The Philadelphia Eagles have a long history of explosive running backs and head coaches that like to use them in a multitude of ways. Heading into the 2020 season, the Eagles' running back group is anything but impressive after Miles Sanders.
Sanders burst onto the scene as a rookie and showed that he is capable of being a No. 1 back. The Eagles will be part of a two-team race in the NFC East despite having the weakest group of running backs in the division. Doug Pederson is a great offensive mind that knows his players and how to use them.
This has been a theme in the past with coaches like Andy Reid. He has coached many Eagles' greats during his time in Philly. Here are the top three running backs in franchise history.
3. Brian Westbrook
Westbrook joined the Eagles in 2012 after being selected in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft. The Villanova product did not have much of a rookie year but turned it on in year two.
The Eagles began using Westbrook in many ways. He scored seven rushing touchdowns and caught four more during his second season. In 2006, Westbrook finished with 1,217 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. He would outdo himself the very next year. The 2007 season was Westbrook's lone All-Pro season. He ran for a career-high 1,333 yards and seven touchdowns. He added 90 catches for 771 yards and five touchdowns.
Westbrook thrived in Reid's system. He entered the NFL as a duel-threat back and ended up being apart of many good teams in Philadelphia. Westbrook ended his career third in Eagles' history in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.
2. LeSean McCoy
McCoy was a better version of Westbrook a few years later under Reid. The Eagles added McCoy in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. In his second season in 2010, McCoy made a name for himself in a big way.
McCoy rushed for 1,080 yards and seven touchdowns in year two. He added 78 catches and proved to be an elite receiver out of the backfield. In 2011, McCoy landed as a First-Team All-Pro for the first time after leading the league with 17 touchdowns. Two years later, McCoy did it again. He was at the top of the league in carries (314), rushing yards (1,607), touches (366), and yards from scrimmage (2,146). McCoy spent six years in Philadelphia and rushed for 1,000 or more yards four times.
In 2015, the Eagles traded McCoy to the Buffalo Bills in return for linebacker Kiko Alonso. McCoy spent four years in Buffalo before they released him. He ended up signing a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs and was able to reunite with his former head coach. We all know how the season ended in Kansas City.
As an Eagle, McCoy was one of the top running backs in football. He is the franchise's all-time rushing leader with 6,792 yards.
1. Steve Van Buren
While enrolled at LSU, the Eagles selected Van Buren with the fifth pick of the 1944 NFL Draft. He entered the league and was an All-Pro in five of the first six years of his career.
In just his second season, Van Buren led the NFL with 832 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was a big, powerful runner that dominated in the backfield for Philadelphia. Beginning in 1947, Van Buren led the NFL in carries, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns for three years. It began with 217 carries for 1,008 yards and 13 touchdowns in 1947. He followed that up with 201 carries for 945 yards and 10 touchdowns the very next year. In 1949, Van Buren set a career-high with 1,146 yards on 263 carries. He added 11 touchdowns.
Van Buren spent all eight years of his career with the Eagles. He was apart of two straight NFL Championship teams with Philadelphia. In the 1948 title game, Van Buren scored the only touchdown of a 7-0 win over the Chicago Cardinals. In 1949, he set records with 31 carries for 196 yards. The Eagles have retired his No. 15, and he is still one of the top players in franchise history.
Van Buren was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1965. He was also a member of the NFL 1940's All-Decade Team, NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. Van Buren is fourth on the Eagles' all-time rushing list, but he is the best running back in team history.
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