The 1990 Philadelphia Eagles season was the team's 58th in the National Football League (NFL).
The team made the postseason yet again with a 10–6 overall record, despite beginning the season with disappointing early-season records of 1–3 and 2–4.
The Eagles ran for 2,556 rushing yards in 1990, which is the most of any team in a single season in the 1990s.[1]
Other season highlights were a 28–14 win at Veterans Stadium over the Washington Redskins on November 12, known as the Body Bag Game, since the defense managed to knock both Redskins quarterbacks from the contest plus several other key players. The Redskins came back to the Vet later in the season to defeat the Eagles in the Wild Card Playoff, however. Against the Buffalo Bills in a 30–23 loss on December 2, Randall Cunningham made one of the signature plays of his career, eluding Bills Hall of Fame defensive end Bruce Smith in the end zone before launching the ball into the middle of the field to wide receiver Fred Barnett, who completed the 95-yard touchdown play.
One week prior, the Eagles avenged an opening-night loss at the Meadowlands, whipping the 10–0 New York Giants by a 31–13 score. The Redskins would get the last laugh, beating the Eagles 20–6 in the Wild Card round.
Following the season, the team fired head coach Buddy Ryan. Offensive coordinator Rich Kotite was promoted to replace Ryan as Eagles head coach, and would hold the position for the next four seasons.
Offseason
NFL draft
The 1990 NFL draft was held April 22–23, 1990. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season.
For the number 1 pick in the draft, the Indianapolis Colts traded with the Atlanta Falcons to select Jeff George a quarterback from Illinois
Under the rules of the draft at the time, the Eagles would pick 24th or 25th in each full round. Teams that went to Super Bowl XXIV would have last 2 picks and then teams sorted out by 1989 record in each round. The Eagles at 11–5 in the previous year tied with Los Angeles Rams. With the 22nd pick in the 1st round the Eagles selected Ben Smith a cornerback from Georgia The Eagles made 12 total picks in the 1990 draft.
[2]
Training camp
The Eagles held training camp at West Chester State University in West Chester, PA about 20 miles from Veterans Stadium where they play their home games.
Personnel
Staff
1990 Philadelphia Eagles staff
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Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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|
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
- Strength and conditioning – Ronnie Jones
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Roster
[3]
Regular season
Schedule
| Week
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
Result
|
Record
|
Venue
|
Attendance
|
| 1
|
September 9
|
at New York Giants
|
L 20–27
|
0–1
|
Giants Stadium
|
76,202
|
| 2
|
September 16
|
Phoenix Cardinals
|
L 21–23
|
0–2
|
Veterans Stadium
|
64,396
|
| 3
|
September 23
|
at Los Angeles Rams
|
W 27–21
|
1–2
|
Anaheim Stadium
|
63,644
|
| 4
|
September 30
|
Indianapolis Colts
|
L 23–24
|
1–3
|
Veterans Stadium
|
62,067
|
| 5
|
Bye
|
| 6
|
|
Minnesota Vikings
|
W 32–24
|
2–3
|
Veterans Stadium
|
66,296
|
| 7
|
October 21
|
at Washington Redskins
|
L 7–13
|
2–4
|
RFK Stadium
|
53,567
|
| 8
|
October 28
|
at Dallas Cowboys
|
W 21–20
|
3–4
|
Texas Stadium
|
62,605
|
| 9
|
November 4
|
New England Patriots
|
W 48–20
|
4–4
|
Veterans Stadium
|
65,514
|
| 10
|
November 12
|
Washington Redskins
|
W 28–14
|
5–4
|
Veterans Stadium
|
65,857
|
| 11
|
November 18
|
at Atlanta Falcons
|
W 24–23
|
6–4
|
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium
|
53,755
|
| 12
|
November 25
|
New York Giants
|
W 31–13
|
7–4
|
Veterans Stadium
|
66,706
|
| 13
|
December 2
|
at Buffalo Bills
|
L 23–30
|
7–5
|
Rich Stadium
|
79,320
|
| 14
|
December 9
|
at Miami Dolphins
|
L 20–23 (OT)
|
7–6
|
Joe Robbie Stadium
|
67,034
|
| 15
|
December 16
|
Green Bay Packers
|
W 31–0
|
8–6
|
Veterans Stadium
|
65,627
|
| 16
|
December 23
|
Dallas Cowboys
|
W 17–3
|
9–6
|
Veterans Stadium
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63,895
|
| 17
|
|
at Phoenix Cardinals
|
W 23–21
|
10–6
|
Sun Devil Stadium
|
31,796
|
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles |
3 |
7 | 0 | 10 |
20 |
| • Giants |
6 |
0 | 14 | 7 |
27 |
[4]
Week 2
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Cardinals |
0 |
7 | 7 | 9 |
23 |
| Eagles |
14 |
0 | 7 | 0 |
21 |
[5]
Week 3
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Eagles |
3 |
14 | 3 | 7 |
27 |
| Rams |
7 |
7 | 0 | 7 |
21 |
[6]
Week 4
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Colts |
7 |
3 | 7 | 7 |
24 |
| Eagles |
3 |
14 | 3 | 3 |
23 |
[7]
Week 6
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Vikings |
7 |
14 | 0 | 3 |
24 |
| • Eagles |
9 |
0 | 6 | 17 |
32 |
- Date: October 15
- Location: Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Game start: 9:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 61 °F (16 °C) (Clear) • Wind 12 mph (19 km/h)
- Referee: Gene Barth
- TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, Dan Dierdorf
[8]
Week 7
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles |
0 |
0 | 0 | 7 |
7 |
| • Redskins |
0 |
7 | 0 | 6 |
13 |
- Date: October 21
- Location: RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 55 °F (13 °C) • Wind 9 mph (14 km/h)
- Referee: Dale Hamer
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and John Madden
[9]
Week 8
The Porkchop Bowl
| Scoring summary
|
| Quarter
|
Time
|
Drive
|
Team
|
Scoring information
|
Score
|
| Plays
|
Yards
|
TOP
|
PHI
|
DAL
|
| 1
|
1:08
|
|
|
|
Eagles
|
Toney 10-yard touchdown reception from Cunningham, Ruzek kick good
|
7
|
0
|
| 2
|
0:13
|
|
|
|
Cowboys
|
43-yard field goal by Willis
|
7
|
3
|
| 3
|
12:11
|
|
|
|
Cowboys
|
43-yard field goal by Willis
|
7
|
6
|
| 4
|
10:30
|
|
|
|
Eagles
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Sherman 10-yard touchdown run, Ruzek kick good
|
14
|
6
|
| 4
|
7:53
|
|
|
|
Cowboys
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Novacek 29-yard touchdown reception from Aikman, Willis kick good
|
14
|
13
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| 4
|
4:02
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|
|
|
Cowboys
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Smith 3-yard touchdown run, Willis kick good
|
14
|
20
|
| 4
|
0:44
|
|
|
|
Eagles
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Williams 10-yard touchdown reception from Cunningham, Ruzek kick good
|
21
|
20
|
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.
|
21
|
20
|
|
Week 9
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Patriots |
3 |
7 | 3 | 7 |
20 |
| • Eagles |
10 |
10 | 7 | 21 |
48 |
[10]
Week 10
Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Redskins |
0 |
7 | 0 | 7 |
14 |
| • Eagles |
7 |
0 | 21 | 0 |
28 |
- Date: November 12
- Location: Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Game start: 9:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 38 °F (3 °C) (Cloudy) • Wind 26 mph (42 km/h)
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
- TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, and Dan Dierdorf
This game came to be known as The Body Bag Game.
Week 11
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Eagles |
0 |
7 | 0 | 17 |
24 |
| Falcons |
0 |
10 | 3 | 10 |
23 |
[11]
Week 12
| Scoring summary
|
| Quarter
|
Time
|
Drive
|
Team
|
Scoring information
|
Score
|
| Plays
|
Yards
|
TOP
|
NYG
|
PHI
|
| 1
|
5:22
|
|
|
|
Giants
|
Ingram 15-yard touchdown reception from Simms, Bahr kick good
|
7
|
0
|
| 1
|
3:39
|
|
|
|
Eagles
|
Barnett 49-yard touchdown reception from Cunningham, Ruzek kick good
|
7
|
7
|
| 2
|
6:21
|
|
|
|
Eagles
|
Cunningham 1-yard touchdown run, Ruzek kick good
|
7
|
14
|
| 2
|
1:00
|
|
|
|
Giants
|
Bavaro 4-yard touchdown reception from Simms, Bahr kick no good
|
13
|
14
|
| 3
|
9:09
|
|
|
|
Eagles
|
39-yard field goal by Ruzek
|
13
|
17
|
| 4
|
13:12
|
|
|
|
Eagles
|
Williams 6-yard touchdown reception from Cunningham, Ruzek kick good
|
13
|
24
|
| 4
|
12:50
|
|
|
|
Eagles
|
Interception returned 22 yards for touchdown by Evans, Ruzek kick good
|
13
|
31
|
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.
|
13
|
31
|
|
Week 13
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles |
0 |
16 | 7 | 0 |
23 |
| • Bills |
24 |
0 | 3 | 3 |
30 |
- Date: December 2
- Location: Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 42 °F (6 °C) • Wind 16 mph (26 km/h)
- Referee: Tom Dooley
- TV announcers (CBS): Verne Lundquist and Dan Fouts
[12]
Week 14
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Eagles |
0 |
10 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
20 |
| • Dolphins |
10 |
0 | 0 | 10 | 3 |
23 |
- Date: December 9
- Location: Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida
- Game start: 8:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 59 °F (15 °C) • Wind 11 mph (18 km/h)
- Referee: Jerry Seeman
- TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick and Joe Theismann
[13]
Week 15
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Packers |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
0 |
| • Eagles |
7 |
10 | 0 | 14 |
31 |
[14]
Week 16
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cowboys |
0 |
3 | 0 | 0 |
3 |
| • Eagles |
7 |
3 | 0 | 7 |
17 |
- Date: December 23
- Location: Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C) (Light Rain) • Wind 15 mph (24 km/h)
- Referee: Gordon McCarter
- TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Irv Cross
[15]
Week 17 at Cardinals
Standings
Playoffs
| Round
|
Date
|
Opponent (seed)
|
Result
|
Record
|
Venue
|
Attendance
|
| Wildcard
|
January 5, 1991
|
Washington Redskins (5)
|
L 6–20
|
0–1
|
Veterans Stadium
|
65,287
|
Game summaries
Wild card
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Redskins |
0 |
10 | 10 | 0 |
20 |
| Eagles |
3 |
3 | 0 | 0 |
6 |
[16]
Awards and honors
References
External links
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| Franchise | |
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| Stadiums | |
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| Culture | |
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| Lore | |
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| Rivalries | |
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| Division championships (16) | |
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| Conference championships (6) | |
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| League championships (5) | |
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| Retired numbers | |
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| Media | |
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| Current league affiliations | |
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