A History of the Eagles' Linebackers
1946 Future Hall of Famer Alex Wojciechowicz is purchased from the Lions to be the Eagles' center and top linebacker.
1949 The first overall selection in the draft, Penn all-American Chuck Bednarik starts his career splitting time with Wojciechowicz and Joe Muha at linebacker.
1950 Bednarik earns the first of his eight Pro Bowl berths.
1953-54 The team's defensive front becomes known as the "Suicide Seven," with young linebacker Wayne Robinson starring alongside Bednarik.
1960 Second-round draft pick Maxie Baughan becomes a key figure on the title team's defense.
1960 Chuck Bednarik's ferocious hit on the New York Giants' Frank Gifford forces a fumble that is recovered by fellow linebacker Chuck Weber and propels the Eagles to the title game. In that contest, Bednarik plays 58 1/2 minutes and seals the win by sitting on Green Bay's Jim Taylor as the clock runs out.
1962 Bednarik retires after 169 career games.
1966 After his fifth Pro Bowl, a disgruntled Baughan is traded to the Rams.
1971 Eccentric Tim Rossovich, known for his fondness for eating glass, becomes the anchor of the team's best defense in several seasons.
1972 After a holdout, Rossovich is traded to the San Diego Chargers.
1974 Middle linebacker Bill Bergey, a potent hitter acquired from the Cincinnati Bengals for three high draft picks, earns the first of four Pro Bowl selections with the Eagles.
1977-78 Having switched from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4, coach Dick Vermeil builds around Bergey along with John Bunting, Frank LeMaster, and Reggie Wilkes.
1979 In a season in which Bergey suffers a season-ending knee injury, first-round pick Jerry Robinson makes an instant impact.
1980 With Bergey back in the lineup next to LeMaster, Bunting and Robinson, the Birds finish first in the NFL in points allowed and reach the Super Bowl.
1986 Buddy Ryan installs a 4-3 defense, and makes eighth-round pick Seth Joyner a starter on the outside.
1991 With fourth-round pick William Thomas joining Joyner and Byron Evans in the lineup, the Eagles finish first overall in both run and pass defense. Joyner is named the NFL player of the year by Sports Illustrated.
1995 Thomas picks off seven passes and is named to his first Pro Bowl. He is selected again in 1996.
1996 James Willis intercepts a Troy Aikman pass in the end zone, runs it out, and laterals to cornerback Troy Vincent, who completes a 104-yard return.
2000 Jeremiah Trotter, a fierce hitter in the tradition of Bednarik and Bergey, earns his first Pro Bowl berth.
2004 Two years after leaving for the Washington Redskins in a contract dispute, Trotter returns and becomes the defense's anchor once again.
- Compiled by David Cohen