Corey Simon Latest Former Eagles Player to Enter Political Arena
Whatever your political views are, there is something about politics that has recently attracted former Eagles.
Right tackle Jon Runyan had a successful run for Congress in 2010, Herschel Walker, who may not be best remembered as an Eagle, though the former running back played 48 games over three seasons in Philadelphia, is running for the Senate in Georgia, and now Corey Simon.
Earlier this week, Simon announced a run for a Senate seat out of Tallahassee, Fla. Simon, 45, is the Republicans’ pick to run against Sen. Loranne Ausley in November in a quest to flip Tallahassee’s Senate seat.
All three players had successful playing careers.
Simon’s lasted seven seasons, five with the Eagles after they drafted him sixth overall in 2000.
He was the second straight solid pick from Andy Reid after Reid became Philadelphia’s coach in 1999, which, of course, was the year the franchise altered its trajectory with the selection of quarterback Donovan McNabb second overall
As a rookie, Simon broke into the starting lineup and collected 9.5 sacks with eight tackles for loss.
He finished third in the AP rookie of the year voting with 12 percent of the vote, behind Bears LB Brian Urlacher (55 percent of the vote) and Saints DT Darren Howard (31 percent), who played the final four of his 10 NFL seasons with the Eagles.
Corey Simon
USA Today
Simon is one of the top pass rushers in Eagles history, collecting 32 sacks in just five seasons to put him 14th on the franchise’s sack leaders. He was a Pro Bowl pick in 2003 after he recorded 40 tackles and 7.5 sacks.
He then had stints with the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans before wrapping up his career in 2007, retiring due to polyarthritis
Simon is popular in Tallahassee after helping Florida State win a national championship during his time there, so that could help his Senate candidacy.
As for Runyan, he was one of the best offensive linemen to ever play for the Eagles. He was signed as a free agent in 2000, one of Reid’s first pivotal free agent moves as the team’s head coach.
Runyan became a fixture at right tackle for the next nine seasons, and, after h and left tackle Tra Thomas helped the Eagles win 92 games in nine seasons, with four NFC championship appearances and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIX, the duo was inducted into the Eagles’ Hall of Fame last fall.
“I was the young guy no one knew anything about,” said Runyan at the induction ceremony. “Here was a retool, with coach (Andy) Reid coming in and restructuring this franchise. For them to come after me in free agency I was like this is my opportunity to put a stamp on a team.”
Runyan retired in 2009 after five games with the Chargers.
On Nov. 2, 2010, he defeated Democrat incumbent John Adler 50%–47% to win a seat in Congress. He was reelected in 2012 but announced he would not run again in 2014.
Walker’s career spanned 13 years and four teams. He started all 48 games for the Eagles from 1992-94, scoring 22 rushing touchdowns and seven receiving while averaging 4.2 yards per carry. His best season in Philadelphia was his first when he had 1,070 yards and eight TDs rushing.
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
