NFL team season
The 1992 Philadelphia Eagles season was their 60th in the National Football League (NFL). The team fought through adversity from the outset and improved upon their previous output of 10–6,[1] winning eleven games and returning to the playoffs after a year out.
This was the first season the team was sponsored by the Russell Athletic brand until the 1996 season.
After winning four in a row and five of their last six regular-season games, the Birds kept the momentum going and posted their first playoff victory since the 1980 NFC Championship Game, topping the Saints in New Orleans in the Wild Card playoffs. It was also their first playoff win on the road, since the 1949 NFL Championship Game.
Season highlights included: the first 4–0 start since going 6–0 to begin the 1981 campaign, a home shutout of the Denver Broncos on September 20, a memorable seven-play goal-line stand in a 7–3 win over the Cardinals on October 25, a come-from-behind 47–34 win over the New York Giants at the Meadowlands (which included a Vai Sikahema punt return for a touchdown and his iconic boxing with the padding at the base of the goal posts), and cornerback Eric Allen batting away a Mark Rypien pass at the goal line to seal a playoff-spot-clinching 17–13 decision against the Washington Redskins on December 20.
The entire season was the focus of Mark Bowden's best-selling book "Bringing the Heat", which also dealt in great detail with prominent recent-term figures who were not with the 1992 Eagles, including tight end Keith Jackson who became the first prominent NFL player to use his newly-granted rights of full and unrestricted free agency and signed a deal with the Miami Dolphins several weeks into the season, and former coach Buddy Ryan who struggled through a TV commentator's role two years after he was fired as the Eagles coach but remained a huge (and not always positive) influence on the 1992 Eagles (particularly through the defensive players who loved Ryan and remained loyal to him, and who were lukewarm at best about Rich Kotite's leadership). Bowden's book also described the personal issues that Eagles players faced, the friction between how injuries should be (or were) treated by the team's medical staff, and the story of hugely successful but haunted then-team owner Norman Braman.
Offseason
The Eagles were represented at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, as Herschel Walker represented the United States in the two-man bobsled event. Walker and Brian Shimer's sled finished seventh and missed a medal by 0.32 seconds, and was the higher finishing American team.[2]
Jerome Brown's death
Tragedy struck the team when, on June 25, 1992, defensive tackle Jerome Brown lost control of his Chevrolet Corvette at high speed before crashing into an electric pole, killing Brown and his nephew Gus. Later that evening in Philadelphia, in front of a large gathering at Veterans Stadium and a national television audience who were participating in a Billy Graham Crusade, Reggie White broke the news of his teammate's passing to the shock of the audience.
The Eagles retired number 99 in honor of Brown, kept his locker untouched, and wore a patch with his initials and number on their jerseys. They also adopted the rallying cry "Bring It Home For Jerome", referring to their desire to win the Super Bowl for their fallen teammate.
NFL draft
The Eagles had a 10–6 record in 1991 and tied with three other teams. Because of this they selected the 16th to 20th pick on a rotating basis in the 12 rounds. They traded away their first round pick earlier, which was made by the Dallas Cowboys. With their pick in the second round they chose Siran Stacy, a running back out of the University of Alabama. The Eagles selected 12 players over the 12 rounds.
[3]
Regular season
Schedule
| Week
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
Result
|
Record
|
Venue
|
Attendance
|
| 1
|
September 6
|
New Orleans Saints
|
W 15–13
|
1–0
|
Veterans Stadium
|
63,513
|
| 2
|
September 13
|
at Phoenix Cardinals
|
W 31–14
|
2–0
|
Sun Devil Stadium
|
42,533
|
| 3
|
September 20
|
Denver Broncos
|
W 30–0
|
3–0
|
Veterans Stadium
|
65,833
|
| 4
|
Bye
|
| 5
|
October 5
|
Dallas Cowboys
|
W 31–7
|
4–0
|
Veterans Stadium
|
66,572
|
| 6
|
October 11
|
at Kansas City Chiefs
|
L 17–24
|
4–1
|
Arrowhead Stadium
|
76,626
|
| 7
|
October 18
|
at Washington Redskins
|
L 12–16
|
4–2
|
RFK Stadium
|
56,380
|
| 8
|
October 25
|
Phoenix Cardinals
|
W 7–3
|
5–2
|
Veterans Stadium
|
64,676
|
| 9
|
November 1
|
at Dallas Cowboys
|
L 10–20
|
5–3
|
Texas Stadium
|
65,012
|
| 10
|
November 8
|
Los Angeles Raiders
|
W 31–10
|
6–3
|
Veterans Stadium
|
65,388
|
| 11
|
November 15
|
at Green Bay Packers
|
L 24–27
|
6–4
|
Milwaukee County Stadium
|
52,689
|
| 12
|
November 22
|
at New York Giants
|
W 47–34
|
7–4
|
Giants Stadium
|
68,153
|
| 13
|
November 29
|
at San Francisco 49ers
|
L 14–20
|
7–5
|
Candlestick Park
|
64,374
|
| 14
|
December 6
|
Minnesota Vikings
|
W 28–17
|
8–5
|
Veterans Stadium
|
65,280
|
| 15
|
December 13
|
at Seattle Seahawks
|
W 20–17 (OT)
|
9–5
|
Kingdome
|
47,492
|
| 16
|
December 20
|
Washington Redskins
|
W 17–13
|
10–5
|
Veterans Stadium
|
65,841
|
| 17
|
December 27
|
New York Giants
|
W 20–10
|
11–5
|
Veterans Stadium
|
64,266
|
[4]
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints |
3 |
3 | 0 | 7 |
13 |
| • Eagles |
6 |
3 | 0 | 6 |
15 |
|
Week 2: at Phoenix Cardinals
Philadelphia Eagles at Phoenix Cardinals
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Eagles |
3 |
14 | 7 | 7 |
31 |
| Cardinals |
0 |
14 | 0 | 0 |
14 |
|
Week 3: vs. Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos at Philadelphia Eagles
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Broncos |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
0 |
| • Eagles |
3 |
14 | 10 | 3 |
30 |
|
Week 5: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys |
7 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
7 |
| • Eagles |
10 |
0 | 7 | 14 |
31 |
|
Week 6: at Kansas City Chiefs
Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles |
0 |
3 | 0 | 14 |
17 |
| • Chiefs |
7 |
7 | 7 | 3 |
24 |
|
This game ended the longest ever gap between two NFL teams meeting – it was the first occasion the Eagles had opposed the Chiefs since October 22, 1972,[5] and only their second-ever matchup.[6] This occurred because in previous seasons when the AFC West and NFC East met each other, either the Eagles or the Chiefs (but never both) finished in fifth position and did not play the ordinary set of interconference games.[5]
Week 7: at Washington Redskins
Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Redskins
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles |
0 |
3 | 0 | 9 |
12 |
| • Redskins |
7 |
3 | 3 | 3 |
16 |
|
Week 8: vs. Phoenix Cardinals
Phoenix Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cardinals |
0 |
0 | 0 | 3 |
3 |
| • Eagles |
0 |
7 | 0 | 0 |
7 |
|
Week 9: at Dallas Cowboys
Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles |
0 |
0 | 10 | 0 |
10 |
| • Cowboys |
0 |
3 | 7 | 10 |
20 |
|
Week 10: vs. Los Angeles Raiders
Los Angeles Raiders at Philadelphia Eagles
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Raiders |
0 |
3 | 0 | 7 |
10 |
| • Eagles |
3 |
14 | 7 | 7 |
31 |
|
Week 11: at Green Bay Packers
Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles |
3 |
0 | 7 | 14 |
24 |
| • Packers |
0 |
14 | 0 | 13 |
27 |
|
Week 12: at New York Giants
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Eagles |
0 |
20 | 20 | 7 |
47 |
| Giants |
10 |
10 | 7 | 7 |
34 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
| | 1 | | Giants | Matt Bahr 35 yard field goal | Giants 3–0 |
| | 1 | | Giants | Dave Meggett 14 yard pass from Jeff Hostetler (Matt Bahr kick) | Giants 10–0 |
| | 2 | | Eagles | Herschel Walker 21 yard pass from Randall Cunningham (kick failed) | Giants 10–6 |
| | 2 | | Giants | Dave Meggett 92 yard kickoff return (Matt Bahr kick) | Giants 17–6 |
| | 2 | | Giants | Matt Bahr 44 yard field goal | Giants 20–6 |
| | 2 | | Eagles | Seth Joyner 43 yard interception return (Roger Ruzek kick) | Giants 20–13 |
| | 2 | | Eagles | Herschel Walker 11 yard run (Roger Ruzek kick) | Tie 20–20 |
| | 3 | | Eagles | Keith Byars 38 yard pass from Randall Cunningham (Roger Ruzek kick) | Eagles 27–20 |
| | 3 | | Eagles | Ken Rose 3 yard blocked punt return (Roger Ruzek kick) | Eagles 34–20 |
| | 3 | | Eagles | Vai Sikahema 87 yard punt return (kick failed) | Eagles 40–20 |
| | 3 | | Giants | Ed McCaffrey 18 yard pass from Kent Graham (Matt Bahr kick) | Eagles 40–27 |
| | 4 | | Eagles | Heath Sherman 30 yard run (Roger Ruzek kick) | Eagles 47–27 |
| | 4 | | Giants | Rodney Hampton 2 yard run (Matt Bahr kick) | Eagles 47–34 |
|
Week 13: at San Francisco 49ers
Philadelphia Eagles at San Francisco 49ers
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles |
0 |
0 | 7 | 7 |
14 |
| • 49ers |
7 |
3 | 3 | 7 |
20 |
|
Week 14: vs. Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Vikings |
3 |
7 | 0 | 7 |
17 |
| • Eagles |
7 |
7 | 7 | 7 |
28 |
|
Week 15: at Seattle Seahawks
Philadelphia Eagles at Seattle Seahawks
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| • Eagles |
3 |
7 | 0 | 7 | 3 |
20 |
| Seahawks |
3 |
7 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
17 |
|
Week 16: vs. Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Redskins |
0 |
13 | 0 | 0 |
13 |
| • Eagles |
0 |
7 | 7 | 3 |
17 |
|
Week 17: vs. New York Giants
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Giants |
0 |
0 | 3 | 7 |
10 |
| • Eagles |
7 |
10 | 0 | 3 |
20 |
|
Standings
