Razor-thin margin for Eagles’ Mt. Rushmore

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The vote for the fourth spot on the Eagles’ Mt. Rushmore was as close as any vote we’ve ever conducted.

As of Tuesday morning, Randall Cunningham, Norm Van Brocklin, Steve Van Buren, and Donovan McNabb were bunched together for the final spot.  As the day unfolded, it tightened up between Cunningham and Van Brocklin, with McNabb fading.  Eventually, Cunningham pulled away, and Van Buren passed Van Brocklin for the fifth spot.

But Cunningham wasn’t on my own Mt. Rushmore for the Eagles; Van Buren was.  Along with Andy Reid, Reggie White, and Chuck Bednarik.

The PFT Planet version had White, Bednarik, Cunningham, and Brian Dawkins.

White appeared on 84 percent of the ballots, a number that surely would have been higher if he hadn’t bolted for Green Bay during the first year of “real” free agency.  Dawkins showed up on 64 percent of the ballots, and Bednarik’s name landed on 60 percent.  Cunningham, Van Buren, and Van Brocklin each were at 32 percent, with McNabb at 28 percent, Reid at 20 percent, and Brian Westbrook and Harold Carmichael at 16 percent.

Some of you argued that Dick Vermeil and Tommy McDonald should have made it to the final 12.  And while we respect that, we had to draw the line somewhere.

We’ll draw the line on this article right here, and you can watch the discussion from today’s Pro Football Talk on NBCSN below.

63 responses to “Razor-thin margin for Eagles’ Mt. Rushmore

  1. Who voted for Randall Cunningham?

    Over Norm Van Brocklin, Chuck Bednarick, Reggie White, or Donovan McNabb? Like Really Eagles fans?

    QB-Eagles was great on Tecmo Bowl but he NEVER made a Super Bowl. McNabb did.

  2. you know what? this whole Mt. Rushmore thing sucks. I’ve only seen a couple of these things ang those few leave much to be desired. Redskins: Doug Williams had the most exciting 15 minutes in Redskins history and you don’t even mention his name. Richie Pettibon orchestrated so many great defenses and was a master of the half time adjustment. now Philly who I don’t like. Randall Cunningham is not on the list why? you put Andy Reid up there? c’mon. Andy coached at a time when the whole NFC East was struggling or rebuilding. Donovan McNabbn early in his career saved Reids butt time and again. at least he got mentioned I guess. I’m not liking this…. at all.

  3. White, bednarik, van Brocklin are it. If you have 10 candidates for the 4 spot, which isn’t a bad thing eagle fans, you don’t have a true #4.

    If anything, the 4th position should be a zero with a line through it as an ode to the no Super Bowls which the eagles are just as known for as lt is known to the giants. Sorry EEG fans…couldn’t help myself. Still…the 3 positions on your mr are pretty stellar.

  4. It’s all good except for the fat man; time to blow up the port(ly) side of Rushmore. Right after I blow a few chunks into a WVU flag….

  5. I voted for Randall Cunningham.
    Easily the best Eagles QB of my lifetime.
    Unlike McNabb, Cunningham didn’t play for a QB guru. He had even less weapons than McNabb and all his O-lines were terrible.
    Eagles fans forget how well Cunningham threw the ball.

  6. Anyone that voted Cunningham over McNabb is completely clueless. And Cunningham is probably my all time favorite player.

  7. KD, not only did Randall never make a SB, he was 0-3 in the playoffs. McNabb won at least one playoff game every year he made it but 1, not to mention earning some byes as well. Randall’s 3 losses were in the wildcard round.

  8. He was a hybrid though…qb/ awesome punter haha

    I joke but dude was amazing

    Cunningham da god

    Biased cause he went to highschool and knows my mom, so what??

  9. Sorry, Cunningham was good, but that 4th spot should’ve gone to Van Buren, McNabb, or Harold Carmichael.

    If McNabb gets criticized for no rings, Cunningham can’t even be mentioned. Dude didn’t even play in a Superbowl.

  10. Haha. I like the association kd75. If a new 8-bit Techmo Bowl was re-released in 2004, and QB-EAGLES was given “Bo Jackson-like” attributes, who knows what this vote would look like. Love Randall, but between the two it should be Mcnabb all the way.

  11. Cunningham was one of the coolest enigmatic electrifying innovative players in the league for the eagles. No doubt.

    But its Reggie, Bdawk, Bednarik and Norm Van Brock, friends. Sorry.

  12. wrong. wrong. wrong. after 1960 the Eagles were a laughing joke. that ended in 1999 when Andy Reid and Donavan McNabb came to town. Reggie was and is a Packer as much as Brett Favre. You have got to be kidding me that Randall Cunningham is better than Donavan. Get over it Iggle nation. I bleed green all day and those losses hurt, but get serious Philly. Andy and Donavan restored pride in Eagles football, they cultivated a winning franchise from nothing, and the least you could do is give props where it is due.

  13. Man, I don’t see Andy Reid at all. I would give Chuck Bednarik BOTH of the center rocks and put Van Brocklin and Van Buren on the edges.

  14. I would’ve voted reggie all day for childhood joy reasons… Though let’s not forget to flap our wings, his “career aim” became to retire as a Packer. I’ll put him on the face of a mountain anyday next to Favre. The man was as good as it gets. Philadelphia was merely the city to honor, pay tribute to, and celebrate his unmatched talent, class act stature, and greatness as it should be celebrated.

  15. Ridiculous list if it doesn’t have the most prolific QB in franchise history. McNabb does not only have all the qb records for the eagles, he is their most successful qb in the Super Bowl era.

  16. Jerome should be on the Mountain instead of Reggie, because God told Reggie that he should be on the Panther’s Mountain.

    The rest of the names are exactly right.

  17. The thought of an Eagles Mt Rushmore without Van Buren is just sad.

    And those of you who think can Brocklin should be there are forgetting that he only played three seasons in Philly.

    Finally, aaronmushrush: if you think the Eagles were a laughingstock between 1960 and Andy Reid, you need to brush up in your history. There were these guys named Vermeil and Ryan whose work in Philly suggests otherwise.

  18. Its a sad mountain either way but you have to put the best QB in Eagles history up there, McNuggets !!

  19. Cunningham was completely overrated. The guy was a great athlete but only an above average QB in Philly. He was a much better player in Minn.

  20. I can’t believe the likes of Kurt Coleman, Mike Mamula, and Guy Morriss aren’t even in the conversation. What in the name of Rich Kotite is going on here?!?!

  21. It’s a beautiful thing to see The Minister of Defense in his Packers jersey perched atop the Eagles’ Mt. Rushmore.

    Eagles suck.

  22. I disagree that Randall had less weapons than McNabb. McNabb had Westbrook and basically one year of T.O. Everything else was him. I’d much rather have Keith Jackson, Fred Barnett, Calvin Williams, and Keith Byars. Not to mention that while McNabb usually played with a good defense, Randall played with one of the best defenses of all time and didn’t win a playoff game.

  23. therealtrenches….nah man I don’t think I do need to brush up on history. Vermeil was there for all of like 6 years and only saw playoff success once. and buddy Ryan? lmao. no dude. he couldn’t assemble a team to save his life. all those great defenses he had and he still didn’t have a clue offensively. not to mention the man didn’t win a playoff game. I think YOU need to brush up on your history. Ray Rhodes had more playoff success than Buddy Ryan and Vermeil crumbled before the Philadelphia media. my history and love for the Eagles is just fine.

  24. As a Eagles fan it’s embarrassing that so many are hanging on to the 1960 team and its star players. They don’t compare to players in the modern era.

  25. tmatic74 says:
    Jun 5, 2013 8:08 AM
    No McNabb!!! I can’t take this seriously.

    ————————–

    let me fix that.

    No Van Buren!!! I can’t take this seriously.

    Any Eagles Mt Rushmore should have Bednarik and Van Buren first, even above Reggie White. Bednarik and Van Buren are Hall of Famers who played their entire careers with the Eagles and actually won championships.

  26. Reid over Van Buren is just a function of the passage of time and that not enough people know about their NFL history.

    Van Buren was absolutely dominant. Plus, he actually, you know, won some titles. In fact, he performed brilliantly in those big games and was one of, if not THE, main reason they won in 1948 and 1949.

    Great player, great man and an amazing story. Anyone who voted for Reid should go back and look up Steve Van Buren.

  27. The image above of the Mt. Rushmore – is Reggie White in a Packers uniform?

  28. I hate and despise the Eagles as much as the Cowboys (Redskins…LOL), but have to give all do respect to Andy Reid and McNabb. For over a decade they beat down my Giants and made the Eagles a team that always came out to play and win. If one of the 2 doesn’y make it the eagles mt rushmore has zero merit…

  29. Randall Cunningham was light years better than Donovan McNabb and anybody who says otherwise doesn’t know what they’re talking about. McNabb had the benefit of being protected by Andy Reid and playing in a well structured Eagles organization. McNabb had the opportunity to play behind an offensive line that featured pro-bowlers and he had other play-makers throughout his tenure like Westbrook, Owens, Deuce and DeSean. Meanwhile Cunningham was the entire offense while playing for well below average head coaches in Buddy Ryan and Rich Kottite. The fact that Randall had any success playing for those two morons is borderline hall-of-fame worthy. Let McNabb play behind an offensive line spear-headed by Atone Davis and have Heath Sherman, Fred Barnett and Calvin Williams as his go-to-guys with Rich Kottite calling the plays then #5 is out of the NFL in less than 5 years. Cunningham was able to get these teams to the playoffs and was making pro-bowls and was literally the only offensive threat on that team. Randall Cunningham is the greatest QB to ever play for the Eagles. I don’t count Norm VanBrocklin because the game and position had drastically evolved from that era.

  30. For all the arguments about whether McNabb is better than Randall Cunningham, people seem to forget that without guys like Cunningham, Moon, and Doug Williams, McNabb would have been playing RB or WR. McNabb may be a slightly better QB passing-wise, but the rules were also different during Cunningham’s time in Philly. The rules were more fair towards defense, so Cunningham took a lot more punishment (which also led to his shorter career). Also, people neglect to remember that for the first 5 years of his career, when he made the playoffs twice, there were only 10 teams in the playoffs (2 wildcards per conference). I’m sorry, but if Randall had played under the rules today, he would have dwarfed the statistics put up by McNabb. I like McNabb and think he’s frequently underrated (when he was in his prime), but they are comparable, and would actually give Randall the edge because of his influence on the game.

  31. Cunningham worked with QB Guru Sid Gilman and failed because he wouldn’t watch film. Gilman slipped paper in the film and Cunningham told him he’d watch it at home. Paper was still there when he returned the film. Van Buren belonged in the top four. They got the first three right.
    Had Reid and McNabb won a Superbowl they’d have knocked the rest off the perch. They didn’t.

  32. Andy Reid should never ever be on a Mt Rushmore for the Eagles. The guy cost Philly 2 SBs in my opinion. He happened to come along when the NFC was a joke, with the NFC East being a bigger joke.

    Neither McNabb or Cunningham should be on this list. Neither was a great player. Good not great. And Cunningham had the worst line and coaching staff ever. Buddy didn’t care about teaching him the proper way to do anything. McNabb had a much better offense around him for his Eagles carreer then Cunningham but he still doesn’t get on my list because he was really carried by the defense.

  33. This list just shows the ineptitude of the Eagles in recent years (ie., last 15) given that most of the great players were from many decades past.

  34. By the way, Cunningham couldn’t hold mcnabbs jock. The one year that dopey organization gave him a wr that was actually better than the jets current stock, he took them to the sb. Cunningham was the 80s Vick without the dog killing.

  35. Florio and others you blew it. How does the guy who gets 64% of the vote and probably the most beloved Eagle of all time, Brian Dawkins, not even in the discussion? You guys argued Cunninham, McNabb, and Reid, but Dawkins blows them away. Im happy you put Van Buren, but you lost all credibility with Reid over Dawkins.

    THE Eagles Mt. Rushmore:

    Steve Van Buren
    Brian Dawkins
    Reggie White (in a freaking Eagles jersey please)
    Chuck Bednarik

    If you say any other, you’re either from somewhere else or a casual fan.

  36. Like I said, Cunningham is my all time favorite player, but for anyone to even suggest he’s better than McNabb, you did not watch much football or you just don’t understand it. They’re not even close.

  37. Mcnabb was better than Randall. Randall won just one stinking playoff game when he was here, and look at the defense he had. Now, you could argue, I guess, that Randall had poor coaching. Maybe. Cunningham had Barnett and Calvin Williams and Keith Jackson, which is better than what Mcnabb started with. Mcnabb is just not a popular player in Philly because of his passive/aggressive nature and refusal to ever take blame..his sensitivity.

  38. Norm Van Brocklin, Steve Van Buren, Chuck Bednarik and Reggie White are the obvious choices.

    Sorry, but everyone else is a cut below.

  39. Donovan McNabb might be a diva but he had 5 NFC Championship appearances, 1 SB appearance, and was 8-5 in the playoffs, Cunningham was 1-4.

    Philly fans are still angry McNabb never won the big one, but they forget Cunningham never got out of the 2nd round.

  40. Philly fans, smh, thats an absolute travesty. You boo the kid on draft night all he does is lead you to your best decade ever and you pick Cunningham? C’mon man…Cunningham did NOTHING in the playoffs.

  41. I’ve watched both McNabb and Cunningham for their entire careers. McNabb played for better teams but Cunningham was the better player. Andy Reid had so much to do with the success of the Eagles during McNabb’s tenure while Cunningham was a 1-man show on offense because Buddy Ryan only cared about defense and Rich Kottite was arguably the worst head coach in NFL history. Look at how both QB’s fared after they left the Eagles. Without Andy Reid, McNabb didn’t even last 2 seasons in the NFL. Cunningham had a nice run with the Vikings and had them in the Superbowl if it weren’t for a chip shot missed field goal. Like I said before, McNabb played for better teams but Cunningham was the better player. Whoever say otherwise don’t know Eagles football.

  42. You can argue all day over whether Cunningham was better than McNabb, or vice versa. One had more talent, the other better stats, but it doesn’t matter. Neither belongs on the Eagles’ Mt. Rushmore.

    If there is any QB who does, it is Van Brocklin – even though he played mostly as a Ram and only 3 years as an Eagle, he was a true championship caliber QB who won a championship in green.

    Nor does Andy Reid belong on Rushmore. Good but not great, above average and workmanlike but fatally flawed, good enough to get a team to the playoffs but a dud/flop in championship games, however you cut it, he’s not Rushmore material. If there is any Eagles coach who belongs on Rushmore, it is Greasy Neale, who won 2 of the team’s 3 NFL championships.

    The only players/people associated after after the 1960’s who even come close to qualifying for Mt. Rushmore are Reggie White, who is as much a Packer as an Eagle, and Brian Dawkins. Regrettably, no one else in recent memory evokes all-time greatness.

    It’s a damn shame that the Eagles’ true greats are from previous generations, but that’s the way it is. You can’t ignore this fact of life, just because you didn’t see them play, and vote for some stat-stuffed mediocrity who couldn’t hack being a champion in his own time.

    The true Eagles’ Mt. Rushmore is:

    Chuck Bednarik – undeniable
    Steve van Buren – undeniable

    Greasy Neale – best coach
    Bert Bell (team founder, NFL Commish, inventor of the NFL draft)

    There are ONLY 5 guys in team history who are arguable substitutes for the last two spots on the Eagles Mt. Rushmore, and they are:

    Norm Van Brocklin
    Reggie White
    Brian Dawkins
    Tommy McDonald
    Pete Pihos

    Dawk excepted (for now), HOF all. All worthy of being carved into granite.

    Anyone else up there is an absolute travesty. Or the uninformed opinion of a certain stiller and mountaineer fan, which is often the same thing.

  43. Anybody who says Norm Van Brocklin was the best all-time Eagles QB must either be really old or listen way too much to that moron Ray Didinger. Norm Van Brocklin threw more INTS than TDS and had a 53% completion percentage. Plus he played in an era in which the passing game was not a focal point of the offense. So yes Norm Van Brocklin was the QB of the 1960 Championship team but nobody would say that he was the orchestrator of a high calibur offensive juggernaut. I’d rank Vick and Jaworski ahead of Van Brocklin.

  44. Should have been (in order) Bednarik, White, Van Buren, Dawkins.

    Bednarik and White are no-brainers. Van Buren, seriously, do your homework people. Its laughable that he didn’t make it and I’m embarrassed for my fellow Eagles fans that Cunningham got in ahead of him. Listen, I have a #12 jersey that I covet, amongst others. But reality check people, he’s in our top 10 somewhere, not our top 4. B-Dawk gets it for two reasons…1. he was the heart and soul of our defense for 10+ years and gave us everything he had. I’ve never seen a player literally give every ounce of his being for his team like Weapon X did. 2. The DEFENSE is the real reason that Andy Reid is even getting consideration. Jim Johnson’s D led us to our success all those years, not Andy’s predictable, inefficient, unbalanced offense. And that defense was built around Brian Dawkins.

    As far as Norm Van Brocklin goes, I feel like his time in Philly does not equal the weight of his name. By that I mean he is more known as a Ram and for his success there than for the 3 years he spent here. Yes he won us the 1960 NFL Championship by being the only team to ever beat the legendary Vince Lombardi in a playoff game, BUT he was handing off to Steve Van Buren and throwing to Tommy MacDonald, both of whom had much longer tenures in Philly. For anyone to think that a guy who spent only 3 years of his career here deserves to be enshrined in the pretend immorality that is these Mount Rushmores, is completely laughable. Truth be told, Wilbert Montgomery and Pete Pihos deserved his spot in the top 12 more than Norm did. Heck, Jim Johnson probably did too.

  45. here’s an interesting take on that.

    I think Reid and McNabb are tied to each other too much for either to be on the mount.

    McNabb was nothing after Philly,
    Reid was nothing after McNabb.

    The only time Philadelphia was remotely effective after the trade of Donovan, is when Vick started to play at Donovan’s level.. which he was only capable of for 10 games in that second season.

  46. @Phillyphannn83, Van Brocklin did not hand off to Van Buren. Van Buren retired in ’51. But I agree with everything else.

  47. I’m not arguing with ayoungblood. As I said, if someone really thinks Cunningham was better than McNabb, you aren’t worth arguing with because you have no clue about football.

  48. the eagles are a crappy franchise..to have a guy like reid on there that never won anything shows just how lame franchise is..id have put Harold Carmichael on there before reid

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