First of all Doug Pederson who had been the head coach for the last 5 years and spent a total of 10 years in Philly was fired after an end of the year discussion with owner Jeffery Lurie shed light on just how far apart the coach had grown from the organization due to years of having his decisions pushed in one direction on coaching staff decisions, and even at times player choice. Its basically one of those situations where the owner felt changes were necessary yet again and Pederson didn't agree and refused to make the changes. Lurie decided it was just time to move on.
That's where Nick Sirianni comes in. Sirriani was Frank Reich's right hand man in San Diego before he came to Philly. After being hired as the head coach in Indy, Reich brought Sirianni with him this time as his offensive coordinator. The Eagles are obviously fans of the job Frank Reich did in 2016, and 2017 with Carson Wentz and believes that Sirianni can bring back that positive energy and get Wentz back on track. Sirianni is still a younger guy at 39 years old and should have no issue connecting with Wentz who is just 12 years younger than him. In my mind Sirianni was brought in because he is the next best thing to Frank Reich, they also believe they hired the next great head coach just a year or two before he started being regarded as such. The most important thing I have heard about Sirianni is he builds his offense and play calling around his players rather than trying to force players into his system.
Sirianni wasted no time starting to build his staff replacing retired defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz with former Indy DB's coach Jonathon Gannon. Gannon helped coach up some young players into starting caliber talents and is regarded as a solid developmental coach something the Eagles desperately need on defense. Gannon got his start in college before heading to the Falcons for the ill fated Bobby Petrino fiasco. He went on to act as a scout for the Rams from 2009-2011. This is when he received his break into coaching as a defensive assistant under coordinator Jerry Gray. Gray was a respected Coordinator and helped tutor another big name Arthur Smith who held the position Gannon moved into just the year prior. Gannon then was hired by the Vikings where he spent 2014-2017 learning under Mike Zimmer, and coordinator George Edwards both of which had run defenses for years, then he went on to the Colts working on the hottest defensive coordinator in the game right now Matt Eburflus. As you can see Gannon has been surrounded by some of the best defensive minds in the league before getting this chance. I have no doubt he is ready.
Word is that Jeff Stoutland the offensive line coach, and run game coordinator will be retained. No news as to what exact role he will hold but he is expected to coach the offensive line again. While I know Stoutland is well respected due to his job developing several players but recently his results haven't been as impressive as hoped. Andre Dillard in particular hasn't been able to seize a starting job, Jordan Mailata took years to finally hit the field, Matt Pryor who served as the 6th lineman in 2019 filling in at guard and tackle was buried on the depth chart in 2020 despite injuries across the board. I wouldn't have been opposed to seeing change here.
Shane Steichen is another up and coming name who could eventually wind up as a guy mentioned for head coaching openings. He started his career in 2010 as an offensive assistant at Lousiville. Same place Gannon started his coaching career. Steichen quickly rose to the NFL ranks with the Chargers where he spent all but 2 seasons of his career to this point. Starting out as a defensive assistant for the 2011 and 2012 season he transitioned to offense when he coached for the Browns in 2013. He returned to the Chargers in 2014 after Rob Chudzinski was fired in Cleveland. This time Steichen held the offensive quality control title for two seasons before being promoted to qb coach, before moving on to offensive coordinator in 2019. Steichen has worked under Ken Whisenhunt, Anthony Lynn, Mike McCoy, Frank Reich, and now Nick Sirriani. He clearly has been surrounded by some of the best offensive minds in the league throughout his short career. I'm excited to see his offense at work after a very successful season with rookie Justin Herbert.
Unfortunately after hearing he was passed up for both the head coaching position and offensive coordinator role for the 6th time over the past 5 years alone Duce Staley decided it's time to move on from the only team he has ever known as a coach. Despite years as a player, starting his coaching career here, and being a loyal assistant through 3 head coaches this was the straw that broke the camel's back. Staley was passed over for both the head coaching position and offensive coordinator roles in 2016 watching Doug Pederson, and Frank Reich take these jobs. In 2018 the Eagles passed over Staley to promote Mike Groh as offensive coordinator a position he held until he was fired in 2019. You guessed it Staley was again passed over for a coordinator role. This time the Eagles brought in a ton of voices to create a sort of hivemind offense which clearly didn't work. So again this offseason they are searching for a head coach, and offensive coordinator again passing over Staley for both roles. Honestly I don't blame Duce for wanting to move on. Clearly Jeffery Lurie doesn't believe in Duce as a coordinator or head coaching candidate. If he did his voice would have been heard and Pederson likely would have promoted Duce in the past. But if the situation with Pederson is any indication, Lurie has all the pull he could want when it comes to the coaching staff so it goes without assumption he is directly responsible for Duce hitting a snag in his career. I would hold animosity toward that man too even after he helped give me my start as a player and coach. Update: Dan Campbelm has hired Duce to join him in Detroit.
Kevin Patulla has been hired as the passing game specialist after serving in a similar role last year for the Eagles. He has coached wide receivers, quarterbacks and aided in quality control. He was praised by Sirianni for his knowledge of the RPO system and for his outside the box thinking due to his time in college as a coach. Patulla will help design the offense but with Steichen and Sirianni having final say on playcalling.
Defensive line coach Tracy Rocker was hired away from the same role with Auburn. Rocker has been coaching 1992. He was drafted in the 3rd round just 3 years prior as a defensive tackle. He played in 24 games across the 89 and 90 season before retiring and serving as a defensive coordinator for Auburn High. He moved into college coaching with a focus on the defensive line and has created a very long career doing it. Which should help the Eagles develop younger players like Derek Barnett, and Josh Sweat.
Justin Peele has now been hired by the Atlanta Falcons as a tight end coach after serving in the same role for the Eagles. He held this role for 7 years helping develop a very strong run of players at tight end for the Eagles. He will now work to develop Hayden Hurst.
Mike Bartrum the assistant tight end coach is interviewing for the head coaching job with Marshall. If he doesn't land the job there is a good chance he sticks with Philly in a similar role. He is a former NFL tight end himself that has served as a coach for just 2 seasons. He also has experience playing special teams so it's a possibility he ends up coaching special teams to some degree.
Speaking of special teams, coordinator Dave Fipp will also join the Lions coaching staff under Dan Campbell in the same role. The Eagles have lost two prominent coaches to the Lions in just a week since Campbell was hired. I wouldn't be surprised to see more.
Ken Flajole former linebacker coach has decided to retire leaving a vacancy. There are several candidates for this opening, including Matt Burke a current assistant who coached d-line in 2020 but was replaced by a more experienced line coach. Burke has more experience coaching LB's in his past than the line anyway so this transition makes sense.
Rich Scangarello was not retained and returned to his former position of qb coach with the 49ers under his mentor Kyle Shanahan. Likely the best move for Scangarello who is still relatively young and could use this position to again find a coordinator job in a couple years.
Marty Morhinweig brought back in 2020 after a year out of the league, he was not retained following an ugly year where there were simply too many voices on offense. With guys like Pederson, Staley, Scangarello, Morhinweig, Press Taylor, and even Andrew Breiner having a say it gets cluttered quick.
Last but not least assistant defensive line coach Nathan Ollie has decided to sign a contract with the Jets under new coach Robert Saleh.
Updates:
WR coach Aaron Moorehead was in fact retained. This will be the first time in years there was continuity at this spot. I really like the fact he was kept this will allow him to continue to build on the teaching he had done with all our young guys last year.
QB coach Brian Johnson was hired away from Florida where he served as the offensive coordinator. He was the youngest coach on this staff at 33 years old but is an up and coming name after helping develop Kyle Trask at Florida. I could see him being a future NFL Offensive Coordinator especially if he is able to fix Wentz's issues, or develop Jalen Hurts.
On defense:
LB coach Nick Rallis is just 27 years old. He is being hired away from the Vikings where he served as defensive quality control/assistant LB coach. He has been coaching for just 4 seasons after playing LB for Minnesota state. The key connection here is both Rallis and Gannon habe worked under Zimmer on the Vikings staff and both know his system well, which I expect to show in Gannon's play calling at times. Rallis has worked with Anthony Barr, and Erik Kendricks the last three seasons. You could argue Kendricks is coming off of his best season in 2020.
Defensive backs will be coached by Dennard Wilson, and his assistant Jay Valai. Wilson has been an NFL coach since 2012 working for the Rams and most recently the Jets. He served as the defensive backs/passing game coordinator for the Jets for 19-20. Wilson is a former cornerback himself keeping up with the theme of hiring players that know their position first hand. Rodney McCleod has worked directly with Wilson with the Rams.
Jay Valai has been coaching since 2016 but has coached in the NFL just 1 season, 2018 under Andy Reid with the Chiefs, other than that he coached in college. He has specifically been a cornerback coach in his past so there is speculation that he will serve in that same role or perhaps as assistant defensive backs coach. Either way he will directly with Wilson to help develop our secondary. This seems to signal a cloudy future for Marquand Manuel in Philly, reports are that Tim Hauck safety coach is out.
Michael Clay just became the youngest current coordinator in the NFL. Clay a former LB jumped into coaching in 2014. This was actually just 1 season after making it into the NFL as an undrafted rookie with the Dolphins in 2013. His old college coach Chip Kelly brought him in as a coach with Philly, originally as a defensive assistant before moving to assistant special teams coordinator. He held this position in Philly for the 2015 season before following Kelly to San Francisco. From 2016-2020 he held this title sticking with the team even after Kelly was fired. In 2017 he actually also helped with strength and conditioning something that might be useful being that our strength and conditioning coach John Hingst is out.
Tim Hauck reports are the long time Eagles assistant coach and former player will move on. If this offseason is any indication he might land with Detroit, or Indy reuniting with several former coworkers from Philly. Although I for one still think Hauck could have a home here in the same role even. If Valai is coaching cbs there is no reason why Hauck couldn't coach safeties with Wilson overseeing the position and the entire defensive passing game.
Press Taylor has officially taken a passing game coordinator role with the Colts reuniting with Mike Groh, and Frank Reich. This is slightly funny because Taylor replaces Kevin Patullo who followed Sirianni to Philly. Taylor spent multiple years working directly with Reich, and later Groh so this move makes a lot of sense. Taylor could easily rehab his image as a future offensive coordinator or head coaching candidate by latching on here.
John Hingst-has been with the Eagles since 2013, however we have a had a string of injuries at nearly every position in recent memory. Despite the constant changes in the sports medicine department Hingst never received any blame or questions about his role. It seems this might have finally changed as reports are that Hingst will be moving on in 2021. Despite a long history with the team I for one believe this is the right move.
This means a minimum of the head coach, all 3 coordinators, his assistant head coach, and several position coaches that will not return in 2021. It remains to be seen if any coaches other than Stoutland are retained although I see room for a few names to be retained. With Mike Bartrum, Matt Burke, and Andrew Breiner having reasons to be retained as position coaches.
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