Top 10 Philadelphia Eagles Players of All Time

The Philadelphia Eagles are one of the most historic and successful NFL franchises. They were established in 1933 and have had some great hall-of-fame players in their team history. Below are the top ten Philadelphia Eagles players of all time:

Who are the best Philadelphia Eagles football players of all time?

1. Chuck Bednarik
2. Reggie White
3. Brian Dawkins
4. Steve Van Buren
5. Donavon McNabb
6. Brian Westbrook
7. Harold Charmichael
8. Eric Allen
9. Jason Peters
10. Fletcher Cox

1. Chuck Bednarik

• 2x NFL Champion
• 10x First-Team All-Pro
• 8x Pro Bowler
• Pro Football Hall of Fame

Chuck Bednarik was the greatest Philadelphia Eagles player of all time. He was a linebacker and center from 1949 to 1962. Bednarik was drafted with the first pick in the first round of the 1949 NFL draft by the Eagles out of Penn. He is known as one of the last “60-minute men” in NFL history. He was extremely dominant on both sides of the ball, whether he was snapping the ball and blocking as the center or leading the defense at linebacker. He was the best player on two NFL Championship-winning teams.

Bednarik made ten First-Team All-Pro teams and was elected to eight Pro Bowls. He is a member of the 1950s All-Decade team and was selected to every anniversary team. Due to his legendary status, his jersey number 60 was retired by the Eagles, and he was made a member of their Hall of Fame and 75th anniversary team. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of fame. It is unclear how many tackles and sacks he recorded because those stats were not tracked in the 1950s. He had 20 interceptions and 21 fumble recoveries though and scored one touchdown.

2. Reggie White

• 2x NFL Defensive Player of the Year
• 8x First-Team All-Pro
• 13x Pro Bowler
• Pro Football Hall of Fame

Reggie White is second all-time in sacks and is widely considered one of the greatest NFL players of all time. He was a defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1985 to 1992. He was drafted with the fourth pick of the first round of the 1984 supplemental draft by the Eagles. He played college football at Tennessee and then two seasons with the Memphis Showboats before joining the NFL.

In his eight seasons with the Eagles, he made First-Team All-Pro six times and the second-team All-Pro once. He also made seven Pro Bowls. And led the NFL in sacks twice. He is a member of the 1980s and 1990s All-Decade teams and 75th and 100th anniversary teams. He got his jersey number 92 retired by the Eagles and made their team hall of fame and 75th anniversary team. He racked up 124 sacks with the Eagles and 794 tackles. He went on to play six seasons with the Packers and one season with the Panthers.

3. Brian Dawkins

• 4x First-Team All-Pro
• 9x Pro Bowler
• Pro Football Hall of Fame

Brian Dawkins was a safety for the Philadelphia Eagles for 13 seasons. Dawkins was drafted with the 61st pick in the second round of the 1996 NFL draft by the Eagles out of Clemson. He went on to play for the Eagles from 1996 to 2008. In that time, he made First-Team All-Pro four times and made the Pro Bowl seven times.

Dawkins made an immediate impact when he was elected to the AP All-Rookie Team. He was elected to the 2010s All-Decade team. The Eagles showed their respect for his accomplishments by electing him to the team’s hall of fame and selecting him for the 75th anniversary team. They also honored him by retiring his jersey number 20. Dawkins intercepted 34 passes while forcing 32 fumbles and recording 1147 tackles. After the Eagles, he would go on to play three seasons with the Denver Broncos. He retired after the 2011 season and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

4. Steve Van Buren

• 2x NFL Champion
• 5x First-Team All-Pro
• Pro Football Hall of Fame

Stan Van Buren was a running back for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1944 to 1951. He was drafted with the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 1944 NFL draft by the Eagles out of LSU. He would go on to play eight seasons with the team. He had a very eventful eight seasons where he was selected to the first-team All-Pro five times and the second-team All-Pro two times.

Van Buren led the NFL in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in four of his eight seasons, including a 1945 season where he led the league in scoring. He was a member of the 1948 and 1949 Eagles teams that won the NFL Championship. He rushed for 5,860 yards and 69 touchdowns in his career with the Eagles. After he retired, Van Buren was honored with an induction to the Eagles Hall of Fame and a spot on their 75th anniversary team. They also retired his number 15 jersey. The league honored Van Buren by naming him to both their 75th anniversary team and 100th anniversary team. He was also inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

5. Donavon McNabb

• 6x Pro Bowler
• Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame
• Philadelphia Eagles 75th Anniversary Team

Donovan McNabb was a talented quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. He was drafted with the second overall pick in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Eagles. He would go on to play 11 seasons with the team from 1999 to 2009. He was known as one of the more elite quarterbacks in the entire league because of his ability to escape the pocket and make plays. He was named to six Pro Bowls.

McNabb was not given any career-defining accolades, but he was the leader of some great Eagles teams that dominated the NFC East. In 2004, he led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl in 25 years. They ultimately lost, and McNabb played very badly, but there is a big conspiracy about McNabb’s health, as there were reports of him throwing up on the sideline. Unfortunately, injuries derailed McNabb's career, and he was never really the same after that Super Bowl run. He ended up throwing for 4,746 yards and 216 touchdowns in his time with the Eagles. He would go on to play for the Minnesota Vikings and the Washington Redskins before retiring after the 2011 seasons. The Eagles honored him with selections to their team hall of fame and 75th anniversary team. They also retired his number 5 jersey number.

6. Brian Westbrook

• First-Team All-Pro (2007)
• 2x Pro Bowl
• Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame

Brian Westbrook was a running back for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2002 to 2009. He was drafted with the 91st pick in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Eagles out of Villanova. He would go on to play eight seasons with the Eagles. Robinson was a very consistent runner and had an impactful role with the team for six of the eight seasons.

Westbrook really stood out in 2007, when he was named to the first-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowl. This was because he recorded 2,104 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns. He was also a Pro Bowler in 2004 when helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl. He finished his career with the Eagles, recording 9,785 all-purpose yards and 66 touchdowns while only fumbling the ball 12 times. Westbrook’s ability to run the ball and catch passes led to a great career where he was nominated to the Eagles team hall of fame and the team’s 75th anniversary team.

7. Harold Charmichael

• 4x Pro Bowler
• 2x Second-Team All-Pro
• Pro Football Hall of Fame

Harold Charmichael was a wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles whose combination of size and speed had not been seen before. He was selected with the 161st pick in the seventh round of the 1971 NFL draft by the Eagles out of Southern. He would play 13 seasons with the Eagles from 1971 to 1983. His 6’8 height and lengthy arms separated him from other receivers. He put up 8,978 yards and 79 touchdowns with the team. He also made four Pro Bowls and was selected to two second-team All-Pro teams.

In 1973, Charmichael broke out and led the NFL in receiving yards and receptions. He was a great player on and off the field because he won the NFL Man of the Year in 1980. Unfortunately, Charmichael suffered many injuries and could not be consistent his whole career. It was enough for him to be selected to the 1970s All-Decade team. It also led to the Eagles selecting him to their team hall of fame and 75th anniversary team. He was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

8. Eric Allen

• First-Team All-Pro (1989)
• 6x Pro Bowler
• Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame

Eric Allen was a cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles for seven seasons from 1988 to 1994. He was selected with the 30th pick in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft by the Eagles out of Arizona State. Allen was very dominant in pass coverage. He was selected to three All-Pro teams, including one first team in 1989. He made five Pro Bowls with the Eagles and one with the Saints later in his career.

Allen immediately emerged as a great player, getting selected to the All-Rookie team. In 1993, he set the record for the most interceptions returned for a touchdown in a single season. He finished his career with the Eagles, recording five defensive touchdowns and 34 interceptions. He was selected to the Eagles 75th anniversary team and the team hall of fame.

9. Jason Peters

• Super Bowl Champion (LII)
• 2x First-Team All-Pro
• 9x Pro Bowler

Jason Peters spent twelve seasons with the Eagles, becoming one of the best offensive linemen in NFL history. He went undrafted in the 2004 NFL draft but was signed by the Buffalo Bills after a solid collegiate career at Arkansas. He originally played tight end but switched to offensive tackle when he made the NFL. He showed a ton of promise under the contract he earned with the Bills and was traded to the Eagles in 2009.

Peters was responsible for protecting the blind side of various Eagles quarterbacks in the 2010s. He was a major contributor to the 2017 Eagles team that won the Super Bowl. He made seven of his nine Pro Bowls with the Eagles and made the All-Pro team six times, including two first-team honors. He was selected as the left tackle for the NFL’s 2010s all-decade team. Peters is currently still playing for the Cowboys, and he has very high odds of making the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

10. Fletcher Cox

• Super Bowl Champion (LII)
• First-Team All-Pro (2018)
• 6x Pro Bowler

Fletcher Cox is a defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles. He was drafted with the twelfth pick in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft by the Eagles out of Mississippi State. He has been a very dominant interior defender and leader of the defense for the past eleven seasons. He is the only active Eagle on this list.

Cox began his career with the honor of being selected for the All-Rookie Team. He never slowed down and has made six Pro Bowls so far. He was also named first-team All-Pro in 2018 to pair with three additional second-team honors. He was one of the best players on the 2017 Super Bowl team. He was selected as one of the defensive tackles on the 2010s All-Decade team. So far in his career, he has recorded 65 sacks and 486 tackles. His age is catching up to him, but he is still a very impactful player for the Eagles.

Honorable Mentions

• Al Wistert
• Alex Wojciechowicz
• Bill Bergey
• Bob Brown
• Pete Pihos
• Pete Retzlaff
• Randall Cunningham
• Ron Jaworski
• Tom Brookshier
• Tommy Mcdonald
• Wilbert Montgomery
• Zach Ertz

FAQ