Andy Reid recognized the importance of a quarterback to a team's success when he drafted Donovan McNabb with the team's top pick in Reid's first NFL draft in 1999. And for all of the team's success since then, including five NFC championship game appearances and one Super Bowl showing, the Eagles still stand alone when it comes to yardage-compiling quarterbacks and Super Bowl titles.
Philadelphia is the only NFL team without a single-season 4,000-yard passer in team history nor a Super Bowl title among teams in existence since Super Bowl I. The other teams without 4,000-yard passers either won a Super Bowl (Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Tampa Bay) or haven't been around since Super Bowl I (Seattle, and the Houston Texans).
The lack of a 4,000-yard passer in team history is particularly stunning considering the Hall of Fame-, MVP-, and All-Pro-caliber quarterbacks to play for the Eagles. Hall of Famers Norm Van Brocklin and Sonny Jurgensen didn't reach the mark, nor did 1990 NFL MVP Randall Cunningham, or standouts such as Ron Jaworski, Roman Gabriel, Norm Snead, or McNabb. All except Van Brocklin had 3,000-yard seasons for the team.
So which comes first for a team in existence since 1933: a 4,000-yard passer or a Super Bowl title? Both are long overdue.
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