Three Philadelphia Eagles that never should have left the franchise

Wide Receiver, 2004-2005

One of the largest personalities of his era, Terrell Eldorado Owens wasn’t in Philadelphia very long, but few Eagles have ever had such an impact. After eight spectacular and controversial years with the San Francisco 49ers, Owens wanted out. As was often his story, the exit brought with it drama.

After being traded from the Niners to the Baltimore Ravens, T.O. filed a grievance. Fortunately, before it could be heard, cooler heads prevailed. San Fran eventually sent Owens to Philadelphia for a conditional fifth-round pick and defensive end Brandon Whiting.

In 2004, Philly fans were desperate for a receiver to complement Donovan McNabb. Terrell Owens seemed to be the missing piece. He caught a 67-yard touchdown on the very first snap of his first preseason game. His 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns helped carry Philadelphia to Super Bowl XXXIX; a game that saw him catch nine passes for 122 yards while playing on a still-healing broken leg.

After the Super Bowl, Owens believed he deserved a new contract. He may have been right, but his antics and animosity towards McNabb became such a problem that coach Andy Reid suspended him after seven weeks and released him before the 2006 season.

Could Terrell Owens have handled things better as an Eagle? Absolutely. Should the Eagles have taken better care of someone that carried the team to the game’s biggest stage? Probably. Could Donovan have swallowed his pride some? That may also be correct.

Regardless, it’s hard not to think about what could and should have been in 2005. This could have been one of the most successful runs by someone in an  Eagles jersey.