The 1980 Philadelphia Eagles season was the team's 48th season in the National Football League (NFL). The Eagles won twelve of their sixteen games, winning their division for the first time in twenty years . The Eagles started the season winning eleven of their first twelve games, only to finish the season losing three of their final four. Still, the 12–4 record (the best finish in the Vermeil era) was good enough to win the NFC East division title for the first time in franchise history since the NFC East had been formed.
The Eagles defeated the Cowboys in the 1980 NFC Championship Game and earned their first Super Bowl appearance.
The 1980 season marked the Eagles' third consecutive playoff appearance under coach Dick Vermeil , and culminated in the team's first Super Bowl appearance, where they were defeated by the Oakland Raiders 27–10. The 1980 NFC Championship long stood as the proudest moment of the Super Bowl era in Eagles history until they won Super Bowl LII 37 years later.
After going 11–5 in the 1979 season and making the playoffs as a wildcard team, the Eagles found themselves looking to improve in 1980 through the NFL Draft.
The 1980 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 29–30, 1979 . As was started with the 1977 NFL Draft, this consisted of 12 rounds over two days. ESPN covered all 12 rounds live for the first time.
The Philadelphia Eagles had the 23rd to 25th pick in each of the 12 rounds. The Eagles drafted 10 players.
1980 Philadelphia Eagles staff
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Special Teams – Lynn Stiles
[ 1]
The 1980 season schedule was set based on how the Eagles finished the previous season: 2nd in NFC East. The way the schedule was laid out, 4 of the 5 teams in the same division could end up having 10 to 14 common opponents during the 1980 season. Also, when the last regular-season game was over, each team knew who its opponents would be the next year.
A home and away series vs the teams in its own division: Cowboys, Giants, Cardinals and Redskins = 8 games
Each of the top 4 teams in the NFC East from the previous season played the top 4 teams in the AFC West from the previous season: Chargers, Broncos, Seahawks and Raiders = 4 games
Each of the 2nd and 3rd place teams in the NFC East from the previous season (Eagles and Redskins) played the 2nd and 3rd place teams in the NFC Central and NFC West from the previous season: Bears, Vikings, Saints and Falcons = 4 games
Week
Date
Opponent
Result
Record
Location
Attendance
1
September 7, 1980
Denver Broncos
W 27–6
1–0
Veterans Stadium
70,307
2
September 14, 1980
at Minnesota Vikings
W 42–7
2–0
Metropolitan Stadium
46,460
3
September 22, 1980
New York Giants
W 35–3
3–0
Veterans Stadium
70,767
4
September 28, 1980
at St. Louis Cardinals
L 24–14
3–1
Busch Memorial Stadium
49,079
5
October 5, 1980
Washington Redskins
W 24–14
4–1
Veterans Stadium
69,044
6
October 12, 1980
at New York Giants
W 31–16
5–1
Giants Stadium
71,051
7
October 19, 1980
Dallas Cowboys
W 17–10
6–1
Veterans Stadium
70,696
8
October 26, 1980
Chicago Bears
W 17–14
7–1
Veterans Stadium
68,752
9
November 2, 1980
at Seattle Seahawks
W 27–20
8–1
Kingdome
61,047
10
November 9, 1980
at New Orleans Saints
W 34–21
9–1
Louisiana Superdome
44,340
11
November 16, 1980
at Washington Redskins
W 24–0
10–1
RFK Stadium
51,897
12
November 23, 1980
Oakland Raiders
W 10–7
11–1
Veterans Stadium
68,535
13
November 30, 1980
at San Diego Chargers
L 22–21
11–2
Jack Murphy Stadium
51,567
14
December 7, 1980
Atlanta Falcons
L 20–17
11–3
Veterans Stadium
70,205
15
December 14, 1980
St. Louis Cardinals
W 17–3
12–3
Veterans Stadium
68,969
16
December 21, 1980
at Dallas Cowboys
L 35–27
12–4
Texas Stadium
62,548
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
[ 2]
1
2 3 4 Total
Broncos
0
0 6 0
6
• Eagles
7
13 0 7
27
Scoring summary Q1 PHI Carmichael 56 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick)PHI 7–0
Q2 PHI Franklin 17 yard field goal PHI 10–0
Q2 PHI Franklin 35 yard field goal PHI 13–0
Q2 PHI Fitzkee 16 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick)PHI 20–0
Q3 DEN Steinfort 44 yard field goalPHI 20–3
Q3 DEN Steinfort 43 yard field goal PHI 20–6
Q4 PHI Spagnola 11 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick)PHI 27–6
1
2 3 4 Total
• Eagles
14
0 14 14
42
Vikings
0
7 0 0
7
Scoring summary Q1 PHI Harris 2 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 7–0
Q1 PHI Montgomery 72 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 14–0
Q2 MIN Rashad 16 yard pass from Kramer (Danmeier kick) PHI 14–7
Q3 PHI Harris 4 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 21–7
Q3 PHI Montgomery 1 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 28–7
Q4 PHI Fitzkee 45 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 35–7
Q4 PHI Carmichael 13 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 42–7
1
2 3 4 Total
Giants
3
0 0 0
3
• Eagles
7
14 7 7
35
Scoring summary Q1 NYG Danelo 50 yard field goal NYG 3–0
Q1 PHI Montgomery 3 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 7–3
Q2 PHI Carmichael 22 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 14–3
Q2 PHI Harris 2 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 21–3
Q3 PHI Smith 12 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 28–3
Q4 PHI Montgomery 1 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 35–3
1
2 3 4 Total
Eagles
0
7 0 7
14
• Cardinals
7
3 7 7
24
Scoring summary Q1 STL 70 yard interception return (Little kick) STL 7–0
Q2 PHI Jaworski 1 yard run (Franklin kick) Tie 7–7
Q2 STL Little 31 yard field goal STL 10–7
Q3 STL Anderson 14 yard run (Little kick) STL 17–7
Q4 STL Anderson 37 yard run (Little kick) STL 24–7
Q4 PHI Krepfle 9 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) STL 24–14
1
2 3 4 Total
Redskins
7
0 0 7
14
• Eagles
7
14 3 0
24
Date: October 5Location: Veterans Stadium Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 69,044Game weather: Cloudy; 61 °F (16 °C)Referee: Pat Haggerty TV announcers (CBS): Gary Bender and John Madden
Scoring summary Q1 WSH Thompson 54 yard pass from Theismann (Moseley kick) WSH 7–0
Q1 PHI Harris 51 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) Tie 7–7
Q2 PHI Montgomery 3 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 14–7
Q2 PHI Carmichael 6 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 21–7
Q3 PHI Franklin 39 yard field goal PHI 24–7
Q4 WSH Claitt 10 yard run (Moseley kick) PHI 24–14
1
2 3 4 Total
• Eagles
0
3 14 14
31
Giants
7
9 0 0
16
Date: October 12Location: Giants Stadium Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 71,051Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C); wind 16 mph (26 km/h)Referee: Gene Barth TV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully and George Allen
Scoring summary Q1 NYG Simms 1 yard run (Danelo kick) NYG 7–0
Q2 NYG Perkins 15 yard pass from Simms (kick failed) NYG 13–0
Q2 PHI Franklin 41 yard field goal NYG 13–3
Q2 NYG Danelo 42 yard field goal NYG 16–3
Q3 PHI Giammona 1 yard run (Franklin kick) NYG 16–10
Q3 PHI Harrington 19 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 17–16
Q4 PHI Giammona 3 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 24–16
Q4 PHI Krepfle 6 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 31–16
1
2 3 4 Total
Cowboys
7
3 0 0
10
• Eagles
0
10 0 7
17
Scoring summary Q1 DAL Hegman recovered fumble in end zone (Septien kick) DAL 7–0
Q2 PHI Franklin 35 yard field goal DAL 7–3
Q2 PHI Carmichael 5 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 10–7
Q2 DAL Septien 33 yard field goal Tie 10–10
Q4 PHI Smith 15 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 17–10
1
2 3 4 Total
Bears
0
0 14 0
14
• Eagles
7
0 7 3
17
Date: October 26Location: Veterans Stadium Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 68,752Game weather: Cloudy; 46 °F (8 °C)Referee: Red Cashion TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier
Scoring summary Q1 PHI Campfield 2 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 7–0
Q3 PHI Giammona 2 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 14–0
Q3 CHI Harper 1 yard run (Thomas kick) PHI 14–7
Q3 CHI Evans 3 yard run (Thomas kick) Tie 14–14
Q4 PHI Franklin 18 yard field goal PHI 17–14
1
2 3 4 Total
• Eagles
0
7 10 10
27
Seahawks
6
0 7 7
20
Date: November 2Location: Kingdome Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 61,047Game weather: Indoors (dome)Referee: Jerry Markbreit TV announcers (CBS): Gary Bender and John Madden
Scoring summary Q1 SEA Herrera 21 yard field goal SEA 3–0
Q1 SEA Herrera 31 yard field goal SEA 6–0
Q2 PHI Campfield 1 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 7–6
Q3 SEA Largent 27 yard pass from Zorn (Herrera kick)SEA 13–7
Q3 PHI Smith 15 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 14–13
Q3 PHI Franklin 39 yard field goal PHI 17–13
Q4 SEA Doornik 9 yard run (Herrera kick) SEA 20–17
Q4 PHI Campfield 5 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 24–20
Q4 PHI Franklin 25 yard field goal PHI 27–20
1
2 3 4 Total
• Eagles
0
17 7 10
34
Saints
7
7 7 0
21
Scoring summary Q1 NO Williams 24 yard pass from Manning (Ricardo kick) NO 7–0
Q2 PHI Carmichael 10 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) Tie 7–7
Q2 NO Chandler 17 yard pass from Manning (Ricardo kick) NO 14–7
Q2 PHI Franklin 32 yard field goal NO 14–10
Q2 PHI Carmichael 6 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 17–14
Q3 PHI Carmichael 25 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 24–14
Q3 NO Williams 8 yard pass from Manning (Ricardo kick) PHI 24–21
Q4 PHI Franklin 30 yard field goal PHI 27–21
Q4 PHI Hogan 2 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 30–21
1
2 3 4 Total
• Eagles
14
3 7 0
24
Redskins
0
0 0 0
0
Date: November 16Location: RFK Stadium Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 51,897Game weather: 45 °F (7 °C); wind 16 mph (26 km/h)Referee: Jerry Seeman TV announcers (CBS): Gary Bender and John Madden
Scoring summary Q1 PHI Krepfle 8 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 7–0
Q1 PHI Spagnola 14 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 14–0
Q2 PHI Franklin 38 yard field goal PHI 17–0
Q4 PHI Robinson 59 yard fumble return (Franklin kick) PHI 24–0
1
2 3 4 Total
Raiders
0
0 0 7
7
• Eagles
0
0 3 7
10
Scoring summary Q3 PHI Franklin 51 yard field goal PHI 3–0
Q4 OAK Branch 86 yard pass from Plunkett (Bahr kick) OAK 7–3
Q4 PHI Montgomery 3 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 10–7
1
2 3 4 Total
Eagles
0
0 7 14
21
• Chargers
9
10 0 3
22
Scoring summary Q1 SD Winslow 14 yard pass from Fouts (kick failed) SD 6–0
Q1 SD Benirschke 34 yard field goal SD 9–0
Q2 SD Winslow 17 yard pass from Fouts (Benirschke kick) SD 16–0
Q2 SD Benirschke 45 yard field goal SD 19–0
Q3 PHI Montgomery 1 yard run (Franklin kick) SD 19–7
Q4 SD Benirschke 42 yard field goal SD 22–7
Q4 PHI Krepfle 16 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) SD 22–14
Q4 PHI Montgomery 11 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) SD 22–21
1
2 3 4 Total
• Falcons
3
7 7 3
20
Eagles
0
14 0 3
17
Scoring summary Q1 ATL Mazzetti 26 yard field goal ATL 3–0
Q2 PHI Carmichael 22 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) PHI 7–3
Q2 PHI Spagnola 15 yard pass from Giammona (Franklin kick) PHI 14–3
Q2 ATL Francis 11 yard pass from Bartkowski (Mazzetti kick) PHI 14–10
Q3 ATL Cain 12 yard pass from Bartkowski (Mazzetti kick) ATL 17–14
Q4 PHI Franklin 40 yard field goal Tie 17–17
Q4 ATL Mazzetti 37 yard field goal ATL 20–17
1
2 3 4 Total
Cardinals
0
0 0 3
3
• Eagles
0
0 7 10
17
Date: December 14Location: Veterans Stadium Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 68,969Game weather: Sunny; 44 °F (7 °C)Referee: Bob FredericTV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully and George Allen
Scoring summary Q3 PHI Montgomery 9 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 7–0
Q4 PHI Franklin 19 yard field goal PHI 10–0
Q4 STL O'Donoghue 25 yard field goal PHI 10–3
Q4 PHI Giammona 1 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 17–3
1
2 3 4 Total
Eagles
0
0 10 17
27
• Cowboys
7
14 7 7
35
Scoring summary Q1 DAL White 1 yard run (Septien kick) DAL 7–0
Q2 DAL Hill 36 yard pass from White (Septien kick) DAL 14–0
Q2 DAL P. Pearson 9 yard pass from White (Septien kick) DAL 21–0
Q3 PHI Giammona 1 yard run (Franklin kick) DAL 21–7
Q3 DAL D. Pearson 11 yard pass from White (Septien kick) DAL 28–7
Q3 PHI Franklin 29 yard field goal DAL 28–10
Q4 DAL DuPree 15 yard pass from White (Septien kick) DAL 35–10
Q4 PHI Parker 30 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) DAL 35–17
Q4 PHI Franklin 19 yard field goal DAL 35–20
Q4 PHI Montgomery 6 yard run (Franklin kick) DAL 35–27
Harold Carmichael's streak of games with a pass caught is stopped. Despite losing this game, the Eagles clinched the NFC East Division on a quirky tie-breaker scenario because they lost by less than 25 points. The only caveat to losing by less than 25 points compared to winning this game outright was that the Eagles conceded the number one seed in the NFC to the Atlanta Falcons (who had also lost during this same week). The close defeat however proved to be less significant compared to winning this game outright as their eventual run to the Super Bowl would not have changed due to restrictions regarding teams from the same division meeting in the Divisional Round, and Dallas defeating both the Rams in the Wild Card Round (Dallas could only face Atlanta regardless of seeding), and the Falcons in the Divisional Round (the NFC Championship Game would have still been held in Philadelphia).
1
2 3 4 Total
Vikings
7
7 2 0
16
• Eagles
0
7 14 10
31
Scoring summary Q1 MIN White 30 yard pass from Kramer (Danmeier kick) MIN 7–0
Q2 MIN Brown 1 yard run (Danmeier kick) MIN 14–0
Q2 PHI Carmichael 9 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) MIN 14–7
Q3 PHI Montgomery 8 yard run (Franklin kick) Tie 14–14
Q3 MIN Safety, Jaworski tackled in end zone MIN 16–14
Q3 PHI Montgomery 5 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 21–16
Q4 PHI Franklin 33 yard field goal PHI 24–16
Q4 PHI Harrington 2 yard run (Franklin kick) PHI 31–16
Conference Championship
edit
Veterans Stadium during the 1980 NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys, January 11, 1981.
1
2 3 4 Total
• Raiders
14
0 10 3
27
Eagles
0
3 0 7
10
Scoring summary Q1 OAK Branch 2 yard pass from Plunkett (Bahr kick) OAK 7–0
Q1 OAK King 80 yard pass from Plunkett (Bahr kick) OAK 14–0
Q2 PHI Franklin 30 yard field goal OAK 14–3
Q3 OAK Branch 29 yard pass from Plunkett (Bahr kick) OAK 21–3
Q3 OAK Bahr 46 yard field goal OAK 24–3
Q4 PHI Krepfle 8 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick) OAK 24–10
Q4 OAK Bahr 35 yard field goal OAK 27–10