Quote:The special assistant coach / wide receivers helped to develop Brunell and Favre?  Who knew a receivers coach could have that much influence?

According to Mark Brunell, he did. He mentioned Jon Gruden specifically as influential when he was asked about his development as a quarterback in Green Bay. This was years ago, probably before you were born.

 



 

Jaguars fans well remember that when Ray Rhodes took Jon Gruden with him over the Philadelphia, Brunell was their quarterback of choice.

 

http://articles.philly.com/1997-01-08/sp...joe-banner

 

 

It won't get any easier for the Eagles, or any of their fans prone to wondering what if, to watch the AFC playoffs this weekend.


Mark Brunell, the man who has led the impossible Jacksonville Jaguars to within one game of the Super Bowl, came within a couple of crossed T's and dotted I's of being the Eagles quarterback. The story of how the Eagles wooed and lost Brunell has been told often, but seldom accurately, and includes enough behind-the-scenes intrigue for a good Scott Turow novel.


The first thing to know is that the Eagles did not lose Brunell because they weren't willing to pay him enough. That version of events has passed into Philadelphia sports lore.


``We may have made a mistake when we lost Brunell,'' said Eagles senior vice president Joe Banner, ``but that wasn't it. He would be making significantly more money if he signed with us than he is making in Jacksonville.''


In the spring of 1995, Brunell was in Green Bay, behind Brett Favre but ahead of Ty Detmer on the Packers' depth chart. The Packers had decided to trade Brunell and the team that expressed the most interest, from the very beginning, was the Eagles.


That's because new head coach Ray Rhodes and new offensive coordinator Jon Gruden had worked in Green Bay. They knew Brunell and wanted him to run Gruden's version of the short-passing offense the Packers ran. Rhodes and Gruden had inherited Randall Cunningham as their starting quarterback.


``Ray and Jon raved about him,'' Banner said. ``It wasn't just his talent. It was the other qualities you're seeing from him this year, his leadership and toughness.''


The Eagles offered the Packers two draft picks - one in the second round, one in the fifth - for Brunell. The Packers accepted. All that was left was for the Eagles to work out a contract with Brunell. They offered him a five-year deal. Brunell wanted a three-year deal.


``He wanted the chance to become a free agent after three years,'' Banner said. ``That tells you something about his confidence. He knew he would be a good player and he wanted the chance to prove himself and then become a free agent.''

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