The 13 Greatest Single Season Performances By Eagles Players

When Saquon Barkley signed with the Eagles, we knew they were getting a very good player. What we did not know at the time was how good. We did not know that he would flirt with history, and eventually do something only 8 other players have ever done and that no Eagles RB has ever done.

He came out of the gates on fire. A 3 TD debut against the Packers down in Brazil. Including 109 rushing yards and 23 receiving yards. But that was just the start. He went on to smash personal records, both single-game and single-season, smash the Eagles single-season and single-game rushing record, and as mentioned, become only the 9th player in NFL history to rush for 2000 yards.

Related: Saquon Barkley Hits 2000, And Eagles Clinch The 2-Seed

(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

He even flirted with breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record. 101 yards shy with a game to go. The Eagles decided to prioritize rest and health over the record, and he never got the chance to break it. But it was indisputably a tremendous debut season.

Where does it rank among the All-Time best seasons by Eagles players though? Is it the best of all time, or or there Eagles who have put together even better seasons?

They have been around for a long time. They have existed since 1933. Have they won a lot in that time? Not really. 3 Championships and 1 Super Bowl in those 90+ years. But they have had some amazing players despite losing more often than not. So let’s count down the best ones ever, and see where Saquon Barkley ranks.

Keep in mind I am 31. I tried to take players that came from before my time into account, but obviously, my knowledge base is mostly 2000 until now, when I was old enough to truly appreciate and remember what I was watching. So there may be a slightly modern bias.

Here are the 13 Greatest Seasons By Eagles Players:

• 13) Steve Van Buren- 1945

  This one is tough. I don’t know how to rank it because I genuinely have no one I can talk to in my life who was old enough to not only witness it but remember it. But on paper, it is tough to argue with.

  Van Buren led the NFL in rushing yards, rushing TDs, yards per game, kick return average, kick return TDs, and all-purpose yards. He carried the team on his back to make the Eagles the league’s highest-scoring offense. They did not win it all that year. But we aren’t going by team performance, we are going by individual performance. And what Steve Van Buren did that season was special.

  NFL on X (formerly Twitter): "Steve Van Buren is one of the 12 RBs selected to the #NFL100 All-Time Team!🦅 5x All-Pro🦅 2x NFL Champion🦅 4x Rushing Title Winner pic.twitter.com/FvojbTNMJ3 / X"

  Steve Van Buren is one of the 12 RBs selected to the #NFL100 All-Time Team!🦅 5x All-Pro🦅 2x NFL Champion🦅 4x Rushing Title Winner pic.twitter.com/FvojbTNMJ3

• 12) Chuck Bednarik- 1953

  Another old-school player I have no frame of reference for. I am sure someone will give me grief for not ranking this, or Van Buren higher, but again, I didn’t see it, and apart from a few callers to the station, I don’t know many people who did witness it. Still, Bednarik deserves love. He had 10 takeaways in 12 games this season. 4 fumbles and 6 interceptions. That alone is worthy of a spot on this list.

  Pro Football Hall of Fame on X (formerly Twitter): "Chuck Bednarik will forever be known as one of the hardest hitters in football history, as well as a two-time NFL Champion with the @Eagles.On the eight-year anniversary of Bednarik's passing, we celebrate his legacy. #HOFForever pic.twitter.com/lZkqVddNHe / X"

  Chuck Bednarik will forever be known as one of the hardest hitters in football history, as well as a two-time NFL Champion with the @Eagles.On the eight-year anniversary of Bednarik's passing, we celebrate his legacy. #HOFForever pic.twitter.com/lZkqVddNHe

• 11) Donovan McNabb-2004

  We will get to what TO did this season in a bit, but it was special for McNabb too. 3,875 yards, 31 TDS, only 8 picks, and 3 rushing TDs. Also remember, he did not have TO for the playoff run. TO broke his leg and didn’t return to the Super Bowl. So McNabb had to help carry the team to get over that NFC Championship game hump without his star WR.

  He led them to wins over the Vikings and Falcons, that Falcons game coming in biting cold, and threw 4 TDs and no picks in those 2 games. It all came off the wheels a bit in the Super Bowl, which kept him from climbing higher on this list. But it was still a special season by the best QB in Eagles history.

  Oh, and McNabb had one of the best single-game performances ever for the Eagles, throwing for 464 yards and 5 TDs.

  Eagles Fan Central on X (formerly Twitter): "12/5/04 - The pure dominance of the 2004 Philadelphia Eagles on full display.Donovan McNabb finished with 464 yards and threw 5 TDs before halftime. Brian Westbrook and Terrell Owens combined for 317 rec yards and 4 TDs.47-17 final over GB. Total annihilation #TBT pic.twitter.com/xzf4FNM8ab / X"

  12/5/04 - The pure dominance of the 2004 Philadelphia Eagles on full display.Donovan McNabb finished with 464 yards and threw 5 TDs before halftime. Brian Westbrook and Terrell Owens combined for 317 rec yards and 4 TDs.47-17 final over GB. Total annihilation #TBT pic.twitter.com/xzf4FNM8ab

• 10) Eric Allen - 1993

  It can be hard to judge defensive players if you don’t see them play. Especially from the ’90s and earlier when we didn’t have stats available that track yards given up when targeted the way we do now. Also, I was just recently born when Eric Allen played out this season, so I can’t go off my memory either.

  But I can ask people who did watch Eric Allen, and shutdown is the word that goes around. But even if you weren’t around to watch him play, like in my case, the few stats we do have tell a convincing story. 6 interceptions. He turned 4 of them into a pick 6. 4 TDs by a defensive player is crazy. Most defensive players hope they get 1 in their career. 4 in a single season is hard to imagine, but he pulled it off.

  Add in what everyone says about him being a shutdown corner, I had to get Eric Allen on the list. Side note, the NFL needs to put Eric Allen into the Hall of Fame. That may finally happen this year.

  Philadelphia Eagles on X (formerly Twitter): "2025 is the year for Eric Allen & the stats speak for themselves.@ProFootballHOF, it's time. pic.twitter.com/rQmW9qkH87 / X"

  2025 is the year for Eric Allen & the stats speak for themselves.@ProFootballHOF, it's time. pic.twitter.com/rQmW9qkH87

• 9) Carson Wentz-2017

  The Wentz era did not go as well as we all thought it would. He barely got into his 2nd contract before he was being traded off the team. But let’s not forget how well it started to earn him that 2nd contract.

  33 TDs and 3,296 yards in 13 games. He had the Eagles playing better than any team in the league. And he didn’t exactly have tons of help at WR. Zack Ertz was great of course, and Alshon Jeffrey and Nelson Agholor both had solid seasons, but it is not like he was throwing to AJ Brown and Devonta Smith like Hurts does, or to Terrell Owens like McNabb did for 1 season. He was going to win MVP that season if he did not tear his ACL.

  Also, credit to him for tearing his ACL and staying on the field to throw a go-ahead TD in that game.

  Brenden Deeg on X (formerly Twitter): "Reminder: Carson Wentz broke the Eagles single-season franchise record for TD passes on a torn ACL. pic.twitter.com/1jiXkojnur / X"

  Reminder: Carson Wentz broke the Eagles single-season franchise record for TD passes on a torn ACL. pic.twitter.com/1jiXkojnur

• 8) Jalen Hurts- 2022

  Much like Carson Wentz, Hurts should have won MVP this season. Had he not missed two games, maybe he would have. But a late injury kept him out for 2 games.

  If anything that made his case stronger though. Because while we heard all season any QB could win with this Eagles team, it turned out that was not the case. They went 0-2 without him, despite being 14-1 when he played. There was a lot of talent around him sure, we will talk about one of those players soon, but there is no denying how special Hurts was.

  Nearly 4500 total yards, over 30 total TDs, all top go with just 6 interceptions. Hurts was fantastic that season. Then he went on to be tremendous in the Super Bowl. He played better than Mahomes did, his defense just let him down. But with the game on the line, and his team down 8 points, he put together a game-tying drive, scoring the TD and the 2-point conversion himself. He had 370 total yards and 4 total TDs.

  NFL on X (formerly Twitter): "It's too easy for @JalenHurts.Third TD of the night.📺: #SBLVII on FOX📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/d8gBDzRt2m pic.twitter.com/rzcK3UEfve / X"

  It's too easy for @JalenHurts.Third TD of the night.📺: #SBLVII on FOX📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/d8gBDzRt2m pic.twitter.com/rzcK3UEfve

• 7) Terrell Owens- 2004

  The TO era in Philly is the biggest waste of potential ever. He should have stayed an Eagle for the rest of his career, and gone on to help the Eagles to their 1st ever Super Bowl, and maybe even help Donovan McNabb put together a Hall of Fame Case. Instead, it went up in smoke after one magical season. But what a season it was.

  1200 yards in just 14 games. he took what was a very good team, and made it special. I don’t think the stats even do it justice. And then to break his leg, but come back early to play in the Super Bowl, and then catch 9 passes for 122 yards, he had to place highly on this list.

  If only he and McNabb could put their differences aside, and if only Joe Banner didn’t foolishly let his star WR walk, maybe we could have gotten more of this, and perhaps better than this. Instead, everyone involved acted like fools, especially Joe Banner, and the Eagles had to wait 13 years to finally win it all.

  NFL Legacy on X (formerly Twitter): ""I'm on half a leg and they can't stop me."The time @terrellowens played in the Super Bowl seven weeks after breaking his leg... and caught nine passes for 122 yards.(Super Bowl XXXIX: Feb. 6, 2005) @Eagles pic.twitter.com/qY5oNHiI2p / X"

  "I'm on half a leg and they can't stop me."The time @terrellowens played in the Super Bowl seven weeks after breaking his leg... and caught nine passes for 122 yards.(Super Bowl XXXIX: Feb. 6, 2005) @Eagles pic.twitter.com/qY5oNHiI2p

• 6) Nick Foles -2013

  27 TDs, 2 interceptions, in 10 starts. That is hard to beat. I originally had it ranked 10th, but I just kept moving it up the list when I thought about it more. Throw in the 7 TD game, and it had to rank top 5.

  Some people may turn more to what he did in 2017, and winning the Super Bowl. But that was 2 great performances, not a great season. In 2013 he was great all around. From when he took over, to the end of the season. It’s a season that literally got some of his gear into the Hall Of Fame, with him tying Peyton Manning’s single-game TD record.

  NFL on X (formerly Twitter): "That time Nick Foles threw an NFL record-tying 7 TDs in one game 🤧@NickFoles | @Eagles pic.twitter.com/hM7cV06Hd8 / X"

  That time Nick Foles threw an NFL record-tying 7 TDs in one game 🤧@NickFoles | @Eagles pic.twitter.com/hM7cV06Hd8

• 5) AJ Brown-2022

  TO is only the second-highest WR on this list. Why? Because AJ Brown had an even better season in 2022. 1,496 yards and 11 TDs. A new single-season record, one he almost broke the following season. Brown was a force all season long. No one could cover him. The highlight was a 3 TD game vs the Steelers where he racked up 156 yards on 6 catches.

  The like TO, it carried over into the Super Bowl. He made a big play early in the game to put the Eagles ahead. He finished the game with 96 yards and a TD.

  NFL on X (formerly Twitter): "WHAT AN ADJUSTMENT. HURTS TO BROWN 45-YARD TOUCHDOWN!📺: #SBLVII on FOX📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/d8gBDzRt2m pic.twitter.com/GXlAfMTESc / X"

  WHAT AN ADJUSTMENT. HURTS TO BROWN 45-YARD TOUCHDOWN!📺: #SBLVII on FOX📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/d8gBDzRt2m pic.twitter.com/GXlAfMTESc

• 4) LeSean McCoy- 2013

  It was LeSean McCoy who set the Eagles record that Saquon broke this season. 1607 yards and 9 TDs just on the ground. You can add 539 yards and 2 TDs through the air on top of that. His 2,146 Scrimmage Yards that season led the league. 5.1 yards per carry.

  I didn’t think we would ever see a better season by an RB for the Eagles. Certainly not in the modern era. Saquon eventually eclipsed him, but let’s not forget just how great Shady was.

  In that season, McCoy had the legendary Snow Bowl game, which is still one of the greatest single-game performances by an Eagles player.

  NFL on ESPN on X (formerly Twitter): "Sunday Flashback: @Eagles RB LeSean McCoy goes for 217 yards and 2 TD in the SNOW vs Detroit on 12/8/13. pic.twitter.com/OKxBclo5W7 / X"

  Sunday Flashback: @Eagles RB LeSean McCoy goes for 217 yards and 2 TD in the SNOW vs Detroit on 12/8/13. pic.twitter.com/OKxBclo5W7

• 3) Lane Johnson- 2022

  You don’t often see Offensive Line make these kinds of lists. But I had to get Lane Johnson in here. The question was where. Looking at his seasons, 2022 stood out to me. Not only did he give up 0 sacks like he usually does, but he gave up just 9 pressures total, and never let anyone hit Jalen Hurts. In that run to the Super Bowl, Hurts never had to worry about his right side. No one was getting through Lane.

  But let’s not forget what he went on to do in the playoffs. He had a tear in his abdomen, and never missed a snap in the 3 games. Yet he kept playing at a high level. He faced down Nick Bosa of the Niners, one of the better pass rushers in the league, and shut him down.

  It’s the perfect encapsulation of who Lane has been his entire time in Philly. Tough. He was playing with an injury that would have most of us on bed rest. Yet not only did he play, he played at the highest level an OT can play at.

  PFF on X (formerly Twitter): "Lane Johnson did not allow a single QB hit on 614 pass-blocking snaps this yearNo. 9 on PFF's 101 best players from the 2022 season pic.twitter.com/4qT3TIDRBf / X"

  Lane Johnson did not allow a single QB hit on 614 pass-blocking snaps this yearNo. 9 on PFF's 101 best players from the 2022 season pic.twitter.com/4qT3TIDRBf

• 2) Saquon Barkley- 2024

  I already talked a lot about his season, and don’t want to repeat myself. So let me just appreciate this one play that I still can’t believe happened. We have seen a lot of players hurdle a tackler. It is more and more common now. What I have never seen is a player do a spin move to make one tackler miss, and then while facing backward, hurdle another tackler, stick the landing, and get several more yards. That play alone is worthy of this list.

  Add in the 2000-yard season, while leading the league in 60-yard runs, 50-yard runs, 40-yard runs, 30-yard runs, and 10-yard runs… well there is only 1 Eagles player who has ever had a better season.

  Bleacher Report on X (formerly Twitter): "SAQUON JUST HIT A REVERSE HURDLE ⁉️OMG. 🤯(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/uZ11M3qA59 / X"

  SAQUON JUST HIT A REVERSE HURDLE ⁉️OMG. 🤯(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/uZ11M3qA59

• 1) Reggie White- 1987

  Sorry Saquon, but nothing tops what Reggie White did back in 1987. He had 21 sacks. Which is a great number for someone who plays a full season. But 1987 was a strike-shortened season. 1 week was canceled completely, and 3 more featured replacement players. So by the end of the season, White had played just 12 games.

  12 games. He got 21 sacks in 12 games. In a 16-game season, that would be 28 sacks. The record is 22.5 by Michael Strahan, and he did that in 16 games. TJ Watt recently tied that record, and he did so in 15 games. White had several fewer games and nearly matched what those 2 did. Oh, and he also played great run defense, forced 4 fumbles, and scored a 70-yard TD.

  That is hard to match. Saquon was tremendous. And more people will remember Saquon’s season simply because more people saw it, but for my money, Reggie White takes the case. Saquon will have to settle for Silver the way he did with the rushing record.

  ESPN Stats & Info on X (formerly Twitter): "T.J. Watt needs 1.0 sack to tie Michael Strahan's single-season record and he has 21.5 sacks in 14 games this season. That's currently the 2nd-most sacks per game in a season since sacks became official in 1982, trailing only Reggie White (21 sacks in 12 games played in 1987). pic.twitter.com/1HInnsj0Nq / X"

  T.J. Watt needs 1.0 sack to tie Michael Strahan's single-season record and he has 21.5 sacks in 14 games this season. That's currently the 2nd-most sacks per game in a season since sacks became official in 1982, trailing only Reggie White (21 sacks in 12 games played in 1987). pic.twitter.com/1HInnsj0Nq