Playing Career
Edwards was born on an Army base in Eatontown, New Jersey. The son of an African American World War II veteran and his German wife, Edwards played college football at the University of California in 1972 and 1974, at Monterey Peninsula Junior College in 1973, and at San Diego State in his senior year, 1975. He graduated from SDSU with a degree in criminal justice. Herm was very committed to the community he adopted on the Monterey Peninsula. He helped promote Monterey County Special Olympics for several years. His public involvement helped educate Monterey County residents about the importance of athletics with the developmentally disabled.
In the NFL, Edwards played nine seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1977 to 1986, making a championship appearance with the team in Super Bowl XV. His 33 career interceptions is just one short of the franchise record. Remarkably he never missed a game in 9 seasons with the Eagles, remaining active with the team for 135 consecutive regular-season games until being cut by then-incoming Head Coach Buddy Ryan in 1986. Edwards went on to play briefly for the Los Angeles Rams and Atlanta Falcons in 1986 before announcing his retirement.
The highlight of Edwards' playing career occurred on November 19, 1978, in the final seconds of a game against the New York Giants at the Meadowlands. The Giants led 17-12 and the Eagles had no time-outs remaining; but instead of simply taking the snap from center and taking a knee, Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik attempted to hand the ball off to running back Larry Csonka. However, the ball came loose, and Edwards picked it up and returned it for a touchdown, enabling the Eagles to win 19–17. This play became known in Philadelphia as The Miracle at the Meadowlands and in New York as simply "The Fumble."
Philadelphia's implementation of the victory formation, which was designed as a result of The Miracle at the Meadowlands, was known as the "Herman Edwards play".
Read more about this topic: Herman Edwards
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