1999 Philadelphia Eagles season

Infobox NFL season
team = Philadelphia Eagles
year = 1999
record = 5-11
division_place = 5th, NFC East
coach = Andy Reid
stadium = Veterans Stadium
playoffs = Did not qualify

The 1999 Philadelphia Eagles season was Donovan McNabb’s rookie season. The Eagles hired Andy Reid away from the Green Bay Packers to be their new head coach.

Offseason

NFL Draft

Regular Season

The quality of Andy Reid's work with the Packers attracted considerable notice throughout the league, leading to his being hired as the head coach of the Eagles on January 11, 1999. At the time, many in the local media in Philadelphia criticized the hiring, citing the availability of other candidates who had past records of success as head coaches. The Eagles, under former coach Ray Rhodes, finished in a three-way tie for the NFL's worst record at 3-13 the season before he took over. They improved two games in 1999 to finish at 5-11 (including the team's first road victory in 19 games, a 20-16 win over the Bears at Chicago on October 17, which was the first time the Philadelphia franchise had won an away game over the Bears since 1933).

Donovan McNabb was drafted second overall by the Eagles in the 1999 NFL Draft, a choice which was famously booed by Philadelphia fans present at the draft, most of whom were pushing for their team to draft University of Texas running back Ricky Williams. McNabb saw his first NFL regular season action in the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 19-5 home loss on September 19. He made his first career start at home against Washington on November 14, completing eight of 21 passes for 60 yards in a 35-28 win. He also had nine carries for 49 rushing yards and led the team to a pair of successful two-point conversions (1 rush and 1 pass). With the win, he became the first Eagles rookie QB to win his first NFL start since Mike Boryla (December 1, 1974 vs. Green Bay) and the first Eagle QB to win his first start since Ty Detmer (October 13, 1996 at NYG).

McNabb threw the first TD pass of his career (6 yards to tight end Chad Lewis) vs. Indianapolis in a 44-17 home loss on November 21. McNabb went on to start six of the Eagles' final seven contests (missing the December 19 home game against New England, a 24-9 victory, due to injury) as he became the first Philadelphia Eagles rookie to start in the quarterback position since Brad Goebel on October 13, 1991, and the first Eagles rookie draft pick to start since John Reaves in 1972.

eason Standings

[ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 290 ]

eason Schedule

Roster

Postseason

* The Eagles did not qualify for the postseason.

Awards and Honors

References

* [http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/phi/1999.htm?redir Eagles on Pro Football Reference]
* [http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/results.nsf/Teams/1999-phi Eagles on jt-sw.com]
* [http://philadelphia-Eagles.net/history/1999-index.html Eagles on Eagles.net]