A Championship QB Reigns at No. 9, But it's Not Who you Think

To most Eagles fans No. 9 is a no-brainer for our jersey countdown to kickoff.

That sentiment is correct but the answer isn’t who most of them think it is. Hall of Famer Sonny Jurgensen tops Super Bowl LII hero Nick Foles.

Jurgensen started his career with the Eagles as a fourth-round pick out of Duke in the 1957 draft and served as the team’s backup for four seasons before taking over as the starter for his final three campaigns in town.

Although better known for his accomplishments in Washington where he played 11 more seasons after leaving the Eagles, Jurgensen did win a championship with the Eagles in 1960 as Norm Van Brocklin’s backup and was arguably the best QB in the NFL in 1961, being named a first-team All-Pro and leading the league in completions, yards and touchdowns.

Following an injury-plagued 1963 season, Jurgensen was traded to the Redskins in the spring of 1964, in exchange for quarterback Norm Snead and cornerback Claude Crabb, a disastrous decision with Jurgensen earning four Pro Bowl berths and two All-Pro nods over the next six seasons in Washington.

Although you can make the argument for Foles because of the SB heroics coupled with the 27-and-2 season in 2013, the truth is that he was never in the conversation as one of the best QBs in the NFL like Jurgensen was in Philadelphia and certainly won’t be in any Hall of Fame conversations down the road.

Jurgensen was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.

You can forward your hate mail to Ed Kracz.

Current number 9:

Unassigned: The Eagles are giving some deference to what Foles did for the organization by keeping the number out of circulation for a bit.

Top 3 to wear number 9:

3. Rodney Peete. Peete started at least three games at QB for his four seasons (1995-1998) in Philadelphia. His first, after six seasons in Detroit, was easily his best as the Southern California product won nine of the 12 games he started en route to the playoffs where he dominated his old team in a 58-37 shootout win, completing 17-of-25 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns. By the next week, the Eagles were blitzed in Dallas and Peete was benched for Randall Cunningham.

2. Nick Foles. The ultimate streak-shooter Foles got hot at the right time in 2017-18 as the Eagles blitzed Minnesota in the NFC Championship Game and he then outdueled the greatest of all-time, Tom Brady, on the biggest stage.

Foles’ highs are among the greatest in the organization’s history but the consistency was never there to be considered one of the franchise’s greats. He never played or started 16 games for Philadelphia in five seasons over two stints, topping out with 10 starts in 13 games back in 2013 during his lone Pro Bowl season, the historic 27-and-2 campaign when he compiled a league-best 119.2 passer rating.

1. Sonny Jurgensen. See Above

Runner-up:

Jim McMahon. The former Bears star came on as a backup for three seasons from 1990-92, being forced into action in 1991 when Randall Cunningham was injured. Living up to his reputation as a winner, the mercurial McMahon won eight of his 11 starts that season helping Philadelphia to the playoffs.

Others: James Zyntell, Jim Nettles, Billy Walik, Joe Pisarcik, Don McPherson, Norm Johnson, Andy Hall, Jeff Garcia, Vince Young, and Thad Lewis.

John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every Monday and Friday on SIRIUSXM, and every Monday and Thursday with Eytan Shander on SportMap Radio. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

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