| |
 Philadelphia
Eagles, professional football team and one of five teams in the
Eastern Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) of
the National Football League (NFL). The Eagles play at Veterans
Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and wear uniforms of
green, silver, black, and white. The team began play in 1924 as
the Frankford (Pennsylvania) Yellow Jackets. Owners Bert Bell
and Lud Wray moved the team to Philadelphia in 1933 and changed
its name to the Eagles after the symbol of the National Recovery
Administration, which had been created as part of the New Deal.
The Eagles captured three NFL titles from 1948 to 1960, earning
consecutive crowns in 1948 and 1949 under head coach Earle
“Greasy” Neale. His potent offensive squad starred future Hall
of Fame members end Pete Pihos, halfback Steve Van Buren, and
center Chuck Bednarik, who also played linebacker for the
defensive unit.
|
Led by wide receiver Harold Carmichael
and quarterback Ron Jaworski,
Philadelphia played in Super Bowl XV in
1981 but lost to the Oakland Raiders.
The club qualified for the playoffs six
times from 1988 to 1996, with lineups
starring wide receiver Fred Barnett,
quarterback Randall Cunningham, running
backs Herschel Walker and Ricky Watters,
and defensive end Reggie White. In 1933
Bert Bell and Lud Wray bought the NFL’s
Frankford Yellow Jackets and moved the
team to Philadelphia. Renamed the
Eagles, the club struggled, posting
losing records in each of its first ten
seasons. By the mid-1940s, however, the
Eagles had improved. From 1947 to 1949,
Greasy Neale piloted the club to three
consecutive Eastern Division crowns and
two league titles. Steve Van Buren, a
mainstay of these teams, captured three
of his four NFL rushing titles from 1947
to 1949. Pete Pihos led the league in
receptions three times during his career
and in receiving yards twice. Chuck
Bednarik missed just three games in 14
seasons in Philadelphia. After posting
five losing records in the 1950s, the
Eagles won their third NFL crown in
1960. Quarterback Norm Van Brocklin,
playing his final season, was named the
league’s most valuable player (MVP)
after passing for nearly 2500 yards. Van
Brocklin’s favorite targets, wide
receivers Tommy McDonald and Pete
Retzlaff, helped Philadelphia rally to
defeat the Green Bay Packers in the
championship game. |
|
 |
|
|
In
1961 Van Brocklin was replaced at
quarterback by another eventual Hall of
Fame member, Sonny Jurgensen. In his
first full season Jurgensen threw for a
league-record 3723 yards, breaking the
previous mark by more than 600 yards.
(The record is now held by Dan Marino of
the Miami Dolphins, who threw for 5084
yards in 1984.) Nearly a third of
Jurgensen’s yards went to McDonald, who
led the league in yardage (1144) and
touchdowns (13). From 1962 through 1977
Philadelphia employed six different head
coaches, but the team could not remain
an NFL force. Although the Eagles
boasted individual stars in running back
Timmy Brown, wide receiver Harold
Jackson, quarterback Roman Gabriel, and
linebacker Bill Bergey, the Eagles did
not reach the playoffs until 1978, Dick
Vermeil’s second year as head coach.
From 1978 to 1981 Vermeil guided the
Eagles to four consecutive playoff
appearances. |
|
 |
|
In 1981 the team advanced to the
Super Bowl, where they lost to the
Oakland Raiders 27-10. After a
six-year playoff drought,
Philadelphia qualified for the
postseason four times from 1988 to
1992. Guided by former Chicago Bears
defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan,
the Eagles developed a slashing
offense centered around Randall
Cunningham, who became a skilled
passer and also emerged as one of
the greatest running quarterbacks in
NFL history. Cunningham was the
Eagles’ top rusher each year from
1987 to 1990; in 1990 he threw for
30 touchdowns and rushed for more
than 1000 yards. Under head coach
Ray Rhodes, Philadelphia earned Wild
Card berths in the playoffs in 1995
and 1996. 1981 Super Bowl XV Lost to
Oakland Raiders, 27-10.
|
|
|
|
|
