2006 Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles had a disappointing season in 2005, ending up with 6 wins and 10 losses. Just the same, the Eagles had plenty of loyal fans, thousands of whom bought tickets and showed up at Lincoln Financial Field to cheer them on. In fact, their paid attendance averaged well over 67,000 tickets sold per game.

You’ll want to order your tickets, if only to check out the Eagles’ highly rated secondary: Lito Sheppard, Sheldon Brown, Brian Dawkins, and Michael Lewis. Coach Andy Reid has good reason to believe 2005 was an aberration, and QB Donovan McNabb is eager to prove it.

Some Philadelphia Eagles history: 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, Earle "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.

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.

In 1961 Van Brocklin was replaced as 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 was broken 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. Led by wide receiver Harold Carmichael and quarterback Ron Jaworski, Philadelphia played in Super Bowl XV in 1981 but 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.

The Eagles returned to the Super Bowl in 2005 (Super Bowl XXXIX) but lost to the New England Patriots, 24-21.