Seth Joyner and Clyde Simmons to enter Eagles Hall of Fame

By: Jesse Larch, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The Eagles have inducted a who's who of the team's best player into their hall of fame with names such as Brian Dawkins, Brian Westbrook, and Donovan McNabb entering the prestigious club in recent seasons, and now another fan favorite will enter the Eagles Hall of Fame. 

During their preseason debut on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers it was announced that the Eagles are inducting linebacker Seth Joyner. Joining Joyner will be his former teammate defensive end Clyde Simmons. 

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie released a statement on Joyner through the team's website:

“Seth Joyner was one of the most talented and fearless outside linebackers of his era, and the way he committed his heart and soul on every play spoke volumes about his love for the game,” said Lurie. “Seth epitomized the complete defensive player – dominant against the run, extremely skilled in coverage, and relentless in how he blitzed. Seth is one of the all-time greats in our franchise’s history and he set a powerful example for the generations of players that followed him at his position.”

Joyner went to three Pro Bowls in his career, two of which came during his Eagles tenure that took place over eight seasons between 1986 and 1993. Joyner also made stops in Arizona, Green Bay, and with the Denver Broncos with whom he won a Super Bowl in his final season. 

Joyner earned the honor of being named defensive player of the year in 1991 by Sports Illustrated. Joyner holds the distinction of being the only player in Eagles history with 35 sacks and 15 interceptions and joins recent Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Brian Dawkins as the only two Eagles with 20 career forced fumbles. 

Joyner has the second most tackles in Eagles franchise history with 875 takedowns. Only Andre Waters has more with 910. 

Lurie also offered his thoughts on Clyde Simmons:

“Clyde Simmons was one of the most feared pass rushers ever to play in Philadelphia, but he was also ferocious against the run and made his presence felt each and every week in the trenches,” said Lurie. “He was a pillar on one of the best defenses in NFL history and an integral part of the team’s success for many years. Clyde’s explosive and aggressive style of play resonated with our fans and also allowed him to become a dominant defensive lineman over the course of his career.”

Simmons is third in Eagles franchise history in sacks with 76.0. Trent Cole (85.5) and Reggie White (124.0) are the only players with more sacks. Simmons also ranks fifth in team history in tackles with 720. 

Like Joyner, Simmons's career in Philadelphia spanned from 1986 to 1993.

The Eagles will honor Joyner and Simmons on September 23, 2018 when the Eagles host Frank Reich and the Indianapolis Colts at Lincoln Financial Field.