💥 BREAKING: Eagles icon, now 51 and battling dementia, can’t speak yet vividly recalls every moment on the Philadelphia field.QQ
The Philadelphia Eagles community is reeling after heartbreaking news about one of its Hall of Fame linemen. A beloved figure from the team’s Super Bowl XXXIX run is now battling a devastating illness off the field.
Doctors recently confirmed that the former Eagles anchor has been diagnosed with dementia, forcing him to move into a 24/7 care facility in Pennsylvania. His health has declined rapidly, and he is now separated from his wife and children.
Jon Runyan, the longtime tackle who protected Donovan McNabb throughout the 2000s, can no longer speak and struggles with basic memory. According to his family, he only recalls his daughter’s name — and the fact that he once played for Philadelphia.
“He can’t speak anymore. He only remembers our daughter’s name and that he once played football. He doesn’t even know my name. Doctors say it’s frontotemporal dementia, but he’s far too young. I believe constant head trauma from football caused it,”
his wife shared.
Runyan was a cornerstone of the Eagles’ offensive line from 2000 to 2008, starting 192 games and winning a Super Bowl appearance in 2004. Known as “Runyan the Punisher,” he earned Pro Bowl honors in 2002 and was inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame in 2014.
Beyond his accolades, teammates remember Runyan for his toughness, intelligence, and loyalty. McNabb once described him as “the most reliable lineman I ever played with.” Fans in Philadelphia will forever connect his name with the franchise’s 2000s resurgence.
Today, his fight with dementia is a sobering reminder of the long-term risks NFL players face from years of collisions. While he may have lost his words, his legacy in Philadelphia — and his bond with Eagles Nation — remain unshakable.
