Since its inception in 1933, Philadelphia has had some top pass catchers in the sport’s history.
Two of the 11 Hall of Famers linked to the franchise were wide receivers.
Give us your 3 👀#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/TgBPW0rRmv
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) June 17, 2023
It could be challenging to determine who was the best.
Still, the Eagles official Twitter page asked the question on Saturday, looking to make an all-time trio made of some of the top players in franchise history.
We looked at 13 all-time greats, including two that have joined the franchise within the past two years.
Fred Barnett (1990–95)
Barnett was selected by Philadelphia in the third round of the 1990 NFL Draft.
In his rookie season, he scored eight touchdowns on only 36 receptions, one of which was a 95-yard touchdown—one of the longest in Eagles history.
In his third season Barnett earned a Pro Bowl selection with 1,083 yards and six touchdowns.
After battling injuries for two seasons, Barnett rebounded with the best season of his career in 1994 with 1,127 yards and five touchdowns. Despite earning the Comeback Player of the Year Award, he was snubbed for his second Pro Bowl selection.
Barnett finshed his Eagles career with 308 Receiving yards, 4,634 Receiving yards and 28 touchdowns.
Harold Carmichael
During his 13 years with the Eagles, Carmichael was selected to four Pro Bowls. In 1973, he led the league in both pass receptions and yardage. Carmichael led the team with six catches for 91 yards in the loss to the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XV.
During his career with the Eagles, Carmichael caught 590 passes for 8985 yards and 79 touchdowns, all three of which remain team records.
DeSean Jackson (2008–13, 2019–Present)
Jackson was the first player in NFL history to be selected to the Pro Bowl twice in a single season for two different positions: as a wide receiver and as a return man.
during his time in Philadelphia, Jackson logged 379 receptions for 6,512 yards and 35 touchdowns.
Jackson made the 2008 All-Rookie Team, and was a 3x Pro Bowl selection (2009, 2010, 2013).
Terrell Owens
After a contract snafu, Owens left the 49ers to join the Eagles on a seven-year, $49 million contract.
The physical wide receiver helped Philadelphia jump out to a 13-1 start and make it to the Super Bowl despite suffering a severe ankle sprain and fractured fibula when he was horse-collared by Roy Williams.
Owens caught nine passes for 122 yards in a heroic effort in the Eagles’ loss to the New England Patriots.
The following year Owens wanted to renegotiate his contract, but things got ugly and he eventually was released after the 2005 season.
Owens only only played seven games that final year, but still had 47 catches for 763 yards and six scores. In 21 total games played due to injury and suspension, he finished his time in Philadelphia with 124 receptions for 1,963 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Jeremy Maclin
The Eagles drafted Maclin in 2009 out of Missouri to team with DeSean Jackson.
As a rookie, Maclin caught 56 passes for 773 yards and 4 touchdowns. In 2010, he logged 1,000 yards total from scrimmage with 70 catches and his first of two 10-touchdown seasons with the Eagles.
2011 and 2012 saw Maclin 60-plus catch seasons for over 800 yards.
In 2014, Maclin his best season with the franchise, logging 85 catches, 1,318 yards, and 10 scores with Foles and Mark Sanchez at quarterback.
Irving Fryar
The South Jersey native and Rancocas Valley High alum went first overall in 1984 to New England after a stellar career at Nebraska and eventually would become an Eagles great.
In 1996, he broke Keith Jackson’s then-franchise record with 88 career-high catches for 1,195 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The following year, Fryar broke another club record, a 21-year-old mark for receiving yards set by Ben Hawkins, gaining 1,316 yards on 86 catches and six scores. He made his second consecutive Pro Bowl and fourth in five years, all after turning 30.
DeVonta Smith
Entering his third year (34 games), Smith has amassed 159 career receptions (240 targets) for 2,112 yards and 12 touchdowns. Smith is already 44th in career receptions and 40th in career receiving yards.
Mike Quick
Mike Quick was the Eagles first pick in 1982 out of North Carolina State.
In his second season, he led the NFL in pass receiving yards with 1,409, a number A.J. Brown just shattered.
Quick is tied for the longest pass reception in NFL history at 99 yards.
Quick was selected to the Pro Bowl five times. During his nine-year career with the Eagles he caught 363 passes for 6464 yards and 61 touchdowns.
Alshon Jeffery
During his time in Philadelphia, Jeffery converted 44 of his 57 catches into first downs, including nine scores.
Jeffery scored twice in the NFC Championship win against Minnesota before scoring the first touchdown of Super Bowl LII.
In the win, he made six catches for 73 yards.
Jeffery finished his Eagles career with 171 catches for 2,237 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Ben Hawkins (1966-1973)
Hawkins was a third-round draft pick out of Arizona State in 1966. In his second year with the Eagles, he led the NFL in pass reception yardage with 1265 yards.
During his eight years the Eagles, Hawkins caught 261 passes for a total of 4674 yards.
Tommy McDonald
McDonald led the NFL twice in receptions and once in pass-receiving yards. He was selected to the Pro Bowl six times and to the Football Hall of Fame.
During his eight-year career with the Eagles, he caught 287 passes for 5499 yards.
A.J. Brown
During his one season in Philadelphia, Brown has already placed himself among the franchise greats after logging 1,496 yards (Franchise Record) along with 88 catches and 11 touchdowns.
Cris Carter
Carter had 89 catches for 1,450 yards and scored 20 touchdowns in 41 games for the Eagles in his career.
If not for some off the field issues, he could own most of the top marks in franchise history.
