PHILADELPHIA - It's hard to believe that the 25 years in the 21st century have been by far the most successful in Eagles history.
In fact, the Eagles have ranked right up there with the best teams in the NFL during that span.
Since 2000, the Eagles have played in 35 playoff games, winning 20. Only the New England Patriots have played in and won more postseason games (42 and 30). During that time, the Eagles won the only two Super Bowls in team history and played in two others.
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The Eagles have played in eight conference championship games this century, again second only to the Patriots. The Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills are the only teams with seven playoff appearances in the last eight seasons.
And there are no signs of slowing down after the Eagles beat the Chiefs 40-22 in the most recent Super Bowl.
Needless to say, the Eagles have had this success because of several legendary players during that time, including at least a few Hall of Famers and a few others who will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Here, then, are the best players at every position in our compilation of the Eagles' All-21st Century team:
Jalen Hurts should get this honor in a few more years. After all, Hurts is the only quarterback in Eagles' history to take the Birds to two Super Bowls. But McNabb gets the nod here because he took the Eagles to four straight NFC Championship games, and is the franchise leader by a wide margin in yards passing (32,873), completions (2,801) and passing touchdowns (216). Hurts, meanwhile, just wins. His .787 winning percentage (37-10) since the start of 2022 is second only to the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes.
Saquon Barkley had by far the best season for a running back in Eagles history. But that 2024 campaign, when Barkley had 2,005 yards rushing, was only his first as an Eagle. McCoy, meanwhile, had set the standard over six seasons before he was inexplicably traded. McCoy is the Eagles' all-time leading rusher (6,742 yards), and he had set the franchise records for yards rushing in a season (1,607) and in a game (217). Barkley shattered both marks this season, with 255 yards against the Rams. Just like with Hurts, Barkley should surpass McCoy in three to five seasons. But for now, Shady gets the nod.
Jackson is third all-time in receiving yards with 6,512, captivating Eagles fans as one of the most prolific deep threats in NFL history. Brown has only been with the Eagles for three seasons, but he already ranks 1st and 2nd in Eagles history for receiving yards in a season (1,496 and 1,456). DeVonta Smith and Jeremy Maclin have been excellent, too, and Terrell Owens had a 2004 season for the ages before getting kicked off the team midway through the 2005 season.
Ertz still holds the NFL record for receptions by a tight end in a season with 116, set in 2018. He ranks second in Eagles history in receptions, just 10 short of Harold Carmichael's record of 589. Ertz is also fifth in team history with 6,267 yards. Dallas Goedert is a distant second, held back somewhat by Ertz's prime years from 2018-21, and Goedert's own injuries.
One thing linking the Eagles from the turn of the century through today is the lineage of legendary left tackles. While Tra Thomas set the standard through the first part of the decade, Jason Peters took it to another level after the Eagles traded for him in 2009. Peters is tied for second in team history with 7 Pro Bowl selections. Peters, 43, will be a certain Hall of Famer whenever he officially retires. He was on the Seahawks' practice squad last season.
Dickerson has been selected to three Pro Bowls in his first four seasons, already the most in Eagles history for a guard. And Dickerson, who's only 26 years old, has many more ahead. He already edges out Evan Mathis, who was mostly a backup before signing with the Eagles as a free agent in 2011. Mathis was selected to two Pro Bowls in his four seasons with the Eagles.
The Eagles have never had a center like Kelce, who is among those tied with Peters with 7 Pro Bowl selections. Kelce, a sixth-round pick in 2011 and starter from Day 1, retired after the 2023 season. He is a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he's eligible. His replacement, Cam Jurgens, was selected to the Pro Bowl in his first season as a starter at center. But he's got a long way to go to pass Kelce in Eagles' lore.
Honorable mention: Cam Jurgens
Brooks was one of the best free agent signings of the Howie Roseman era. He was a prolific player from the day he arrived in 2016, forming one of the best right-side tandems with right tackle Lane Johnson for five seasons. Brooks was selected to three Pro Bowls in his first four seasons in Philly.
Honorable mention: None
Johnson has been one of the best right tackles in the NFL ever since he was drafted No. 4 overall in 2013. He has been selected to six Pro Bowls. Even at 35 years old, Johnson could break the Eagles' record for Pro Bowl selections held by Chuck Bednarik with eight.
Honorable mention: Todd Herremans
Cole and Graham rank Nos. 2 and 3 in Eagles history in sacks with 85.5 for Cole and 76 for Graham. Graham played all 15 of his seasons with the Eagles, the longest-tenured player in team history. Hugh Douglas is sixth in sacks with 54, while Sweat had 2.5 sacks alone in the Super Bowl win over the Chiefs.
Honorable mention: Hugh Douglas, Josh Sweat
Cox spent 12 seasons as a force in the middle for the Eagles before retiring after the 2023 season. Cox is fifth all-time in team history in sacks with 70. Simon had 32 sacks in five seasons, from 2000-05, and was a key part of the Eagles' NFC Championship teams. Jalen Carter will soon pass Simon. But for now, the edge goes to Simon.
Honorable mention: Jalen Carter
This position isn't as deep as some of the others. Still, Trotter was a force for the Eagles' during the success in the early part of the 2000s. Zack Baun gets the nod over Mychal Kendricks after Baun's standout season in 2024 which he had 151 tackles and 3.5 sacks, was selected to the Pro Bowl, named All Pro and finished among the five finalists for defensive player of the year. Kendricks was solid over his six seasons in Philly, but he never had a season close to Baun's.
Honorable mention: Mychal Kendricks
Slay was a lockdown corner from the day the Eagles traded for him in 2020, and was selected to three Pro Bowls in five seasons. Samuel was also selected to three Pro Bowls, and he led the NFL with 9 interceptions in 2008. Even though Samuel played only four seasons in Philly, he ranks 10th in team history with 23 interceptions. Samuel gets the nod over Troy Vincent, whose best season with the Eagles came in 1999 with 7 INTs.
Honorable mention: Troy Vincent
Dawkins is by far the best safety in Eagles history, and is enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Jenkins is a distant second, but there's no one close to him either. Dawkins is tied for first in team history in interceptions with 34, and six of his eight Pro Bowl selections came from 2000-08. Jenkins was a leader and three-time Pro Bowl selection.
Honorable mention: C.J. Gardner-Johnson
Akers held the Eagles record for games played until Brandon Graham and Jason Kelce passed him, and Fletcher Cox tied him at 188. But Akers is the Eagles' all-time scoring leader with 1,323 points, more than 400 ahead of Jake Elliott.
Honorable mention: Jake Elliott
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Jones gets the slight edge here because he is third in Eagles history in punts with 374, with a solid gross of 45.4. Braden Mann has the top two grossing averages for a season in his two seasons in Philly. Another season or two and Mann will be No. 1.
Honorable mention: Braden Mann
Sproles was electric, with 4 punt returns for a touchdown. He gets the nod over Brian Westbrook and DeSean Jackson, who each had memorable game-winning touchdown returns against the Giants.
Honorable mention: Brian Westbrook, DeSean Jackson
Dorenbos is tied with Harold Carmichael for the most consecutive games played in Eagles history with 162, six ahead of Jason Kelce.
Honorable mention: Rick Lovato
No one has more wins (130) or seasons coached (14) with the Eagles than Reid. He inherited a 3-13 disaster in 1998, and soon after began a run of five NFC Championship games, a Super Bowl berth and 19 playoff victories. Nick Sirianni has by far the best winning percentage in team history at .706 through four seasons, and his teams have reached the playoffs in each season. He is the only coach in team history to lead the Eagles to two Super Bowl berths, winning one.
Honorable mention: Nick Sirianni
Contact Martin Frank at [email protected]. Follow on X @Mfranknfl. Read his coverage of the Eagles' championship season in "Flying High," a new hardcover coffee-table book from Delaware Online/The News Journal. Details at Fly.ChampsBook.com