Jaworski Is Enjoying Last Laugh : Benching Him After Opening-Game Loss Was a Mistake

Ron Jaworski is too much of an old pro to admit he’s having the last laugh.

But it’s etched on his face. It’s on the tip of his tongue. He stops just short of saying, “I told you so.”

It started seven weeks ago when Marion Cambpell, the Philadelphia Eagles coach, benched the 13-year veteran quarterback after a 21-0 National Football League opening-game loss to the New York Giants.

Campbell replaced Jaworski with rookie Randall Cunningham, saying the youngster liked to run more and gave the Eagles added mobility.

But Cunningham’s inexperience was too much for him to overcome. In his fourth start, with the Eagles trailing New Orleans 20-0 in the second quarter, he was replaced by Jaworski. The veteran threw three touchdown passes in a rally that fell short in a 23-20 defeat.

In the next two games, Jaworski led the Eagles to upsets over the St. Louis Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys.

In three games, Jaworski completed 63 of 103 passes for 897 yards and seven touchdowns. He was intercepted only twice. Those statistics are the second highest three-game total of his career, and his ranking among National Conference quarterbacks jumped from 13th to third, behind Steve Bartkowski of Atlanta and Jim McMahon of Chicago.

Jaworski says the benching was not a rejuvenation.

“I’m still going to dispute that I should have been benched, but I don’t think it had anything to do with it,” he said after a practice for Sunday’s game against Buffalo.

“I don’t think I came back any hungrier. I feel I’m the same quarterback. I had a makeshift line (before the benching). My rejuvenation? That’s a lot of bull. It was the rejuvenation of the guys around me.

“What has happened is that people around me are playing better. And I think for any quarterback in this league to have success it takes all the people playing well around him.

“The offensive line has been outstanding the last 10 quarters I’ve been in there.”

Jaworski was angry and hurt when Campbell sat him down. Except for the final three games of last season, he had started every game (117) since he joined the club in 1977.

He challenged Campbell’s action, claiming it was demanded by new owner Norman Braman, with whom he previously had a testy exchange.

Campbell insisted it was his decision.

Jaworski still has his doubts.

“I just have a feeling deep inside that it was more than a coach’s decision,” said Jaworski. “But those problems have been smoothed over and right now the only thing I’m concerned with is how to win a football game on Sunday.”

Despite his frustration, Jaworski never showed his displeasure. He practiced hard, advised Cunningham, never griped.

“I certainly wasn’t going to let that negative thing detract from my personality. I’m also the offensive captain of this team, which is voted by the players,” he said.

“That’s something I hold in high regard. I still wanted to show that leadership quality even though I wasn’t the starting quarterback.

“And I think that somewhere down the road the lessons the younger guys have learned from me on how to handle some adversity will help them,” he said.

“If you’re going to stay in this game any length of time you know there is going to be some adversity, and it’s how you handle it that shows if you’re going to have any longevity in this league.”

Jaworski hasn’t forgotten the humiliation he felt.

“I certainly don’t think at this time in my career that should have happened to me. I’ll know when my ability diminishes, when I can’t be a starter in this league,” he said.

He said Cunningham is going to be a fine quarterback, “but in this business it takes time. It takes a lot of experience. It takes a lot of work to develop the little things that makes a winner in this league.

“I certainly think I hold all these qualities,” said Jaworski.