I did a search for Brian Dawkins in a Broncos jersey and it made me want to slam my laptop closed like it just contracted a virus. It is not a natural thing of this world. Still, it happened. On February 28th, 2009, everyone’s favorite Eagle signed with Denver. As much as we all want to pretend it never happened, that’s what fledgling sports blogs trying to come up with something interesting to write about each week are for!
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
Weapon X with the Eagles
The Eagles drafted Dawkins with the 61st pick and final pick in the 2nd round of the 1996 NFL Draft. The only reason they even had the pick was due to Seth Joyner leaving and signing with the Arizona Cardinals. Dawkins was the 5th safety taken that year after Jerome Woods, Lawyer Milloy, Je’Rod Cherry, and Reggie Tongue. Despite a great set of names, only Millow ever did anything in the league. Crazy enough, he was the 3rd selection made by the Eagles that draft after Jermane Mayberry went #25 (Ray Lewis went next (head slap)) and TE Jason Dunn was picked 54th.
Oddly enough, it took a few years for the Eagles and Dawkins to thrive. They made the playoffs in his first year, but bottomed out soon after. Dawkins broke out with 6 forced fumbles in 1999 and made the Pro Bowl, but the team was still dismal in Donovan McNabb’s rookie year. Next year though, the Eagles made the playoffs. In 2001, everything clicked. Not only did the team make the NFC Championship game, but Dawkins made his first of four All Pro First Teams.
We all know the rest. Dawkins became everyone’s favorite Eagle for his 110%, I’ll rip your head off attitude that resulted in sacks, interceptions, suplex tackles, flying hits, and being everywhere the team needed him all the time. He gave everything for the Eagles and their fans, every week, for 13 years. So when the 2008 season ended with another NFC Championship game loss and another Pro Bowl appearance for Dawkins, we all figured they would run it back. It didn’t happen.
Brian Dawkins, Denver Bronco?
The Broncos seemingly overpaid to sign Dawkins away from Philly with a 5/$27m deal. For the 35-year-old, that was way more than anyone probably expected (seems quaint now, right?). But this is the NFL, so it wasn’t really a 5-year contract, it was a 2-year deal for $9m with unguaranteed years after that. Apparently, the Eagles were only offering 1-2 year contracts. Dawkins walked. Devastation flowed down the Philly streets. It is not hyperbole to say he was the most beloved athlete of all time at this point. He was everything we wanted in an athlete, and just like that he was gone.
Dawkins wasn’t done though. He was still doing his Dawkins things for the Broncos the next year, getting voted back to the Pro Bowl for the 8th time and making his 5th All Pro team. After 3 total seasons in Denver, Dawkins finally hung up his cleats at age 38.
What Happened Next?
The Eagles defense was not the same without their leader Dawkins. Quintin Mikell made the Pro Bowl, but Sean Jones was obviously not a Dawkins replacement. Neither was Nate Allen the following year, or Kurt Coleman, or Jaquan Jarrett. It wouldn’t be for 5 more years until the Eagles had that type of leader in the secondary again when Malcolm Jenkins found his way to Philadelphia.
Despite not winning a Super Bowl, Brian Dawkins is still the favorite player of every Eagles fan aged 40-60. Most probably have his #20 jersey in their closet. All talk of Philly Mount Rushmore features his face in granite. In one of the cooler statistics/milestones you will ever here, Dawkins is the only player in NFL history to record a sack, INT, fumble recovery and catch a TD in the same game, against the Houston Texans on September 29, 2002. Dawkins eventually signed a 1-day contract to retire as an Eagle. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
We are now 17 years removed from when he left, but it still doesn’t make any sense that Brian Dawkins didn’t play every game of his career as an Eagle.
Philly Front Office 
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