jerry Rice, John Taylor, Roger Craig and Invoice Walsh. Troy Aikman had Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin and Jimmy Johnson. John Elway had Terrell Davis, some nice receivers and Mike Shanahan. What number of Corridor of Famers did Terry Bradshaw play with? Each nice QB had nice expertise round them after they gained a Tremendous Bowl.
Jalen Hurts performs an important place in Philadelphia sports activities. He has led his workforce to the playoffs in each season he’s began. He’s led them to 2 Tremendous Bowls in three seasons. He gained one in all them and was the MVP in it.
We actually don’t must over-complicate this.
2. Brian Dawkins
One of the best defensive participant of the final 25 years, B-Dawk is essentially the most beloved former Eagle of all time.
The Corridor of Famer performed his total profession in a single metropolis (no, these three years in Denver positively did NOT occur, OK?), was a first-team All Professional 4 occasions, made seven Professional Bowls with the Eagles, and compiled a slew of legendary hits that may undoubtedly be outlawed within the trendy NFL.
Lots of you’ll have him No. 1 in your checklist, and that’s truthful.
3. Jason Kelce
For many of his profession, Kelce flew below the radar. Most facilities do. Then got here the Mummers speech after the Tremendous Bowl.
After Jason went on his alcohol-infused oral opus, a star was born. Kelce continued to play at an elite stage till the day of his retirement, cementing his standing as essentially the most athletic facilities to each play within the NFL. He’s a primary poll Corridor of Famer and probably the most beloved athletes within the metropolis’s historical past.
4. Lane Johnson
In some ways, Johnson is the alternative of Kelce. He’s quiet, reserved, and doesn’t have a podcast, TV present, or well-known brother relationship the world’s most profitable musician. That mentioned, Johnson is the most effective offensive deal with within the NFL and has been part of three Tremendous Bowl groups, two of them champions. The Eagles’ file with out him within the lineup is stark. He’ll go down as one of many best offensive linemen in Eagles historical past, enjoying his entire profession on this metropolis.
5. Brandon Graham
Graham isn’t going to the Corridor of Fame, however his persona, efficiency on the sector, and let’s be trustworthy, the narrative arc of his profession in Philadelphia, provides to his lore. He was thought-about a bust, a disappointment, earlier than figuring it out late in his rookie contract and turning into probably the most necessary defensive gamers in Eagles historical past.
He’s additionally the creator of an important play in Eagles historical past, too.
6. Jason Peters
One other first-ballot Corridor of Famer, Peters is probably going the most effective left deal with in workforce historical past. In case you have him in your top-five, I couldn’t blame you. It’s unusual that Peters by no means truly performed in a Tremendous Bowl for the Eagles. He was part of the 2017 workforce that went all the way in which, however obtained injured mid-way by the season. For no matter cause, my recollections of Peters aren’t as excessive as the opposite 5 on the checklist in entrance of him. Recency bias? Possibly.
7. Fletcher Cox
It’s possible Cox will sooner or later enter the Corridor of Fame, and his contributions as a game-wrecking drive in the course of the line of defense shall be remembered ceaselessly. Once more, when you’ve got him in your top-five, there are many arguments to be made for that.
8. Donovan McNabb
This can be a controversial determination, given most Eagles followers view McNabb’s profession as a disappointment, however earlier than Hurts’ Tremendous Bowl profitable season final yr, McNabb was essentially the most achieved QB in franchise historical past. Together with Andy Reid, McNabb kick-started this 25-year run of success with 5 journeys to the NFC Championship Recreation and a Tremendous Bowl look. After all, followers keep in mind 4 NFC title recreation losses (that is earlier than the Eagles routinely blew groups out within the NFC Championship Recreation each time, youngsters), however his physique of labor can’t be denied. The second-best QB in Eagles historical past deserves his spot on this checklist.
9. Zach Ertz
Too excessive for Ertz? He was essentially the most worthwhile weapon of Carson Wentz and Nick Foles in the course of the 2017 run to the Tremendous Bowl, he caught the go-ahead landing cross, set the Eagles’ single-season receptions file, and was typically beloved by everybody within the group. Of all of the pass-catchers this workforce has had during the last 25 years (A.J. Brown, Devonta Smith, Desean Jackson, Alshon Jeffrey), Ertz had the most important influence and the most effective profession out of all of them. An underrated legend.
10. Brian Westbrook
Once we consider all-time Eagles, Westbrook is never talked about, however he was actually the heartbeat of these early-years Andy Reid offenses. When Westbrook was harm forward of the NFC Championship Recreation in opposition to the Panthers, the Eagles offense went within the tank. Westbrook was as dynamic as a receiver out of the backfield as he was a runner, and when he lastly obtained the possibility to be the each down again, he took full benefit of it. The numbers could let you know LeSean McCoy was a greater runner, however Westbrook was extra integral to essentially the most profitable run in franchise historical past than McCoy was throughout his prime in Philly.
5 who simply missed: A.J. Brown, David Akers, Troy Vincent, Hugh Douglas, Jeremiah Trotter
