An Eagles Modern Mount Rushmore With Players From Just The 2000s

The NFL Network recently released a Mount Rushmore for all 32 teams, including the Eagles, which had on it players from last century; this one is more up to date.

Feb 1, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce (62) participates in the NFL Pro Bowl Skills Competition at the UCF NIcholson Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA – These Mount Rushmore lists have become as popular as mock drafts. It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, there’s always a mock draft or a Mount Rushmore right around the next corner.

The NFL Network recently got into the act and gave its Mount Rushmore opinion for all 32 teams in the league. Its Mount for the Eagles was Steve Van Buren, Brian Dawkins, Reggie White, and Chuck Bednarik. It’s hard to argue with those four.

The Eagles franchise has had some great players in their history, and, while it hasn’t always translated into championships, they did win three NFL titles and one Super Bowl, so it’s hard to narrow it down to just four of the very best players.

In an attempt to modernize things a bit – a Modern Mount Rushmore, if you will – I am putting my best four up from the 2000s. Remember, these are my four, and there are no wrong answers. Feel free to offer up your four, but don’t criticize mine.

Two rules apply:

-A player must have played a minimum five years with team, which eliminates Terrell Owens and A.J. Brown, though check back in three more years in Philly and Brown could very well end up on the modern Mount.

-A player had to play with the Eagles during that five-year minimum and all of those years must have been played in Philly in the 2000s, which eliminates Dawkins who arrived in 1996.

Here we go:

JASON KELCE. You think the Eagles will have another player start 156 straight games, and at center no less? It might happen at some point but no player in Eagles history did it before him, so to think someone will come along and do it again would challenge even the most optimistic fan.

He will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Runner-up: Left tackle Jason Peters

LESEAN MCCOY. This was a tough choice between Shady and my runner-up, Brian Westbrook. Both running backs hold several records in team history. What clinched it for me was my inability to shake the image of him running wild in a blizzard for a team-record 217 yards against the Detroit Lions on Dec. 8, 2013.

He is a borderline Hall of Famer.

Runner-up: Westbrook

FLETCHER COX. Another difficult decision between Cox and my runner-up, Brandon Graham. Cox was the most dominant defensive tackle in team history who was named to the NFL’s All-Decade team of the 2010s. His 70 career sacks are fifth-most in team history and far more than the next defensive tackle.

He should be in the Hall of Fame.

Runner-up: Graham

ZACH ERTZ. Of all the heroes in the Eagles 41-33 win over the New England Patriots, the tight end is the most overlooked due to Graham’s strip-sack of Tom Brady and the Philly Special. The Eagles, though, needed Ertz to win this game.

His two-yard catch on fourth-and-two on the Eagles’ side of the field after the Patriots had grabbed a 33-32 with 9:22 to play kept alive the game-winning drive that ended when Ertz made an 11-yard touchdown grab on third-and-seven with 2:21 to play.

He still holds the NFL record for most catches in one season with 116 set in 2018, his 579 catches with the Eagles are just 10 away from being the most in franchise history, a record held by Harold Carmichael, and his 6,267 yards receiving are the fifth-most in team history.

He should be in the Hall of Fame.

Runner-up: Malcolm Jenkins

Notes: Three players on my modern Mount Rushmore won Super Bowl LVII, with notable exceptions being Nick Foles, Lane Johnson, and Jenkins. A strong case could be made for either of those three, though Jenkins is one of my runner-ups…The Eagles drafted all four on the modern Mount.

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