Editing Philadelphia Eagles (section)

==== Buddy Ryan years (1986–1990) ====
{{See also|Body Bag Game|Bounty Bowl|Buddy Ryan}}
[[File:Jerome Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles (ca. 1991).jpg|thumb|[[Jerome Brown]], Eagles defensive end from 1987 to 1991, was named to the 1990 and 1991 [[Pro Bowl]] teams before dying in a tragic car accident in June 1992 at age 27.]]
[[File:Reggie White HOF jersey.jpg|thumb|[[Reggie White]]'s Eagles jersey on display at the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in [[Canton, Ohio]]]]
In [[1986 Philadelphia Eagles season|1986]], the arrival of head coach [[Buddy Ryan]] and his fiery attitude sparked team performance and ignited the fan base. Immediately infusing the team with his hard-as-nails attitude, the Eagles quickly became known for their tough defense and tougher attitudes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=EAGLES HIRE RYAN |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-01-30-8601080298-story.html |access-date=August 12, 2022 |website=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=January 30, 1986 }}</ref> Ryan began rejuvenating the team by releasing several aging players, including Ron Jaworski. [[Randall Cunningham]] took his place and, despite a 5–10–1 season, began showing considerable promise. [[1987 NFL season|1987]] saw another [[1987 NFL strike|strike]], which shortened the season by one game.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Irreplaceable Players of the 1987 Strike |url=https://nflpa.com/posts/the-irreplaceable-players-of-the-1987-strike |access-date=August 12, 2022 |website=NFL Players Association }}</ref> The substitutes who had filled in for the strikers performed poorly and were crushed 41–22 by the [[Dallas Cowboys]]. After the strike, the regular Eagles' [[1987 Philadelphia Eagles season|1987]] team won a 37–20 revenge game against Dallas. The season record was 7–8, of which three games had been played by substitutes.

The Eagles reached the [[1988–89 NFL playoffs|playoffs]] in [[1988 Philadelphia Eagles season|1988]], but lost to the [[Chicago Bears]], the team that Ryan had helped lead to a [[Super Bowl XX]] victory as defensive coordinator. The game became known as the "[[Fog Bowl (American football)|Fog Bowl]]", due to the inclement weather during the game. The Eagles lost, 20–12.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Banks |first=John |title=Fog Bowl: The Most Bizarre Game in NFL History |url=https://www.history.com/news/nfl-fog-bowl-game-bizarre-weather |access-date=August 12, 2022 |website=HISTORY }}</ref>

The following two years would see playoff appearances as well, but the team never made it past the first round. This failure was very frustrating to Eagles fans, as the team was widely regarded as among the most talented in the NFL. On offense, the Eagles were led by quarterback Cunningham, one of the most exciting players of his generation; tight end [[Keith Jackson (tight end)|Keith Jackson]]; and running back [[Keith Byars]]. The defense is commonly acknowledged as among the greatest in league history, and as the best to never win a championship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=10 most dominant defenses in NFL history |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/10-most-dominant-defenses-nfl-history |access-date=August 12, 2022 |website=RSN }}</ref>

The two [[1989 Philadelphia Eagles season|1989]] matches with Dallas were known as the Bounty Bowls. Both were won easily by the Eagles (the Cowboys finished 1–15 that year), and were marked by Ryan insulting new Cowboys coach [[Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)|Jimmy Johnson]] by placing a bounty on their kicker, and by Eagles fans throwing snowballs at him at Veterans Stadium.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 22, 2019 |title='Bounty Bowl' 30th anniversary and Cowboys-Eagles still at it |url=https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2019/11/22/dallas-cowboys-bounty-bowl-30th-anniversary-eagles/ |access-date=August 12, 2022 |website=Cowboys Wire }}</ref> On November 12, 1990, during a ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' game at the Vet, the [[1990 Philadelphia Eagles season|Eagles]] defeated the [[Washington Redskins]] by a score of 28–14, as the defense scored three of the team's four touchdowns. This game, more lopsided than its score would indicate, was subsequently labeled [[the Body Bag Game]] in reference to the number of injuries Eagles players inflicted on the Redskins and the physically tough play of the Eagles in the game. In the game, the Eagles knocked out the starting Washington quarterback, and then seriously injured his replacement. Running back [[Brian Mitchell (running back)|Brian Mitchell]], who would later be signed by the Eagles, was called upon to finish the game as the Redskins' quarterback.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Throwback Thursday: The Body Bag Game |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2015/11/12/throwback-thursday-the-body-bag-game/ |access-date=August 12, 2022 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Washington returned to Philadelphia in the first round of the [[1990–91 NFL playoffs|playoffs]] to defeat the Eagles 20–6, ending their season.

Ryan was fired on January 7, 1991, and was replaced by offensive coordinator [[Rich Kotite]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wilbon |first=Michael |date=January 9, 1991 |title=RYAN SENT PACKING BY EAGLES' BRAMAN |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1991/01/09/ryan-sent-packing-by-eagles-braman/7ce7a013-741a-417c-8bfe-dd24230f8178/ |access-date=April 1, 2022 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> The team started the [[1991 Philadelphia Eagles season|1991 season]] with the loss of starting quarterback Randall Cunningham due to a knee injury. Backup quarterback [[Jim McMahon]] assumed the starting role for the rest of the season. Despite having the top-rated defense in the league, the team failed to make the playoffs by finishing third in the NFC East with a record of 10–6.

On June 25, 1992, All Pro defensive tackle [[Jerome Brown]] was killed in an automobile accident. The team and fan base dedicated the [[1992 Philadelphia Eagles season|1992 season]] to "bring it home for Jerome".<ref>{{Cite web |title=JEROME BROWN DIES IN CRASH EAGLES, UM STAR, NEPHEW SKID OFF RAINY HIGHWAY, HIT TREE |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1992-06-26-9202160584-story.html |access-date=August 12, 2022 |website=Sun Sentinel|date=June 26, 1992 }}</ref> The team finished second in the NFC East with an 11–5 record to earn a wild-card playoff spot. Kotite led the Eagles to a victory over the [[1992 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]] in the wild-card game but then fell to the [[1992 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]] in the Divisional round. Another blow to the team was the loss of all-time sacks leader Reggie White to free agency in the off-season.

Among the team's offensive stars during that period were quarterback Randall Cunningham, tight end Keith Jackson, and running back [[Herschel Walker]]. But what was known as the Gang Green defense, led by [[Reggie White]], Jerome Brown, [[Clyde Simmons]], [[Seth Joyner]], [[Wes Hopkins]], [[Mike Golic]], [[Byron Evans]], [[Eric Allen]], [[Andre Waters]], and [[Mark McMillian]], defined the team. In [[1993 Philadelphia Eagles season|1993]], Kotite's Eagles fell apart after a promising start and miss the playoffs, ending the regular season 8–8.