Philadelphia Eagles: Nine Biggest Bonehead Moments in Team History
Like any other franchise, the Philadelphia Eagles have had their fair share of blunders and head-scratching maneuvers over the years. Of course, it seems especially easy to find fault in one of the few teams that has yet to win a Super Bowl.
As we look back through the Eagles' less-than-perfect history, it becomes apparent how much this franchise has grown over the bumbling early years and, unfortunately, how much further it needs to progress.
Fortunately, Andy Reid and the other current members of the Eagles' front office have kept the team relevant over the past several years, but how might the franchise's history have differed if the following nine boneheaded moments hadn't happened?
We may never know the answer, but at least we can look back and laugh.
9. Punting Away the 2006 Divisional Playoffs
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The 2006 season was a magical one for the Eagles. Jeff Garcia unexpectedly filled in admirably for an injured Donovan McNabb, leading the 5-6 Eagles to a playoff spot with a five-game winning streak. The Eagles then added fuel to the fire with a 23-20 win over the Giants in the Wild Card round.
Matched up against the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Divisional round, the Eagles kept the game close until the fourth quarter, when Deuce McAllister scored on an 11-yard pass from Drew Brees to give the Saints a 27-21 lead.
David Akers' subsequent field goal and Darren Howard's fumble recovery put a forced overtime within reach as Garcia began to drive the Eagles downfield. The drive made it to the Saints' 44 yard line before stalling to a 4th-and-10 situation.
The first attempt was a completion to Hank Baskett, which would have netted a first down if it weren't for offensive guard Scott Young's agonizing false start penalty. The Eagles were then left with a 4th-and-15 situation with only 1:57 left in the game.
Then, Andy Reid decided to punt.
Perhaps he was hoping for a Vince Papale-esque moment where one of the Eagles' special teamers would score the game-winning touchdown. What exactly the Eagles head coach was thinking during that last play call may never be known, but the result was appallingly predictable.
The Saints recovered the punt, sat on the ball, and ran out the clock to win the game 27-24.
8. Letting Randall Cunningham Walk
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In their unfortunate tradition of letting franchise players walk, the Eagles lost Philadelphia icon Randall Cunningham after his post-retirement comeback in 1997. Although they still had the rights to Cunningham, the Eagles opted not to bring him back and allowed him to sign with the Vikings, relying instead on Rodney Peete to head the quarterback position.
In his three years in Minnesota, Cunningham demonstrated that, despite his injury history, he had plenty left in the tank. He put up career numbers in 1998 while leading the Vikings to a 15-1 season and earning his fourth Pro Bowl selection.
The Eagles, meanwhile, suffered through three seasons without a playoff appearance, during which they cycled through such unremarkable quarterbacks as Peete, Bobby Hoying and Ty Detmer.
7. Trading Up to Draft Jerome McDougle
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There have been many draft busts in the long history of the Philadelphia Eagles, but few so spectacular as the selection of defensive end Jerome McDougle with the 15th overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft.
After trading away both his 30th and 63rd overall picks, Andy Reid selected a player who would go on to contribute virtually nothing over the next four years. In the 33 games where he wasn't recovering from one of his plethora of injuries, McDougle accumulated a scant 35 tackles and three sacks.
Crippled through the rest of the draft, the Eagles ended up with tight end L.J. Smith and a handful of players who barely lasted more than a season with the team.
If it weren't for the fact that the team hit an absolute gold mine in the undrafted free agent pool that year, picking up Jamaal Jackson, Quintin Mikell, Greg Lewis and Roderick Hood, Jerome McDougle's selection would be much higher on this list.
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6. Letting Reggie White Slip Away
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As the Eagles' all-time sack leader, Reggie White was considered by many to be the greatest player in franchise history. Over eight seasons with the team, White accumulated an eye-popping 124 sacks and seven Pro Bowl selections.
However, in the summer of 1993, White's contract with the Eagles expired and he became the most sought-after free agent that year. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, White was reportedly very open to returning to the team, but then-owner Norman Braman declined to get involved in new contract talks.
Because the Eagles dragged their heels when it came to re-signing him, White was eventually scooped up by the Green Bay Packers. He went on to appear in another six Pro Bowls and racked up a franchise record 68.5 sacks, leading the Packers to two Super Bowls.
The Eagles responded to White's departure by going 8-8 in 1993 and failing to qualify for the playoffs for the next two years.
5. The 2008 Tie with the Bengals
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Arguably one of the most frustrating non-playoff games in Eagles history, the 2008 tie with the Cincinnati Bengals will forever frustrate the fans unfortunate enough to witness it.
After embarrassing performances on both sides of the ball involving numerous penalties, failed trick plays and shanked punts, David Akers' fourth quarter field goal managed to send the game into overtime with a 13-13 score. The play by both teams in overtime proved to be just as horrendous as their play in regulation, as neither team found a way to get the ball near the endzone.
Finally, with the overtime clock winding down, Bengals kicker Shayne Graham lined up for a 47-yard game-winning field goal attempt. As the ball sailed wide right, Donovan McNabb and his fellow Eagles began celebrating, thinking that they had just been granted a second shot at victory. One final heave downfield from McNabb later, and the game was over.
It was a fitting end to what many accurately described as a game where neither team deserved a win. In a post-game interview, McNabb, who had thrown a season-high three interceptions that game, was famously quoted as saying that he didn't know NFL games could end in a tie:
"I didn't know that. I've never been part of a tie. I never even knew it was in the rule book. I was looking forward to getting the opportunity to get out there and try to drive to win the game. But unfortunately with the rules, we settled with a tie."
(via The Associated Press)
Whoops.
4. Buddy Ryan Cutting Cris Carter
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For a player drafted in the fourth round of the 1987 Supplemental Draft, Cris Carter certainly made an impact on the NFL. In his three short seasons with the Eagles, Carter racked up an impressive 19 touchdown receptions over 89 receptions.
In fact, Carter's multitude of touchdowns led then-head coach Buddy Ryan to start the phrase (which famed broadcaster Chris Berman later coined) "All he does is catch touchdowns."
However, due to a falling-out with Ryan stemming from Carter's alleged drug usage, the young receiver was cut during the 1990 preseason.
If only Ryan and Carter had been able to work out their differences.
Carter went on to join the Minnesota Vikings where, over the next 11 years, he became their all-time leader in receptions (1,004), receiving yards (12,383) and touchdowns (110) while garnering eight Pro Bowl selections. Many consider him to be a strong candidate to eventually receive an induction into the Hall of Fame.
Ryan was fired from his head coaching job after the 1990 season, making Carter's release one of his final bonehead moments.
3. Trading Up to Draft Mike Mamula
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As far as draft-day disasters go, Ray Rhodes' selection of Mike Mamula with the seventh overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft ranks among the worst.
Due to his eye-catching Combine stats, the previously little-known defensive end out of Boston College became an overnight sensation. He became the embodiment of the phrase "workout warrior," in the sense that his play on the field didn't nearly live up to the hype his workout performances generated.
In six seasons as an Eagle, Mamula failed to achieve stardom, instead accumulating a very pedestrian 209 tackles and 31.5 sacks over 64 starts.
The icing on the cake was the price Rhodes and the Eagles had to pay for Mamula: their twelfth overall draft pick and two second round picks, which the Buccaneers subsequently used to draft perennial Pro Bowlers Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks.
2. Letting Their Super Bowl XXXIX Title Slip Away
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In the Eagles first Super Bowl appearance since their 1981 loss to the Raiders, the team performed admirably throughout the first three quarters, keeping the Patriots at bay.
Then, in the fourth quarter, the team seemed to fall apart. The defense allowed running back Kevin Faulk and kicker Adam Vinatieri to put the Patriots ahead by 10, forcing the Eagles to scramble with only 5:40 left in the game.
Unfortunately, saying that Donovan McNabb did not execute the ensuing hurry-up offense properly is an understatement. Although the drive ended in a touchdown pass to Greg Lewis, the maddeningly slow pace with which the Eagles moved down the field caused many to question if McNabb had gotten seriously ill (or simply couldn't handle the pressure) during the drive. Regardless, the fact that the team didn't start the drive with a no-huddle offense was the catalyst that sparked the entire downhill slide.
After eating up a full 3:52 of the fourth quarter and faced with less than two minutes left in the game, the Eagles could only watch helplessly as the Patriots ran through Philadelphia's remaining time outs.
The Patriots would go on to win the game 24-21.
1. Trading Sonny Jurgensen to the Redskins
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Contrary to Chris Cooley's belief, the Eagles' 2010 trade of Donovan McNabb to the Redskins did not end up being one of the "top ten biggest bonehead trades in the history of the NFL" (at least on the Eagles' end). That particular honor goes to the Eagles' 1964 trade of Sonny Jurgensen to those very same Redskins.
After taking over Philadelphia's starting quarterback job in 1961, Jurgensen looked to have a promising career ahead of him. He earned All-Pro honors in his first year as a starter, passing for an NFL record 3,723 yards and tying the NFL record with 32 touchdown passes.
Then, after one injury-riddled season in 1962, the Eagles inexplicably gave up on Jurgensen, trading him after the culmination of the 1963 season to the rival Redskins for quarterback Norm Snead, who already had two Pro Bowl selections under his belt.
Unfortunately, the trade didn't work out as evenly as it had initially appeared. After taking over as the starting quarterback in Washington, Jurgensen went on to accumulate 22,858 passing yards and 179 touchdowns over 11 seasons, as well as garnering four Pro Bowl and four All-Pro selections. He was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983, and remains one of the most beloved Redskins in franchise history.
The Eagles, on the other hand, went on to suffer a 14-year playoff absence at the hands of Snead and a handful of forgettable starting quarterbacks, not becoming a relevant team again until the rise of Ron Jaworski.
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