The 'Return' of Brian Westbrook as Best to Wear No. 36 for Eagles

The running back is far and away the best to wear the number, though it's a solid group who have worn 36 in the past

Brian Westbrook set the standard with the No. 36 for the Eagles, yet the team keeps giving it out ling after Westbrook has been gone.

Several have tried to rise to the bar Westbrook set during his eight-year run at the start of this century. None have managed to come close.

It’s been a roll call of failure since Westbrook got it from JaCorey Shepherd and Dwayne Gratz to Deiondre Hall.

One may have come close, and that was Jay Ajayi. The talent was there, but the knees weren’t.

You will find him in our recount of the best to wear the No. 36 in Eagles history.

Nobody can touch Westbrook in these rankings

Who can forget his 84-yard punt return touchdown with less than 90 seconds to play in a 14-10 win over the Giants in 2003 in what was then the second Miracle of the Meadowlands?

Westbrook did so much more, too, and he is the king of 36.

Here’s more:

Current number 36:

Rudy Ford. The safety figures to have his hands full making the roster this summer despite the loss of Malcolm Jenkins in free agency because the Eagles brought back Rodney McLeod and Jalen Mills, who will move to safety, signed free agent Will Parks, and drafted K’Von Wallace in the fourth round.

Ford was acquired by the Eagles in a trade with the Cardinals on Aug. 22, 2019. He played in 10 games, mostly on special teams and saw just 16 defensive snaps. He was placed on Injured Reserve with an abdomen injury.

Top 3 to wear number 36:

3. Norm Bulaich. The fullback was the 18th overall pick in the 1970 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts and arrived in Philadelphia in 1973 for a brief two-year stint. During those two seasons, Bulaich had 156 carries for 588 yards and one touchdown while catching 70 passes for 607 yards and three TDs.

In 120 career games with the Colts (1970–72), Eagles (1973–74), and Dolphins (1975–79), Bulaich rushed for 3,362 yards and 30 touchdowns with a 4.1 rushing average. He also made 224 receptions for 1,766 yards and 11 touchdowns.

He held the Colts’ single-game rushing record with 198 yards on Sept. 19, 1971, that stood until 2000 when Edgerrin James broke it with 219.

Bulaich was on the cover of Sports Illustrated in November of 1971.

2. Mike Zordich. The Penn State product didn’t get to the Eagles until he was 31 and they were his third team in 1994. He was signed to replace Andre Waters at safety when Waters left in free agency.

Zordich started all 79 games he played over the next five seasons in Philly. He had 12 interceptions in those 79 games with four forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries, four sacks, and 411 tackles.

He wasn’t re-signed after the 1998 season and was replaced by Tim Hauck.

1. Brian Westbrook. The only player in I-AA history to score 160 or more points twice in a career and the first player in the history of college football at any level with 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards in one season (1998), Westbrook still lasted until the third round of the 2002 draft for three reasons: size (he was listed at 5-8), a knee injury that cost him one college season, and a small school.

Andy Reid took a chance on him, making the Villanova product the 91st player taken overall and it paid off big time.

In eight years with Philadelphia, Westbrook ran for 5,995 yards and 37 touchdowns and 426 receptions for 3,790 yards and 29 touchdowns.

He had back-to-back seasons of 1,217 and 1,333 rushing yards in 2006 and 2007. In 2007, he was first-team All-Pro.

Westbrook was released in 2010 and went to San Francisco for one year before retiring.

Runner-up:

Jay Ajayi. Acquired at the trade deadline in 2017, the running back was just what the Eagles needed to help them win a Super Bowl. During the team’s three-game postseason run to the SB LII title, Ajayi had 54 yards rushing against the Falcons, with 44 receiving yards, 73 yards on the ground with 26 receiving yards against the Vikings, and 57 yards rushing against the Patriots.

Knee injuries limited him in 2018 and 2019.

Others: Ed Manske, Carl Kane, Herbert Roton, Joe Bukant, Tery Fox, John Stockfool, Terry Steward, Joe Hoague, Joe Muha, Gerry Cowhig, John Brewer, Dick Bielski, Tom McNeill, Herman Hunter, Bobby Morse, Robert Drummond, Stanley Pritchett, JaCorey Shepherd, Dwayne Gratz, and Deiondre Hall.

Get the latest Eagles news by joining the community. Click "Follow" at the top right of EagleMaven page. Mobile users click the notification bell. And please follow me on Twitter @kracze.