One Hundred Years Ago — Henry Homan Wasn’t Just a Hero. He Brought A Standard For Quarterbacks in Philly.
On Monday night, just moments before the Eagles and Falcons kicked off amid a blustery, September wind blowing through Lincoln Financial Field — the Eagles honored a man who had given them everything. This quarterback wasn’t Ron Jaworski, Jalen Hurts, it wasn’t Donovan McNabb or the return of ramblin’ Randall Cunningham.
This quarterback was kid from Texas who delivered Philly what it had dreamt of for almost fourty-one years. As long as there has been a Super Bowl, Eagles fans have wanted to win it. Nick Foles did it.
Nick Foles retirement, honored by the Eagles (sorry Carson, you’ll have to wait just a little longer) and World Championship puts him in select company. Only three other NFL quarterbacks have been champions while in Philadelphia.
The first quarterback to bring an NFL championship to Philadelphia didn’t get a trip to Disney World, wasn’t serenaded by 61,000 screaming fans, and in-fact didn’t even return home in an airplane from one of America’s destination, pre-ordained Super Bowl Stadiums to a parade down Broad Street.
Henry Homan not only loved playing football, he loved playing quarterback. Born in Reading in 1900, Homan first became a star at Lebanon Valley College and was also at Albright College. Only 5 foot 5 and 150 pounds, Homan was nicknamed “two-bits” because of his size.
Joining the professional ranks, he played with the Millville Football & Athletic Club who would go on to win the “Pro Football Championship of New Jersey.” Homan also traveled with other professional players to Florida and helped to form the Haven-Villa of Winter Haven team where he battled Jim Thorpe’s Tampa Cardinals to a 5–0–1 record.
Homan wasn’t just talented, he was clutch in late game situations. As one of the most popular players on the Yellow Jackets — he scored a pivotal late touchdown in 1926 during what was a 1920s Thanksgiving Day tradition vs. the Green Bay Packers. With George Halas’ Chicago Bears right on Frankford’s heals with twelve wins. After the Bears lost 7–6 at Frankford Stadium on December 4th (thanks to another late 27-yard score by Homan,) Chicago tied the Green Bay Packers 3–3 in the last game of the season. Back in Philadelphia, Frankford also ended the 1926 season with a tie against the Pottsville Maroons 0–0. A short time after, the NFL awarded Frankford the 1926 NFL Championship.
With the 1929 Great Depression taking its toll on the Yellow Jackets, Homan’s last game in the NFL would be in 1930. He would pass away 23 years later in Great Falls, New York.
What Henry Homan captured in that dominant 1926 season has been sought after by Philadelphia quarterbacks ever since. Only three others have found it (Foles, Tommy Thompson, and Norm Van Brocklin.) His legend has survived much longer than the Frankford Stadium, or even the Yellow Jackets themselves.
What he gave to Philly is still a requirement of any quarterback who comes to play here even today.
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