The 1953 Philadelphia Eagles season was their 21st in the league. The team improved on their previous output of 7–5, going 7–4–1.1953 Philadelphia Eagles The team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.
Off Season
At the end of the 1952 season, 2-year player Bud Grant is offered a pay raise in his contract. He chooses to play football in the CFL(Canadian Football League) instead. He would have a career worthy of being named to the CFL's Hall of Fame as a player. Later on he would make the Pro Football Hall of Fame as coach of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Eagles held training camp at Hershey Park Stadium in Hershey, PA for the 3rd straight year.
Matt Guokas, Sr. is hired to be the PA announcer for the Eagles. Guokas played basketball for Saint Joseph's Hawks in college and the Philadelphia Warriors in the NBA. After losing his right leg in an automobile accident, Guokas turned to broadcasting, and he served as an announcer for the N Philadelphia Eagles for 32 years from 1953 to 1985.
NFL draft The 1953 NFL draft was held on January 22, 1953. There was 30 rounds in the draft with 12 teams picking. The San Francisco 49ers received this year's Lottery bonus pick. With this pick they chose Harry Babcock an end out of University of Georgia.
The 1952 expansion team Dallas Texans (NFL) folded during the 1952 season and then became the Baltimore Colts on January 23, 1953. The Colts had the number 1 pick and choose Heisman Trophy winner Billy Vessels a Halfback out of University of Oklahoma.
With a 7–5 record in 1952 the Eagles got the 7th, 8th or 9th pick in the 30 rounds. With trading away their 1st round pick the Eagles 1st selection was the 7th pick in the 2nd round, 20th overall, they chose Al Conway a Back out of Army and William Jewell College. He did not play due to injury and ended up as an official in the American Football League and an official in the NFL for 28 years.
Player selections The table shows the Eagles selections and what picks they had that were traded away and the team that ended up with that pick. It is possible the Eagles' pick ended up with this team via another team that the Eagles made a trade with. Not shown are acquired picks that the Eagles traded away. = Pro Bowler Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro-Bowl at any time in their career.= Hall of Famer
Rd Pick PlayerPosition School Rd Pick PlayerPosition School 1 7 Pick Traded to Los Angeles Rams 2 20 Al Conway Back Army and William Jewell College 3 34 Don JohnsonBackCalifornia 4 45 George MrkonicGuardKansas 5 56 Eddie Bell End Pennsylvania 5 61 Rex Smith (pick from Detroit Lions)EndIllinois 6 70 Pick Traded to Chicago Cardinals 7 76 Jack Erickson pick from Chicago CardinalsTackleArmy/Beloit 7 81 Ray MalavasiGuardArmy/Mississippi State 8 92 Jess RichardsonTackleAlabama 9 106 Roger FrenchEndMinnesota 10 117 Tom BrookshierBackColorado 11 128 Bob PollardBackPenn State 12 142 George PorterTackleSan Jose State 13 153 Ray WestortGuardUtah 14 164 Roy BaileyBackTulane 15 178 Willie IrvinEndFlorida A&M 16 189 Bud WallaceBackNorth Carolina 17 200 Tony RadosBackPenn State 18 214 Marv TrauthTackleMississippi 19 225 Pete BachourosBackIllinois 20 236 Rollie ArnsCenterIowa State 21 250 Hal BrooksTackleWashington & Lee 22 261 Laurie LeClaireBackMichigan 23 272 Jeff KnoxEndGeorgia Tech 24 286 Eli RomeroBackWichita State 25 297 Johnny MichelsGuardTennessee 26 308 Harvey AchzigerTackleColorado State 27 322 Earl HershBackWest Chester 28 333 Joe GratsonBackPenn State 29 344 Ralph Paolone Back Kentucky 30 357 Chuck Hren Back Northwestern
Schedule Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Sources 1 September 27 at San Francisco 49ers L 21–31 0–1 Kezar Stadium 44,587 Recap 2 October 2 Washington Redskins T 21–21 0–1–1 Shibe Park 19,099 Recap 3 October 10 at Cleveland Browns L 13–37 0–2–1 Cleveland Stadium 48,502 Recap 4 October 17 Pittsburgh Steelers W 23–7 1–2–1 Pitt Stadium 18,681 Recap 5 October 25 at Chicago Cardinals W 56–17 2–2–1 Comiskey Park 22,064 Recap 6 November 1 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 35–7 3–2–1 Forbes Field 27,547 Recap 7 November 8 New York Giants W 30–7 4–2–1 Shibe Park 24,331 Recap 8 November 15 Baltimore Colts W 45–14 5–2–1 Memorial Stadium 27,813 Recap 9 November 21 Chicago Cardinals W 38–0 6–2–1 Shibe Park 19,402 Recap 10 November 29 at New York Giants L 28–37 6–3–1 Polo Grounds 20,294 Recap 11 December 6 at Washington Redskins L 0–10 6–4–1 Griffith Stadium 21,579 Recap 12 December 13 Cleveland Browns W 42–27 7–4–1 Shibe Park 38,654 Recap
Standings
Game recaps Week 1 @ San Francisco
Week 2 vs Washington The Eagles inability to hold onto the ball allows the Washington Redskins to tie them at 21 – 21. The Eagles allowed 4 interceptions and would lose 1 fumble as they allowed Washington to gain 182 yards on 9 completions. The Eagles also hurt their cause by having 10 penalties for 99 yards called against them.
Week 3 @ Cleveland Browns
Week 4 vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 5 @ Chicago Cardinals
Week 6 @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 7 vs New York Giants
Week 8 vs Baltimore Colts
Week 9 vs Chicago Cardinals
Week 10 @ New York Giants
Week 11 @ Washington Redskins
Week 12 vs Cleveland Browns The Eagles give the Cleveland Browns their only loss of the regular season in the final week of the season. Cleveland would have 3 turn overs during the game.
Playoffs With a record of 7–4–1 the Eagles finish behind Cleveland and fail to make the playoffs. The Detroit Lions won the National Division and played the Cleveland Browns in the 1953 NFL Championship Game.
(All time List of Philadelphia Eagles players in franchise history)
= 1953 Pro BowlPlayers are identified as a 1953 All-Star.= Hall of Famer + = Pro Bowl starter NO.PlayerAGEPOSGPGSWTHTYRSCollege Jim Trimble 35 COACH 1953 record7–3–1NFL-Eagles Lifetime14–9–1 2nd Indiana University60Chuck Bednarik +28 C-LB 12 0 233 6–3 4 Pennsylvania36John Brewer25FB602306–4 1 Louisville45Tom Brookshier22DB1101966–0RookieColorado10Adrian Burk26QB1041906–23Baylor 33Russ Craft34DB-HB1201785–97Alabama53 Ken Farragut25C-LB1202406–42 Mississippi14 Bob Gambold 24 QB 3 0 215 6–4 Rookie Washington State 27 Hal Giancanelli 24 HB 12 0 182 5–10 Rookie Loyola Marymount 88 Bob Hudson23DB-LB-E 12 0 225 6–4 2 Clemson 81Willie Irvin23DE-E302036–3RookieFlorida A&M78Mike Jarmoluk31DT-T-MG1202326–57Temple 40 Don Johnson22HB1201876–0RookieCalifornia 76Bucko Kilroy32G-MG-T-DT1202436–210Temple25Toy Ledbetter26HB1001985–103Oklahoma State 67John Magee30G1202205–105La-Lafayette and Rice61John Michels 22 G 11 0 200 5–11 Rookie Tennessee 72George Mrkonic24T-DT1002256–2RookieKansas68Maury Nipp23G1202196–0 1 Loyola Marymount 43Jim Parmer27FB-HB1201936–05Oklahoma State 35Pete Pihos + 30E-DE120210 6–16 Indiana21 Al Pollard25HB-FB1201966–02Army and Loyola Marymount65 Jess Richardson 23 DT 12 0 261 6–2 Rookie Alabama 52 Wayne Robinson 23 LB-C 11 0 225 6–2 1 Minnesota 85 Bob Schnelker 25 E 8 0 214 6–3 Rookie Bowling Green 82 Tom Scott 23 DE-LB 12 0 218 6–2 Rookie Virginia79 Vic Sears 35 T-DT 12 0 223 6–3 12 Oregon State 73 Lum Snyder 23 T 12 0 228 6–5 1 Georgia Tech 44Bob Stringer24LB-FB1201976–1 1 Tulsa 11Bobby Thomason25QB1281966–14VMI 31 Ebert Van Buren 29 DB-LB-FB-HB 12 0 210 6–2 2 LSU83Bobby Walston25E-HB-K1201906–02Georgia 86Norm Willey26DE-G-E1202246–23Marshall49Jerry Williams30DB-HB1201755–104 Idaho and Washington State75Frank Wydo29T-DT12122256–46Cornell41Frank Ziegler30HB-DB1201755–114Georgia Tech 35 Players Team Average 12 Jerry Williams will become head coach of Eagles for the 1969 season
Postseason Philadelphia finished second in last 2 seasons to the Cleveland Browns, with that Trimble is awarded a three-year contract after the team's second straight runner-up finish in 1953.
Awards and honors Pro Bowl
The Eagles placed 6 players on the 1953 Pro Bowl team. Chuck Bednarik is named MVP of the Pro Bowl. Chuck Bednarik (Center – Linebacker) Ken Farragut (Center – Linebacker) Bucko Kilroy (Lineman) Pete Pihos (End) Lum Snyder (Tackle) Bobby Thomason (Quarterback)
League leaders 1953 League Leaders Bobby Thomason finished 2nd in passing attempts and passing yards to George Blanda Bobby Thomason finished 3rd in pass completions Pete Pihos leads league in receptions, receiving yards and receiving TDs Chuck Bednarik ties for lead in interceptions returned for TD
References