At 91, Joe Pagliei Believed to Be Oldest Living Philadelphia Eagle, Finding Fame in South Jersey Retirement Community
In the quiet corridors of a South Jersey retirement home, 91-year-old Joe Pagliei has emerged as a local celebrity, celebrated not just for his longevity, but for his distinct connection to NFL history. Pagliei is currently believed to be the oldest living former member of the Philadelphia Eagles, a title that has turned him into a living legend among his neighbors and staff.
A deep dive into his career reveals that Pagliei’s journey to the NFL began at Clemson University, where he was a versatile player on the field. His collegiate performance caught the eye of professional scouts, leading to his selection by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 19th round of the 1959 NFL Draft. This places him in the league during a rugged, transformative era of professional football, predating the glitz of the modern Super Bowl age. Pagliei joined the organization during a time when the team was building toward its historic 1960 Championship run, sharing the locker room with gridiron titans such as Chuck Bednarik and Tommy McDonald.
Contextualizing his tenure requires looking back at the harsh realities of 1950s football. Unlike the multimillion-dollar athletes of today, players of Pagliei’s era often held off-season jobs to make ends meet, played with minimal protective gear, and faced a league with significantly smaller rosters and fewer teams. Being drafted 221st overall highlights the sheer difficulty of making a professional squad during that decade; it was a time when the NFL was a grinding war of attrition, and simply wearing the jersey was a testament to elite physical toughness.
However, historical records regarding the “oldest living player” designation often face scrutiny. Determining the absolute oldest living alumnus of any NFL franchise is a complex task due to the lack of centralized, real-time mortality records for players who briefly appeared on rosters more than six decades ago. Furthermore, sports historians sometimes debate the distinction between players who were drafted and participated in training camps versus those who logged official statistics in regular-season games. While Pagliei was a part of the Eagles organization during the 1959 season, official NFL encyclopedias do not always credit participation stats for lower-round draft picks who may have served on what was then known as the “taxi squad” (the precursor to the practice squad) or who were released prior to the final roster cut.
Despite these technical objections regarding official game statistics, the Philadelphia Eagles organization and the NFL Alumni Association have long embraced draftees and squad members as part of the family. For the residents of his South Jersey retirement community, the statistical nuances are irrelevant. To them, Pagliei represents a tangible link to a golden era of Philadelphia sports, serving as a daily reminder of the grit and determination that defined the city’s football heritage.
