John Spagnola John Stephen Spagnola ( born August 1 , 1957 in Bethlehem , Pennsylvania ) is a former professional American football tight end in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles , Seattle Seahawks , and the Green Bay Packers . Early life . Spagnola played receiver and linebacker at Bethlehem Catholic High School ( Class of 1975 ) in Pennsylvania and went to Yale University ( Class of 1979 ) . As a Boy Scout at Notre Dame Elementary School , he was awarded Scouting ' s highest honor , the Eagle Scout rank and was recently inducted into the Eagle Scout Hall of Fame . His High School football team at BECAHI went 11 - 0 - 0 in his senior year with " Spags " as one of the team captains . He left Yale University as the all - time leading receiver in receptions ( 88 ) and yards ( 1554 ) . He was an honorable mention All - American tight end at Yale in ' 79 . He was a grade school and high school classmate of running back Mike Guman ( BECAHI ' 76 ) , who later starred at Penn State , and played 10 years professionally for the Los Angeles Rams . Professional career . Spagnola was drafted in the ninth round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots . He played in eleven NFL seasons from 1979 to 1987 for the Philadelphia Eagles , 1988 for the Seattle Seahawks , and in 1989 for the Green Bay Packers . Spagnola was voted the Eagles ' MVP ( offensive ) in 1984 . His best year in the NFL came during the 1985 season for the Philadelphia Eagles when he caught 65 receptions for 701 yards and five touchdown s . In 1985 , Spagnola and Mike Quick combined to set two club records ; most receptions by two players ( 135 ) and most combined receiving yards ( 2 , 019 ) , breaking a record previously shared by Hall of Famer Tommy McDonald and Timmy Brown . He was a pro - bowl alternative in 1985 and 1984 . He caught the most passes ( 129 ) than any other tight end in the National Football Conference in 1985 and 1984 . He also appeared in Super Bowl XV for the Eagles versus the Oakland Raiders , catching one reception for 22 yards . Spagnola ranks 14th on the Eagle ' s all - time reception list with 256 catches for 2 , 833 yards . His 12 catches in one game against New Orleans in 1985 were just two short of the club record shared by Brian Westbrook and Don Looney ( 1940 ) . Spagnola served as a player representative of the National Football League Players Association . During the labor strike in 1987 , Spagnola ' s Philadelphia Eagles were the only team in the NFL whose players did not cross the picket line . Spagnola was the first executive vice president of the National Football League Players Association . In 2008 - 2009 Spagnola was sought by the National Football League Players Association ' s executive search firm , Reilly Partners ( Chicago , IL ) , to succeed Gene Upshaw as executive director . Spagnola remained in the running after the union paired its list of finalists to five . Broadcasting career . Spagnola began broadcasting for ABC Sports television in 1992 . He covered college football for the network as a color analyst , sideline reporter , and studio analyst through the 1998 season . Financial services career . In 1984 he began his career in the financial services industry working for the First Boston Corporation in New York and Philadelphia . During this time , Mr . Spagnola worked in institutional sales and trading where he developed an in - depth knowledge of the capital markets , proprietary trading and corporate underwriting . In 1992 , with Michael Cosack , he co - founded Spagnola - Cosack , Inc . , an independent investment consulting firm that serviced Public , Taft - Hartley , Corporate , Hospital , Endowment , and Foundation Funds . Over a ten - year period the assets under advisement grew to over $ 3 . 5 billion . In 2003 Spagnola - Cosack , Inc . was acquired by PFM , a financial advisory firm located in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . He brings over twenty - three years of investment experience to PFM Advisors . As the Managing Director of PFM Advisors , Spagnola ' s duties include serving on the investment committee , overseeing marketing and client service and consulting with Public , Hospital , Endowment , and Taft - Hartley Fund clients who use the investment consulting and discretionary management services of PFM Advisors . Academia career . Spagnola has taught a course on managing public funds for the Fels Institute of Government , University of Pennsylvania . Personal . Spagnola currently resides in Bryn Mawr , Pennsylvania with his wife , Kathleen , and three daughters , Nicole , Megan and Kelly .