The Eagles are moving on from offensive coordinator Brian Johnson after just one season, which means the Eagles will have a new DC and a new OC in 2024.
Both researches are already underway.
On defense, the Eagles will look for someone to run that side of the ball. But on offense, they will be looking for someone to collaborate with head coach Nick Sirianni, who has run the offense since he was hired in 2021.
The unique thing about the OC job in Philadelphia is that it comes with play-calling duties during the game, which is relatively rare under offensive-minded coaches. Sirianni gave up play-calling to Shane Steichen during that rookie season and liked how he freed him up on Sundays. He maintained this setup through the 2023 season with Johnson.
So this is an attractive job because of the playing duties. But it also means the Olympic Committee will have to manage Sirianni's attack and he will need to convince him of any changes on that side of the ball.
Below are some of the candidates, in alphabetical order, for this position:
Darryl Bevell: Bevell, 54, spent the last two seasons as the QBs coach and passing game coordinator for the Dolphins, but he has plenty of offensive coordinator experience with the Jaguars, Lions, Seahawks and Vikings. His longest stint came with the Seahawks from 2011 to 2017. Bevell has worked with plenty of notable quarterbacks in his career, including Brett Favre, Russell Wilson and Matthew Stafford.
Eric Bieniemy: In recent seasons, Bieniemy has certainly given the Eagles some fits and will likely be available now that Ron Rivera has been fired in Washington. Bieniemy still hasn't gotten the head coaching job he wanted, but the opportunity to call plays for a highly talented offense could be an attractive starting point to running his own team. Bieniemy played under Andy Reid in 1999 in Philadelphia and coached under him in Kansas City from 2013-2022 before leaving to join Rivera's staff in Washington in 2023.
Joe Brady: There's a very good chance Brady won't be available because he served the second half of the year in Buffalo as interim captain. The Bills would be wise to hire him for the job full-time. But if not, the 34-year-old Brady is a very interesting option. The Eagles have already interviewed Brady for the head coaching job, which went to Sirianni in 2021. Brady has worked with the Bills, Panthers, Saints and LSU.
Liam Quinn: The 38-year-old has been going back and forth between Sean McVay's Rams and the Kentucky program. In 2023, Quinn was the OC and QBs coach at Kentucky after serving as OC in Los Angeles in 2022. Quinn reportedly said he would stay at Kentucky but we'll see if that's true. Quinn has received some significant attention in the NFL.
Jim Bob Cooter: The 39-year-old was with the Eagles during the 2021 season as a consultant before taking a job with the Jaguars in 2022. But in 2023, he became the Colts' offensive coordinator under former Eagles OC Shane Steichen. So why would Indy leave for a different OC job? Well, the Eagles' assignment would very likely come with the ability to call plays, which Steichen clearly won't give up with the Colts.
Jerrod Johnson: The former Texas A&M quarterback was actually with the Eagles briefly in the summer of 2011 but didn't have much of a career as a player. But the 35-year-old looks to have a very promising future in coaching. Johnson joined the Colts in 2019 and was on Sirianni's staff for two seasons under Frank Reich. He was an assistant QBs coach with the Vikings in 2022 and last season was the QBs coach in Houston under OC Bobby Slowik, a head coaching candidate. Johnson is a candidate for two other OC slots as well.
Cliff Kingsbury: The Eagles interviewed the former Cardinals coach virtually on Tuesday, NFL Network reported. The 44-year-old is currently a senior offensive analyst at USC under coach Lincoln Riley, who coached Jalen Hurts at Oklahoma. Although Kingsbury's time with the Cardinals did not end well, he offers experience in the passing game. (Though it's fair to wonder if his perspective will be unique enough to transform the Eagles' offense.) But Kingsbury had success in his college stops before becoming the Cardinals' head coach in 2019. He was previously the head coach at Texas Tech, and is offensive coordinator. at Texas A&M and co-OC at the University of Houston.
Clint Kubiak: The son of Super Bowl-winning coach Gary Kubiak worked under Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco in 2023 as passing game coordinator. He held that title in Denver the previous season and was the Vikings OC before that. Will Sirianni be able to implement some of the key elements from another offensive system? It's a good question. But if he's willing, Kubiak could offer a unique perspective.
Byron Leftwich: The world of the NFL moves very quickly. It wasn't long ago that Leftwich was considered a hot coaching candidate, but the 44-year-old former NFL quarterback is out of the league in 2023 after three seasons as the Bucs' offensive coordinator. It may not bode well for him that Dave Canales appears to have had great success in Tampa this year, but Leftwich has had great success in Tampa before as well and was their OC in the Super Bowl LV win over the Chiefs.
T martin: The Ravens promoted Martin from receivers coach to QBs coach in 2023 and Lamar Jackson put together an MVP season, leading the Ravens to a top seed and a run to (at least) the AFC Championship game. Martin replaced James Urban in this post and did a fantastic job. Martin played quarterback at Tennessee in the late 1990s and was actually with the Eagles briefly as a player in 2002.
Josh McDaniels: During the search for a head coach for 2021, it actually seemed like McDaniels was the front-runner until the Eagles changed rotations and hired Sirianni. However, if the Eagles want a veteran offensive coordinator McDaniels, he is available after being fired by the Raiders during the 2023 season. McDaniels has failed as a head coach twice and will likely never get another chance. But he had success in New England as an OC and has plenty of experience calling plays.
Kellen Moore: The Chargers hired Moore for the 2023 season after he spent four seasons as the Cowboys' offensive coordinator. But then things fell apart in Los Angeles and Brandon Staley was fired so Moore became available again. The 35-year-old was a hot coaching candidate not long ago and did some really good things in Dallas during his time there. The Chargers have reportedly blocked Moore's OC request, so he may not be available at the moment. But if Moore isn't the Chargers' next head coach, there's a chance the tenant won't want to keep him. Then Moore could become available.
Greg Olson: The 60-year-old has extensive experience in the NFL and has been a captain for several different teams, including the Lions, Rams, Raiders and Jaguars. In 2023, he was Seattle's quarterbacks coach, but with a coaching shakeup there, he may be available again.
Frank Reich: We know how strong the relationship between Reich and Sirianni was. Reich has been a mentor to Sirianni for years and made him offensive coordinator in Indianapolis in 2018 after leaving the Eagles following their Super Bowl win. Reich was fired during Carolina's 2023 season and is available, though it's unclear whether or not he wants to return to coaching. Of course, the last time Reich was there things went well for the Eagles. Hiring Reich would be a clear sign that Sirianni has got him for him The man for the job, though Reich is already widely respected in the building as well.
Zach Robinson: Robinson is a former Oklahoma State quarterback who is rising through the coaching ranks, becoming a hot candidate for offensive coordinator under McVay in Los Angeles. Robinson, 37, has been the Rams' passing game coordinator and QBs coach the past two seasons. Robinson has been a popular name as an OC candidate for many teams already this season.
Arthur Smith: The Eagles were impressed with Smith during the last coaching session. Instead, Smith got the job in Atlanta and went 21-29 over his three seasons there before being fired. This likely means Smith will have to return to being an offensive coordinator again. He was very good in that role under Mike Vrabel at Tennessee in 2019 and 2020, when he ran a balanced offense behind power running back Derrick Henry.
Alex Van Pelt: The Browns moved on from Van Pelt this month but he's already garnered some interest elsewhere. The 53-year-old was the OC in Cleveland from 2020-23, and was previously the QBs coach in Green Bay and in Cincinnati. He previously had an OC sting with the Bills in 2009.
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