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When a team comes out of the gates at 4-0, it tends to lead to speculation about assistants getting head-coaching looks. Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen appears to be the first leaf shaking from Nick Sirianni’s tree.
Steichen has largely been credited for Jalen Hurts’ dramatic rise as a polished pocket passer. It’s only a four-game sample size, but Hurts looks look like a completely different quarterback in Year 2. He appears to be on the same trajectory of Justin Herbert, a guy Steichen coached up to NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020.
Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr recently compiled a list of the “Top Head Coaching Candidates for 2023.” Steichen was the first name on it, with Orr calling him “a mastermind at creating mismatches.” He’s getting fast-tracked as the next great offensive-minded head coach.
Steichen was asked if he had had seen the list or heard any rumblings. Predictably, he avoided the topic and provided a Belichickian response.
“Honestly, my reaction to that is I’m focused on the Arizona Cardinals right now,” Steichen told reporters. “That’s all we care about is getting to 5-0. That’s all we’re worried about. I’m not worried about any of that stuff right now. We’re getting ready to play football.”
Jalen Hurts Influenced by Andrew Luck, Philip Rivers
Hurts appeared on ESPN’s ManningCast and revealed that Philip Rivers and Andrew Luck are two quarterbacks the Eagles’ coaching staff has been feeding down his throat. Neither one is all that surprising if you consider the source.
Sirianni and Steichen bring up Rivers and Luck frequently in press conferences due to their times overlapping on the Colts and the Chargers. Still, it was interesting to hear Hurts say how much tape he watches on those guys. Remember, neither one ever won a Super Bowl and face long odds at sniffing the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“I think through the offseason, just the scheme we run in the pass game, a lot of those concepts carry over from my time and Nick’s [Sirianni] time with the Chargers and then obviously Nick’s time with Andrew Luck,” Steichen said. “When you’re putting in the offense and you’re showing them the pass plays, a lot of those concepts carry over that we’re still running in the pass game, so that’s a lot of study that goes into it.”
One other name came out of Hurts’ mouth: Tom Brady. That film study is done outside of the NovaCare Complex.
“Yeah, well, that’s someone he watches on his own,” Steichen said. “Some of that stuff carries over, too. Obviously, there’s always carryover when you’re watching tape, different teams. He’s one of the best to ever do it, so it’s a good guy to study.”
Control What You Can Control, Family
Another Eagles victory means another locker room speech from Hurts. The team released a charged video from Sunday’s 29-21 come-from-behind win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Here is what the quarterback told his teammates:
0 CommentsHey men, we say it all the time: control what you can. We had it way better with the details, the preparation in everything we do. Rain, sleet, snow, the Eagles train go. But everything we f****** do, we control that s***. This is a f****** great team win.
The way that we persevered, the way we persevered through f****** adversity, down 14 we didn’t f****** flinch. We didn’t f****** flinch. And we gonna need that s*** to continue to do what we want to do. Hey, man, I love y’all boys, this is a family. Family on 3 … 1, 2, 3, Family!
