Steve Van Buren, 91, Passes Away

Steve Van Buren, considered by many to be the best Eagles player in the history of the franchise, passed away on Thursday in Lancaster. He was 91 years old.

Van Buren was the Eagles 1st round pick in 1944. He finished his Eagles career with 5,860 rushing yards and 77 touchdowns

Here is a statement from Eagles owner Jeffery Lurie

"On the field and off, as a player, a leader and a man, Steve Van Buren embodied the finest characteristics of our city and our sport," said Lurie. "He was a friend and an inspiration to generations of fans, and the model of what an Eagle should be."

Van Buren was the first Philadelphia Eagle to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Andy Reid had this to say about Van Buren's passing:

"Watch those old films and you know that Steve Van Buren was something special," said head coach Andy Reid. "He was special in person, too, humble about his own accomplishments and encouraging to others. His memory will be with Eagles fans for as long as this team takes the field."

Here are some of his career accomplishments:

* Finished his career in 1951 as NFL' s all-time leading rusher, and is currently 3rd in Eagles history

* He is the only Eagle ever to finish a season as the NFL's leading rusher- something he accomplished 4 times.

* He holds the Eagles single game record for rushing yards in a game with 205

* His 77 touchdowns rank 2nd on the Eagles all-time list.

Van Buren is survived by his 3 daughters, 16 grand children, and 16 great grandchildren.

Follow Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks