Do the New York Giants think Mathias Kiwanuka is good enough to be Michael Strahan’s replacement when the veteran defensive-end finally retires? When was the last time I was so excited about the NFL career of a BC alum? Better yet: Does Kiwi have the ability to be the best former-Eagle the NFL has ever seen?
Is that a stretch? Maybe not. If you look at the all-time list of BC players who have had careers in the NFL (or in any form of professional football, for that matter), it’s not that impressive. Sure you can rattle off the names of a bunch of current players (a lot of o-linemen come to mind), but who has been truly great? Who, of the names you can muster up, has sustained an impressive NFL career for a long period of time?
The list yields some interesting finds. Fifteen former-Eagles have Super Bowl rings (five of whom have two, Bill Romanowski has four). There’s one player named Stalin (Stalin Colinet, a defensive lineman for six seasons), two guys with the same name (Bill Cronin), a couple of Hasselbecks (Matt and Tim), a couple of current, local broadcasting talents (Steve DeOssie and Fred Smerlas), a Ted Williams, and an astounding number of Irish last names (including two obvious standouts, Tommy and Art McManus).
But who were the best? Who are the ones standing in Kiwi’s way as he tries to become the best NFL-er to have worn the Maroon and Gold? (No pressure, Mathias)
#10. Pete Mitchell, TE, 8 NFL seasons (Jacksonville – ’95-‘98; New York Giants – ’99-‘00; Detroit – ‘01; Jacksonville – ’02)
*also on the Indianapolis Colts from ’03-’04, but never played in a game
You can see how thin the list really is when I’m considering Pete Mitchell the tenth-best. The only reason Mitchell cracks the top-ten is because he’s the best tight-end among BC alums. It can easily be argued that Mark Chmura deserves this spot, considering he won a Super Bowl, has two more career touchdown catches (17 to 15), and is probably a more recognizable name. But Mitchell caught almost a hundred more passes in his career than Chmura (279 to 188) and isn’t that far off from the all-time leader in receptions among BC alums (we’ll get to him in a second). Also, Chmura’s ugly retirement (which came at the same time he was acquitted of sexual assault and child enticement charges in 2001) doesn’t help his cause.
#9. Kelvin Martin, WR, 10 NFL seasons (Dallas – ’87-’92; Seattle – ’93-’94; Philadelphia – ’95; Dallas – ’96)
Martin doesn’t stand out as a great NFL player, but he holds the aforementioned record for career receptions by a BC alum with 367. Not too many offensive players at skill positions (among former Eagles) have been able to stay in the league as long as Martin and the fact that he was a member of the Super Bowl XXVII champs (’92 Dallas Cowboys, for whom he caught 32 passes and three touchdowns) earns him a spot in the top-ten.
#8. Joe Nash, DT/NT, 15 NFL seasons, (Seattle – ’82-’96)
Nash holds the BC-alum record for career sacks with 47, but that’s not the only reason he makes the list. His name is probably more important to die-hard Seahawks supporters than it is to the Superfans from Chestnut Hill. Nash spent his whole NFL career in Seattle and played 218 games for the Seahawks, which is more than any other player in franchise history. His sack total ranks fifth on the ‘Hawks all-time list (he also holds the franchise record for field-goal blocks with eight) and he went to the Pro Bowl in 1984.
#7. Fred Smerlas, Nose Tackle, 14 NFL seasons (Buffalo – ’79-’89; San Francisco – ’90; New England – ’91-’92)
One of the best defensive players to play at BC, Smerlas sustained a long and productive NFL career, in which he managed to play in all 16 games in 11 of his 14 seasons (including the last season of his career as a 35-year-old with the Patriots). Freddy went to five Pro Bowls and was known for being a raucous party animal all-the-while. Plus, his undying devotion to leather jackets and a neatly trimmed mustache makes him one of the most enjoyable local football commentators around (in my opinion).
#6. Bill Romanowski, LB, 16 NFL seasons (San Francisco – ’88-’93; Philadelphia – ’94-’95; Denver - ’96-’01; Oakland – ’02-’03)
Romanowski holds a slight edge over Nash and Smerlas because of his presence on a couple of the greatest NFL teams ever. While his 39 career sacks fall shy of Nash’s total, Romanowski won two Super Bowls with the Montana/Rice 49ers of the 80s and two with the John Elway-led Broncos in the late-90s. He has 18 career interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown) and went to two Pro Bowls (’96, ’98). So why isn’t he higher on the list? Steroids. While his credentials are hard to ignore, an admitted steroid-user doesn’t belong in the top-five, no matter how desperate I am to find great former-Eagles.
Check back later this week to see the rest of Pat McManus's Top-10.