Three Tight Ends Were the Best to Wear No. 88 for Eagles

Keith Jackson gets the top spot in the rankings after four terrific seasons in Philly, including a rookie of the year award in 1988

Our jersey countdown to kickoff continues with the number 90, and that’s how many days remain until the Eagles open the season in Landover, Md., against the Washington Redskins on Sept. 13.

From now until then, SI.com EagleMaven will identify the three best players in Eagles history to wear the corresponding number to the days left before the season opener.

Current Number 88:

Dallas Goedert. About to enter his third season, the tight end will someday be in the top three on this list if his upward trajectory continues at its current pace. As it is, he is knocking on the door.

Even as the sidekick to Zach Ertz, Goedert put up impressive numbers last year, with 58 catches for 607 yards and five touchdowns. Except for the TDs, those numbers are just about double from his rookie year when he had 33 receptions for 334 yards with four scores.

It always makes Eagles fans happy, too, when a player on their team puts up career numbers against the archrival Dallas Cowboys, which Goedert did last year with nine catches for 91 yards and a six-yard TD in a win on Dec. 22.

Top 3 to wear No. 88:

Trey Burton. The tight end will forever have a home in Eagles’ fans hearts and heads after being the triggerman on the Philly Special in Super Bowl LII, throwing a fourth-and-goal, one-yard touchdown pass to Nick Foles just before halftime of the Eagles 41-33 win over the New England Patriots.

Burton was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2014 and spent four years in Philly, making 63 catches for 629 yards and six touchdowns. He was signed by the Colts this after season after being released by the Bears.

John Spagnola. Yale has produced a handful of memorable NFL players, with perhaps Calvin Hill and Gary Fencik at the top of the list. “Spags,” as he was known. isn’t far behind that group, along with Dick Jauron.

The Eagles took Spagnola in the ninth round of the 1979 draft and he spent eight of his 11 NFL seasons in Philly. His best seasons were 1984 and 1985. In ’84, he had 65 catches for 701 yards and one score; in ’85, he had 64 receptions for 772 yards and five TDs.

The combined 129 catches over the two seasons were more than any other tight end in the NFC.

For his Philly career, Spags ended with 256 catches and 14 touchdowns.

He also appeared in the Eagles’ first Super Bowl back in 1980 against the Raiders, catching one pass for 22 yards.

Keith Jackson. The Eagles have had some good luck with players named Jackson – DeSean and Harold come to mind – but Keith Jackson takes a backseat to neither of them.

A first-round pick in 1988 (No. 13 overall) out of Oklahoma, Jackson was a first-team All-Pro in his first three seasons with Philly.

He was also the rookie of the year in 1988. His 81 receptions as a rookie are still tied for ninth in Eagles history and remains a rookie record. His 869 receiving yards in 1988 were a rookie record until DeSean Jackson broke it in 2008.

Also, in his rookie year, Jackson made seven catches for 142 yards in the one playoff game the Eagles played that year.

Jackson left Philly after four seasons with 242 catches for 2,756 yards and 20 touchdowns. He eventually won a championship ring with the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI.

Runner-up:

Bob Hudson. Never saw Hudson play, but his numbers are too good to ignore. Drafted by the New York Giants in the 12 round of the 1951 NFL Draft out of Clemson, Hudson spent two years in New York before coming to Philly.

He played three defensive positions – end, linebacker, and defensive back. In his five years with the Eagles, Hudson made 15 interceptions and recovered 11 fumbles.

He passed away in October of 2018.

Others:

Herschel Ramsey, John Durko, Jay MacDowell, John Zilly, Jerry Watson, Gary Pettigrew, Richard Osborne, Bill Larson, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin McKenzie, Luther Broughton, Mike Bartrum, Cornelius Ingram, and Jeff Maehl.