Philadelphia Eagles: 6 Best Head Coaches in team history

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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 16: Philadelphia Eagles fans react to beating the Los Angeles Rams 20-23 in a d game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 16, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

4. Buck Shaw (1958-1960)

Buck Shaw was in Philadelphia for a good time, not a long time. In fact, Philly would be the final stop in Shaw’s nearly 40-year coaching career. Although his time with the Eagles was short, it was definitely sweet. He took over the team after a last-place finish and quickly made moves to put a championship team together.

In short time, the Eagles went from worst to first, defeating Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers in the 1960 NFL Championship game. The only time Lombardi lost in the playoffs as head coach of the Packers. For his efforts in the 1960 championship run, Shaw was named NFL Coach of the Year by the AP and UPI.

Though his time with the Eagles was short, Shaw showed what a difference a strong, smart coach could have for a team, primarily when he trades for quarterbacks like Norm Van Brocklin. He also changed football by starting to move away from the idea of the two-way player, made famous by the “Sixty-Minute Man” Chuck Bednarik.

Shaw was ahead of his time even in his final days roaming a sideline, and for that, along with winning a championship, he is ever deserving as being named one of the all-time great Eagles coaches.

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