Shane Steichen appears headed to the Indianapolis Colts, according to multiple reports. He’s expected to be named their next head coach following an intense 12-hour interview process if the two sides can reach an agreement on compensation. Steichen – one of the brightest offensive masterminds in the game – has been largely credited with the rapid development of Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia.
If Steichen does indeed leave town, the Eagles must begin the arduous task of replacing Nick Sirianni’s right-hand man. The 37-year-old assistant coach had plenty of suitors after serving as lead architect for the NFL’s third-best offense behind only Kansas City and Buffalo. The Eagles averaged 389.1 total yards per game: 4,105 passing yards, 2,509 rushing yards, 28.1 points per game.
Remember, Steichen has been in charge of the play-calling duties with collaborative input from Sirianni dating back to the 2021 campaign. His mastery of the RPO game, thanks to Hurts’ insane athleticism, has been fun to watch.
AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year first-place votes:
5 points for 1st; 3 points for 2nd; 1 point for 3rd.
1. DeMeco Ryans – 35
2. Ben Johnson – 11
3. Shane Steichen – 0
4. Leslie Frazier – 1
5. Lou Anarumo – 1
6. Jonathan Gannon – 1
7. Jeff Stoutland – 1
Meanwhile, a leading in-house candidate to replace Steichen has already emerged in Philadelphia. Quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson is expected to take over as the new offensive coordinator, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That is assuming he doesn’t get a better offer somewhere else.
Johnson is a rising star assistant who oversaw Dak Prescott’s development at Mississippi State and mentored Jalen Hurts in high school. The former star quarterback at Utah has been called “one of the NFL’s most sought-after assistant coaches” as evidenced by a dizzying array of interview requests.
“He’s going to be a star one day,” Hurts said of Johnson, via Washington Post. “I have no doubt in my mind. Hopefully, we can keep him here as long as we possibly can. Nonetheless, I’m proud of him, and it’s definitely just the beginning for both of us.”
“It’s definitely just the beginning for both of us”
“I can’t say enough about the type of person he is and how hard he works at his craft every single day”
Eagles QB coach Brian Johnson has known Jalen Hurts since he was 4 years old. I caught up with them on their relationship
Jonathan Gannon Set to Interview with Arizona
Steichen might not be the only one leaving the Eagles’ nest. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon will interview for the vacant head-coaching job with the Arizona Cardinals after Super Bowl LVII. Gannon, a finalist for NFL Assistant Coach of the Year, has emerged as a “key candidate” in the Cardinals’ coaching search. That interview is scheduled for Monday.
The #AZCardinals are expected to interview #Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon following the Super Bowl, and the impressive young coach has emerged as a key candidate for Arizona’s head coach search, sources say. This will happen on Monday.
Gannon had interviewed for the Houston Texans head-coaching gig, but the franchise ultimately went with DeMeco Ryans. But the 40-year-old assistant has remained a topic of conversation around the league with many experts believing it’s only a matter of time before he’s running an NFL locker room.
Head coach Nick Sirianni delivered an animated rant after beating the New York Giants in the NFC Divisional Round. He defended Gannon and predicted he’d be a head coach someday.
“So, every time I hear an answer about Jonathan Gannon I laugh to myself,” Sirianni told reporters on January 21. “As a matter of fact, coaches from other teams ask me, does Jonathan Gannon get crap here? I’m like, somehow, yeah. Like this guy is incredible. He’s going to be a head football coach in the National Football League because of what he does. This guy is a stud.”
Vic Fangio Helped Eagles Prepare for Kansas City
Vic Fangio has been serving as a secret advisor for the Philadelphia Eagles since training camp. The 64-year-old defensive guru was hired by the Miami Dolphins on January 29 to be their next defensive coordinator, although that didn’t prevent him from helping the Eagles prepare for Super Bowl LVII.
Fangio quietly inked a two-week contract with Philadelphia, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, and has been helping the Eagles prepare for the Kansas City Chiefs. He had been a leading candidate to replace Gannon should the Eagles defensive coordinator get a head-coaching job. In the meantime, he has been helping the Eagles behind the scenes in what sounded like a covert operation. Rapoport wrote:
Sources say Fangio assisted the offense, not the defense. He’s been involved with self-scouting and projects, helping Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen’s unit as it gears up for Steve Spagnuolo’s Chiefs defense.
Fangio has relationships all over the Eagles’ staff – not just with the defensive staff – and those helped set up this arrangement. It’s hard to imagine a better resource than the grizzled veteran who has seen it all.
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Leading Candidate Emerges for Eagles Offensive Coordinator: Report