17. Dick Vermeil
Dick Vermeil joined the Eagles as their head coach in 1976, and despite not having a first round pick until 1979, he willed them to a Super Bowl appearance in 1981. They’d lose. Then, Vermeil would claim ‘burnout’, but he’d reemerge in 1997 to take over as the Saint Louis Rams coach.
That would lead to a victory in Super Bowl XXXIV. His coaching career would end after a four-year run with the Kansas City Chiefs, but when he was done, he was so loved that he eventually would be placed in both the Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame and the St. Louis Football Ring of Honor.
Might he one day wind up in Canton?
18. Pete Retzlaff
Before there was ‘Slash’ aka Kordell Stewart with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there was Pete Retzlaff, a split-end, halfback and tight end hybrid out of South Dakota State. Philly’s ‘Slash’ made five Pro Bowls (1958, 1960, 1963–1965). He was a two-time First-team All-Pro (1958, 1965) and a two-time Second-team All-Pro (1964, 1966), and his number ’44’ was retired by ‘The Birds’.
He’s also a member of the team’s Hall of Fame. As far as numbers go, they stand the test of time. Count them up, 452 career receptions, 7,412 yards, and 47 touchdowns.