Norm Van Brocklin helped the Eagles topple Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers in the 1960 NFL Championship Game.
Before Norm Van Brocklin arrived in Philadelphia, he played nine seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. There, he earned six trips to the Pro Bowl and won one NFL Championship in 1955.
In 1958, Van Brocklin was traded to the Eagles for a first-round selection. In year one, Philly’s new quarterback threw for 2,409 yards and 15 touchdowns (which isn’t bad for that time), but 20 interceptions look bad in any era of football. Fortunately, it didn’t affect him too much as he earned another trip to the Pro Bowl.
His best season as Eagles quarterback came in the 1960 season when he led the team to a 10-2 record. He threw for 2,471 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions during the regular season, won league MVP, and earned another trip to the Pro Bowl. That season is best remembered for how it ended though.
Van Brocklin led the Eagles to a 17-13 come-from-behind victory over Vince Lombardi’s mighty Green Bay Packers in the 1960 NFL Championship Game. Van Brocklin threw for 204 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in that one.
Bragging rights for that one remain as the Birds are the only team to ever beat a Vince Lombardi-led Packers team in the playoffs.
Van Brocklin wasn’t the only quarterback who wore number 11 during an Eagles championship run. Tommy Thompson did so while playing anchoring the offensive line at the center position in 1948 and 1949, and you probably heard. Philly had another signal-caller who made the number 11 jersey famous not too long ago.