Eagles All-Quarter Century Team: Brian Dawkins, Jason Kelce, Jalen Hurts lead 53-man roster

The Philadelphia Eagles have been one of the most successful franchises of the 21st century, winning two Super Bowl titles in the last eight seasons and appearing in four Super Bowls overall. Since 2000, Philadelphia ranks second in the league in playoff games (35) and playoff victories (20), trailing only the Patriots. The Eagles also have the third-most postseason berths in the NFL this century, while leading the NFC in conference championship appearances with eight. 

Philadelphia has won 11 NFC East championships since 2000, while finishing with 18 winning seasons during that span. A third of the Eagles’ seasons since 2001 have resulted in conference championship games, a massive change from the previous century, when the franchise went to just one conference championship game and one Super Bowl since the merger (1980). 

While the Eagles watched their NFC East rivals win championships, Philadelphia has set the standard for the division. The Eagles are only the second franchise in the salary cap era (since 1994) to win multiple championships with a different coach and quarterback combo. This all started with Andy Reid turning the franchise around in 2000, and the Eagles using his philosophy for roster building to complete a Super Bowl championship formula years after Reid.

With great championships comes great players that played for the franchise, which brings us to the quarter-century team. The Eagles had some excellent players that have suited up for the franchise over the years, making the quarter-century team selections even tougher to form. For the quarter-century team, a 53-man roster was compiled with an offense, defense and special teams — along with two players who had an asterisk because they shined in multiple positions. 

There were some snubs and a starting lineup that will be revealed later.

Quarterback (3)

Hurts was going to make the quarter-century team regardless of his Super Bowl LIX victory, a game which he won the league MVP. The only quarterback to take the Eagles to two Super Bowls, Hurts has the NFL record for most total touchdowns by a  quarterback in his first two Super Bowls (seven). The Eagles have made the playoffs every year with Hurts as the starting quarterback and have a 46-20 record with Hurts as the starter. The .697 win percentage is fifth best by a starting quarterback since the 1970 merger.  

Hurts has upped his game in the postseason, completing 66.8% of his passes with 10 touchdowns to three interceptions with a 95.4 passer rating. He also has 10 rushing touchdowns in the postseason — an NFL record for a quarterback. Hurts is the only player in NFL history with 10 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns in the postseason. 

McNabb is the franchise’s all-time passing leader, throwing for 32,873 yards and 234 touchdowns in 11 seasons with the Eagles. He made six Pro Bowls and finished second in MVP voting in 2000, leading the Eagles to five conference championship games (98-62-1 record as a starter). 

Foles had arguably the greatest postseason by any Eagles quarterback, and still has the best completion percentage in NFL playoff history (68.1%). The Super Bowl LII MVP, Foles threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns with a 106.1 pass rating in the game, while also catching a touchdown pass on the “Philly Special” — one of the greatest plays in league history. This roster isn’t complete without Foles on it, especially since he led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl title as a backup quarterback. 

Running Back (3)

The Eagles had plenty of talent at running back over the years, including three game changers for the franchise over the past 25 years. McCoy is the franchise’s all-time leading rusher, rushing for 6,792 yards and 44 touchdowns with the Eagles. He was the single-season rushing champion in 2013 (1,607 yards) and led the league in rushing touchdowns (17) and scrimmage touchdowns (20) in 2011. McCoy was a first-team All-Pro selection twice and made three Pro Bowls with the Eagles. 

Westbrook has 5,995 yards rushing and 37 rushing touchdowns in Philadelphia, making two Pro Bowls, having two 1,000-yard seasons, and earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2007. He led the NFL with 2,104 yards from scrimmage in 2007, as Westbrook finished with 9,785 yards from scrimmage and 66 touchdowns in his eight seasons in Philadelphia. 

Barkley has the NFL single-season rushing record (including playoffs) with 2,504 — his first season with the Eagles no less. The catalyst toward the Super Bowl LIX victory, Barkley also has the NFL single-season record in yards from scrimmage (including playoffs) with 2,857. Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season, the ninth player in league history to rush for 2,000 yards. He also had seven touchdown runs of 60-plus yards last season (including playoffs), an NFL record for a season and three more than the next-highest player. Three touchdown runs of 60-plus yards came in the postseason, a feat no other player has accomplished. 

Fullback (1)

The fullback position was prevalent in the 2000s, so it was appropriate to have a fullback on this team. Weaver played just one full season with the Eagles, earning a first-team All-Pro honor in 2009 as a receiving threat out of the backfield. A torn ACL and nerve damage in Weaver’s knee ended his career in the first game of the 2010 season. 

Wide Receiver (5)

There’s no denying how good Brown has been since the Eagles traded for him in 2022, as he has three consecutive 1,000-yard and All-Pro seasons in his three years with the franchise. He owns the Eagles’ single-season record for receptions by a wide receiver (106) and the single-season record by any player in an Eagles uniform (1,496). Brown and Smith have formed the best wide receiver duo in Eagles history, as Smith has two 1,000-yard seasons in four years with the Eagles (4,011 yards and 27 touchdowns). He also caught “The Throw” for the dagger in Super Bowl LIX. 

For the majority of the Andy Reid era, the Eagles failed to get a true No. 1 wideout until Owens arrived. Owens had 77 catches for 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns in his 14 games with the Eagles in 2004, breaking his fibula and returning for Super Bowl XXXIX — where he had nine catches for 122 yards on one healthy leg. Jackson has the most receiving yards by any player this century with the Eagles (6,512) and is one of the greatest deep-ball receivers in NFL history. He had three 1,000-yard seasons with the Eagles, three Pro Bowl selections, and was a second-team All-Pro in 2009 — while also being one of the most dangerous returners of his era. 

Maclin finished with 4,771 yards and 36 touchdowns in his five seasons with the Eagles, including 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2014. 

Tight End (3)

The toughest position to choose for this quarter-century team was tight end. Ertz was a no-brainer, as he has the single-season record for receptions in a season by a tight end (116) while catching the game-winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl LII (along with a fourth-and-1 reception earlier on the winning drive). Ertz has 6,267 yards receiving with the Eagles (most by a tight end and second this century) and the most receptions this century by an Eagles player (579). He also made three Pro Bowls.

Celek was a longtime stalwart at tight end for the Eagles, a leader in the locker room for years. His 398 catches for 4,998 yards are third-most this century by an Eagles player. Lewis made three Pro Bowls for the Eagles from 2000-2002 and was a second-team All-Pro in 2000.

Tackle (4)

Philadelphia has several tackles who are going to make the Hall of Fame this century, starting with Peters — who earned seven Pro Bowl and two first-team All-Pro selections in his 11 years with the Eagles. He was also a member of the All-Decade Team in the 2010s. Johnson has two Super Bowl titles as the anchor of dominant offensive lines, earning six Pro Bowl and two first-team All-Pro selections as one of the dominant right tackles in the game. 

Thomas and Runyan were dominant tackles with the franchise from 2000 to 2008, with Thomas making three Pro Bowls and an All-Pro team while Runyan made an All-Pro team in 2002. Runyan was one of the best right tackles in the game during his era. 

Guard (4)

The Eagles have been blessed with dominant guard play over the years. Brooks was one of the best guards in football in his six seasons in Philadelphia, making three straight Pro Bowls from 2017-19. Dickerson is one of the best left guards in the game today, making three Pro Bowls in his four seasons and winning a Super Bowl championship on the best offensive line in football. 

Andrews was dominant in his short stint in Philadelphia, making two Pro Bowls and a first-team All-Pro in his five seasons. Mathis was selected to two Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro selection with the Eagles as well. 

Center (1)

There’s only one choice for this, and that was the best Eagles player to play this century to date. Kelce is one of the best centers in NFL history and one of best players in Eagles history. 

Kelce earned all six of his first-team All-Pro selections in his 30s, the most ever by any player in his 30s (Jerry Rice and Bruce Smith are second with five). He went out at the top of his game, earning three first-team All-Pro honors in his final three seasons. Kelce and Dwight Stephenson are the only two players in the Super Bowl era to earn three consecutive first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections in each of their final three seasons. Only Jim Otto (10) and Bulldog Turner (seven) have more first-team All-Pro selections at center than Kelce, who was a leader on the Super Bowl LII championship team. 

Edge (5)

The Eagles have a history of excellent pass rushers who carried over into this century. Graham played all 15 seasons in Philadelphia, winning two Super Bowl titles and having 76.5 sacks while being a longtime leader in the locker room. Cole had the most sacks this century for the Eagles with 85.5, having four double-digit sack seasons and two Pro Bowl selections.

Douglas was the most dominant pass rusher, making three straight Pro Bowls from 2000-2002 and two All-Pro selections (first-team All-Pro in 2000). He had 37.0 sacks in that three-year stretch. Reddick made two Pro Bowls in his two seasons in Philadelphia, totaling 27.0 sacks in that span and was instrumental in the Eagles making Super Bowl LVII.

Sweat had a case for Super Bowl LIX MVP based on his 2.5 sacks in the game, totaling 43.0 sacks in his seven seasons with the team. His Super Bowl LIX performance was worth a spot. 

Defensive Tackle (4)

Cox was one of the first players thought of when coming up with the quarter-century team. One of the best defensive tackles of his era and presenting a strong Hall of Fame case, Cox made six Pro Bowls and four All-Pro teams with the Eagles (first-team All-Pro in 2018). An All-Decade selection in the 2010s, Cox had 70 sacks in his 12 seasons with the Eagles.

Carter has only been in Philadelphia for two seasons and warrants a selection on the team. His dominance against the Rams in the divisional round of the 2024 playoffs sealed a victory and set the Eagles up for their Super Bowl LIX title. Carter is already a Pro Bowler and All-Pro in just his second season. Simon had 32 sacks in his five seasons with the Eagles with one Pro Bowl appearance while Hargrave made a Pro Bowl and had 23 sacks in his three seasons with the Eagles. 

Linebacker (2)

The Eagles haven’t had a great history of off-ball linebackers this century, but the two who made this team were exceptional. Trotter Sr. was one of the best MIKE linebackers in football, making four Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams (first-team All-Pro in 2000) in his three stints with the Eagles. His return in 2004 helped pave the way to Super Bowl XXXIX. 

Baun arguably had the greatest individual season for a linebacker in franchise history in 2024. The first player to have 150+ tackles and 5+ forced fumbles in a season, Baun was a first-team All-Pro in 2024 and the catalyst toward the Eagles having the No. 1 defense and dominating the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. 

Cornerback (5)

• Troy Vincent, Darius Slay, Bobby Taylor, Asante Samuel, Lito Sheppard

The Eagles have been blessed with great cornerback play over the last 25 years, making this group arguably the deepest position on the roster. Vincent was one of the best cornerbacks in the game with the Eagles, making the Pro Bowl five consecutive years and was a first-team All-Pro in 2002. Taylor and Vincent arguably were the best cornerback duo in football in Jim Johnson’s defense, as Taylor had 19 interceptions and one Pro Bowl appearance with the Eagles. 

Slay was a leader on the Eagles defense for his five seasons in Philadelphia, winning a Super Bowl and making three Pro Bowls. Sheppard was a playmaker at cornerback after the Vincent-Taylor era, making two Pro Bowls and earning a first-team All-Pro selection in 2004. 

Samuel had 23 interceptions in his four seasons with the Eagles, making three Pro Bowls and leading the NFL in interceptions with nine in 2008 (also a second-team All-Pro selection). He also had two interceptions in the 2008 postseason, a key contributor to the Eagles’ surprise run to the NFC Championship game as a No. 6 seed. 

Safety (5)

The most obvious choice for the entire quarter-century team was Dawkins, the lone Hall of Famer who played the majority of his career in Philadelphia this century. Dawkins earned four first-team All-Pro selections with the Eagles, seven Pro Bowls, and is tied for the most interceptions in franchise history with 34. He also was a member of the 2000s All-Decade Team.

A three-time Pro Bowler in Philadelphia and leader on the Super Bowl LII team, Jenkins played every snap on the Eagles defense in five of his six seasons with the Eagles. The Eagles went to two Super Bowls with Gardner-Johnson at safety, as he had 12 interceptions in 28 games with the team. McLeod was a reliable starter for six seasons in Philadelphia and a leader on the Super Bowl LII team while Mikell was a two-time All-Pro at safety (and an excellent special teams player). 

Kicker (1)

While it’s hard to omit Jake Elliott for his postseason success and his clutch kicks in an Eagles uniform, Akers was one of the best kickers in the game when he was in Philadelphia. He made five Pro Bowls in his 12 seasons in Philadelphia, while making five All-Pro teams (first-team All-Pro in 2001). There weren’t many kickers in the league more reliable than Akers, who was still kicking well into his 30s. 

Punter (1)

The Eagles had some good punters this century, but the punter on the Super Bowl team gets the nod. Jones had 36.9% of his punts with the Eagles land inside the 20-yard line, and averaged 40.5 net yards per punt — the best marks of his career. He was a stalwart for this team at punter in his five seasons in Philadelphia. 

Kick Returner (1)

Easy to forget the impact Mitchell made on those Eagles teams in the early 2000s, as he changed games returning kicks and punts. Mitchell had two kick returns for touchdowns and two punt returns for scores in an Eagles uniform, averaging 25.3 yards per kick return and 11.7 yards per punt return (better than his average in Washington). Mitchell was still one of the best returners in the game even in the latter stages of his career. 

Punt Returner (1)

Sproles was a wrecking ball for the Eagles returning punts, having four punt returns for touchdowns combined in 2014 and 2015 — the most in the league. He made three consecutive Pro Bowls as a punt returner and was an All-Pro selection in 2014, all of which were in his 30s. 

Long Snapper (1)

Can’t have a quarter-century team without Dorenbos on it, especially the impact he had in the locker room for his 11 seasons in Philadelphia. Dorenbos was also one of the best long snappers in the game, making the Pro Bowl twice and playing in 162 consecutive games. The Eagles gave Dorenbos a Super Bowl ring after winning Super Bowl LII, months after it was discovered he had an aortic aneurysm following a trade to the Saints and had to retire. 

Special Teamers (3)

A  53-man roster wouldn’t be complete without elite special teamers, which the Eagles have been blessed to have several over the last 25 years. Reese was long considered one of the best special teams players in the game, even making the Pro Bowl in 2004 for his play. Maragos was a special teams stalwart during his four years with the Eagles and one of the leaders in the locker room on the Super Bowl LII team (even if he was out with a knee injury). Mikell was an excellent special teamer in the Andy Reid years and ended up making two All-Pro teams as a safety (which he makes this list as well).