1975 Eagles

After finishing at 7-7 in 1974, the 1975 Eagles regressed to 4-10 (including a 5-game mid-season losing streak), costing coach Mike McCormick his job.  

 

TE Charle Young was their only Pro Bowl player. Norm Bulaich and Steve Zabel were not on the team after 1974.

   

 

These two also played for the Eagles in 1975:

 

RIP - Bill Bergey

 

Bill Bergey, the Eagles' middle linebacker from 1974 to 1980, passed away today, December 25, 2024 at age 79.

Bergey was the Bengals' 2nd-round pick in 1969, and was their starting MLB from his first game (replacing Sherrill Headrick, who two years earlier had also lost his starting MLB job with the Chiefs to Willie Lanier). 

 

Bergey played for the Bengals for 5 seasons, starting every game for 4 seasons and 10 games in 1972. 

 

He was traded to the Eagles before the 1974 season, and started every game for 6 seasons, while starting only 3 games in 1979 (missing 13 games due to injury). 

 

Bergey retired after the 1980 season, his last game being Super Bowl XV. 

 

After his playing career, he did pre- and post-game commentary for Eagles' games for 20 years. Two of his sons played professional lacrosse - one for Philadelphia. 

 

Philadelphia Eagles obituary  

 

ESPN obituary 

   

The Linebackers

Here are most of the Eagles' starting linebackers from 1966 to 1975.


Dave Lloyd was the Birds' starting middle linebacker from 1963 until 5 games into the 1970 season, when he was replaced by Tim Rossovich.

Mike Morgan was the Eagles' starting left linebacker from 1964-67.

Harold Wells (no card) was the starting right linebacker from 1965-68.

Adrian Young was the Eagles' #3 draft pick in 1968, and played left linebacker from 1968-71, although missing most of 1971 due to injury.  By the way, that's not Young's picture on his card.  It's Eagles' 1968 punter Rick Duncan.

  
Ron Porter was acquired from the Colts in 1969, and was the starting right linebacker for 3 years, and the left-side starter during his 4th and last season with the Birds.

Tim Rossovich was the Eagles' #1 pick in 1968.  After 2+ seasons as the starting left end, he moved to MLB after 5 games in 1970, and remained there through the 1971 season.

Steve Zabel was drafted as a tight end in 1970. He moved to linebacker in his 2nd season, and was a starter for his last 4 seasons in Philly - mostly on the left side but occasionally filling in at MLB.

***

After Rossovich didn't pan out following 1971, the Eagles brought in a host of middle linebackers in 1972.  Ex-Charger and Steeler Chuck Allen started 8 games in '72, while Zabel started the other 6 games. (MLBs Dick Absher and Bill Cody worked on special teams.)

In 1973, Allen, Absher, and Cody were out, and ex-tight end Marlin McKeever and Dick Cunningham were in. McKeever made 11 starts in the middle, while Cunningham started 2 games. (I can't find my 1973 Dick Cunningham card, so my new Fred Whittingham 1966 custom card is filling in nicely!)

The Eagles finally put an end to their 4-year middle linebacker carousel by trading for Bill Bergey prior to the 1974 season.  Bill solidified the middle for many seasons to come.

Frank Lemaster and John Bunting played on the wings, giving the Birds a nice linebacking corps, something they were missing since Maxie Baughan was traded after 1965.


(When Dick Vermeil arrived in 1976 he went to a 3-4 defense, with LeMaster moving inside next to Bergey.)

1969 Linebackers:

Middle: 52 - Dave Lloyd, 51 - Ike Kelley
Outside: 50 - Ron Porter, 35 - Adrian Young, 61 - Tony Guillory, 56 - Bill Hobbs, 48 - Jay Johnson