Philadelphia Eagles: 6 Best Head Coaches in team history

1. Earle “Greasy” Neale (1941-1950)

Earle Neale was the original superstar football head coach in Philadelphia. Neale, who took over the Eagles before the United States entered World War II, showed the first signs of success for the franchise after taking over for Bert Bell, who has the worst winning percentage in team history to date.

Neale won nearly sixty-percent of his games in Philly, but more importantly than that, he gave the city its first taste of championship success with back-to-back titles in 1948 and 1949. For his first championship efforts, he was also named Sporting News Coach of the Year in 1948.

Although Neale did not take over until 1941, many don’t know that he also spent time in Philadelphia before ever coaching the Eagles, as he played for the Phillies for part of the 1921 season.

For his efforts and success on the sidelines for so many years, Neale was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1967, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1969, and the Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame in 1987, solidifying his place in both Eagles and football history forever. Earle set the precedence for what Eagles football should look like, and began a tradition that continues today.