1971 Philadelphia Eagles season

1971 Philadelphia Eagles season
Owner(s)	{{{owner}}}
Head Coach	Jerry Williams and Ed Khayat
Home Field	Veterans Stadium
Results
Record	6–7–1
Place	3rd NFC East
Playoff Finish	did not qualify
Timeline
Previous season	Next season
1970	1972

The 1971 Philadelphia Eagles season was their 39th in the league. They improved on their previous output of 3–10–1, winning six games. Despite the improvement, the team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the eleventh consecutive season. This was the team's inaugural season in Veterans Stadium.

Offseason

NFL DRAFT

The 1971 NFL Draft

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.

= Pro Bowler

= Hall of Famer

Rd	PICK	PLAYER	POS	COLLEGE
1	5	Richard Harris	Defensive End	Grambling
2	30	Pick Taken By Detroit Lions
2	50	Henry Allison Acquired Minn Vikings Pick	Guard	San Diego State
3	55	Pick Taken By San Francisco 49ers
4	83	Happy Feller	Kicker	Texas
5	108	Tom Shellabarger	Tackle	San Diego State
6	133	Jack Smith	Defensive back	Troy State
7	161	Harold Carmichael	Wide receiver	Southern
8	186	Leonard Gotschalk	Center	Humboldt State
9	211	Len Pettigrew	Linebacker	Ashland
10	239	Pick Taken By New Orleans Saints
10	256	Tom Bailey	Running back	Florida State
11	264	Albert Davis	Running back	Tennessee State
12	289	Rich Saathoff	Defensive end	Northern Arizona
13	317	Danny Lester	Defensive back	Texas
14	342	Robert Creech	Linebacker	Texas Christian
15	367	Ed Fisher	Guard	Prairie View A&M
16	395	Bruce James	Linebacker	Arkansas
17	420	John Sage	Linebacker	Louisiana State

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 19, 1971	at Cincinnati Bengals	L 37–14	55,880
2	September 26, 1971	Dallas Cowboys	L 42–7	65,358
3	October 3, 1971	San Francisco 49ers	L 31–3	65,358
4	October 10, 1971	Minnesota Vikings	L 13–0	65,358
5	October 17, 1971	at Oakland Raiders	L 34–10	54,615
6	October 24, 1971	New York Giants	W 23–7	65,358
7	October 31, 1971	Denver Broncos	W 17–16	65,358
8	November 7, 1971	at Washington Redskins	T 7–7	53,041
9	November 14, 1971	at Dallas Cowboys	L 20–7	60,178
10	November 21, 1971	St. Louis Cardinals	W 37–20	48,658
11	November 28, 1971	Washington Redskins	L 20–13	65,358
12	December 5, 1971	at Detroit Lions	W 23–20	54,418
13	December 12, 1971	St. Louis Cardinals	W 19–7	65,358
14	December 19, 1971	at New York Giants	W 41–28	62,774

Standings

NFC East
	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
Dallas Cowboys	11	3	0	.786	406	222	W-7
Washington Redskins	9	4	1	.692	276	190	L-1
Philadelphia Eagles	6	7	1	.462	221	302	W-3
St. Louis Cardinals	4	9	1	.308	231	279	L-2
New York Giants	4	10	0	.286	228	362	L-5

1971 Roster

= 1971 Pro Bowl Selection

= Hall of Famer

• + After name means 1st team selection

NO.	Player	AGE	POS	GP	GS	WT	HT	YRS	College
	Jerry Williams	37	Head Coach	Fired after 0–3 Start				2nd	Washington State
	Ed Khayat	37	Head Coach	Finished season with 3–7–1				1st	Tulane University
65	Henry Allison	24	G-T	14	0	255	6–3	Rookie	San Diego State
11	Rick Arrington	24	QB	10	4	200	6–2	1	Georgia
31	Tom Bailey	22	RB	13	0	211	6–2	Rookie	Florida State
38	Tony Baker	26	RB	5	0	229	5–11	3	Iowa State
85	Gary Ballman	31	FL-TE-SE-WR	6	6	215	6–1	9	Michigan State
46	Lee Bouggess	23	RB	10	0	210	6–2	1	Louisville
28	Bill Bradley*+	24	DB	14	0	190	5–11	2	Texas
80	Don Brumm	30	DE	9	0	245	6–3	8	Purdue
47	Ronnie Bull	31	RB	13	0	200	6–0	9	Baylor
77	Ernie Calloway	23	DT-DE	14	8	255	6–6	2	Texas Southern
17	Harold Carmichael	22	WR-TE	9	6	225	6–8	Rookie	Southern
58	Bob Creech	22	LB	3	0	236	6–3	Rookie	TCU
43	Sonny Davis	23	RB	14	0	215	5–11	Rookie	Tennessee State
16	Vern Davis	22	DB	3	0	208	6–4	Rookie	Western Michigan
19	Tom Dempsey	24	K	5	0	255	6–2	2	Palomar College
62	Mike Dirks	25	DT-G	5	0	246	6–2	3	Wyoming
59	Mike Evans	25	C	14	0	250	6–5	3	Boston College
1	Happy Feller	22	K	9	0	185	5–11	Rookie	Texas
84	Richard Harris	23	DE-DT	14	0	260	6–5	Rookie	Grambling State
18	Ben Hawkins	27	WR-SE-FL	14	0	180	6–1	5	Arizona State
86	Fred Hill	28	TE-SE-WR	7	0	215	6–2	6	USC
56	Bill Hobbs	25	LB	11	0	218	6–0	2	Texas A&M
83	Don Hultz	31	DE-DT	14	0	241	6–3	8	Southern Miss
29	Harold Jackson	25	WR-FL	14	14	175	5–10	3	Jackson State
51	Ike Kelley	27	LB	14	0	225	5–11	5	Ohio State
72	Wade Key	25	G-T	14	0	245	6–5	1	Texas,Texas State
20	Leroy Keyes	24	DB-RB	14	0	208	6–3	2	Purdue
87	Kent Kramer	27	TE	10	3	235	6–4	5	Minnesota
14	Pete Liske	29	QB	14	10	200	6–3	7	Penn State
36	Tom McNeill	29	P	14	0	195	6–1	4	Stephen F. Austin
26	Al Nelson	28	DB	14	0	186	5–11	6	Cincinnati
68	Mark Nordquist	26	G-C	14	0	246	6–4	3	Pacific
88	Gary Pettigrew	27	DT-DE	13	6	255	6–5	5	Stanford
50	Ron Porter	26	LB	12	0	232	6–3	4	Idaho
33	Steve Preece	24	DB	7	0	195	6–1	2	Oregon State
24	Nate Ramsey	30	DB	14	0	200	6–1	8	Indiana State
82	Tim Rossovich	25	LB-DE	13	0	240	6–4	3	USC
70	Jim Skaggs	31	G-T	10	0	250	6–3	8	Washington
32	Jack Smith	24	DB	5	0	204	6–4	Rookies	Memphis,Troy
74	Steve Smith	27	T-DE	14	0	250	6–2	5	Michigan
73	Dick Stevens	23	T	14	0	240	6–4	1	Baylor
49	Jim Thrower	24	DB	14	0	195	6–2	1	Texas A&M-Commerce
99	Mel Tom	30	DE	14	0	249	6–4	4	Hawaii
75	Tuufuli Uperesa	23	G	2	0	254	6–3	Rookie	Montana
9	Billy Walik	24	WR-DB	8	0	180	5–11	1	Villanova
7	Jim Ward	27	QB	2	0	196	6–2	4	Gettysburg
34	Larry Watkins	25	RB	12	0	230	6–2	2	Alcorn State
81	Jim Whalen	28	TE	2	0	210	6–2	5	Boston College
53	Fred Whittingham	32	LB-G	4	0	240	6–1	7	BYU,
37	Tom Woodeshick	30	RB	11	0	225	6–0	8	West Virginia
35	Adrian Young	25	LB	2	0	232	6–1	3	USC
89	Steve Zabel	23	LB-TE	14	0	235	6–4	1	Oklahoma

Awards and Honors

Records Breakers

• Al Nelson 102 yard missed field goal return, Eagles vs Dallas on September 26, 1971

Pro Bowl

• Bill Bradley named Pro Bowl starter

League Leaders

• Bill Bradley leads league with 11 interseptions