The Philadelphia Eagles have officially begun the process of reshaping their offense for 2026 and they appear to be aiming big.
As Yahoo Sports noted, the Eagles have started reaching out to candidates to replace Kevin Patullo as offensive coordinator.
Russini reports that former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and former Giants head coach Brian Daboll are emerging as the two names at the very top of Philly’s list.
“The Philadelphia Eagles have begun reaching out to candidates regarding their offensive coordinator vacancy,” Russini reported.
“Former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll are at the top of their list.”
After a frustrating 2025 season in which Philly finished 19th in total offense and 24th in scoring, the Eagles are looking to make a big splash.
This new report adds to yesterday’s report from Josina Anderson on Philly potentially targeting other big names:
“A league source said Kliff Kingsbury & Kevin Stefanski will “get a real look” for the #Eagles offensive coordinator position.”
In the last 24 hours since Patullo’s firing, four of the biggest names on the coaching market have been linked to Philly’s open OC position.
Why Mike McDaniel Makes Sense
Despite a rocky end to his tenure in Miami, McDaniel remains one of the most respected offensive minds in football.
His Shanahan-based system helped the Dolphins lead the NFL in total offense in 2023.
Miami also finished second in scoring that year, averaging over 29 points per game.
McDaniel’s offense is built on pre-snap motion, misdirection, and spacing, elements the Eagles largely lacked in 2025.
With a quarterback like Jalen Hurts, McDaniel could lean into RPOs, layered play-action, and movement-based concepts that stress defenses horizontally and vertically.
However, there are questions among fans about McDaniel’s fit alongside defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
Their tension stems from their brief overlap in Miami.
But league sources have downplayed any real tension, noting that Fangio’s exit was more about philosophical alignment than personal conflict.
Even after being fired, McDaniel has reportedly drawn head-coaching interest elsewhere.
He is still very highly regarded around the NFL.
If the Philadelphia Eagles are able to get him as their next OC, it would be a major splash hire.
Why Brian Daboll Would Fit in Philly
If familiarity and quarterback development matter most, Daboll checks every box.
Daboll is widely credited with helping turn Josh Allen from a raw prospect into an MVP-caliber star in Buffalo.
From 2019 to 2021, the Bills ranked top-five in scoring twice under Daboll.
Allen posted career-best efficiency numbers in those years.
He also has extensive ties to Philadelphia Eagles roster.
Daboll coached Hurts and DeVonta Smith at Alabama in 2017 and later worked with Saquon Barkley during his time with the Giants.
That familiarity could allow for a much faster transition.
While Daboll’s head-coaching run in New York fizzled, his track record as a coordinator remains strong.
One league executive gave a strong take on Daboll:
He is “at his best when he’s designing offenses and developing quarterbacks, not managing entire organizations.”
Whoever the Philadelphia Eagles decide to hire as their next OC will be Jalen Hurts 11th play caller in the last ten years.
A huge decision awaits Philly in the coming week.
Eagles Take Aggressive Step in OC Search With Two Big Names