It’s the end of an era – Brian Westbrook was officially released today by the Philadelphia Eagles.
In the back of our minds, we probably knew this coming, what with the emergence of young talent like LeSean McCoy and the regular physical breakdown of #36, including a duo of concussions last season. Despite all of the injuries, Westbrook played his heart out for this team and I am proud that I got to witness almost every minute of his time on the field – he’ll never be “Softybrook” to me.
Just like when Dawkins left last year, it’s tough to see one of your all-time favorites move on, but the NFL is a business and we all know that the Eagles value youth.
Back on the 1st of the year, we had this to say in our Eagles’ decade wrap-up:
“This is a guy that has done it all – run the ball all over the field, catch passes at a remarkable frequency, and run back punt returns. Injuries may have slowed him down, but he’s a tough player in a tough position. From 2004 to 2008, he totaled more than 1,200 yards combined in both rushing and receiving. He had a career year in 2007 when he racked up over 2,000 yards.”
To celebrate Brian’s time with the team, Phinally Philly is going to look at the moments that defined his career in Philly. If you feel like we missed anything, please feel free to comment.
1. Punt return vs. the Giants (October 19, 2003) – While returning a punt for a touchdown is special enough by itself, this return became a turning point for the team. After a dismal 2-3 start, this play sealed the win for the Eagles in the Meadowlands, who went on to win the next 9 games. They won the NFC East, got a first round bye, and made it to the NFC Championship game where the Carolina Panthers halted their fine season. This was #36′s crowning achievement with the team.
2. Westy kneels on the 1-yard line in Dallas (December 16, 2007) - While leading Dallas 10-6 in the waning moments of the game, Westbrook got the ball on the Cowboys’ 25-yard line and had nothing separating him from scoring. But he stopped and kneeled on the 1-yard line. It was a selfless and incredibly smart move, as Dallas had no timeouts left. After the two-minute warning, the Eagles kneeled three times to preserve the victory. Later we found out who planted this idea in Westbrook’s head – none other than Jon Runyan.
View here: NFL.com
3. Wild Card game against the Vikings (January 4, 2009) - When the Eagles needed him most, Westbrook came through in a big way. He tallied 121 total yard with just 38 coming on the ground. The biggest moment of the game came in the fourth quarter when an effective Eagles offensive line game Westbrook the space he needed to grab a screen pass and run for a 71-yard touchdown. It came at the right time and ignited bedlam all across the Delaware Valley.
4. Brian saves the team in DC (November 11, 2007) - When looking back at Westbrook’s time in an Eagles uniform, it’s important to note how often he came up big against divisional foes. Take this match-up against the Redskins, for example. The team was on their way to another loss, but with some key blocking and another brilliant run into the endzone from Westy, the Birds sealed the deal and snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat.
Westbrook, who was due $7 million next season if the Eagles brought him back. That coupled with his decrease in production made this an obvious move for the team. He ends his Eagles career with 37 touchdowns on 5,995 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns on 3,790 yards receiving.
Happy trails, Brian.
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