The 1993 Philadelphia Eagles season was their 61st in the National Football League (NFL). The team failed to improve upon their previous output of 11–5, winning only eight games[1] and failed to qualify for the playoffs for only the second time in six seasons. Ten of their sixteen games were decided by a touchdown or less. The team was without future hall of fame defensive end Reggie White, who had signed via free agency with the Green Bay Packers.
The downturn was directly related to the twin losses of QB Randall Cunningham (broken leg) and WR Fred Barnett (ACL tear) to season-ending injuries in a 35–30 win against the New York Jets on October 3. Though the Eagles won their first four, following that game, lost six straight to fall out of playoff contention. Bubby Brister was only able to do so much in a starting role, but the club rallied to win their final three games, including their first road win in San Francisco in 10 years.
The Eagles held training camp at West Chester University of Pennsylvania for the 14th consecutive year.
The 1993 NFL draft was held April 25–26, 1993. The draft was reduced to eight rounds, down from 12. Because the Eagles tied with five other teams at 11–5 in 1992, they rotated in picking 20th to 25th in the eight rounds. There were 224 players taken in this draft by the NFL. The Eagles had two first round picks at number 19 and 24 overall. With those, they chose Lester Holmes, an offensive tackle out of Jackson State, and Leonard Renfro, a defensive tackle out of Colorado.
[2]
1993 Philadelphia Eagles staff
|
|
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
|
|
|
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
- Special teams coordinator – Larry Pasquale
- Special teams assistant – Bobby Hammond
Strength and conditioning
- Strength and conditioning – Jim Williams
|
| Week
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
Result
|
Record
|
Venue
|
Attendance
|
| 1
|
September 5
|
Phoenix Cardinals
|
W 23–17
|
1–0
|
Veterans Stadium
|
59,831
|
| 2
|
September 12
|
at Green Bay Packers
|
W 20–17
|
2–0
|
Lambeau Field
|
59,061
|
| 3
|
September 19
|
Washington Redskins
|
W 34–31
|
3–0
|
Veterans Stadium
|
65,435
|
| 4
|
Bye
|
| 5
|
October 3
|
at New York Jets
|
W 35–30
|
4–0
|
Giants Stadium
|
72,593
|
| 6
|
October 10
|
Chicago Bears
|
L 6–17
|
4–1
|
Veterans Stadium
|
63,601
|
| 7
|
October 17
|
at New York Giants
|
L 10–21
|
4–2
|
Giants Stadium
|
76,050
|
| 8
|
Bye
|
| 9
|
October 31
|
Dallas Cowboys
|
L 10–23
|
4–3
|
Veterans Stadium
|
61,912
|
| 10
|
November 7
|
at Phoenix Cardinals
|
L 3–16
|
4–4
|
Sun Devil Stadium
|
41,634
|
| 11
|
November 14
|
Miami Dolphins
|
L 14–19
|
4–5
|
Veterans Stadium
|
64,213
|
| 12
|
November 21
|
New York Giants
|
L 3–7
|
4–6
|
Veterans Stadium
|
62,928
|
| 13
|
November 28
|
at Washington Redskins
|
W 17–14
|
5–6
|
RFK Stadium
|
46,663
|
| 14
|
|
at Dallas Cowboys
|
L 17–23
|
5–7
|
Texas Stadium
|
64,521
|
| 15
|
December 12
|
Buffalo Bills
|
L 7–10
|
5–8
|
Veterans Stadium
|
60,769
|
| 16
|
December 19
|
at Indianapolis Colts
|
W 20–10
|
6–8
|
Hoosier Dome
|
44,952
|
| 17
|
December 26
|
New Orleans Saints
|
W 37–26
|
7–8
|
Veterans Stadium
|
50,085
|
| 18
|
January 3, 1994
|
at San Francisco 49ers
|
W 37–34 (OT)
|
8–8
|
Candlestick Park
|
61,653
|
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
|
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cardinals |
0 |
3 | 7 | 7 |
17 |
| • Eagles |
7 |
7 | 2 | 7 |
23 |
|
[3]
The Eagles spoiled Reggie White's Lambeau Field debut as a member of the Packers. White carved out a Hall of Fame career in eight seasons (1985-92) with the Eagles before signing with Green Bay as a free agent in April 1993.
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Eagles |
0 |
7 | 0 | 13 |
20 |
| Packers |
7 |
3 | 7 | 0 |
17 |
|
[4]
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Redskins |
0 |
14 | 7 | 10 |
31 |
| • Eagles |
3 |
7 | 7 | 17 |
34 |
|
[5]
The victory was costly for the Eagles when Randall Cunningham went down with a season-ending injury, the second time in three seasons Philadelphia would have to play the majority of a campaign without its offensive leader.
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Eagles |
0 |
14 | 7 | 14 |
35 |
| Jets |
14 |
7 | 7 | 2 |
30 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
| | 1 | | NYJ | James Thornton 7 yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Cary Blanchard kick) | NYJ 7–0 |
| | 1 | | NYJ | Johnny Mitchell 14 yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Cary Blanchard kick) | NYJ 14–0 |
| | 2 | | NYJ | Johnny Mitchell 12 yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Cary Blanchard kick) | NYJ 21–0 |
| | 2 | | PHI | Herschel Walker 8 yard run (Matt Bahr kick) | NYJ 21–7 |
| | 2 | | PHI | Mark Bavaro 10 yard pass from Bubby Brister (Matt Bahr kick) | NYJ 21–14 |
| | 3 | | NYJ | Johnny Mitchell 65 yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Cary Blanchard kick) | NYJ 28–14 |
| | 3 | | PHI | Calvin Williams 11 yard pass from Bubby Brister (Matt Bahr kick) | NYJ 28–21 |
| | 4 | | PHI | Vaughn Hebron 1 yard run (Matt Bahr kick) | Tie 28–28 |
| | 4 | | NYJ | Safety, intentional grounding by Brister in end zone | NYJ 30–28 |
| | 4 | | PHI | Eric Allen 94 yard interception return (Matt Bahr kick) | PHI 35–30 |
|
[6]
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Bears |
10 |
7 | 0 | 0 |
17 |
| Eagles |
0 |
0 | 0 | 6 |
6 |
|
[7]
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles |
0 |
3 | 0 | 7 |
10 |
| • Giants |
0 |
14 | 0 | 7 |
21 |
|
[8]
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Cowboys |
3 |
7 | 3 | 10 |
23 |
| Eagles |
0 |
7 | 0 | 3 |
10 |
|
[9]
The Eagles suffered their first loss at Sun Devil Stadium after five consecutive victories.
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles |
3 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
3 |
| • Cardinals |
3 |
13 | 0 | 0 |
16 |
|
[10]
Miami's Don Shula became the NFL's all-time leader in coaching victories with his 326th, surpassing the Chicago Bears' legendary George Halas. The winning quarterback was future Eagles coach Doug Pederson, substituting for the injured Scott Mitchell. Mitchell became the Dolphins' starter when Dan Marino suffered a season-ending injury in week 6.
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Dolphins |
6 |
7 | 3 | 3 |
19 |
| Eagles |
0 |
14 | 0 | 0 |
14 |
|
[11]
The Giants earned their first win at Veterans Stadium since 1987.
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Giants |
0 |
0 | 0 | 7 |
7 |
| Eagles |
0 |
0 | 3 | 0 |
3 |
|
[12]
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Eagles |
3 |
7 | 0 | 7 |
17 |
| Redskins |
0 |
0 | 0 | 14 |
14 |
- Date: November 28
- Location: RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.
- Game start: 1:00 p.m.
- Game attendance: 46,663
- Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C); wind 14 mph (23 km/h)
- Referee: Gary Lane
- TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan & Matt Millen
|
[13]
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles |
0 |
3 | 7 | 7 |
17 |
| • Cowboys |
7 |
9 | 0 | 7 |
23 |
|
[14]
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Bills |
0 |
0 | 0 | 10 |
10 |
| Eagles |
0 |
0 | 7 | 0 |
7 |
|
[15]
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Eagles |
10 |
0 | 7 | 3 |
20 |
| Colts |
3 |
0 | 0 | 7 |
10 |
|
[16]
The Saints, who began the season 5–0, saw their slim playoff hopes extinguished.
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints |
9 |
3 | 7 | 7 |
26 |
| • Eagles |
0 |
18 | 6 | 13 |
37 |
|
[17]
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| • Eagles |
10 |
14 | 10 | 0 | 3 |
37 |
| 49ers |
3 |
7 | 14 | 10 | 0 |
34 |
|
[18]
