Three Most Versatile Eagles

[LeonardRachiele]

The three most versatile players in Eagles history.

1. Chuck Bednarick.  Number 60 was the last of the 60 minute men, playing at both center and Middle Linebacker.  A newspaperman once asked him if he felt tired playing both ways minus special teams.  Bednarick said that fatigue was a state of mind that bothered him only after a loss.  Bednarick's contemporaries were Sam Huff with the New York Giants, Bill George with the Chicago Bears, and Joe Schmidt from the Detriot Lions.  It is difficult to determine who was best but, playing in New York, Sam Huff got the most attention.

2.   Bill Bradley.  Bradley led the league in pass interceptions in two consecutive years, 11 in 1972 and nine in 1972.  He returned his 1971 steals for a league top of 248 yards.  With Philadelphia, Bradley had 34 interceptions for 536 total yards. Bill Bradley was also excellent on special teams. He punted 213 times for 8,316 yards.  Bradley returned 111 punts for 876 yards.  His excellent ball handing skills made suited to the hold the ball for extra points and field goals.

3.  John Sciarra left some bitter memories in 1981. He baubled a snap from center on a  late field goal attempt at Washington and the Eagles lost 15 to 13. The following week at Dallas the Eagles were leading 10 to 0 with under two minutes left in the first half. John Sciarra should have left a Dallas punt alone. Instead, he fumbled the return, Dallas recovered, and  Danny White threw a touchdown pass to Drew Pearson.  This cut the Eagles lead to 10 to 7. Philadelphia did nothing the second half and lost 21 to10.  Nevertheless, Sciarra did have some great times before these two duds.

He returned 117 punts for 909 yards and intercepted four passes for 68 yards. He also scored the game's only touchdown in a 10 to 3 win over the Green Bay Packers at Veterans Stadium in 1978.  Sciarra was playing quarterback for a possible option play at the Green Bay two.  He took the snap from center; gave ground to the 20 seeking to avoid a sack; then went 20 yards for a touchdown.  That was the biggest play of his five year career.    

[Brian wolf]

Al Wistert was more versatile and honored than all these guys. Timmy Brown did everything but play defense ...