Former Eagles safety Wes Hopkins died Friday at the age of 57.
Hopkins was a second-round pick in 1983 and played with the team through the 1993 season. He started at safety with Andre Waters on the strong defenses the team put on the field during Buddy Ryan’s tenure as head coach in the late 1980s and made the All-Pro team after the 1985 season.
“Wes Hopkins is one of the best safeties in the history of our franchise and played a major role in the team’s success during his time here in Philadelphia,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement. “He was well-respected among his teammates and coaches, not only because of the way he played the game and what he was able to accomplish on the field, but also because of the way he carried himself and the type of leader he was. He had a genuine love of the game and that’s one of the reasons he connected so well with the people of Philadelphia. Wes will be forever remembered as an Eagles Legend and somebody who helped build the foundation for our organization’s success. Our thoughts are with his family during this time.”
Hopkins’ 30 interceptions rank fifth all-time in Eagles history and he’s tied with Waters for 18th place in games played for the club. Our condolences go out to Hopkins’ family and friends.
