Getty Connor Barwin announced his retirement from the NFL.
The Eagles are adding talent on the field and off it. The franchise has long been known for keeping former standout players in the nest so it shouldn’t come as a total shock that they have added a former Pro Bowl pass rusher to their coaching staff.
According to FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer, the Eagles put Connor Barwin in charge of the defensive line this week since senior defensive assistant Jeremiah Washburn was out due to COVID-19. Barwin, who racked up 31.5 sacks in four years in midnight green, hired Barwin to be the “special assistant to the general manager” last January. He had embarked on a brief comeback attempt in 2019 but no one took a chance on the aging edge rusher.
“I’m done playing football, but my football career is not over,” Barwin told Dave Spadaro on Jan. 17. “I want to stay involved. I want to help this team wherever I can and also learn the other side of the game from the coaches and the personnel side. There’s still a lot that I can learn about the on-field part of the game, as well. I love being around the game. I still want to win a Super Bowl, multiple Super Bowls.”
A familiar face was back with the #Eagles defensive this week as @JayGlazer reported that Connor Barwin coached the defensive line this week as staff members were out due to COVID-19 protocols. #Barwin is currently in the 🦅 personnel department
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Eagles Fans Calling for Hurts at Halftime
Meanwhile, the Eagles went into the halftime locker room trailing a bad Giants team 14-3 on Sunday. Carson Wentz didn’t turn the ball over — no interceptions or fumbles — but his wildly inconsistent play continued through the first two quarters. He missed several easy completions in the first half, including overthrowing Alshon Jeffery over the middle and missing Dallas Goedert in the flat.
His offensive line did him no favors either, with Sua Opeta filling in at left guard for an ailing Nate Herbig and Matt Pryor starting at right guard. Jason Kelce botched a snap late in the second quarter in a play that has been emblematic of this frustrating Eagles’ season. Wentz was 9-of-17 for 94 yards and no touchdowns in the first half.
Leave it to social media to fuel the quarterback controversy. Several Eagles fans flocked to Twitter to call for Wentz’s benching and embark on the Jalen Hurts era. Head coach Doug Pederson has repeatedly said he’ll never bench Wentz, something former Eagles great Brian Westbrook echoed in comments to Heavy.com.
The decision to wear this is reason enough to give Jalen Hurts a real shot
“No, I don’t think Doug is going to do that,” Westbrook said. “I don’t think Doug is going to make that decision to bench Carson at all. So I don’t think it comes into his thought process at all this season.”
Carson Wentz isn’t the only issue with the Eagles but they should really sit him and see if Jalen Hurts can give the offense a spark.
But they won’t.
Despite 16 total giveaways through eight games, Pederson doesn’t seem poised to make a change anytime soon.
“Listen, Carson is our starter and we got a lot of trust and faith in him that he can get the job done,” Pederson told reporters on Nov. 2. “It’s just something that we’ve got to continue to coach and we’ve got to continue to get better.”
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