Inside the Iggles
FanSided

Philadelphia Eagles: Every jersey number’s best player in team history

By Geoffrey Knox

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 04: A Philadelphia Eagles fan reacts prior to Super Bowl LII against the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 04: A Philadelphia Eagles fan reacts prior to Super Bowl LII against the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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5 Nov 1989: Halfback Keith Byars of the Philadelphia Eagles in action during a game against the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers won the game 20-17. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport
5 Nov 1989: Halfback Keith Byars of the Philadelphia Eagles in action during a game against the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers won the game 20-17. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport /

44. Pete Retzlaff

Pete Retzlaff constructed a resume that most pro football athletes would kill for. Try five Pro Bowl nods (1958, 1960, 1963–1965). Not only that, Retzlaff is a two-time First-team All-Pro (1958, 1965), a two-time Second-team All-Pro (1964, 1966), and the Eagles retired his number 44 and put him in their team Hall of Fame.

If they think he’s the best to wear the number 44, who are we to disagree?

43. Darren Sproles

All nine of Roynell Young‘s NFL seasons were played in an Eagles jersey, including one that got him voted to the Pro Bowl in 1981.

He comes in a close second to Darren Sproles, who’s played in 59 regular-season games and counting in Philly, earning three Pro Bowl nods (2014–2016) and two First-Team All-Pro nods in 2014 and 2015.

42. Keith Byars

Keith Byars loved playing for the Eagles, and you could see that when you watched him play. That’s one of the reasons Eagles fans love him right back. Byars is a member of the Eagles 75th Anniversary Team, and there isn’t one Eagles fan or former player who would disagree with his addition.

41. Randy Logan

Randy Logan played for the Eagles from 1973 until 1983, racking up 23 interceptions over the course of his career, a career that saw him play in 159 straight games once.

40. Tom Brookshier

Get this. Tom Brookshier was taken in the tenth round of the 1953 NFL Draft. As crazy as that sounds, there were only 12 or 13 picks per round, so that only equates to him being taken 117th overall.

76 games and 20 interceptions later, no one will ever wear the number 40 again, and that’s because it was retired in Brookshier’s honor in 1989. If the Eagles don’t think anyone else is good enough to wear the number 40, why should any of us?

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