That was an Eagles' No. 14 jersey, circa 1995-96, being forced over a body that was grown from XL to XXL during the intervening years during this week's taping of "Football Friday" on THTV Online.
The player? Ty Detmer. He was so effective for the Eagles, at least for a season that resulted in a playoff appearance, that I named my eldest cat, Tyler, after him.
Detmer, though a Heisman Trophy winner while avoiding being converted in becoming a Mormon at Brigham Young University (Michael Jackson's favorite team ... get it?), got the job within the West Coast offense with instincts.
He had no great natural gifts. He was not only smaller than most NFL quarterbacks, but he was not very mobile and lacked arm strength.
Instead, he made the right reads and was accurate.
That's kind of what we hoped for from Kevin Kolb this year, and maybe he should pop in a tape of Detmer from the time period and draw inspiration fromt it.
Andy Reid, in his stubborn glory, would surely disavow any knowledge of one of his players being edified from one did under another coach. But since Detmer played at Brigham Young (get the Michael Jackson jibe, yet?), maybe fathead will allow such a practice.
Without Michael Vick likely out until after the Eagles' bye week (Halloween, Oct. 31), we could use Kolb dressing up in a Detmer costume.