<P> Having finished last in the standings, the Eagles had the first pick in the 1936 draft, an opportunity they used to select University of Chicago's Heisman Trophy - winning back, Jay Berwanger . They then traded his rights to the Chicago Bears . Berwanger, who had no interest in playing professional football, elected to go to medical school instead . </P> <P> The Eagles' first major recruiting success would come in 1939, with the signing of Texas Christian's All - America quarterback, Davey O'Brien; O'Brien proceeded to shatter numerous existing single - season NFL passing records in his rookie season . That year, the Eagles participated in the first televised football game, against the Brooklyn Dodgers, at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn (losing the game 23 - 14). </P> <P> The 1940s would prove a tumultuous and ultimately triumphant decade for the young club . In 1940, the team moved from Philadelphia Municipal Stadium to Shibe Park . Lud Wray's half - interest in the team was purchased by Art Rooney, who had just sold the Pittsburgh Steelers to Alexis Thompson . Soon thereafter, Bell / Rooney and Thompson swapped franchises, but not teams . Bell / Rooney's entire Eagles' corporate organization, including most of the players, moved to Pittsburgh (The Steelers' corporate name remained "Philadelphia Football Club, Inc ." until 1945) and Thompson's Steelers moved to Philadelphia, leaving only the team nicknames in their original cities . Since NFL franchises are territorial rights distinct from individual corporate entities, the NFL does not consider this a franchise move and considers the current Philadelphia Eagles as a single unbroken entity from 1933 . (1) </P> <P> After assuming ownership, Thompson promptly hired Greasy Neale as the team's head coach . In its first years under Neale, the team continued to struggle . In 1943, when manpower shortages stemming from World War II made it impossible to fill the roster, the team temporarily merged with the Steelers to form a team popularly known as the "Steagles ." The merger, never intended as a permanent arrangement, was dissolved at the end of the 1943 season . This season saw the team's first winning season in its 11 - year history, with a finish of 5 - 4 - 1 . In 1944, however, the Eagles finally experienced good fortune, as they made their finest draft pick to date: running back Steve Van Buren . At last, the team's fortunes were about to change . </P>

When did the philadelphia eagles became a team