Think of Tommy McDonald as the Philadelphia Eagles’ version of Marshall Faulk.
A flanker/halfback hybrid, the Philadelphia Eagles drafted Tommy McDonald with their third-round selection during the 1957 NFL Draft. Back in those days, that made him the 31st-overall selection of a 30-round process. Talk about different times…
McDonald went on to play 12 NFL seasons. His first seven were as a member of the Birds. Check out the numbers.
This six-time Pro Bowler (1958–1962, 1965) made five of those all-star teams with Philadelphia. He’s also a two-time First-Team All-Pro (1959, 1960).
On the playing field, he racked up 5,499 receiving yards and 66 touchdowns on 287 receptions in 88 career games with 72 starts. He added another 387 yards and another touchdown on 71 punt returns and 1,055 yards on 51 kick returns. He even threw a touchdown pass in 1962.
In addition to all of that, he earned Second-Team All-Pro nods in 1961 and 1962. In 1961, he led the NFL in receiving yards with 1,144.
He’s a two-time NFL receiving touchdowns leader (1958, 1961), an NFL Champion (1960), a member of the Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame, the Philadelphia Eagles 75th Anniversary Team, the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
He was a tough act to follow, and very time any Eagle throws the number 25 jersey on, you can best believe they’ve been reminded several times of just how good Tommy was. Just ask LeSean McCoy if you doubt that one.