Greatest Eagles Teams of All-Time
Football is the ultimate team game that features the largest roster in all of professional sports. While it’s fun to talk about the greatest individual players of all-time, a blend of talent and team chemistry is what truly matters and often determines if championships are won.
In the fourth installment of my G.O.A.T. series for The Philly Special Show, I’m going to rank the top five greatest teams in franchise history. The Eagles have had plenty of success in recent years, which will make it difficult to narrow down this list following several Super Bowl runs.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts once famously said “money is nice, championships are better.” The main goal in the NFL is to win the Super Bowl, and the Eagles have now reached the mountaintop twice. With that in mind, here are my top five greatest Eagles teams of all-time:
5) 1960 Eagles
The Eagles went on a dominant run in 1960, which included a nine-game winning streak. Philadelphia’s run was also memorable as it allowed the franchise to send out head coach Buck Shaw, quarterback Norm Van Brocklin, and linebacker Chuck Bednarik the right way.
On November 20, 1960, Bednarik created one of the greatest photographs in NFL history, by landing “The Hit” against New York Giants running back Frank Gifford. Bednarik’s vicious tackle fueled the Eagles on an epic run that resulted in a matchup against the Green Bay Packers in the 1960 NFL Championship.
While the Packers were led by legendary head coach Vince Lombardi, the Eagles weren’t afraid of the moment. Philadelphia defeated Green Bay by a final score of 17-13, as Van Brocklin was named the game’s MVP. It would prove to be the only championship loss of Lombardi’s historic career.
4) 2004 Eagles
Before the Eagles were dubbed the “Dream Team” by Vince Young in 2011, there was another stacked team in Philadelphia. The 2004 Eagles were loaded with talent after adding Terrell Owens, Jevon Kearse and Jeremiah Trotter in the offseason. Yet unlike the team in 2011, this squad was actually successful on the field.
Philadelphia’s new trio joined an already-stacked Eagles roster led by quarterback Donovan McNabb, who guided the Eagles to a 13-2 record in his 15 starts. McNabb established a nearly unstoppable connection with Owens, who hauled in 77 receptions for 1,200 receiving yards and 14 receiving touchdowns.
While the offense was full of stars, Philadelphia’s dominant defense is what made this team so special. The unit was led by first-team All-Pro safety Brian Dawkins, as the Eagles finished the regular season with a record of 13-3. Philadelphia would ultimately fall short against the New England Patriots and Tom Brady in Super Bowl 39.
3) 2022 Eagles
Similar to the 2004 Eagles, the 2022 team was just as impressive and also loaded with talent. Jalen Hurts led Philadelphia to a scorching hot start to the regular season, as the Eagles won their first eight games. Hurts appeared well on his way to winning the MVP award.
Yet a late-season injury forced Hurts to miss two games and likely hindered his candidacy. Despite Hurts’ injury, Philadelphia’s historically good pass rush finished the year with 70 sacks and helped secure the top seed in the NFC. The Eagles continued their dominance in the postseason, as Philadelphia embarrassed the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers on the way to Super Bowl 57.
While Hurts went toe-to-toe with Kansas City Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes, it wasn’t enough. Philadelphia’s defense struggled to slow down Kansas City’s offense during the most crucial moments of the game. Despite Hurts’ admirable performance, it was a bittersweet ending to Philadelphia’s impressive season.
2) 2017 Eagles
A wise man once said that you never forget your first and for that reason, Eagles fans certainly won’t forget what the team did in 2017. The Eagles provided fans with an unbelievable ride that included every emotion possible culminating in the one of the best storybook endings in NFL history.
Following a 10-1 start to the regular season, Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz appeared to be the front-runner to win MVP. Yet he suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 14, which many expected to derail Philadelphia’s season. Eagles backup quarterback Nick Foles had other plans, as he stepped up on the NFL’s biggest stage in Super Bowl 52.
After escaping with a close win against the Atlanta Falcons in the Divisional Round, Foles and the Eagles embarrassed the Minnesota Vikings in a 38-7 statement win. It led to a highly anticipated Super Bowl rematch against Brady and the Patriots. Philadelphia embraced the underdog role as Foles was somehow able to out-duel Brady and win the first Super Bowl in franchise history.
1) 2024 Eagles
Following a disastrous performance in 2023, the Eagles made several changes to the coaching staff and added key players such as Saquon Barkley, Zack Baun and others in the offseason. While a 2-2 start to the regular season was certainly concerning, Philadelphia took advantage of an early bye week in Week 5.
Philadelphia would lose just one game after the bye week, finishing the season on a miraculous 17-1 stretch, which included a 10-game winning streak. Barkley nearly broke Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record, while Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio led a dominant unit that shutdown opposing offenses. Philadelphia truly grew into one of the most fearsome teams in the NFL.
The Eagles ran through the NFC and it was finally time for revenge against Mahomes and the Chiefs in Super Bowl 59. Unlike their previous matchup, Philadelphia’s defense had Mahomes frazzled, as he was once again outperformed by Hurts on the NFL’s biggest stage.
Philadelphia absolutely embarrassed Kansas City, winning by a final score of 40-22. Hurts put the game on ice with “The Dagger” to DeVonta Smith and was named Super Bowl MVP. It was a dominant, wire-to-wire performance that cemented the 2024 Eagles as the best team in franchise history.