Bill Bergey is Proof the Eagles Once Valued LBs
There was a time long ago, in an era far, far away now, when the Eagles valued linebackers.
That’s right, that’s how they landed Bill Bergey, trading away two first-round picks and a second-round choice in 1974 to get him from the Cincinnati Bengals.
Bergey helped turn around a moribund franchise, becoming the foundation of the Eagles’ “Gang Green” defense that delivered the organization to the playoffs in 1978, 1979, and to the Super Bowl in 1980.
There can be no other choice but Bergey, the best middle linebacker in team history, as the top Eagles player to ever wear No. 66.
You were expecting maybe Kimo von Oelhoffen?
Here are the rankings in our jersey countdown to kickoff:
Current number 66:
Anthony Rush. It’s been a strange journey for the defensive tackle. He signed with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He was waived, signed by the Raiders, was waived then added to the Raiders’ practice squad, and that’s where the Eagles poached him on Oct. 21.
Rush ended up playing in nine games, 15 percent of the defensive snaps, making six solo tackles with three TFLs.
There is a good chance the 6-5, 350-pound Rush works his way into the 2020-line rotation with Fletcher Cox, Malik Jackson, Javon Hargrave, and perhaps Hassan Ridgeway.
Top 3 to wear No. 66:
3. Bobbie Williams. The right guard won a Super Bowl, but not with the Eagles, who drafted him in the second round out of Arkansas in 2000. He was inactive as a rookie as he learned the transition from tackle to guard then played in every game in 2002 and 2003, including two playoff games in 2002.
Williams signed with the Bengals in 2004, starting 118 games before leaving for the Ravens, with whom he won a Super Bowl in 2012. Williams was released the following season and retired.
2. Ron Solt. Growing up in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Solt became a first-round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 1984 after a solid career at the University of Maryland. The Eagles acquired him for a first-round draft pick in 1989 and a fourth-round choice in 1990.
The guard was suspended for the first four games of the 1990 season for steroid use. He never justified the hefty price that was paid to acquire him, but Solt did start 42 of 44 games in four years with the Eagles.
1. Bill Bergey. At Arkansas State in 1968, Bergey averaged 19.6 tackles per game in his final college season, prompting the Bengals to take him in the second round, the 31st player taken overall in 1969.
He played five seasons in Cincy before arriving in Philly. He made 233 tackles in one of his seven seasons with the Eagles and in 1975 recovered six fumbles.
He was a five-time Pro Bowl, four of them with the Eagles, and was a first-team All-Pro in back to seasons of 1974-75. He started all 91 games he played in Philly and in 1988 was enshrined in the Eagles’ Honor Roll.
Runner-up:
Dallas Reynolds. The best Dallas the Eagles ever had until Dallas Goedert came along. Reynolds’ run was a short one, but he deserves credit for arriving as a UDFA in 2009 out of BYU and persevering until 2013 when he was pressed into action and started 14 games at center. He played in 34 games with the New York Giants after that season.
Others:
John Wyhonic, Baptiste Manzini, Ed Sharkey, Frank D’Agostino, Ed Meadows, Joe Robb, Will Renfro, Bill Byrne, Bruce Van Dyke, Gordon Wright, Don Chuy, Bill Cody, Roy Kirksey, Ken Reeves, John Hudson, Mike Zandofsky, Jerry Crafts, Jeff Dellenbach, Trey Darilek, Kimo von Oelhoffen, Andrew Gardner, Will Beatty, and Akeem Spence.
