Philadelphia Eagles News & Rumors

Chargers Request OC Interview With Marcus Brady

January 29th, 2024 at 9:37am CST by Adam La Rose

With Kellen Moore set to take over as offensive coordinator of the Eagles, the Chargers officially have a vacancy at that spot on Jim Harbaugh‘s initial staff. The process of finding Moore’s replacement has begun.

The Chargers have requested an interview with Eagles senior offensive assistant Marcus Brady, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Brady’s Indianapolis OC tenure came about after he was let go by the Colts midway through the 2022 campaign as part of Frank Reich‘s staff. He has been connected to other coordinator opportunities during this year’s hiring cycle, however.

Brady has received interview requests from the Bears (who have since hired Shane Waldron for their OC spot) and the Panthers (who are likely to pair new head coach Dave Canales with fellow Buccaneers staffer Brad Idzik). The Chargers therefore represent Brady’s best potential option at the moment, though plenty could of course change in the coming days and weeks with respect to the coordinator carousel.

The 44-year-old had a six-year run as a coordinator in the CFL before taking his first NFL position with the Colts in 2018. Brady worked his way up to OC in 2021 with Indianapolis before his time in that role was cut short soon after. He had a hand in an Eagles offense which delivered strong overall numbers in 2023, but fell short of expectations down the stretch and in the postseason, meaning he could be elsewhere in the near future.

When signs continued to point to Harbaugh being hired, Greg Roman was listed as a name to watch regarding the Chargers’ OC spot. The pair worked together during their time with the 49ers, so a reunion would come as little surprise. Roman was away from coaching this year after his tenure at the helm of the Ravens’ offense came to an end. Also an interviewee with the Bears, he is still in the running to wind up alongside Harbaugh in L.A. Roman is now joined, however, by Brady in being connected to the position.

Eagles Hire Kellen Moore As OC

January 27th, 2024 at 9:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles moved quickly in tapping Vic Fangio as their DC, and the team’s other coordinator vacancy has now been filled as well. Philadelphia is set to hire Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Howard Eskin of 94 WIP was the first to note an agreement seemed imminent.

Moore had initially been blocked from taking part in outside interviews, but the arrival of Jim Harbaugh as head coach offered more clarity on his future (or lack thereof) with the Chargers. Moore had recently been linked to a number of OC posts, including that of the Eagles. Now, he will take over from Brian Johnson.

The latter was promoted from QBs coach to offensive coordinator to replace Shane Steichen last offseason. That move was well-received at first, but things did not go according to plan during the latter part of the campaign in particular. A rift reportedly emerged amongst the team’s offense, and Johnson (like his counterpart Sean Desai) was let go at the end of the season.

Head coach Nick Sirianni faced an uncertain future with respect to his own job security in the wake of the Eagles’ nosedive, and it quickly became clear he would remain in place only if significant staff changes were made. When speaking about the team’s offense earlier this week, Sirianni conceded (via Jori Epstein of Yahoo! Sports) the Eagles “got stale” on that side of the ball. As a result, he added he would be stepping back to a degree in terms of his influence on the unit.

Notably, Sirianni also made it clear Philadelphia would seek out an option with whom he did not share overlapping experience. A candidate with a background from a different coaching tree and with at least an altered schematic approach was listed as a priority. Given that, Moore’s hire represents a logical one. He will aim to steer the Eagles back to their previous success highlighted by last year’s run to the Super Bowl.

Moore gained steam as one of the league’s most highly-acclaimed offensive play-callers during his time with the Cowboys. He had a four-year run in Dallas, and on two occasions during that span the team led the league in scoring. While the Cowboys remained productive in the passing game in particular in 2023 with head coach Mike McCarthy at the helm of the offense, Moore was nevertheless seen as an attractive coordinator candidate in this year’s cycle.

The 34-year-old entered the season with high expectations given his pairing with Chargers QB Justin Herbert. The latter missed the end of the campaign due to injury, but overall Los Angeles disappointed on both sides of the ball. Moore still wound up on the Eagles’ shortlist of candidates for their OC posting, though. He interviewed earlier this week, and that summit clearly went well.

Moore will take over a unit which ranked eighth in total offense in 2023 and seventh in scoring. A total renovation will thus likely not be necessary, especially if quarterback Jalen Hurts manages to return to his previous form in 2024. Like Herbert, Hurts landed a monster extension last offseason, and he is in place for the long term. Maximizing his skillset will be a top priority for Moore in his return to the NFC East.

With Fangio and Moore in place as coordinators, expectations will again be high for Sirianni entering the 2024 campaign. Further staffing changes could still take place, but the two most significant vacancies have now been filled, with a high-profile OC candidate being taken off the market as many other teams continue their respective searches. The Chargers will now, as expected, officially join the list of OC-needy franchises.

Dolphins, Vic Fangio Part Ways; Eagles Deal Finalized

January 27th, 2024 at 2:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

JANUARY 27: The Eagles have made the official announcement, marking Fangio as the team’s new defensive coordinator following the departure of Desai. Fangio will be tasked with leading a defensive unit that stumbled down the stretch in what started as a promising 2023 season. He may be forced to do it with some younger faces, as well, as some key veterans (defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, defensive end Brandon Graham, linebacker Shaquille Leonard) are facing free agency in the offseason.

JANUARY 25: Fangio is headed to Philadelphia today to finalize his defensive coordinator agreement, Schefter reports. As a result, the Eagles have one of their two coordinator vacancies filled after moving on from OC Brian Johnson. Philadelphia’s defense will be a unit to follow closely in the offseason and into the 2024 campaign.

JANUARY 24: A hotly contested Vic Fangio pursuit developed during the 2023 offseason, with an element of controversy comprising part of it. The Dolphins won out, but the parties’ union will be short-lived. The team announced Wednesday that Fangio will not return as DC.

Describing this as a mutual decision, the Dolphins are moving on from a coach whom they agreed to pay more than $4.5MM per season. Fangio had been closely tied to the Eagles’ DC job in 2023, after serving as a consultant for the team. He alluded to the Jonathan Gannon situation helping lead him out of Philly. With Fangio available again, teams will naturally be interested in the experienced defensive coach.

The Eagles are not planning to sit this one out, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler and Adam Schefter reporting a deal for Fangio to return to Philly is expected. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson also indicates the Eagles expect Fangio to return and be their next DC.

The Dolphins are letting Fangio leave to allow him to be closer to his family, per ESPN. Fangio, 65, is a Pennsylvania native and sits as the top target for the Eagles’ DC job. The Eagles will still need to interview at least one external minority candidate to comply with the Rooney Rule, but it appears they have a clear preference as they look to replace Sean Desai.

Mike McDaniel will now be on his third DC in three years, moving from Josh Boyer to Fangio after the 2022 season. The Dolphins shelled out a deal that made Fangio the NFL’s highest-paid DC last year. Fangio had wanted to stay with the Eagles, but with the team expecting Gannon to remain in place for a third season, he left for Miami. It does not appear that proved to be a good fit, and the well-traveled coach is on track to step in as a savior of sorts for an Eagles team that completed a chaotic defensive season.

Demoting ex-Fangio lieutenant Desai for Matt Patricia late in the season, the Eagles lost six of their final seven games — including a one-sided wild-card game in Tampa. Patricia is expected to head elsewhere, perhaps rejoining Bill Belichick if the latter lands a head coaching job, but the Eagles will receive the good fortune of Fangio becoming available again. The Eagles have already interviewed Ron Rivera virtually, but it seems fairly clear Fangio is the favorite. Following Gannon’s departure for Arizona — which drew a tampering penalty from the NFL — the Philly defense cratered, finishing 29th in DVOA.

Fangio drew interest from a few places after not taking a job to start the 2022 season. The Falcons and Panthers interviewed the ex-Broncos HC, and the 49ers expressed interest in reuniting with him. Fangio also came up in Denver, as Sean Payton took over, but deemed the timing wrong. The Dolphins’ defense featured some of the same poor injury luck Fangio experienced in Denver, as his playoff unit lacked numerous starters — including edge anchors Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb — after missing Jalen Ramsey for half the season. The Dolphins held their own in the red zone in frigid Kansas City, but Miami’s offense crumbled in a one-sided matchup.

An NFL assistant since helming the Saints’ famed “Dome Patrol” linebacking corps in the 1980s and early ’90s, Fangio has received rave reviews for his work in Chicago and San Francisco. The Bears gig, which featured the team’s 2018 unit leading the league, led to the Broncos hiring him as head coach in 2019. Fangio was in place under Jim Harbaugh, helping the 49ers to three straight NFC title games from 2011-13.

Miami’s 2023 defense ranked 19th in DVOA; multiple names have already surfaced for the newly vacant job. Brandon Staley is expected to be a candidate, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Dolphins linebackers coach Anthony Campanile has generated good reviews around the league, per NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe. Campanile is also on the Giants’ DC radar.

Staley, of course, is coming off an in-season firing as Chargers HC. Staley’s Bolts defenses underwhelmed throughout his tenure, but he would make for a natural transition in Miami, having been a Fangio charge in Chicago and Denver. Staley became a promising HC candidate after spending the 2020 season as the Rams’ DC. He has yet to interview for an HC or DC job this offseason. The former Chargers leader shares an agent with McDaniel, Dianna Russini of The Athletic tweets.

Sean Desai To Interview For Bills, Falcons’ DC Jobs

January 27th, 2024 at 12:38pm CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Sean Desai could land on his feet relatively quickly. After getting fired by the Eagles earlier this week, the former defensive coordinator is interviewing for the same role with the Bills and Falcons, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

After Jonathan Gannon left Philly to coach the Cardinals, the Eagles brought on Desai as their new defensive coordinator last offseason. Things started off well for the new hire, as the Eagles began their 2023 campaign with a 10-1 record. However, following two-straight losses, Desai lost his play-calling duties to Matt Patricia.

Desai’s replacement didn’t inspire much confidence; the Eagles went 1-4 with Patricia at the helm. Still, with the defensive coordinator eyeing reduced responsibilities for the foreseeable future, it didn’t seem like he was going to last all that long in Philadelphia. So, it didn’t come as much of a surprise when the Eagles let him go earlier this week.

Fortunately for Desai, the rough 2023 campaign didn’t do much to impact his coaching outlook. Teams can still point to his one-year stint as Bears defensive coordinator in 2021, when Chicago finished the season ranked sixth in terms of total defense. He also earned a solid reputation during his time as an assistant, including most recently when he was associate head coach and defensive assistant with the Seahawks in 2022.

Atlanta has a growing list of DC candidates as Raheem Morris looks to fill out his new staff. We previously heard that Cowboys defensive line coach Aden Durde was a candidate for the position, and Morris continues to look within the NFC East for options.

The Bills connection is a bit more surprising. Sean McDermott decided not to replace Leslie Frazier on the 2023 coaching staff, with the head coach effectively taking over the defensive coordinator role. It seemed like McDermott was destined to continue calling defensive plays in 2024, especially following news that trusted Bills assistant Eric Washington was heading to the Bears as their new defensive coordinator.

This led some to assume that if McDermott was serious about adding a defensive coordinator, he wouldn’t have let Washington out the door in the first place. Still, based on this latest development, it sounds like the Bills head coach would at least be open to relinquishing some of his responsibilities.

Panthers Request OC Interview With Eagles’ Marcus Brady

January 26th, 2024 at 7:39pm CST by Ely Allen

It was already thought to be the case as he interviews for other head coaching and offensive coordinator positions, but it seems Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown is officially not expected to return to Carolina in his previous role. There’s a chance that Brown is a candidate and wins over new head coach Dave Canales, but for now, the team will move on with interviewing new candidates, starting with a request to interview Eagles senior offensive assistant Marcus Brady, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Since the focus in Carolina has been bringing in a new head coach, Brady is actually the team’s first offensive coordinator interview since their season ended. In 2023, former head coach Frank Reich called plays for most of the season for the Panthers offense, ceding play calling duties for a short time to Brown before eventually losing his job. Now, with the offensive-minded Canales in the house, a changing of the guard is expected in Carolina.

Brady’s name picked up traction in the Canadian Football League. Shortly after his seven-year playing career ended as a CFL quarterback, Brady jumped to the coaching side of football, accepting a wide receivers coaching job with the team he ended his playing career with, the Montreal Alouettes. Eventually, Brady would get a promotion to become Montreal’s offensive coordinator, leaving a year later to accept the same position with the Toronto Argonauts.

After six years of calling plays in the CFL, Brady finally made the jump to the NFL in 2018 when he accepted the assistant quarterbacks coaching job under Reich in Indianapolis. A year later, Brady was promoted to quarterbacks coach and became the heir apparent behind then-offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni. When Sirianni departed to coach the Eagles, Brady was, naturally, promoted to fill his shoes in 2021. Halfway through the 2022 season, though, Brady was fired by a 3-4-1, turnover-prone Colts team. Brady called up his old buddy Sirianni in Philadelphia and was hired as an offensive consultant for the Eagles three weeks later, before getting promoted to his current position in 2023.

Brady’s name has been thrown around a couple different times in the past two years for offensive coordinator jobs. Last year saw Brady interview for the Rams and Jets open coordinator jobs. So far this year, he was requested to interview for the open offensive coordinator job in Chicago before it was awarded to Shane Waldron from Seattle.

With the job in Carolina now openly being advertised, Brady enters as the Panthers’ first potential candidate to serve as offensive coordinator under Canales. Canales is expected to call plays for the Panthers offensive after having done so in Tampa Bay last year, so it will be interesting to see exactly what the team is looking for in a new offensive coordinator under the first-time head coach. Brady is our first clue to figuring that out.

Coaching Notes: Eagles, Canales, Bucs, Falcons, Fins, Fangio, Colts, Raiders, Jags

January 26th, 2024 at 5:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike Caldwell will not land the Eagles‘ DC position. Vic Fangio becoming available is expected to give the Eagles the candidate they wanted last year. Recently fired from his Jaguars DC post, Caldwell will still have a chance to end up in Philly. The Eagles are interviewing him for their linebackers coach position, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Caldwell has a history with the Eagles as a player and coach. The longest stretch of Caldwell’s 11-year playing career came in Philly, transpiring from 1998-2001. Caldwell, 52, worked as a part-time starter for Ray Rhodes and Andy Reid‘s teams and joined Reid’s staff in 2008. On Reid’s final five Eagles staffs, Caldwell collected a Super Bowl ring as linebackers coach for the 2020 Buccaneers. The Raiders, however, have also shown interest.

With the coaching carousel spinning wildly, here is the latest:

The Falcons are the third team wanting to speak with Aden Durde about a DC post, joining the Packers and Rams. Raheem Morris wants to meet with the Cowboys’ defensive line coach, ESPN’s Todd Archer tweets. Durde, 44, has become quite popular. These are believed to be his first slips about a DC interview. Durde and Morris coached together in Atlanta from 2018-20; the former moved up from the quality control level — to outside linebackers coach — during Morris’ season as the Falcons’ interim HC. He has been in Dallas since.
Shifting back to Fangio, it seems there is little love lost between the veteran staffer and some Dolphins defenders he coached this season, agent Drew Rosenhaus said. Rosenahus mentions some Dolphins stood in Fangio’s corner but many did not. Fangio has been known to ruffle feathers but has been one of the most in-demand defensive coaches during the 21st century. The Dolphins had given him a deal worth more than $4.5MM per year. While his exit is being framed as the team letting the 65-year-old assistant return to his home state, unpopularity among players likely made that an easier decision.
The Buccaneers will not receive two third-round picks as a result of Dave Canales receiving a head coaching job, Mark Maske of the Washington Post notes. Although Canales is Latino, the Bucs will not pick up the Rooney Rule-driven draft haul due to the the coach’s one-year tenure, per the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud. Canales is believed to have needed to be with the Bucs for at least two years to receive the third-round selections from the NFL.
Matt House is returning to the NFL. The Jaguars are hiring the LSU defensive coordinator to be their linebackers coach, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. House, the Chiefs’ LBs coach from 2019-21, spent the past two seasons in Baton Rouge. He has served as a DC at four programs, including Kentucky. House will join Kris Richard and Cory Robinson as Ryan Nielsen Jacksonville hires thus far.
Spending the past three seasons as a Jets assistant, Ricky Manning Jr. will join the Raiders. The Silver and Black are hiring Manning as their new defensive backs coach. The former NFL DB spent time on the Raiders’ practice squad in 2009; his most notable coaching title has been assistant DBs coach in Seattle under Richard from 2016-17.
The Colts are not retaining two of their defensive staffers. They are letting the contracts of defensive line coach Nate Ollie and assistant DBs coach Mike Mitchell expire, per the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson, who adds neither staffer is expected back. Ollie, 32, joined Gus Bradley’s staff in 2022 despite having no history with the veteran coordinator. His firing comes after the Colts saw notable development from defensive ends Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo. The two 2021 draftees combined for 16.5 sacks this season, and the Colts had four players with at least eight. This marked Mitchell’s first coaching gig; he had finished his 10-year career as a safety with the Colts.

Bears To Interview Joe Barry For DC Role; Team Hires Kerry Joseph As QBs Coach

January 26th, 2024 at 9:36am CST by Adam La Rose

The Bears have already filled one of their coordinator vacancies by tapping Shane Waldron for the OC position. The team still needs a defensive coordinator, however, and Chicago will look at a familiar option in its ongoing search.

The Bears are set to interview Joe Barry for their DC position tomorrow, NFL Network’s Jane Slater reports. Barry’s three-year run in charge of the Packers’ defense came to an end on Wednesday, in a move which many had been calling for. Green Bay struggled to live up to expectations on defense during Barry’s time there, and his future had been a matter of speculation well before his dismissal. Slater adds that Barry will also speak with the Eagles about their LBs coach vacancy today.

The 53-year-old is no stranger to the NFC North, however, with his first coordinator gig having taken place with the Lions from 2007-08. Since then, Barry has held a number of positions, including linebackers coach with the Chargers. During that time, he worked alongside Nick Sirianni, who will remain in place as head coach of the Eagles for at least the 2024 campaign.

Barry has also served as a defensive coordinator in Washington, and his Green Bay tenure was preceded by an assistant head coach title with the Rams. He thus has signficant experience in a number of systems, though his stock has no doubt taken a hit after an underwhelming period with the Packers. He marks the fourth candidate to arrange an interview with the Bears for their DC position, as the team looks to build off its late-season success on that side of the ball from 2023.

Additionally, Chicago has found its next QBs coach. The Bears are hiring Kerry Joseph for that role, per Slater’s colleague Tom Pelissero. Joseph played safety for the Seahawks before enjoying a successful CFL career as a quarterback, winning a Grey Cup and earning Most Outstanding Player honors in 2007. His pro coaching career began as an assistant in Seattle, and he took on the role of assistant quarterbacks coach in 2022. He is thus a familiar staffer to pair with Waldron as Chicago prepares to continue working with Justin Fields under center or a replacement added in this year’s draft.

While Joseph will join Waldron in making the move from Seattle to Chicago, at least one Seahawks staffer will not do the same. Passing game coordinator Sanjay Lal interviewed with the Bears recently, but he has now withdrawn his name from consideration on Matt Eberflus‘ staff, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Lal will explore other opportunities as teams continue to make alterations to their coaching lineups.

Browns, Eagles Request OC Interviews With Chargers’ Kellen Moore

January 25th, 2024 at 12:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

With Jim Harbaugh now in place as head coach of the Chargers, the team’s coordinator positions could soon be subject to changes. OC Kellen Moore faces an uncertain future, but he is drawing outside interest.

Both the Browns and Eagles have requested an interview with Moore for their respective OC openings, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. It will be interesting to see how willing the Chargers are to let Moore depart in a lateral move given Harbaugh’s arrival. Greg Roman – who has a long-standing relationship with the latter – has already been floated as a name to watch for Los Angeles’ new staff.

Cleveland moved on from Alex Van Pelt, one of the league’s OCs who did not hold play-calling responsibilities. Head coach Kevin Stefanski has called plays since his arrival with the Browns, but he would likely need to hand the reins over to Moore if an agreement were to be struck. It is already known, on the other hand, that the Eagles’ next OC will call plays and hold a degree of independence from head coach Nick Sirianni. Moore will meet with Philadelphia today, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Moore began his NFL coaching career in 2018 as QBs coach of the Cowboys. After just one season in that capacity, he was promoted to OC and had a four-year run in charge of Dallas’ offense. Over that span, the Cowboys led the league in scoring twice and ranked top-10 in both rushing and passing production three separate times. Head coach Mike McCarthy elected to move on last offseason, however, taking over play-calling duties himself.

As a result, Moore took on the OC position with the Chargers, something which came with substantial expectations given his stock and the presence of quarterback Justin Herbert. The latter missed the end of the season due to injury, but even when healthy he and the offense put up middling numbers. Moore interviewed once for L.A.’s head coaching vacancy, but it came as little surprise that he did not receive serious consideration for the position.

The 34-year-old’s time in Dallas generated a reputation for him as one of the league’s top offensive minds, and this year’s underwhelming performance will likely not do much to dissuade interested teams from at least speaking to him. Moore’s name will be worth watching closely on the coordinator market if Harbaugh follows through with bringing in his own staffers.

Eagles Interview Texans’ Jerrod Johnson For OC Position

January 24th, 2024 at 12:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Barely 24 hours after firing Brian Johnson, the Eagles are at work interviewing replacement candidates. Following their Kliff Kingsbury meeting, the Eagles met with a younger candidate.

Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson is on the Eagles’ radar, with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reporting the young assistant has also met with Philly about the job. Johnson, whom the Texans hired last year, has also met with the Saints and Browns about their respective OC openings.

As C.J. Stroud‘s position coach, Johnson certainly has momentum to use this season as a platform to land a coordinator job. The 35-year-old staffer has just one season of experience as a quarterbacks coach, coming to Houston after a stay as Minnesota’s assistant QBs coach. The Eagles would stand to join the Saints in seeking a play-calling OC, with the Browns preparing to hire a non-play-calling coordinator.

That said, Nick Sirianni is an offense-oriented coach. It is unclear if the Eagles are retaining Sirianni, though with ownership signing off on the team firing both its offensive and defensive coordinators, signs still point to the Super Bowl HC staying for a fourth season. Sirianni has not been the Eagles’ primary play-caller since he relinquished those duties to Shane Steichen midway through the 2021 season.

Johnson also has a history with Sirianni; both were on Frank Reich‘s Colts staff from 2019-20. Johnson broke into the coaching ranks as on a Bill Walsh Diversity Fellowship in 2019 and worked as a quality control staffer from 2020-21, leading to the Minnesota job offer. Sirianni brought ex-Colts coworker Marcus Brady to Philly, with Jonathan Gannon also coming over from Indianapolis back in 2021. With this hire being crucial to Sirianni’s Eagles future, it will assuredly take more than familiarity to fill the job.

Stroud rocketing out of the starting blocks has changed the Texans’ outlook, with the team venturing to the playoffs for the first time in four years. The No. 2 overall pick’s performance landing Johnson a job would add up, but with the Texans having Bobby Slowik still on the HC carousel, any staff continuity would be important going into the offseason.

Eagles To Fire OC Brian Johnson

January 23rd, 2024 at 9:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles will have new offensive and defensive coordinators in 2024. Not long after Sean Desai was fired, OC Brian Johnson is out as well. The latter has been let go, as noted by Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Derrick Gunn of JAKIB was first to report Johnson was unlikely to return.

Both changes have been expected for some time now. The Eagles struggled on both sides of the ball during their nosedive to close out the campaign, although the team’s offense still managed to post strong numbers in a number of offensive categories. Philadelphia ranked eighth in yards per game and seventh in scoring, but those figures are insufficient for Johnson to receive a second year at the helm.

The 36-year-old represented a logical internal replacement candidate for Shane Steichen once the latter departed last offseason to take the Colts’ head coaching job. Johnson had spent the past two years as Philadelphia’s quarterbacks coach and developed a strong relationship with Jalen Hurts. As a result, it came as little surprise when Johnson was tapped as Steichen’s successor.

By the time Philadelphia’s wild-card matchup against the Buccaneers came around, however, a rift had emerged on offense amidst the Eagles’ overall struggles. Hurts regressed from his 2022 performance while playing through injury, and the team scored just nine points in a lopsided loss to Tampa Bay. Reports of signficant staffing changes quickly emerged, and it came as little surprise when Desai (who had already been stripped of play-calling duties) was dismissed on Sunday.

Head coach Nick Sirianni‘s job security was a talking point both before and after the wild-card loss, and his evaluation from ownership was dependent on a plan to replace both offensive and defensive coordinators for the second consecutive offseason. Sirianni appears to be safe, but the Eagles’ staff will be worth watching closely as the team likely prepares to look outside the organization to fill both the OC and DC positions.

As his fate in Philadelphia remained unsettled, Johnson took head coaching interviews with the Falcons and Titans. A meeting with the Panthers was originally scheduled, but Carolina is set to move in a different direction. While it seems unlikely Johnson will land a HC gig this year, his outside interest could allow him to land a new coaching opportunity in some capacity relatively soon. Meanwhile, Philadelphia’s search for his replacement will be worth monitoring.

On that note, Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter had been named as a candidate to return to the Eagles as OC. However, McLane notes that Cooter is not expected to be a finalist to replace Johnson. In any case, Philadelphia’s 2024 staff is set to look much different than its 2023 iteration with Desai’s interim replacement (Matt Patricia) expected to depart. While that has left plenty of unanswered questions on the defensive side of the ball, the Eagles now have a signficant vacancy on offense as well.

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