The Axeman Cometh for Eagles at No. 54
The Axeman cometh, not once or twice, but three times.
That was how many different stints Jeremiah Trotter, whose nickname was the Axman, had with the Eagles and two of them were exceptional. The final stint was his swan song as a player, coming in 2009 when he played in 13 games at the age of 32.
Trotter was so exceptional that he is our choice as the top Eagles player to wear No. 54 in team history as our jersey countdown to kickoff continues.
Here is the breakdown of No. 54:
Current number 54:
Shaun Bradley. The Temple product was taken in the sixth round of this past spring’s draft and will vie for a roster spot as a special team player.
Top 3 to wear No. 54:
3. Britt Hager. Taken in the third round of the 1989 draft out of Texas, Hager was mostly a reserve, playing behind some talented players at his position in Seth Joyner and Byron Evans. He was good enough in that role to stick around for six seasons, play in 90 games and make 13 starts. He carved out a niche on special teams and was a ferocious hitter.
At Texas, he set a school record in 1988 with 195 tackles a season after setting the record with 187. He holds the career record for most tackles in a career with the Longhorns at 499.
2. Jim Ringo. The center carved out most of his Hall of Fame career with the Packers, helping Green Bay earn the nickname “Titletown,” during his time there from 1952-1963.
Ringo, who played 126 consecutive games for the Packers, finished out his career with the Eagles, making all 56 starts in four years and earning three more Pro Bowl trips before retiring after the 1967 season. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.
1. Jeremiah Trotter. The former third-round pick in 1998 from Stephen F. Austin, the linebacker had more than 100 tackles in five of his eight seasons spread out over three different stints.
In his first go-round, he was a first-team All-Pro in 2000 and made back-to-back Pro Bowl in 2000 and 2001.
The Eagles put the franchise tag on Trotter after 2001, which he wasn’t happy about, so the team let him go to Washington, where he spent the next two years.
Before leaving, he had three straight seasons with more than 100 tackles.
When he returned in 2004, Trotter got hurt but added two more seasons with 100-plus tackles.
In 2007, he spent a year in Tampa before returning to Philly for his final season, retiring at the age of 32.
Runner-up:
Kamu Grugier-Hill. The linebacker spent four seasons in Philly and, like many of the players in our jersey countdown to kickoff, was a part of the Eagles Super Bowl LII championship. KGH didn’t start many games (16, all coming in his final two years), but he was a valuable reserve who got plenty of playing time on both defense and special teams.
Others: Jerry Huth, Bill Lapham, Jim Ringo, Gene Ceppetelli, Calvin Hunt, Chuck Allen, Tom Roussel, Jim Opperman, Drew Mahalic, Zack Valentine, Jon Kimmel, Alonzo Johnson, Kelly Kirchbaum, Kurt Gouveia, Terry Crews, DeShawn Fogle, Jeff Herrod, Tyreo Harrison, Nate Wayne, Tracy White, Brandon Graham, and Jake Knott.
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