The 1981 season was the Philadelphia Eagles' 49th in the National Football League (NFL). They made the postseason for the fourth straight season (the first time in franchise history the Eagles made the postseason four straight times). The team was coming off a loss to the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XV the previous season. Because they made the Super Bowl in 1980, the Eagles were picked by many not only to reach the Super Bowl, but to win it as well. The Eagles began the 1981 season with 6 straight wins, their best ever start to a season at the time. They won 3 of their next 5 games for a record of 9–2. Then they lost their next 4 games in a row to slip to 9–6, but clinched a playoff spot for the fourth straight season prior to the final week of the regular season due to owning a tiebreaker with the Packers and not finishing last had the Eagles, Giants, and Packers finished 9–7. The next week, they hammered the St. Louis Cardinals 38–0 to clinch the Wild Card Game would be held in Philadelphia. In the playoffs, they met their arch rivals the New York Giants. It was New York's first playoff appearance in 18 years. The Giants stunned the Eagles 27–21, ending the Eagles' season as well as hopes for a second straight Super Bowl appearance. The Eagles would not make the playoffs again until 1988. They wouldn't reach the Super Bowl again until 2004.

Offseason

NFL Draft

After going 12–4, winning the NFC title and losing in Super Bowl XV to the Oakland Raiders in the 1980 season, the Eagles were slotted to pick next to last in the 12 rounds of the 1981 NFL draft. The NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 28–29, 1981. ESPN covered all 12 rounds live for the first time. ESPN then showed a replay later that night. This was over a period of two days. The Eagles had the 27th pick in each of the 12 rounds of the draft except for the 5th, 6th, and 8th rounds; they had no picks for these rounds because of draft-day trades. Instead, they had two picks in the 7th round: the 8th and 27th picks. The Eagles drafted a total of 10 players.

Personnel

Staff

Roster

Regular season

The 1981 season schedule was set by how the Eagles finished in 1980, 1st in NFC East. The way it was laid out, 4 of the 5 teams in the same 5 team division could end up having 10 to 14 common opponents during the 1981 season. Also, when the last regular season game is over you know who you play the following year.

Schedule

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1

Sunday, September 6, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM Eastern Played at The Meadowlands on an AstroTurf playing surface at 70 F with an 11 mph wind

Week 2

Sunday, September 13, 1981 Kickoff 4:00 PM Eastern TV Broadcast: NBC Announcers: Dick Enberg and John Brodie Played at Veterans Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface weather= 74 F (Sunny)

Week 3

Thursday, September 17, 1981 Kickoff 8:30 PM Eastern Played at Rich Stadium on AstroTurf playing surface at 55 F with an 8 mph wind

Week 4

Sunday, September 27, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM Eastern Played at Veterans Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface weather= 68 F (Sunny)

Week 5

Monday, October 5, 1981 Kickoff 9:00 PM Eastern Played at Veterans Stadium on AstroTurf playing surface weather= 62 F (Clear)

Week 6

Sunday, October 11, 1981 Kickoff 12:00 PM Central Played at Louisiana Superdome on an AstroTurf playing surface at 72 F indoors

Week 7

Sunday, October 18, 1981 Kickoff 12:00 PM Central Played at Metropolitan Stadium on a grass playing surface at 44 F with a 27 mph wind

Week 8

Sunday, October 25, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM Eastern Played at Veterans Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface weather= 55 F (Rain)

Week 9

Sunday, November 1, 1981 Kickoff 4:00 PM Eastern Played at Veterans Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface weather= 60 F (Cloudy)

Week 10

Sunday, November 8, 1981 Kickoff 12:00 PM Central Played at the Busch Memorial Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface at 57 F with an 8 mph wind.

Week 11

Sunday, November 15, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM Eastern Played at Veterans Stadium on AstroTurf weather= 54 F (Light rain)

Week 12

Sunday, November 22, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM Eastern Played at Veterans Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface weather= 46 F (Cloudy)

Week 13

Monday, November 30, 1981 Kickoff 9:00 PM Pacific Played at Orange Bowl on grass playing surface at 73 F with an 8 mph wind

Week 14

Sunday, December 6, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM Eastern Played at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium on a grass playing surface at 43 F with a 21 mph wind

Week 15

Sunday, December 13, 1981 Kickoff 3:00 PM Central Played at Texas Stadium on an AstroTurf playing surface at 44 F with a 9 mph wind

Week 16

Sunday, December 21, 1981 Kickoff 1:00 PM Eastern Played at Veterans Stadium on AstroTurf playing surface weather= 29 F (Sunny)

Standings

Postseason

Schedule

Game summaries

NFC Wildcard Game

Sunday, December 27, 1981 Kickoff 3:30 PM Eastern Played at Veterans Stadium on AstroTurf playing surface weather= 38 F (Light drizzle)