NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Philadelphia Eagles still haven’t found an Offensive Coordinator at the time of this article being published, and fans are getting restless. This may be the one time where patience may pay off for the organization.
Despite a few high-profile names in search of a job, the Eagles have come up empty-handed while other teams are filling their vacant positions. What’s the reason? There could be a few if you let the media and fans tell it. The main one is that many coaches believe that Jalen Hurts has limitations, and we may have seen his ceiling. Even if that is true, the word still circulating throughout the NFL is that he’s a winner when it matters most.
Maybe it’s the up and down personalities in the locker room, most notably, that of AJ Brown. Will Howie Roseman trade the talented receivers or not? If he doesn’t, will Brown buy into a new scheme and stay happy when things don’t go his way?
But there are two issues that I think have kept that position vacant. Around the league, teams have struggled offensively, and yet, the Eagles’ job should have been at the top of the list of best destinations. However, here they are watching the competition get the coaches they want while the Eagles are left scratching their heads.
Look at Kevin Patuallo and Brian Johnson. Both OCs struggled with that talent, and their phones have gone dry in NFL circles. Johnson is now with the Washington Commanders as a Quarterbacks Coach, but if he had done a good job, he would either still be in Philly or have been offered either a head coaching gig or at least a shot to run the offense for another team.
This is where the first issue comes into play for a possible coordinator for the 2026 season. What if they have that talent and fail? It’s possible. It has happened with the Philadelphia Eagles twice in the last 3 years. But for those who have achieved greatness, they have moved on to become head coaches. The opportunity is there, it’s just the execution.
Any team that has Hurts, Saquon Barkley, Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and at one point, one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, should be golden for any play caller. With that title comes a ton of pressure, not just from the organization, but from the fans and the media all at once. They will be under a different type of microscope.
The front office will spend the necessary money. Roseman also drafts well, and to have that at your disposal and still not rank it in the top 5 in offensive categories and not win a title, there will be backlash. And not just with fans, other teams will look at you and wonder if you can get it done with their respective teams.
The second issue is one that keeps coming up from the media. Is Nick Sirianni willing to take a step back and let the OC run the offense? During his tenure with the Eagles, Sirianni has had some input into the offense. Maybe there have been whispers in coaching circles that Sirianni still likes to dip his hands in the basket, but truthfully, what head coach does not?
The offense of the Philadelphia Eagles has been stagnant. Even during their Super Bowl run, it wasn’t moving the way that it should have with the talent they have. Barkley was running wild, but the route scheme for the receivers was not run at a superior level. It’s time to revamp things, and Sirianni must take a lesser role. Whoever they interview, the Eagles must let the new OC know from the start that the offense belongs to them. First order of business is to admit that there is a problem; once they do this, they will find a new OC.
