Number 40 no Longer Available for Future Eagles Thanks to Tom Brookshier
When the toughest player of his era calls you “the toughest defensive back of our era” and says, “he was a hitter,” it’s no wonder the Eagles retired the No. 40 Tom Brookshier wore for seven illustrious seasons.
It’s more than just the words former Eagles tough-guy Chuck Bednarik said about his teammate. It was Brookshier’s actions during a life of achievement that led the Eagles to make sure no one else wears the former defensive back’s number ever again.
As our jersey countdown to kick off hits 40, as in 40 days until the Eagles are supposed to open their season on Sep. 13 against the Washington Football Team in Landover, Md., there can only be one No. 40 and that is Brookshier, or ‘Brookie.’
Brookshier's No. 40 is one of nine numbers retired by the Eagles organization.
He was a 10th-round NFL draft pick out of Colorado in 1953 but missed the 1954 and 55 seasons to serve in the United States Air Force. As a lieutenant, he was a backfield coach for the United States Air Force Academy in 1955. He returned to the Eagles for the 1956 season and played until 1961.
His career ended on Nov. 5, 1961, when he suffered a compound fracture of his leg while tackling Willie Galimore in the Eagles’ 16-14 win over the Chicago Bears at Franklin Field.
Brookshier made an early impression in his first training camp with the Eagles, which was held in Hershey. He once told a story to the Eagles’ web site that he knew he had would have a hard time making the team as a late-round pick, so, as Philadelphia’s first-round pick, a wide receiver, ran a pattern, Brookshier knocked him out with a hard hit.
“Our coach (Joe Trimble) jumped up and yelled, and I thought, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to get cut!’” Brookshier told the Eagles’ site. “But he ran out and said, ‘I like that!’”
Brookshier went on to record eight interceptions as a rookie and finished his relatively short career with 20 of them.
Brookshier and Bednarik teamed up to help the Eagles win the 1960 NFL championship.
After retiring from the NFL, Brookshier began another career as a broadcaster, ultimately teaming with Pat Summerall to form arguably the most popular broadcasting team through the 1970s on CBS.
Summerall once said of his partner, “With Brookie, it was more of a conversation, like two guys in a saloon.”
Brookshier passed away from cancer in 2010 at the age of 78.
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