The Philadelphia Eagles were established in 1933, and throughout franchise history, they have fielded many talented offenses. Some of the most exciting offenses in NFL history, in fact, have called Philadelphia home.
Philadelphia’s offenses have ranked in the top five in total points scored a whopping 25 times in franchise history. That means the Eagles have had one of the NFL’s top offenses in over a quarter of their seasons in existence.
Greatest Offenses in Philadelphia Eagles’ History
While the Eagles have put up impressive offensive numbers over the years, it hasn’t always equated to team success. Some of Philadelphia’s offenses were loaded with talent on paper but didn’t find success on the field.
Therefore, it was important to include several factors when trying to rank the top 10 offenses in franchise history. Talent, team success, and statistical dominance were all important while compiling these rankings.
Now it’s time to analyze the best Eagles offenses of all time!
10) 1953 Eagles
Although the 1953 Eagles didn’t reach the postseason, their offense was elite. They finished third in the league in total points scored and first in total yards. The team’s final record was 7-4-1, but the offense was dominant.
Although Bobby Thomason and Adrian Burk split time at quarterback, there was one consistent force in Philadelphia’s passing game. Pete Pihos was a dominant force through the air, hauling in 63 receptions for 1,049 yards and 10 touchdowns.
9) 1948 Eagles
Regardless of how good the offense was, the 1948 Eagles were one of the greatest overall teams in franchise history. Philadelphia finished with a record of 9-2-1 on the way to winning the franchise’s first league championship. The offense finished second in both total points scored and total yards.
Tommy Thompson was the primary QB, and his efficiency was impressive. He threw for 1,965 yards, 25 touchdowns, and just 11 interceptions. On the ground, Steve Van Buren was a dominant force, rushing for 945 yards and 10 touchdowns. Pihos, meanwhile, led the Eagles through the air with 46 receptions for 766 yards and 11 touchdowns.
8) 1961 Eagles
After winning the league championship in 1960, the Eagles bounced back by fielding another elite offensive unit. Philadelphia ranked third in total points scored and first in total yards in 1961. Despite not winning it all, the Eagles scored 40 more points than the championship-winning team did the previous year.
Philadelphia’s offense had four Pro Bowlers, including quarterback Sonny Jurgensen, who threw for 3,723 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 24 interceptions. Jurgensen had two elite targets in Tommy McDonald and Pete Retzlaff. McDonald finished the season with 64 receptions for 1,144 yards and 13 touchdowns, while Retzlaff had 50 receptions for 769 yards and eight scores.
7) 1990 Eagles
From the late 1980s to the early 1990s, the Eagles fielded an entertaining offense that was never able to truly get over the hump. In 1990, Philadelphia’s offense was one of the best in franchise history — led by one of the most entertaining quarterbacks in NFL history.
Randall Cunningham was nicknamed “The Ultimate Weapon” because of his versatility. He threw for 3,466 yards and 30 touchdowns while also rushing for an additional 942 yards and five scores.
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Cunningham helped lead the Eagles to third in the NFL in both total points scored and total yards.
6) 2010 Eagles
In 2009, the Eagles gave Michael Vick another opportunity to play in the NFL. In 2010, he became Philadelphia’s starting QB and looked like his old self.
Although the Eagles lost in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, Philadelphia’s offense finished third in total points scored and second in total yards. Vick missed four games during the regular season, but he showcased his dual-threat ability, nonetheless. He threw for 3,018 yards, 21 touchdowns, and just six interceptions, while also rushing for 676 yards and nine touchdowns.
LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, and Jeremy Maclin also helped take Philadelphia’s offense to another level in 2010.
5) 2017 Eagles
Yes, I understand the 2017 Eagles won the first Super Bowl in franchise history. However, the strength of the team was actually the defense, which finished better statistically than the offense did.
Nevertheless, Philadelphia’s Super Bowl-winning unit was still one of the best in Eagles’ history. They finished third in total points scored and seventh in total yards.
Before tearing his ACL, Carson Wentz was on course to potentially win league MVP. While that likely impacted the team’s offensive totals, they still lacked any elite weapons. LeGarrette Blount led the team with just 766 rushing yards, and Zach Ertz led with 824 receiving yards.
4) 1960 Eagles
Despite having similar offensive weapons to the 1961 Eagles, Philadelphia had more success in 1960 — finishing with a 10-2 record and winning the league championship.
The Eagles were also led by Norm Van Brocklin, who started every game at quarterback and helped hand legendary Packers head coach Vince Lombardi his only playoff loss in Green Bay.
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Philadelphia’s offense finished third in total points scored and sixth in total yards. Those rankings might seem lower than those of other teams on this list, but team success is a factor. Four players on Philadelphia’s offense were named to the Pro Bowl, and Van Brocklin was named a first-team All-Pro for his performance during the championship run.
3) 2013 Eagles
After firing Andy Reid, the Eagles took a huge risk by hiring former Oregon head coach Chip Kelly. Kelly lacked NFL experience, but his offensive scheme was exciting and would catch the league off-guard in 2013.
In Week 1, against Washington, on prime-time television, Philadelphia’s offense shocked the world and put on a fireworks display with its explosive, high-tempo offense.
Philadelphia’s offense was loaded with playmakers, including Vick, McCoy, and Jackson. Yet, Vick was eventually replaced by second-year quarterback Nick Foles, who burst onto the scene with an incredibly efficient season. Foles threw 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions while being named to the first Pro Bowl of his career.
McCoy and Jackson each enjoyed the greatest statistical seasons of their careers. McCoy rushed for 1,607 yards and nine touchdowns while also adding 52 receptions for 539 yards. Jackson, meanwhile, hauled in 82 receptions for 1,332 yards, cementing himself as one of the best deep threats in the NFL.
2) 2022 Eagles
Jalen Hurts was heading into just his second season as Philadelphia’s full-time starting quarterback. Likewise, Nick Sirianni was entering his second season as an NFL head coach.
While there weren’t Super Bowl-level expectations for the Eagles prior to the season, Philadelphia quickly cemented itself as one of the top teams in the league.
Hurts was an MVP candidate, finishing with 3,701 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. He also added 760 rushing yards and 13 additional scores. Yet, the third-year QB was surrounded by a ton of talent as well, as DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown formed one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL.
The Eagles finished the regular season with a 14-3 record, eventually losing in Super Bowl 57 to the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite an epic performance from Philadelphia’s offense in the big game, the defense ultimately fell short. Philadelphia ended the year third in total points and total yards.
1) 1949 Eagles
Although the 1948 Eagles also made this list, Philadelphia’s offense was even more impressive in 1949. They ended the year with a final record of 11-1, finishing first in total points and second in total yards.
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Philadelphia’s offense was dominant and helped lead the Eagles to back-to-back league championships. Thompson once again led the Eagles’ passing attack, throwing for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns.
The true engine behind Philadelphia’s dominant offense, however, was Van Buren, who finished the year with 1,146 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was named a first-team All-Pro for the final time in his Hall of Fame career as a result.
