Philadelphia Eagles: 30 greatest players in franchise history

While he only played four years with the Eagles, Jim Ringo is one of the greatest centers in NFL history. Though the bulk of his career came with the Green Bay Packers, we can’t overlook how he closed out his Pro Football Hall of Fame career while with The Birds. After 11 incredible years with the Packers, Ringo would join Philadelphia ahead of the 1964 NFL season.

Ringo’s trade to the Eagles was one of great intrigue. Some argue his insistence on a raise in pay with an agent showing up to the Packers’ facility was startling enough to force an angered Vince Lombardi to trade him. However, there is a good chance that Lombardi was looking to move his center for some time before the 1964 trade. Ringo went to Philadelphia along with fullback Earl Gros. Going Green Bay’s way was linebacker Lee Roy Caffey and a first-round pick that eventually became running back Donny Anderson.

Ringo was already a seven-time Pro Bowler, a six-time All-Pro and a two-time NFL champion by the time he was dealt to Philadelphia. However, Ringo was not done starring in the middle of an NFL offensive line. He would make three additional Pro Bowls in his final four professional seasons with the Eagles. Ringo retired after the 1967 NFL season.

He made both the NFL’s All-Decade Teams for the 1960s and 1970s and is a member of both the Packers and Eagle’s respective halls of fame. In 1981, Ringo would finally earn Canton enshrinement. His Pro Football Hall of Fame classmates include Red Badgro, George Blanda and Willie Davis. Ringo would go on to have a long second NFL career as a coach, mostly with the Buffalo Bills. However, his 3-20 record in two seasons as the Bills head coach in 1976 and 1977 was flat-out terrible.