All-Time Eagles QBs Ranked: Hurts #1, McNabb #2

Bobby Thomason

#47 · Philadelphia Eagles
Retired 7 Years In The NFL
🏆 Second-team All-Pro (1953)
Bobby's
HAIR
15.3
HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about Bobby Thomason or the Eagles?

Bobby Thomason Legacy

HEYTC AI
Bobby Thomason was the lanky Alabama gunslinger from VMI who crashed the NFL like a comet in the early '50s, first-round pick out of nowhere who redefined what a deep-ball artist could do for the Eagles. Picture this: 1953, he torches defenses for the league lead in touchdown passes, earns Pro Bowl nods three straight years, and—hold the phone—unleashes the franchise's first 400-yard masterpiece, 437 yards and four scores in one epic gunfight. Completion king in '51, second-team All-Pro, the works. A trailblazer who passed quietly in 2013 at 85, leaving fans to marvel at his forgotten flair.
Bobby Thomason passed away on November 5, 2013 at the age of 85.

Bobby Thomason Rating Breakdown

Season
Subpar
Fantasy
Subpar
Playoffs
Non-Factor
Overall
NPC
6 years with the Eagles

Bobby Thomason Career Stats via Wikipedia

9,480 Pass Yards
68 Touchdowns
90 INTs
0.0% Comp %
15.3 HAIR
18-24 Record

Frequently Asked Questions About Bobby Thomason

How does Jalen Hurts compare to Bobby Thomason?

Jalen Hurts towers over Bobby Thomason like a skyscraper next to a split-rail fence—Hurts is the Eagles' current gunslinger, chasing rings in a pass-happy era, while Thomason's 9,480 yards and 68 TDs across eight seasons (mostly Philly) feel quaint by comparison, a gritty '50s pocket passer who hit three Pro Bowls but never sniffed Super Bowl glory.

Is Bobby Thomason in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nah, Bobby Thomason's not in Canton—those gold jackets went to the Sonny Jurgensens of the world, not a three-time Pro Bowler who slung 9,480 yards for the Eagles, Packers, and Rams before passing at 85. Solid career, sure, but Hall voters skipped the guy with 687 completions in a run-first league.

How would Bobby Thomason perform in today's NFL?

Thomason's gunslinger arm—1,334 yards leading Philly in '52, three Pro Bowls—might carve out a backup gig today with rules shielding QBs like bubble wrap, but his 51% completion rate and pick-six habits scream '50s fossil in a 300-yard-per-game circus. He'd scramble like hell, though, Packers stint proved that.

How does Bobby Thomason compare to Donovan McNabb?

Donovan McNabb lapped Bobby Thomason under center—46.44 passer rating to Thomason's measly 15.29, turning Eagles fans into believers with scrambles and bombs while Bobby grinded 9,480 yards in leather helmets. Both Philly heroes, but McNabb's the Ferrari; Thomason, a trusty old Chevy pickup.