Brian Westbrook
A versatile and undersized running back who became the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive engine, redefining the dual-threat role with his receiving prowess.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American football player·Birthday: September 2·Generation X
Biography
Brian Westbrook's path to the NFL was not a foregone conclusion. Coming out of Villanova, a small college program, he was a third-round pick viewed by many as a special teams contributor. The Philadelphia Eagles, however, saw a unique weapon. Standing just 5'8", Westbrook compensated with uncanny vision, patience, and soft hands. He didn't just run the ball; he was a quarterback's safety valve and a matchup nightmare for linebackers in the passing game. His peak from 2004 to 2007 was a masterclass in all-purpose production, where he led the league in yards from scrimmage and propelled the Eagles to multiple NFC Championship games. Injuries eventually curtailed his career, but his style—a blend of elusive running and slot receiver skills—paved the way for a new generation of versatile backs. In Philadelphia, he is remembered not for prototypical size, but for monumental plays that defined an era of Eagles football.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Brian was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Brian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Earned First-Team All-Pro honors in 2007 after leading the NFL with 2,104 total yards from scrimmage.
- Selected to the Pro Bowl twice, in 2004 and 2007, as a key offensive weapon for the Philadelphia Eagles.
- Set the Eagles' single-season record for receptions by a running back with 90 catches in 2007.
- Scored the game-winning touchdown on a punt return with just over a minute left in a crucial 2003 divisional game against the New York Giants.
Did You Know?
He was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, given to the top player in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), while at Villanova.
Westbrook and his brother Byron are the only siblings in NFL history to each score a touchdown on a punt return of 80+ yards.
He majored in computer science at Villanova University.
“My size was never a limitation; it was just a fact I played around.”
