Two Formers Eagles Named Pro Football Hall of Fame Semi-Finalists

The Philadelphia Eagles currently have 24 former players who are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and thanks to this year's list of Semi-Finalists, they could finally break into the top ten NFL Franchises with former players in the Hall of Fame.

On Tuesday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the 25 Modern Era Semi-Finalists for the 2024 Class for Enshrinement. The list of Semi-Finalists was cutdown down from the initial list of 173 Eligible Nominees for Induction to the Hall of Fame. The list will be trimmed down to the 15 Finalists who will be deliberated upon by the 50-person Selection Committee who each year decides who gets to be the newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The two former Eagles who made it to the Semi-Finalist stage of the Pro Football Hall of Fame process this year are Cornerback Eric Allen and Running Back Rickey Watters. Both players have been a Semi-Finalists four times.

Eric Allen was selected by the Philadelphia in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft and would play seven seasons in Philadelphia. Allen was selected one time as an Associated Press First Team Al-Pro and was a two-time AP Second Team All-Pro selection along with being picked six times for the Pro Bowl. Allen's 34 Interceptions with the Eagles are tied for the most in Franchise History with Pro Football Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins and Eight Year Eagles Defensive Back Bill Bradley. Overall, Eric Allen is top ten in NFL History with Eight Interceptions Returned for Touchdowns and his 54 Total Interceptions land him inside the NFL's top 25 All-Time Most Interceptions.

Ricky Watters was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft and played three seasons for the Eagles. During his time in Philadelphia, Watters was top ten in the NFL in Rushing Yards each season and was selected to the Pro Bowl twice. For his overall career of 10 seasons, Watters is on the top 25 list of most Rushing Touchdowns and Rushing Yards in NFL History.

The most recent former Eagles player to be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame was Wide Receiver Harold Carmichael.  There are currently 10 NFL Franchises with more former players and coaches in the Pro Football Hall of Fame than the Philadelphia Eagles:

*Chicago Bears 37
*Green Bay Packers 33
*Dallas Cowboys 32
*New York Giants 32
*Pittsburgh Steelers 32
*Washington Redskins/Commanders 32
*San Francisco 49ers 29
*Los Angeles/St Louis Rams 27
*Kansas City Chiefs 25
*Oakland/Los Angeles/Las Vegas Raiders 25
*Philadelphia Eagles 24

Behind the Eagles on the list are the Cleveland Browns (23), Minnesota Vikings (22), and the New York Jets (20).

The announcement for the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductees will be on February 8, 2024 during the NFL Honors Live Show that is broadcast each year a couple of days ahead of the Super Bowl.