What is the RPO in Football?

The RPO was developed from the triple option which became successful in college football. The premise is simple, the power is in the quarterbacks hands as he can hand the ball off, pass the ball or even keep it and run depending on how the defense is playing. When you look at this play design it seems simple on the surface but there is a lot going on that makes this play successful.

First, the quarterback needs to be comfortable at reading a defense. Before the ball is snapped he needs to survey the defensive alignment and determine what type of defense they are playing. Is it a man-to-man or zone? The quarterback can get an indication of what type of alignment they are in by running some motion with their receivers and tight ends. If it’s determined that the defense is zone than an RPO play would be an ideal play call to run. Specifically a quick throw slant with the receivers attacking the zone and the quarterback getting the ball out fast.

Let’s now take a look at the running game benefits of the RPO. Once the ball is snapped the quarterback can read the linebackers and decide to hand it off or pass it. If the linebackers are fleeing backwards it opens up space for the zone run game. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles are arguably the best in the NFL today are running the RPO. With that said take a look at how the Commanders utilized this with their rookie Sam Howell.

As you can see in the highlighted play the Cowboys linebackers immediately retreat expecting pass and this opens up a huge hole for the running back. Like Hurts, Howell has the mobility to run which makes this an ideal offense to build around him. Even though it’s most deadly when the quarterback has mobility it can also be effective for those that lack the ability to run.

Riding the RPO to the Super Bowl

In 2017 the Philadelphia Eagles were riding high with Carson Wentz playing at an MVP level. It all changed when Wentz suffered a serious knee injury against the Rams and Nick Foles took over. Foles lead the Eagles to win the Super Bowl and he himself earned Super Bowl MVP. One of the reasons Foles was so successful was he utilized the RPO in an effective way.

When Foles took over for Carson Wentz then head coach Doug Pederson had to change the offense to accommodate his strengths. He knew that Foles lacked the mobility that Wentz had and needed to adjust. Pederson was one of the early adopters of the RPO and had a firm grasp on how to run it. The main points were to get the ball out of Foles hands quickly to neutralize the pass rush and attack the opposing secondary with the quick pass game. The results speak for themselves as Foles was incredibly accurate in this system and he now has a statue outside of Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Future of the RPO and can it be stopped?

One can expect that the RPO offense will become more and more popular in the coming years. The NFL is a copy cat league and with the recent success of Jalen Hurts and the Eagles I expect more teams to follow that blueprint. As we pointed out with Nick Foles the quarterback doesn’t necessarily need to be mobile for it to work. Ideally a team would have a mobile quarterback that would give them another option for the QB to run. With that being said many defensive coordinators will be game planning to stop the RPO. How can they counter it?

One option to contain the RPO is utilizing the 3-safety defense. In this system another safety is added to the defense while a defensive lineman is taken off the field. This type of scheme is best used in passing situations. Ideally the added safety provides better coverage ability but also the ability to attack in front of them on short passing situations. The defense will still have its challenges but this type of alignment gives them a better chance to be successful.

At the end of the day the RPO is here to stay and in today’s modern NFL it’s a must have in the offensive play book. The key will be how defenses adapt and try to contain it with different defensive packages. It will be a fascinating cat and mouse game for many years to come.

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Tennessee will be depleted in this game, meanwhile the Cowboys are playing for that #1 seed. Cowboys all the way in this one.

Dallas 27 Titans 10

Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons (-3.5)

Colt McCoy appears to be back this week but with Arizona out of the playoff hunt, I like the Falcons in this game. They are fighting for the division. On a positive note, Tyler Allgeier is playing extremely well for Atlanta.

Atlanta 24 Arizona 21

Cleveland Browns at Washington Commanders (-2)

Cleveland has been eliminated from the playoffs while the Commanders are hanging on to the 7th spot in the NFC. Ron Rivera yesterday announced his new starting QB in Carson Wentz. In recent reports, Carson Wentz took time to reflect on what he needs to work on if he did come back. I think we see a different Wentz in this game. Someone that is confident, understands the offense and will be asked to continue the same game plan they had with Heinicke. The only difference is that he may be asked to make some deep throws. The defense needs to step up in this game and stop their two playmakers, Chubb and Cooper. I want to see the defensive line disrupt Deshaun Watson and reek havoc.

Commanders 27 Cleveland 21

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions (-6)

This should be a good NFC North battle between the Bears and Lions. The Lions are still fighting for that 7th spot while the Bears have been eliminated. I think the Bears play well in this game and beat the Lions by a field goal.

Bears 20 Lions 17

Jacksonville Jaguars (-4.5) at Houston Texans

Jacksonville is a hot team right now and seem to be clicking at the right time. They’ll need some work to get in the playoffs but should be able to handle the Texans with ease.

Jacksonville 30 Texans 17

Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (-13.5)

The Broncos are in turmoil coming off an embarrassing 51-17 loss to the Rams. At this point, they will be playing a lot of backups and the Chiefs are playing for the #1 seed. Take KC by a lot.

Chiefs 33 Broncos 10

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots (-3)

Tua Tagovailoa is in concussion protocol and the reeling Dolphins have a tough matchup in New England. This will be a low scoring ugly kind of game with the Patriots winning.

Patriots 17 Dolphins 13

Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants (-6)

Giants have a firm hold on the 6th seed in the NFC but still would like to win the last two games. They shouldn’t have a problem this week against a Nick Foles led Colts team.

Giants 24 Colts 14

New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles (-6.5)

Philly will be short handed once again without Jalen Hurts. But that’s OK as Gardner Minshew looked pretty darn good last week. The Eagles are just too good on both sides of the ball even with Lane Johnson out. The Saints have a lot to play for but the Eagles are a complete team.

Eagles 31 Saints 17

Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3)

The Panthers are another team peaking at the right time while the Bucs look like they don’t even want to play in the playoffs. This should be another low scoring affair. My mind tells me take the Panthers but then I remember who the Bucs have at quarterback. Brady hasn’t been playing well but I think he does just enough to squeak out a victory in Tampa.

Bucs 20 Panthers 16

San Francisco 49ers (-7) at Las Vegas Raiders

Derek Carr was benched this week and the Raiders are out of the playoffs. At this point, they are evaluating players for next year. 49ers all the way.

49ers 28 Raiders 10

New York Jets (-1.5) at Seattle Seahawks

Mike White is back as the Jets starting quarterback but he’s playing in a tough city in Seattle. This is a do or die game for Seattle who is trying to get that #7 seed. I think Seattle plays their best game in a while and take care of the Jets in this one, even with Mike White.

Seattle 23 Jets 17

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (-3.5)

This should be a classic. Minnesota already clinching a playoff spot is just one game out for the #1 seed. The Packers have won three in a row and appear to be clicking. The fact that there in Green Bay has me swaying towards the Packers in this one. They are fighting for their playoff lives.

Packers 27 Vikings 23

Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Chargers (-6.5)

The Rams came alive last week, but not against the Chargers D this week. The Chargers D will have at least two takeaways and control this game.

Chargers 24 Rams 13

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (-3)

The Steelers are mathematically still alive in the AFC playoff race. The Ravens also need to play well to stay in the #5 spot. Huntley will once again be at the helm. Take the Ravens by a field goal.

Ravens 24 Steelers 21

Buffalo Bills (-1) at Cincinnati Bengals

Could this be a preview of the AFC Championship? Maybe, but the Chiefs might have something to say about that. Is this a statement game? The fact that the game is Cincinnati makes me think they have a slight advantage. In Buffalo, well that’s a different story. Take the Bengals in a close one.

Bengals 34 Bills 31

Last weeks record 10-6

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By: Jake Rajala

The Philadelphia Eagles were not expected to win a Lombardi trophy in the 2017-2018 season after Carson Wentz suffered a torn ACL and PCL in Week 14 against the Los Angeles Rams. Wentz held an incredible 11-2 record while throwing 33 touchdowns to 7 interceptions in the regular season. It was clearly a tall task for Foles to step in to replace the strong MVP candidate at QB and lead the Eagles to playoff success. Well, it was safe to say the Rocky Balboa-like underdog in Nick Foles rose to expectations in the QB1 chair.

Foles did a superb job of replacing Wentz in the Rams exhibition — as he unveiled a crucial completion to Nelson Agholor on 3rd and 7 with 1:45 remaining. After the Rams showdown, he tossed four touchdowns and led his team to a victory against the despised NY Giants. He would pick up his second victory as a starter against the Las Vegas Raiders the following week and then he only threw 11 pass attempts in the Eagles meaningless last game against Dallas — which resulted in an Eagles loss.

Foles wasn’t a rockstar in the Eagles divisional contest, but he did mop the floor against the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship game. He threw three touchdowns and ousted 26 completions on 33 pass attempts against a Vikings defense that did a nice job of rattling Drew Brees in the divisional round (as Brees tossed two interceptions and failed to throw a touchdown until the third quarter).

After Foles and the Eagles squashed opponents left and right without their field general in Carson Wentz, Foles would then prepare for the grand finale against Tom Brady and the loaded New England Patriots. The Pats were sincerely an AFC juggernaut heading into the big dance. The Brady bunch beat the 11-2 Pittsburgh Steelers late in the season and demolished the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round by a score of 35-14. They opened up as 4.5 point favorites against the Eagles. It would be an understatement to say Foles defied expectations and played lights out in Super Bowl LII — as he unleashed 3 passing touchdowns and even caught a touchdown from Tim Trey Burton on the infamous “Philly Special”. The player that nearly walked away from football deservedly won MVP of Super Bowl LII and earned a non-handshake from Tom Brady.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Indianapolis Colts are unequivocally one of the AFC NFL teams that progressed the most this off-season. It will be vital that the Colts improve their continuity in their OTAs, so Frank Reich’s new-look squad doesn’t leave any talent out on the field in September.

The Colts may have lots of talent on their roster, but it appears that one of their impressive profiles is already looking to cash in. Kenny Moore, who has 8 interceptions in the past two seasons combined, is MIA for OTAs. Moore wants to be the next CB to have a fat contract. It will be hard for the Colts to ignore the wishes thrown exhibited by the player that PFF named the Colts most underrated player.

The Colts will surely need a plan for Moore in the near future. The Colts DC Gus Bradley may be in shambles if he can’t have Moore and Stephon Gilmore in the same secondary.

The Colts QB situation is also an entertaining spot to keep an eye on, as Foles has recently opened up on his decision to join Indy. Per NBC Sports, Foles stated, “Frank’s been a great mentor to me since I was with him in Philadelphia. We’ve stayed in touch every single year a great bit. To have him as my head coach is special”.

Reich has to be delighted that his former QB is on the field competing under him on a two-year deal, but he surely isn’t hoping that they are expecting him to use his magic in the post-seasons ahead. The Colts will want their starting veteran signal-caller, who isn’t a Super Bowl champion, to make plays with JT and the young WR core, and aim to assist the Colts in returning to the Super Bowl.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Atlanta Falcons are one of the biggest sleepers in the NFC. The Falcons play in a division with Tom Brady and the LSU Saints, while they also abide in an NFC conference featuring countless young, dual-threat quarterbacks.

If Marcus Mariota or Desmond Riddler can be a modest dual-threat QB like the 2021 version of Jalen Hurts, the Falcons could win several plus games and keep Arthur Smith from meeting the chopping block. With that said, the NFC South team that isn’t completely rebuilding should still help their new QB and add more ammunition. Here are a few remaining free agent targets for the Falcons.

• Cole Beasley

I’d love to see the Falcons target a shifty WR to play across from the explosive Cordarralle Patterson and the rook Drake London. Cole Beasley is unequivocally one of the best diamonds in the rough among all available free agents. He has 82 receptions in each of the past two seasons and he could be a fine security blanket for Riddler or Mariota. The former Bill would also be very helpful when Patterson is lined up at RB. The Falcons could feel happy with Kyle Pitts, Drake London, Beasley, and Patterson in their offensive unit.

• Sheldon Richardson

The former Jets first-round pick Sheldon Richardson is a versatile maniac and he would be a superb fit for the Falcons defensive front. Richardson has seven sacks and 11 QB hits over the past two seasons combined. Richardson and Grady Jarrett would be an amazing tandem in the NFC South.

• Nick Foles

I believe the Falcons QB room is exciting, unique, and Riddler could truly have a high ceiling. Nonetheless, it may be wise to bring in another veteran QB. Nick Foles was recently released and he could be a nice, value signing. Mariota and Riddler aren’t a sure-fire quality starting QB and Mariota has had many injuries in the past. It may be wise for ATL to sign the Super Bowl LII champion before another team signs the Philly hero.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Kansas City Chiefs have unveiled a successful offseason at this midpoint of July. On offense, The reigning AFC Champions upgraded the offensive line unit by signing Joe Thuney in free agency and acquiring left tackle Orlando Brown in a trade from Baltimore Ravens. Andy Reid hasn’t made a lot of changes on the defensive side of the football this offseason, but the team surely expects young profiles like second year cornerback L’Jarius Sneed and second round pick linebacker Nick Bolton to transcend into defensive stars in the 2021 season. 

The Chiefs clearly have improved the roster and filled in weak spots with proven upgrades. With that being said, it’s very clear to see that the Chiefs are AFC favorites and Super Bowl contenders. 

Andy Reid, also known as Big Red, clearly has his team sitting pretty heading into training camp. The Chiefs are in a great position to start the regular season on fire and stroll into matchups against the Baltimore Ravens, divisional rival Las Vegas Raiders, and Buffalo Bills with loads of confidence. However, I see a slight, unique concern on this prometheus-like Chiefs squad.

The Chiefs backup QB amid the well oiled AFC juggernaut is the below average No. two QB, journeyman signal caller, Chad Henne. To sum up Henne’s lack of explosion and proven ability at this stage in his career, the 36 year old QB has thrown for a “combined five passing touchdowns in the past five years”. Henne with the backup role is especially a cause for concern because Mahomes has missed three games combined (and playoff gametime) in the last two seasons. 

I believe the number two QB position has been drastically underlooked given the other weak spots being prioritized, the cap situation, and the praises from the rooftops for Mahomes shadowing the interest in miniscule talent, or competition added to the QB room. However, I believe the Chiefs could blatantly use a more robust talent at the number two QB spot and there’s a perfect backup QB candidate for the Chiefs offense. 

Reid’s former QB Nick Foles, who resides in Chicago, would be the perfect addition to Chiefs nation. Foles has the experience of Reid’s high flying offense, he’s one of the top backup QBs in the league, and he would be a sizable upgrade over Henne.

The Chicago Bears drafted Justin Fields and signed veteran pocket passer Andy Dalton this offseason. Fields and Dalton are battling for the starting QB gig, while Foles is seen as the odd man out. CBS Sports rightfully states Foles is a potential trade candidate amid a two headed QB battle brewing between Dalton and Fields. Matt Nagy would expectedly ship out the veteran QB if the right offer comes along. Foles is ought to be worth a 6th round draft pick in such an exchange. 

New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys have been rumored to be trade candidates for the former stud Eagles QB. However, I believe the Chiefs would not only be the best fit for Foles, but it would ultimately be an underrated move by a Super Bowl contending team. 

Foles was a QB under Reid when he entered the league as a Eagles third round draft pick. After Foles spun out in Philadelphia, he then reunited with Big Red in Kansas City in 2016. Foles’s time in the Windy City could be coming to an end, so he should go back to his roots and reunite with the coach that drafted him into the league.

Foles may not be a consistent starting QB in this league, but he’s thrown 20 passing touchdowns in the past few seasons as a rotating starter, he’s been a Super Bowl MVP, and he’s only 32 years old. The Chiefs could get an experienced, yet young profile, in Foles. When Mahomes sat out the January third matchup against the Chargers, the Chiefs lost 38-21 and lacked any explosion. In the Super Bowl showdown, Mahomes was clearly rusty and not himself, which resulted in a crushing 31-9 loss. 

The Chiefs clearly look like a shell of themselves when the MVP Pat Mahomes is not in the lineup. And unfortunately, Mahomes has missed too much time in recent memory. The former Super Bowl MVP that edged out Brady on the big stage can be the Chiefs QB to step onto the plate, if Mahomes goes down with another wretched injury.

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By: Andy Davies

The Jacksonville Jaguars will go into the 2021 season with a new head coach. Urban Meyer is the new man to take charge, hoping to be the guy to change the fortunes of a franchise that has struggled for many years. After drafting the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck in Trevor Lawrence this year with the number one overall pick, the Jags fans have rarely gone into a season this excited. The Jags have twice gone into a season on the back of reaching an AFC Championship game but with the addition of Urban Meyer and Trevor Lawrence, there is a real buzz around the organization and in the city of Jacksonville. However, Urban Meyer has never coached in the NFL. He is one of the most successful college head coaches of his generation. Can he translate this to the pros?

His Journey As A Player

Meyer was a walk-on in college as a defensive back for the University of Cincinnati, despite initially being drafted by Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves in 1982. Injury would deny Meyer the chance to make it as a professional player, but he showed signs of his coaching credentials whilst in college. He would go back to college, heading to Ohio State University where he studied sports administration. He would get a degree at both colleges, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Cincinnati and sports administration at Ohio State, which will have no doubt helped him massively during his time as a football coach.

He may not have made it to the NFL as a player but he showed signs of his credentials as a coach during his time in college. Meyer would often spend additional time in practice, learning how to run them and handle substitutions. These all prepared him for life as a coach. As a player, he was part of a Cincinnati team that finished 2-9, with Meyer saying that it “wasn’t a great experience. We weren’t very good”. This will help him be prepared for a Jaguars team that won just one game in 2020. His former coach in Cincinnati David Currey spoke of his coaching abilities.

“He was not a great player but you could tell he would coach for a living. He was a student of the game, always trying to learn about things”.

The Start Of Meyer’s Coaching Career

He started his coaching career in 1985 as a defensive backs coach for St Xavier High School in Ohio before becoming a graduate assistant for two seasons with Ohio State. He spent two years with Illinois State as an outside linebackers coach in 1988 and a quarterback and wide receivers coach in 1989. He would then spend eleven years as a wide receivers coach, spending six with Colorado State and then five with Notre Dame before getting his first head coaching job in 2001 with Bowling Green.

The Early Stages Of His Time As A Head Coach In College

Meyer only spent two seasons with Bowling Green but would leave the team with a 17-6 record in charge. Highlights of his time there was the 56-21 win over rivals, the University of Toledo Rockets. Whilst with Bowling Green, he transformer their fortunes. He joined with the team having gone 2-9 in 2000 to then go 8-3 in 2001 and 9-3 in 2002, before leaving for the University of Utah.

Utah hired Meyer and was an instant success, going 10-2 and winning the Liberty Bowl in 2003. They would go 12-0 and win the Fiesta Bowl in 2004. Whilst with the university, he coached safety Eric Weddle and quarterback Alex Smith, who went on to be the number one overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. Smith would become an inspiration to everyone when he went on to win NFL Comeback Player of the Year during the 2020 season, returning the field after a life threatening injury in 2018.

Meyer openly claimed that he “made Utah competitive” during his time there. Morgan Scalley played as a defensive back under Meyer at Utah before going on to become a defensive coordinator with the college. He spoke of how Meyer changed everything.

“You could tell it would be different from the first session at the weight room. I never had butterflies going into a weight room and that had me going”.

Success With Florida and Ohio State

The Florida Gators then came calling in 2005, where Meyer would spend the next six seasons. He would coach notable players such as Cam Newton, Carlos Dunlap, Janoris Jenkins, Maurkice and Mike Pouncey, Tim Tebow and Trey Burton during his time in Florida as head coach. With an overall record 65-15 with the Gators, Meyer won Florida the Outback Bowl and the Sugar Bowl as well as winning two National Championships. He had a 5-1 record with Florida in Bowl games. Following a health scare, Meyer decided to leave the Gators after the 2010 seasons as he wanted to put focus on his family and “life away from the field”.

He soon returned to college football, becoming Ohio State head coach two seasons later. During his time with the team, he had an 83-9 record. He won one National Championship as well as a Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. His time there sadly ended in controversy, before leaving in 2018 due to health reasons. He spent time as a television analyst before accepting the Jacksonville head coaching position in January 2021.

His Coaching Style & The Spread Offense

Meyer is seen as someone who is competitive, fiery and resolute. His “juice” is said to fire his teams up, with his infectious personality an integral part of his head coaching success. During his time as an analyst, he often went through a breakdown of offensive systems, with one component of his style of coaching being his Spread Offense.

This is a scheme which features four receivers, resulting in the opposition defense attempting to cover these players. This system allows the run game to excel, with RPO and read option plays often used under this style of offense. In a modern day NFL, we are seeing plenty of college schemes being brought into the league. Meyer will look to bring this style of coaching into the NFL that worked so well for him in college.

Can He Transform The Jaguars?

This is not going to be an easy task for Meyer but as he showed in Utah, he is capable of turning a team around. Jacksonville has the talent on their roster but have never seemed to fulfil their potential. One of their aforementioned trips to the AFC Championship was in the 2017 season. Their defense named ‘Sacksonville” played a big part in their journey, where they had a ten point lead and were nine minutes away from reaching the Super Bowl. They would end up losing 24-20 in agonizing fashion.

The components of Sacksonville would slowly fall apart. Jalen Ramsey, Malik Jackson and Yannick Ngakoue all left in 2019, with both A.J. Bouye and Calais Campbell leaving in 2020. Quarterback Blake Bortles was seen as the player holding back the team, being released in March 2019 as the Jaguars looked to Nick Foles, who won Super Bowl 52 MVP just a year earlier. He was seen as the missing piece in the jigsaw but only lasted one season in a disappointing spell with the franchise.

Head coach Doug Marrone guided Jacksonville to the AFC Championship and a 10-6 record in his first full season as head coach of the franchise. Despite this, he couldn’t guide them to more than six wins in any of the three seasons that followed before being fired in January 2021. Issues off the field started to develop, with the players arrested on their annual trip to London in 2018 after an unpaid £50,000 drinks bill. Meyer won’t stand for any negative behaviour with his aforementioned fiery, competitive and infectious personality is likely to keep the players in check.

And then of course, there is Lawrence. One of the best college prospects in many years, he brings a lot of expectation with Jags fans pinning their hopes on him being the man to bring the good times to this franchise. He had not lost a regular season game since high school and reached the National Championship in two of his three seasons with the Clemson Tigers, winning one of those two.

He played 40 games in college and threw for 758 out of his 1,138 throws, giving him a 66.6 completion percentage. Across his time with Clemson, he threw for 90 touchdowns and 10,098 yards. Jacksonville have a real talent on their hands and they need to do everything they can to ensure he fulfils his tremendous potential.

Along with Lawrence, they have reunited their number one overall pick with his Clemson team-mate in running back Travis Etienne, who recorded 70 rushing touchdowns and 4,952 rushing yards during his four seasons in the ACC. He will join a running back room alongside James Robinson, who impressed highly in 2020 during his rookie year with 1,070 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns. Etienne is said to also be working out as a receiver, which gives variety to the offensive side of the ball. Former Detroit Lions wideout Marvin Jones has joined the team via Free Agency to add depth to a wide receiver room already including DJ Chark Jr and Laviska Shenault Jr. Second-round pick Tyson Campbell gives depth to the Jaguars secondary, as will 65th overall pick Andre Cisco. 45th overall selection Walker Little will add protection to the Jags offensive line. Myles Jack is a survivor from the Sacksonville era and alongside fellow linebacker Josh Allen, they have the potential to cause problems for the opposition.

Jacksonville have a long rebuild ahead and fans should not expect an immediate transformation. Doubts remain over new Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz and whether he can get back to his 2017 form. The Tennessee Titans’ defense is seen as their Achilles heels and the Houston Texans are a mess. They will likely see their quarterback Deshaun Watson leave, which will result in years of struggles and mediocrity. This is not the toughest division in the NFL and the Jags will want to capitalise on this, but the improvement will likely be in either year 2, 3 or 4 of the Urban Meyer Jacksonville era.

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By: Jacob Keppen

With the 2020 season in the rearview, the NFL is successfully two decades into the 2000s. The Eagles have seen a lot of change over the past 20 years, including their first-ever Super Bowl victory. With Carson Wentz being traded before the 2021 season, now is the perfect time to look back at the Eagles quarterbacks over the past 20 years. Looking strictly at quarterbacks who started a majority of games in a season (sorry for all you Jeff Garcia, Mark Sanchez, and Kevin Kolb fans out there) and judging off of the legacy left behind, here are the top five Eagles quarterbacks since the year 2000.

5: Sam Bradford

Well someone had to be number five”¦. A former first overall pick, Sam Bradford’s career with the Rams was hampered by constant injuries.. After looking like he was finally reaching his potential in 2013, Sam Bradford tragically tore his ACL. Bradford would tear that same ACL once again the next preseason, missing the entire 2014 season. 

In Chip Kelly’s mind, this meant it was the perfect time to trade for the former first overall pick. In a trade that was extremely puzzling and upsetting to the Eagles fanbase, the Birds traded fan favorite quarterback Nick Foles, a fourth, and a second-round pick(!) for Sam Bradford and a fifth. Bradford would have an extremely mediocre season with the Eagles, leading to Philadelphia trading up for Carson Wentz in the 2016 NFL Draft. Bradford would net a first round pick from the Vikings that would end up being Derek Barnett. It’s not great when the best moments of a player’s tenure were the players acquired as a result of getting rid of him. The Sam Bradford trade will go down as one of the worst moments from the maligned later years of the Chip Kelly era.

4: Michael Vick

Michael Vick was one of the league’s brightest young stars before it all was gone due to his involvement with a dog fighting ring in 2007. He was suspended for two years, and spent 21 months in a federal prison. Vick was given a second opportunity with the Eagles, signed by Andy Reid in 2009. The highlight of the short lived Vick era in Philadelphia was the 2010 season that saw Michael Vick lead the Eagles to the playoffs. Vick made the Pro Bowl and was named comeback player of the year. While he wouldn’t see the same level of success over the next two years, Michael Vick revitalized his NFL career and gave Eagles fans a fun year after a few years of quarterback controversy. 

I think the biggest lasting legacy of Vick was how he turned himself around with his chance in Philadelphia. He has done great work as an animal rights activist since his involvement in the dog fighting ring. Given a chance in Philadelphia, Michael Vick worked hard both on and off the field and turned a lot of fan’s negative opinions about him around.

3: Carson Wentz

Carson Wentz will go down as one of the most polarizing figures in Eagles history, despite being a pretty laid back person himself. Surprisingly, Carson Wentz had the 2nd longest tender in Philadelphia on this list. At the start of his career it looked like Wentz was going to be the face of the franchise for years to come. After an up and down rookie campaign, Carson Wentz made everyone believers in 2017. Many Philly fans still believe years later that he deserved to win MVP. Had he not been injured, I feel Carson’s career would’ve gone a lot different in Philadelphia, and he’d still be here today. Unfortunately, as well all know, Wentz tore his ACL against the Rams in week 13, and then watched backup Nick Foles capture the hearts of the fanbase and win Philadelphia their first Super Bowl. 

I don’t believe Carson Wentz, no matter how good he played, was able to ever truly escape quarterback controversy from some fans and media (a noticeable theme when looking at all of these quarterbacks). It’s a shame because if you look at his career, Wentz had a really good tenure with the Eagles before the implosion this past season. Wentz, despite only playing five seasons in Philadelphia, is fourth in: wins, touchdowns, completions, and passing yards.

When healthy, Carson Wentz looked like a hard working franchise quarterback that the team and fan base could rally behind. The problem was that he couldn’t always stay healthy, which might be unfair seeing how he can’t control his own health. This past season, his worst as a quarterback, certainly did not help his status amongst fans, with a good amount of the fan base already divided on him. He might be a divisive figure now, but I feel once there’s been some time removed from the trade we’ll all be able to really appreciate Carson’s time in Philadelphia.

2: Donovan McNabb

For years, Donovan McNabb was the guy in Philadelphia. The Eagles were at their most successful in the early 2000s. Donovan McNabb was one of the key components for their great run in the early 2000s that saw them reach four conference championships and a super bowl. McNabb holds virtually every record an Eagles quarterback can hold. He is the franchise record holder in: wins, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. 

McNabb was the gold standard for Eagles quarterbacks for years, and really looking back at it, he was the last true franchise quarterback for the Eagles. All of the quarterbacks listed above weren’t the long term solution for the Eagles at quarterback. Carson Wentz played the longest out of all of them for the Eagles, but he still didn’t have the longevity of guys from years past such as Ron Jaworski or Randall Cunningham. McNabb lasted longer than all of them. McNabb was truly the last franchise quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles and he accomplished everything there was to accomplish”¦ except bringing Philadelphia a Super Bowl.

1: Nick Foles

Nick Foles might not have the decorated career that Donovan McNabb had with the Eagles. He may not lead the Eagles in all of the statistical categories that Donovan does. He may not have started as many games or as many seasons as some of the players on this list. But in the end, Nick Foles won Philadelphia their first ever Super Bowl.

The goal of football is to win. Every team and every player in the NFL holds the same dream and goal, to hoist the Lombardi trophy at the end of the year. Philadelphia’s passionate fanbase waited years for another championship. “Just one before I die” was the saying of many older fans who had not witnessed a championship from their beloved Eagles since 1960. Philadelphia is first and foremost a football town. Sure fans love the Phillies, Sixers, and Flyers, but not in the same way these fans love football. It’s ingrained in the culture of Philadelphia. Nick Foles bringing a championship to Phillly was one of the most magical moments the city had ever seen. 

In all honesty, Nick Foles’ entire career as an Eagle was magical. Nick Foles has such an interesting career. In every other city that he’s played in he’s been below average. Yet as an Eagle, he has led the Franchise to the playoffs three times, including the magical Super Bowl run in 2017. There’s a statue of Nick Foles outside of the Linc for a reason. He captured the hearts of the city time after time and will go down as a winner who brought Philadelphia their Super Bowl.

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