Look, being an Eagles fan isn't a hobby. It’s basically a full-time job that rarely pays in anything but high blood pressure and the occasional parade down Broad Street. If you’ve spent any time looking at the Philadelphia Eagles records by season, you know the history of this franchise isn't just a list of wins and losses. It’s a wild, jagged heartbeat of a team that oscillates between utter brilliance and "tear-it-all-down" despair.
Most people just want to talk about the Super Bowls. They want to talk about Nick Foles becoming a living legend or the heartbreak of the 2000s when Andy Reid’s teams were always the bridesmaid and never the bride. But the real story is in the trenches—the 1930s when the team was basically a revolving door of losing seasons, the grind of the Buddy Ryan era where the defense was terrifying but the playoff wins didn't follow, and the modern era where expectations are sky-high every single September.
The Lean Years and the Pre-Super Bowl Glory
If we're being honest, the early days were rough. Like, really rough. From their inception in 1933 until the early 40s, the Eagles were basically a punching bag. We’re talking about seasons like 1936 where they went 1-11. It’s hard to even imagine that now. But then everything clicked under Greasy Neale.
The late 1940s are arguably the most overlooked part of the Philadelphia Eagles records by season. In 1948 and 1949, they didn't just win; they dominated. They shut out the Chicago Cardinals in a blizzard to win the '48 championship and then went to Los Angeles and blanked the Rams in '49. Back-to-back NFL titles. That’s a level of sustained dominance the franchise wouldn't see again for decades.
Then there’s 1960. The year Chuck Bednarik played nearly every snap. The year they handed Vince Lombardi his only career postseason loss. That 10-2 record stands as a monument to "Old School" Philly football. But after that? A massive drought. For nearly twenty years, the records were a sea of sub-.500 finishes.
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The Vermeil and Buddy Ryan Shifts
Dick Vermeil changed the culture in the late 70s. You can see the shift in the data: 9-7 in '78, 11-5 in '79, and then that magical 12-4 run in 1980 that led to their first Super Bowl appearance. They lost to the Raiders, yeah, but the foundation was laid.
Then came the Buddy Ryan era. This is where the records get deceptive. If you just look at the wins—10-6 in '88, 11-5 in '89, 10-6 in '90—you’d think they were a juggernaut. And they were, defensively. Randall Cunningham was doing things no quarterback had ever done. But the postseason record? Zero wins. It’s one of the great "what ifs" in Philly sports history. The 1991 season is particularly heartbreaking; they had arguably the greatest defense in NFL history according to Football Outsiders' DVOA metrics, but they went 10-6 and missed the playoffs because the offense fell apart after Randall got hurt in Week 1.
The Andy Reid Consistency Machine
You can’t talk about the Philadelphia Eagles records by season without acknowledging the sheer stability of the Andy Reid era. Between 2000 and 2010, the Eagles were basically a lock for double-digit wins.
- 2000: 11-5
- 2001: 11-5
- 2002: 12-4
- 2003: 12-4
- 2004: 13-3 (The Super Bowl XXXIX year)
It was a golden age of "almost." They went to four straight NFC Championship games and only won one. It’s frustrating to look back on, honestly. You have a team that is consistently at the top of the league, but they just couldn't hurdle that final obstacle. The 2004 season remains a standout because of the T.O. era—that 13-3 record felt like the team was invincible until it wasn't.
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The wheels eventually fell off in 2012 with a 4-12 record that ended Reid’s tenure. It was ugly. It was the end of an era that redefined what Eagles fans expected from their team every year.
Modern Chaos: Super Bowls and Rebuilds
The 2017 season is the one we all have tattooed on our hearts. 13-3. The "Underdogs." Carson Wentz playing at an MVP level before his knee gave out, and then Nick Foles catching a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl. That season is the statistical outlier that finally validated decades of suffering.
But look at what followed. 9-7, 9-7, and then the 4-11-1 collapse in 2020. That’s the Eagles for you. They don't do "middle of the road" very well. They either fly or they crash.
Nick Sirianni’s arrival brought another massive swing. The 2022 season saw the team tie a franchise record with 14 wins. Jalen Hurts emerged as a superstar, and the roster was arguably the deepest it had been since the 40s. They went 14-3, steamrolled through the NFC playoffs, and then lost a heartbreaker in Super Bowl LVII. Then, 2023 happened. Starting 10-1 and finishing 11-6 with a wild card exit? That’s the kind of volatility that makes this team so stressful to follow.
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Why the 2024 and 2025 Records Matter
As we sit here in early 2026, looking back at the most recent stretches, the pattern remains. The Eagles are a "win-now" organization. Howie Roseman has built a system where they rarely stay down for long. If you look at the historical data, the Eagles are one of the most successful franchises in the NFL since the turn of the millennium, trailing only a handful of teams in total wins and playoff appearances.
There’s a misconception that the Eagles are a "historically losing" franchise because of the long Super Bowl drought. That’s not really true. Since the 1970 merger, they’ve been remarkably competitive compared to teams like the Browns, Lions, or even the Jets. The "Bad Eagles" seasons are usually followed by a massive correction.
Actionable Insights for the Stat Obsessed
If you're trying to use these records to predict the future or just win an argument at the bar, keep these specific nuances in mind:
- The Post-Super Bowl Hangover is Real: Historically, the Eagles struggle the year after a deep playoff run. Look at 2005 (6-10) after the 2004 Super Bowl, or the struggle to stay above .500 in 2018.
- December is the Decider: In their best seasons (1949, 1960, 2004, 2017, 2022), the Eagles almost always had a winning record in December. If they crumble in the cold, the season record usually reflects a lack of locker room cohesion.
- The 10-Win Threshold: For the Eagles, 10 wins is the "safe zone." Since 1980, they’ve made the playoffs in almost every season where they hit double-digit victories.
- Watch the Trenches: The Philadelphia Eagles records by season are most consistently positive when they have a top-10 offensive line. It’s the Philly way. When the line stays healthy (like in 2022), the record follows. When it doesn't (2020), things get dark fast.
To really understand this team, you have to look past the win-loss column and see the context. The 10-6 record in 1991 feels better than the 11-6 record in 2023 because of how they played. The 7-9 record in 2016 was actually a success because it showed the potential of a new quarterback. Records tell the story, but the "how" and "why" matter just as much to the people in the 700-level seats.
Check the official NFL archives or Pro Football Reference for the game-by-game breakdowns, but the big picture is clear: the Eagles are a team of eras. We are currently in the Hurts-Sirianni-Roseman era, and if history is any indication, the roller coaster is far from over. Keep an eye on the turnover differential and the sacks—those are the two stats that have historically dictated whether an Eagles season ends in a parade or a coaching search.