6 Best Philadelphia Eagles that only spent one year in town

Well, any Philadelphia Eagles fan knows Buddy knew nothing about offense.

The Philadelphia Eagles have had about 20 players who have eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing, and our next one-season wonder is on that list. In 1985, running back Earnest Jackson rushed for 1,028 yards and five touchdowns. He also added another 26 receiving yards and a touchdown through the air, and then, just like that, he was gone.

This wasn’t the first time that Jackson had eclipsed the 1,000-yard plateau. During the previous season in 1985, while what was then the San Diego Chargers, Jackson rushed for 1,179 yards and added eight touchdowns for good measure. He was selected to the Pro Bowl that year.

You would think, with that kind of success in back-to-back years, that he’d get the leg up on another season, but Buddy Ryan had other plans. He wasn’t a fan and actually was quoted as saying “He can’t run. He can’t block, and he can’t catch. He gained 1,000 yards because he ran the ball 1,000 times”. Ryan also had his eyes set on NFL Draft prospect Keith Byars, so to make room, Jackson was waived.

Earnest Jackson would go on to be signed by the Steelers, where he would finish his career and put up decent numbers, but he never put together another 1,000-yard rushing campaign. Then again, neither would Byars. Even still, can you imagine what would have happened if Ryan had kept both Jackson and Byars around for that 86 season? It’s definitely fun to think about.