section_path: History/Leonard Tose era (1969–1984)
section_name: Leonard Tose era (1969–1984)
paragraph_text: Leonard Tose era (1969–1984)
  
  In 1969, Leonard Tose bought the team from Wolman for $16.155 million, the equivalent of $ 139 million today, representing a record then for the highest amount ever paid for a professional sports franchise. Tose's first official act was to fire Coach Joe Kuharich after a disappointing 24–41–1 record during his five-year reign. Tose then named former Eagles wide receiver Pete Retzlaff as the team's general manager and Jerry Williams as its new head coach.
  
  With the merger of the NFL and AFL in 1970, the Eagles were placed in the NFC East Division with the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, and Dallas Cowboys. The Eagles' heated rivalry with the Giants is the oldest of the NFC East rivalries, dating back to 1933, and is often cited as one of the best rivalries in the NFL. 1970 was also the last season for the Eagles at Franklin Field; the team finished the first post-merger season in last place in their division at 3–10–1.
  
  In 1971, the Eagles moved to Veterans Stadium, which had just been constructed and was initially acclaimed as a triumph of ultra-modern sports engineering. After a 3–10–1 record in 1970 and three consecutive blowout losses to Cincinnati, Dallas, and San Francisco to open the 1971 season, Williams was fired and replaced by assistant coach Ed Khayat, a defensive lineman on the Eagles' 1960 NFL championship team. Williams and Khayat were hampered by Retzlaff's decision to trade longtime starting quarterback Norm Snead to the Minnesota Vikings in early 1971, leaving the Eagles a choice between journeyman Pete Liske and raw Rick Arrington. Khayat lost his first two games but won six of the season's last nine, thanks largely to the efforts of the Eagles' defense, led by all-pro safety Bill Bradley, who led the NFL in interceptions (11) and interception return yardage (248).
  
  The team regressed in 1972 to finish 2–11–1, and Khayat was released. The two wins (both on the road) proved to be surprises, however. Philadelphia beat the Kansas City Chiefs (which had had the best record in the AFC a year before) 21–20 and the Houston Oilers 18–17 on six field goals by kicker Tom Dempsey. The latter game had been called the "Johnny Rodgers Bowl", because the loser, in finishing last in the league, would gain the first overall pick in the 1973 NFL draft, which was then presumed to be Nebraska wingback Johnny Rodgers, the Heisman Trophy winner. With their loss, the Oilers got first pick and took University of Tampa defensive end John Matuszak, who later faced Philadelphia in Super Bowl XV. With the second overall pick, the Eagles selected USC tight end Charle Young.
  
  Khayat was replaced by offensive guru Mike McCormack for the 1973 season. Aided by the skills of quarterback Roman Gabriel and towering young wide receiver Harold Carmichael, they managed to infuse a bit of vitality into a previously moribund offense.
  
  New general manager Jim Murray also began to add talent on the defensive side of the line, most notably through the addition of future Pro Bowl linebacker Bill Bergey in 1974. Overall, however, the team was still mired in mediocrity. McCormack was fired after a 4–10 1975 season.
  
  In 1969, Leonard Tose bought the team from Wolman for $16.155 million, the equivalent of $ 139 million today, representing a record then for the highest amount ever paid for a professional sports franchise. Tose's first official act was to fire Coach Joe Kuharich after a disappointing 24–41–1 record during his five-year reign. Tose then named former Eagles wide receiver Pete Retzlaff as the team's general manager and Jerry Williams as its new head coach.
  
  With the merger of the NFL and AFL in 1970, the Eagles were placed in the NFC East Division with the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, and Dallas Cowboys. The Eagles' heated rivalry with the Giants is the oldest of the NFC East rivalries, dating back to 1933, and is often cited as one of the best rivalries in the NFL. 1970 was also the last season for the Eagles at Franklin Field; the team finished the first post-merger season in last place in their division at 3–10–1.
  
  In 1971, the Eagles moved to Veterans Stadium, which had just been constructed and was initially acclaimed as a triumph of ultra-modern sports engineering. After a 3–10–1 record in 1970 and three consecutive blowout losses to Cincinnati, Dallas, and San Francisco to open the 1971 season, Williams was fired and replaced by assistant coach Ed Khayat, a defensive lineman on the Eagles' 1960 NFL championship team. Williams and Khayat were hampered by Retzlaff's decision to trade longtime starting quarterback Norm Snead to the Minnesota Vikings in early 1971, leaving the Eagles a choice between journeyman Pete Liske and raw Rick Arrington. Khayat lost his first two games but won six of the season's last nine, thanks largely to the efforts of the Eagles' defense, led by all-pro safety Bill Bradley, who led the NFL in interceptions (11) and interception return yardage (248).
  
  The team regressed in 1972 to finish 2–11–1, and Khayat was released. The two wins (both on the road) proved to be surprises, however. Philadelphia beat the Kansas City Chiefs (which had had the best record in the AFC a year before) 21–20 and the Houston Oilers 18–17 on six field goals by kicker Tom Dempsey. The latter game had been called the "Johnny Rodgers Bowl", because the loser, in finishing last in the league, would gain the first overall pick in the 1973 NFL draft, which was then presumed to be Nebraska wingback Johnny Rodgers, the Heisman Trophy winner. With their loss, the Oilers got first pick and took University of Tampa defensive end John Matuszak, who later faced Philadelphia in Super Bowl XV. With the second overall pick, the Eagles selected USC tight end Charle Young.
  
  Khayat was replaced by offensive guru Mike McCormack for the 1973 season. Aided by the skills of quarterback Roman Gabriel and towering young wide receiver Harold Carmichael, they managed to infuse a bit of vitality into a previously moribund offense.
  
  New general manager Jim Murray also began to add talent on the defensive side of the line, most notably through the addition of future Pro Bowl linebacker Bill Bergey in 1974. Overall, however, the team was still mired in mediocrity. McCormack was fired after a 4–10 1975 season.