1960 Philadelphia Eagles season

The 1960 Philadelphia Eagles season, their 28th in the league, resulted in defeating the Green Bay Packers to win their third NFL Championship. It was their only postseason appearance in the twenty-eight seasons from 1950 to 1977.

Off Season
On March 13, 1960 there was a expansion draft to stock the Dallas Rangers. They later change their name to Cowboys. The Dallas Cowboys were initially called the Dallas Rangers but were renamed to avoid confusion with a local minor league baseball club in Dallas. In this draft the Eagles lost tight end Dick Bielski, tackle Jerry DeLucca, and linebacker Bill Striegel to Dallas.

As since 1951 the Eagles hold training camp at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania. This is the longest they have trained at one site continuously up to then and into 1995 when they started at Lehigh University in Bethlehem,    Pennsylvania . The last year at Hershey was 1967.

NFL Draft
The 1960 NFL Draft and The 1960 AFL Draft were separate drafts for college players.
 * The NFL Draft was a draft of 20 rounds with 12 teams picking. The Eagles would rotate having the 7th, 8th or 9th pick in the draft rounds, with Chicago and Cleveland. The quickly assembled NFL franchise of the Dallas Cowboys did not have a chance to pick, as the draft was held before they were formed, January 28, 1960.


 * The AFL draft was a list made the teams of territorial players they claimed first. Then a draft was held by drafting players by position instead of any available player. When Minneapolis left league other AFL teams pursued those picks. Oakland got the rights after they joined the league.


 * The Philadelphia Eagles lost 4 players to the AFL including 1st round pick Ron Burton a running back out of the Northwestern University. A total of 6 NFL 1st round picks in this draft would sign with the AFL this year.

Player Selections
The table shows the Eagles selections and what picks they had that were traded away and the team that ended up with that pick. It is possible the Eagles' pick ended up with this team via another team that the Eagles made a trade with. Not shown are acquired picks that the Eagles traded away.

Regular season
During the 1960 season, Chuck Bednarik is perhaps best known for knocking Frank Gifford of the New York Giants out of football for over eighteen months. It is considered one of the most famous tackles in NFL history.

Chuck Bednarick becomes last player to play the whole game. He was averaging 58 minutes a game playing as starting center and a starting linebacker in second half of season.

Playoffs


In another piece of Philadelphia lore, Bednarik said that on the last play of the NFL championship game he tackled Jim Taylor on the last play of game on 7 yard line and lay on top of him as he fought to get up as clock tick off final seconds. When the clock hit 00:00 to end the game, Bednarik said "You can get up now, Taylor", This (expletive deleted) game's over.": Chuck Bednarik

1960 Roster
(All time List of Philadelphia Eagles players in franchise history)


 * + After name means 1st team selection

Post Season
Soon after the Championship Game against Green Bay, 61-year-old Buck Shaw retires as Head Coach of the Eagles. Eagles quarterback and 12 years veteran, Norm Van Brocklin retires after game also and expects to be named head coach. They instead name name Asst. Coach Nick Skorich who will lead the Eagle for the next 3 years.

Norm Van Brocklin is named Head Coach of the 1961 expansion Minnesota Vikings In the 1961 expansion draft the Eagles lost guard Gerry Huth, defensive back Gene Johnson, and center Bill Lapham, to Minnesota.

Awards and honors
1960 Pro Bowl Players:
 * QB – Norm Van Brocklin
 * TE – Pete Retzlaff
 * OE – Bobby Walston
 * FL – Tommy McDonald
 * DT – Marion Campbell
 * LB – Maxie Baughan
 * LB – Chuck Bednarik
 * CB – Tom Brookshier

 League Leaders Other Awards
 * Norm Van Brocklin finishes 2nd to Johnny Unitas in Passing Attempts, Completions,Yards, and TDs
 * Norm Van Brocklin finishes 2nd to Mike Plum in Yards per Attempt and Passer Rating
 * Ted Dean leads league in KO Returns and 2nd in Punt Returns
 * Chuck Bednarik, All-Pro Selection
 * Norm Van Brocklin, Bert Bell Award
 * AP NFL MVP – Norm Van Brocklin
 * UPI MVP – Norm Van Brocklin