Flashback Friday: Eagles CB Sheldon Brown scores TKO on Reggie Bush

Regardless of how many stars we see that come through the Philadelphia Eagles organization on the offensive side of the ball, there’s one thing that makes Birds fans, the City of Brotherly Love, and the media happy above anything else. There’s nothing that compares to the adrenaline rush that comes from knowing that this team is mean and nasty on defense.

Think about it. The final score of the Body Bag Game may never be remembered, but no one has a hard time remembering when the Birds knock a few guys out.

Remember when the Eagles played the Saints and Reggie Bush got annihilated?

Throughout their history, it’s been many of the Eagles stars on defense that have catapulted themselves to football immortality in the minds of Birds fans everywhere.

Reggie White, Brian Dawkins, and Chuck Bednarik aka ‘Concrete Charley’ come to mind. Then, there are the guys that are borderline Hall of Famers like Eric Allen. Don’t forget about Seth Joyner and Troy Vincent either. Knock a few guys out and your place in Eagles lore is secure.

That brings us to Sheldon Brown. He’ll never be mentioned as one of the greatest Eagles ever. He’ll never be a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but ask anyone about him, and they’ll talk your head off for hours on end.

When you think about Brown, one thing comes to mind, especially whenever the Eagles are scheduled to play the Saints. Everyone brings up that time he went Hulk Smash on Reggie Bush during a divisional game back in January of 2007. Let’s jog that memory if you’re a little hazy.

While facing 1st and ten from their own 40-yard line, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees swung a pass out to Bush in the flat. It was a common play in the Saints book, one NFL fans had seen many times before. Let’s just say that Brown had done his homework and knew what was coming.

Brown and the football arrived at Reggie Bush simultaneously. The ball wouldn’t stay, and just like that Sheldon Brown received his badge of honor and assured himself that he’d be remembered by Eagles fans forever Click here if you’d like a visual.

It’s rare that you see a blow that violent where a player is still in total control of his body. Brown’s hit wasn’t just vicious. It was legal, and that alone makes it more iconic. He didn’t cost his team. He set a tone.

Throw this one in the time capsule with Bednarik’s hit on Frank Gifford, Malcolm Jenkins’ shot on Brandin Cooks, and Brian Dawkins’ knockout shot on Michael Vick (or Dawk’s shot on Alge Crumpler or pretty much anyone else). If you want to fire up a defense in the meeting room, any one of those moments should get the blood flowing.