Which Super Bowl Lii Players Will Join Malcolm Jenkins In Eagles Hof?

Which Super Bowl LII players will join Malcolm Jenkins in Eagles HOF? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Eagles last week officially inducted safety Malcolm Jenkins into their team Hall of Fame.

Jenkins played six seasons in Philadelphia, went to three Pro Bowls and was the leader of the Eagles’ defense for their first Super Bowl victory.

Jenkins is the first Eagles player from Super Bowl LII to make it into the Eagles Hall of Fame but he definitely won’t be the last. Jenkins’ induction got us thinking about his Super Bowl LII teammates who will one day join him in the Eagles Hall of Fame.

Here’s a list of the 10 most likely. The first seven feel like locks:

1. Jason Kelce

The Eagles drafted Kelce in the sixth round back in 2011 and he went on to have one of the greatest careers ever for a center. Kelce played 13 seasons in the NFL, all with the Eagles, and was a seven-time Pro Bowler, six-time All-Pro and is a future Pro Football Hall of Famer. Kelce was an Iron Man, who played 193 games in an Eagles uniform (second-most all-time) and holds the record for consecutive starts at 156. And he just happens to be one of the most popular Eagles ever too.

2. Lane Johnson

Johnson was a first-round pick back in 2013 and is now in his 13th season with the Eagles. The six-time Pro Bowler has made a really strong late-career push for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is one of the best offensive tackles ever. Not only that, but he is the only player who was a full-time starter in Super Bowl LII and Super Bowl LIX seven years later. Johnson is one of the greatest Eagles ever.

3. Fletcher Cox

The Eagles drafted Cox in the first round in 2012 and he ended up playing 12 years in the NFL, was a Pro Bowler in half of them and was named as a member of the 2010s all-decade team. Cox is tied for third in team history in games played with 188 and has a legitimate shot to make it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Cox played in the era of Aaron Donald, so he often got overshadowed but he was an excellent player. And he was a huge part of those great teams over the last decade, often as the best player on the defense.

4. Jason Peters

While Peters didn’t actually play in Super Bowl LII, he was a huge part of that team after getting hurt in the seventh game of the season. He mentored Halapoulivaati Vaitai, who replaced him at left tackle and The Bodyguard is the guy the Eagles trusted to protect the first Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. The Eagles acquired Peters in a blockbuster trade in 2009 and he made seven of his nine Pro Bowl teams after coming to Philadelphia. His Eagles career ended with a few seasons of injuries. But at his peak, no one was better than Peters, a member of the 2010s all-decade team, who should end up in Canton.

5. Brandon Graham

After being a considered a bust early in his career, not only did Graham shed that label, but he became one of the most popular Eagles ever. A big part of that was his strip-sack on Tom Brady to help seal Super Bowl LII. Graham is now in his 16th season with the Eagles; nobody has played more seasons or games in an Eagles uniform than BG. Graham was a first-round pick way back in 2010 and has amassed 76 1/2 sacks in his career, which ranks third on the team’s all-time list. And it doesn’t hurt that everybody loves him.

6. Nick Foles

There’s a statue of Foles outside of the Linc and he’s one day going to get honored inside the building. No doubt about it. Foles had one of the stranger NFL careers you’re ever going to see, but that man played the best game of his life in Super Bowl LII and earned his MVP award. Foles took over for Carson Wentz that season and when many thought the Eagles were cooked, Foles was just warming up. That run and Super Bowl earned Foles folk hero status in Philadelphia. But it wasn’t his only great moment. He had that magical 2013 season and played well in the 2018 playoffs before the Eagles were bounced.

7. Zach Ertz

The round after the Eagles drafted Johnson, they nailed it again when they selected Ertz out of Stanford at pick No. 35. Ertz spent his first nine seasons in Philadelphia, made three Pro Bowls and caught the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl LII. Ertz was traded to the Cardinals during the 2021 season and tearfully said goodbye to Philadelphia. He is second on the Eagles’ all-time list in receptions at 579, just 10 behind Hall of Famer Harold Carmichael. Ertz is the final lock on this list.

8. Brandon Brooks

The Eagles signed Brooks as a free agent before the 2016 season and he ended up being one of the greatest free agent acquisitions in franchise history. He was a Pro Bowler in 2017, 2018 and 2019 before injuries ended his career early. Brooks played just two NFL games after the 2019 season before eventually deciding to step away from the game. It was a short peak but it was a really high one; Brooks was the best right guard in football.

9. Darren Sproles

Like Peters, Sproles didn’t get to play in Super Bowl LII because he was injured earlier that season. But Sproles played six seasons with the Eagles as a utility guy on offense and a three-time Pro Bowler as a return man. Sproles played for the Chargers and Saints before joining the Eagles but played more seasons in Philly than those other two stops and made his only three Pro Bowls with the Eagles. The 5-foot-6 Sproles was also a huge fan favorite and has worked some for the team since retirement.

10. Jake Elliott

There were some options for this 10th spot. Guys like Brent Celek, Rodney McLeod, Alshon Jeffery and Chris Long deserve honorable mentions. But we’ll give the nod to Elliott, who will likely go down as the best kicker in Eagles history. Elliott arrived in Philly during that 2017 season and is now in his ninth season with the Birds. Elliott is second in team history in points, field goals made and field goal attempts, behind just David Akers, who is already in the Eagles Hall of Fame. Elliott is a two-time Super Bowl champion and has been super clutch. In his three Super Bowls, Elliott has made all nine of his field goal attempts and in the playoffs is 26-for-27 (96.3%).