Philadelphia Eagles

Cunningham, Allen, Joyner among Pro Football Hall of Fame noms

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Eric Allen, Randall Cunningham and Seth Joyner headline a huge group of former Eagles who are among 122 former NFL players nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022.

Brian Westbrook, Donovan McNabb, Asante Samuel, Troy Vincent and Ricky Watters are also among the nominees.

Here’s a look at every nominee that spent time with the Eagles:

Eric Allen: Allen made six Pro Bowls in his 14-year career and had 54 interceptions and eight touchdown returns. He added four postseason interceptions and another TD. In his seven seasons with the Eagles, Allen had 34 interceptions, tied for most in franchise history.

Gary Anderson: Kicked for the Eagles in 1995 and 1996, making 47 of 59 field goals and scoring 213 points. In 23 NFL seasons, he scored 2,434 points, most in NFL history when he retired and still 3rd-most.

Randall Cunningham: Threw for 22,877 yards and 105 touchdowns and ran for 4,482 yards in 11 years with the Eagles. He made three straight Pro Bowls in an Eagles uniform and went on to have an MVP season with the Vikings in 1998. 

Jeff Feagles: Punted for the Eagles from 1990 through 1993 and all told punted for 22 years, booting an NFL-record 1,713 punts - nearly 300 more than anybody else in history.

Jeff Garcia: Replaced an injured McNabb in 2006 and went 5-1 to finish the regular season before beating the Giants in a wild-card game in his only full season with the Eagles. In 11 NFL seasons threw for 25,537 yards and 161 touchdowns and made four Pro Bowls.

Mel Gray: Finished his legendary career with the Eagles, playing three games in 1997. Overall, led the NFL in punt return average twice and kick return average twice. Made all-pro three times. Had nine return TDs - six kick, three punt.

Seth Joyner: Originally an 8th-round pick who was released at the end of his rookie training camp in the summer 1986, Joyner is the only NFL player in history with 50 sacks and 20 interceptions.

Sean Landeta: Spent five of his 21 years in two stints with the Eagles and punted 1,401 times, 3rd-most in NFL history. Also played two years for the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL. 

Donovan McNabb: Won nine playoff games during his 11 years with the Eagles, tied for 12th-most postseason wins in NFL history. Threw for close to 40,000 yards with 234 TDs plus nearly 3,500 rushing yards and 29 more TDs in 13 seasons.

Sam Mills: Was never an Eagle, but spent three years with the USFL Philadelphia (and Baltimore) Stars. Made all-USFL three times and led the Stars to two championships, including one in 1983 when the team was based in Philadelphia. Was named to the all-time USFL team. Mills, a H-of-F finalist last year, made five Pro Bowls in his 12-year NFL career. 

Brian Mitchell: Averaged 11.7 yards on punt returns and 25.2 on kick returns in his three-year stint with the Eagles. Returned two kicks for TDs and two punts for TDs s an Eagle and had 13 total career returns in the kicking game in his 14-year career.

Allen Rossum: Was the Eagles’ 3rd-round pick in 1998 and spent his first two years here but spent 12 years in the NFL. Had eight career return touchdowns - three punts, five kickoffs.

Asante Samuel: Made three Pro Bowls in his four years with the Eagles and four total Pro Bowls. He finished his career with 51 interceptions and six TD returns, and in 2009 - his second year with the Eagles - he led the NFL with nine interceptions. 

Jimmy Smith: Was in training camp with the Eagles in 1994, but was released in favor of Jeff Sydner. Went to Jacksonville, where he made five Pro Bowls, had nine 1,000-yard seasons, scored 67 touchdowns and finished his career with 862 receptions for 12,287 yards. Sydney had three career receptions.

Takeo Spikes: Spikes spent only one of his 15 NFL seasons with the Eagles, but started 14 games in 2007 and had 85 tackles and one sack. Made two Pro Bowls with the Bills.

Jimmy Smith: Was in training camp with the Eagles in 1994, but was released in favor of Jeff Sydner. Went to Jacksonville, where he made five Pro Bowls, had nine 1,000-yard seasons, scored 67 touchdowns and finished his career with 862 receptions for 12,287 yards. Sydney had three career receptions.

Greg Townsend: Recorded 109 1/2 sacks in 13 seasons, mainly with the Raiders. Spent 1994 with the Eagles and had two sacks. 

Herschel Walker: After spending three years in the USFL, Walker played in the NFL for 12 years, netting 8,225 rushing yards, 512 receptions, 13,084 scrimmage yards and 84 touchdowns. He rushed for 2,344 yards and caught 163 passes in three years with the Eagles during the early 1990s.

Ricky Watters: Rushed for over 10,000 yards with 467 catches in 10 seasons. Rushed for 3,794 yards with 161 receptions and 32 TDs in three years with the Eagles. Scored 12 postseason touchdowns and made two of his five Pro Bowls as an Eagle.

Brian Westbrook: Netted 9,785 scrimmage yards and made two Pro Bowls in eight years with the Eagles. Led the NFL with 2,104 scrimmage yards in his 2007 all-pro season. Averaged 4.6 yards per rush and 8.9 yards per catch in nine-year career. Also returned two punts for touchdowns in 2003.

Troy Vincent: After spending his four years with the Dolphins, Vincent played for the Eagles from 1996 through 2003, picking off 28 passes and leading the NFL with seven in 1999. He made five straight Pro Bowls as an Eagle and was a 1st-team all-pro in 2002. He finished his 15-year career with 47 INTs and three pick-6’s.

The preliminary list of 122 players will be whittled down to 18 finalists by the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. That group of 18 will also include Dick Vermeil, who is the coach finalist as selected by a special Hall committee.

The Class of 2022 will be announced Super Bowl week in February and enshrined at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, in August.

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