Jalen Hurts’ Inconsistency Impacted Eagles’ OC Search?
Nick Sirianni‘s second in-house offensive coordinator promotion brought another Eagles regression. As a result, the Eagles HC fired Kevin Patullo two years after canning Brian Johnson. Sirianni’s search to replace Patullo was more difficult than his post-Johnson process.
The Eagles fired Patullo on Jan. 13 but took 18 days to name Sean Mannion his replacement. A host of higher-profile candidates were in the mix for the job, but the Eagles ended up with a former backup quarterback who has been in coaching for two years. This was the OC carousel of the former backup, as both David Blough (Commanders) and Davis Webb (Broncos) will be calling plays as first-year OCs. But the Washington and Denver coordinator searches went far more smoothly than Philadelphia’s.
Philly had Brian Daboll squarely on its radar, but the former Giants HC preferred the Tennessee job and working with Cam Ward. Mike McDaniel also interviewed for the gig, amid a busy offseason for the four-year Dolphins HC, but chose the Chargers and Justin Herbert.
Former Falcons OC Zac Robinson interviewed for the job but accepted a Buccaneers OC offer a week before the Mannion hire. Declan Doyle and LSU OC Charlie Weis Jr. withdrew from this search. Bobby Slowik took a Miami promotion, while Webb accepted a Denver OC bump after receiving an interview request late in the running.
This certainly was a difficult job to fill. Several candidates were hesitant about this gig, per Sportsboom.com’s Jason La Canfora. Sirianni firing two coordinators after one season helps explain some of the difficulties, but La Canfora adds Jalen Hurts‘ inconsistency was a “serious” concern for some of the more experienced candidates involved in Philly’s search. Daboll’s decision to work with Ward headlined that issue.
Hurts’ career has been a rollercoaster ride. He went from unpolished passer to 2022 MVP frontrunner (before a late-season injury). After a 2023 extension started the $50MM-per-year QB boom, Hurts struggled and saw reports scrutinize his relationship with Sirianni. Kellen Moore righted the ship but did so after minimizing the QB’s role, building the offense around Saquon Barkley. Hurts still played well in the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX romp before regressing once again. QBR placed Hurts 20th last year, and Patullo’s offense regressed significantly from where Moore’s was. Hurts’ approach, especially against zone coverage, drew internal criticism last season.
Despite finishing with a 25:6 TD-INT ratio, Hurts piloted the NFL’s 19th-ranked scoring offense (down from seventh in 2024). Lane Johnson‘s season-ending injury in Week 11 affected Philly’s attack, but one GM told La Canfora the Eagles realized quickly Patullo might be overmatched at coordinator.
The longtime assistant, who has since joined the Dolphins as pass-game coordinator, saw Sirianni become more involved with the offense compared to his role during Moore’s play-calling year. Calls for Patullo’s job rang out, and an egging incident occurred at the coordinator’s home. A.J. Brown gripes ensued, but those were not exclusive to Patullo’s year in charge.
Sirianni, who faced firing rumors after the 2023 season despite the Eagles reaching Super Bowl LVII, is planning to remain involved in the offense to help the 33-year-old Mannion as he takes a big responsibility leap. Mannion, however, will be the play-caller — just as each Eagles OC has been since midway through the 2021 season. Another GM indicated (via La Canfora) Sirianni’s job will be at risk, despite his 2025 extension, if the Eagles’ offense does not improve. The Eagles firing Doug Pederson three years after a Super Bowl win, with two playoff berths following that showing, occurred on GM Howie Roseman‘s watch.
This is nothing the five-time playoff-qualifying HC has not faced before, but there will be plenty of pressure on him once again. Sirianni made two more staff changes recently. The Eagles are hiring Montgomery VanGorder as assistant QBs coach and Beyah Rasool as a defensive assistant, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz notes. VanGorder was an Eagles quality control assistant last year and previously served as QBs coach at Georgia. Previously a quality control staffer at Florida coaching cornerbacks, Rasool was on the Raiders’ staff last year.
Eagles Expected To Name Parks Frazier QBs Coach
The Eagles will have a number of new staffers on the offensive side of the ball in particular in 2026, highlighted of course by OC Sean Mannion. Several returnees are in position to handle different roles next season while continuing to work under head coach Nick Sirianni.
One of those is Parks Frazier. In 2025, Frazier worked as Philadelphia’s pass-game coordinator. He is still in the fold, and a new title is likely to be finalized shortly. Frazier is expected to be named quarterbacks coach, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reports.
Scot Loeffler held the role of QBs coach last season, but he was not retained upon Mannion’s arrival. An outside hire has no doubt received consideration, and Greg Olson was named as a potential Loeffler replacement. Instead, it appears as though Frazier – whose coaching career began in 2015 – will become Jalen Hurts‘ latest position coach. Frazier’s resume includes an interim offensive coordinator stint with the Colts, but he has never held the title of QBs coach to date.
The offense remained a talking point in the Eagles’ case through 2025. This past season, the team ranked 23rd in passing offense and 19th in scoring. Improving on those totals will be imperative for Mannion (Kevin Patullo‘s replacement) during his first coordinator gig but also his assistants. It appears as though Frazier, 34, will be one of the more important figures on the sideline.
Elsewhere on the Eagles’ staff, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports assistant offensive line coach Greg Austin along with offensive quality control coaches Eric Dickerson and Montgomery VanGorder will all be retained. Each of their roles for next season have yet to be finalized, however. Further shuffling with respect to job titles could be coming as a result. Tight ends coach Jason Michael will not return in 2026, per McLane.
Meanwhile, Zenitz reports the Eagles are bringing in Bills nickels coach Mike Pellegrino. He will serve as the team’s new defensive backs coach. The secondary will remain a strength of Philadelphia’s defense in 2026 if all goes according to plan, and Pellegrino will face high expectations upon arrival.