In LeMaster's first four seasons, the Eagles won only 20 out of 56 games. The team hired coach Dick Vermeil, and they went from 4–10 in 1976, to 5–9 in 1977, before reaching the playoffs as a wildcard in 1978 and making the playoffs again in 1979; LeMaster was a vital figure in helping the team turn around. Vermeil described him as "an outstandingly conditioned player.
In LeMaster's initial four seasons, the Eagles secured only 20 out of 56 victories. The team hired coach Dick Vermeil, and they progressed from a 4–10 record in 1976 to a 5–9 mark in 1977 before qualifying for the playoffs as a wildcard in 1978 and again in 1979; LeMaster played a pivotal role in helping the team transform. Vermeil characterized him as "an exceptionally conditioned player."