Getty Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is being mentioned as a head-coaching candidate.
Jonathan Gannon’s name has been gaining traction as a hot head-coaching candidate for the 2022 offseason. The Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator has jump-started a unit left for dead into a vital part of a playoff team.
The job he has done after a wretched start cannot be overstated. The Jacksonville Jaguars have already begun their coaching search, while teams like the Chicago Bears, New York Giants, Carolina Panthers could all be in line to make changes. And Gannon would make a lot of sense. But if the first-year coordinator has been paying attention to the rumors, he wasn’t saying.
Gannon’s expression turned incredulous when a reporter asked him if he had talked to Nick Sirianni about pursuing a head-coaching opportunity. The 38-year-old admitted to discussing it briefly with Sirianni last offseason, but that was it. The Eagles are in the thick of a playoff chase with two games left on the schedule. His only focus right now is beating Washington.
“I appreciate the question, but guys, like come on now. We’re fighting to get into the dance,” Gannon told reporters. “I always talk to our players about be where your feet are. What that means is I’m not thinking about the future. I’m not thinking about the past. I’m thinking about beating Washington.”
#Eagles 2021 NFL Defensive Rankings:
Yards/Game . . . 320.2 (5th)
Yards/Play . . . 5.0 (3rd)
Rush Yards/Game . . . 104.6 (9th)
Yards/Rush . . . 3.9 (4th)
Pass Yards/Game . . . 215.6 (9th)
Yards/Attempt . . . 6.2 (6th)
3-and-Out % . . . 35.0% (4th)
Defensive TDs . . . 5 (2nd)
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Offensive Coordinator Answers Same Question
It stands to reason that offensive coordinator Shane Steichen would get head-coaching looks, too. He certainly deserves a lion’s share of the credit for developing Jalen Hurts into a Pro Bowl alternate at the quarterback position. Steichen was also the one who helped turn Justin Herbert into the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020.
#Eagles Offensive Rankings Since Week 8:
Points/Game . . . 29.9 (2nd)
Yards/Game . . . 380.0 (3rd)
Rush Yards/Game . . . 203.9 (1st)
3rd-Down Efficiency . . . 50.0% (1st)
Scoring Efficiency . . . 51.2% (1st)
Explosive Plays . . . 87 (1st)
Steichen’s name hasn’t come up as much as Gannon’s so far, but it’s safe to assume he’ll be getting calls. The 36-year-old assistant echoed Gannon’s sentiments when addressing those potential head-coaching opportunities.
“If those opportunities present itself, great. Right now, our focus is on Washington,” Steichen told reporters. “I told the offense last week, you know, going into the game last week, ‘It isn’t about what you want, it’s about what you’re willing to do to go get it.’ We got something to go get as a football team right now, so our focus has got to be on the Washington Football Team.”
Jalen Hurts Shouts Out Randall Cunningham
Hurts showed his appreciation for Eagles legend Randall Cunningham on Sunday by wearing a No. 12 throwback jersey to his post-game press conference. There, the dual-threat quarterback gushed about how much he admired Cunningham growing up. And he wasn’t just trying to kiss up to the organization and its fans.
Hurts continued his outpouring of love by posting a heart-felt tribute to Cunningham on Instagram. He wrote: “I Used To Wanna Play Like Randall, And Be A Eagle” and included a picture/video montage.
“He’s one of the greatest and obviously an icon here,” Hurts said after Sunday’s game. “I always talk about how much it means to me to be able to play for this organization and knowing the great quarterbacks I’ve had come before me – Mike Vick, [Donovan] McNabb Five, and Randall Cunningham. I just want to play at a high level and make them proud because they come before me.”