Getty Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts showed off a new handshake during the Eagles' 32-6 victory in Week 1.
Shane Steichen officially inked a six-year contract on Tuesday to be the next head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. He knocked his interview out of the park, according to owner Jim Irsay, and presented a detailed plan to address the ongoing quarterback dilemma there. Steichen has been labeled as a “mad scientist.”
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles are looking for a new offensive coordinator in the aftermath of losing Super Bowl LVII. It’s no secret how much they value the contributions of quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson. He has been a trusted mentor to Jalen Hurts for two decades, plus he is the winningest quarterback in the history of Utah football.
Johnson is seen as a rising star in NFL coaching circles and a guy who has received multiple interview requests in recent weeks. The Eagles would be wise to promote him. And it sounds like that is the immediate plan.
“the offensive coordinator there is gonna be Brian Johnson, you can take that to the bank” – @AdamSchefter on the new Eagles OC
ESPN’s Adam Schefter appeared on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia where he all but guaranteed Johnson would be the new offensive coordinator. The Eagles are determined not to disrupt Hurts’ development by letting him leave the building.
“The offensive coordinator is going to be Brian Johnson, that I don’t think there’s any question there,” Schefter told the John Kincade Show. “That you can take to the bank basically. The question will be the defensive coordinator and who that will be, and that’s not as clear cut as the offensive coordinator.”
Eagles QB Coach Brian Johnson will be promoted to #Eagles Offensive Coordinator, “You can take it to the bank,” per @AdamSchefter.
Schefter added that Johnson was garnering a lot of interest from teams for their open OC roles, and at least 6 teams would’ve hired him.
Jalen Hurts Backs Brian Johnson for OC Job
Jalen Hurts first met Brian Johnson when was 4 years old. You see, Johnson was playing quarterback at Baytown High School in Texas where Averion Hurts (Jalen’s dad) was one of his coaches. The two would stay in touch and follow each other’s journey from afar until they finally linked up as quarterback and coach in Philadelphia. The relationship has come full circle.
“I can’t say enough about the type of person that he is,” Johnson said at the Super Bowl. “How he works at his craft every single day, how intentional he is about getting better, and maximizing everything that he has.”
Hurts added: “I’ve always wanted to play for him. I always wanted to be coached by him.”
“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
Neither one wants to see it end. Johnson is Hurts’ obvious choice for the new offensive coordinator with Shane Steichen moving on.
“Hopefully we can keep him here as long as we possibly can,” Hurts said at the Super Bowl. “But, nonetheless, I’m proud of him and it’s definitely just the beginning for the both of us.”
Other Candidates to Replace Shane Steichen
Johnson might be the leading candidate to replace Shane Steichen, but the Eagles have other options. Kevin Patullo has served as passing-game coordinator under Nick Sirianni since 2021. He was the one tagged interim coach when Sirianni caught COVID-19 and couldn’t lead the team on the sidelines.
Patullo also reportedly crushed his interview with the New York Jets for their vacant offensive coordinator position last month. Needless to say, Sirianni thinks very highly of him.
“When I got to the job at Indianapolis and we were hiring a wide receiver coach, Kevin came to mind there just because of a situation that had happened ten years prior with just how good of a person he is,” Sirianni told reporters on December 24, 2021. “And then, obviously, he’s a good football coach, a really good football coach, too. So, it’s just the consistency of Kevin. And I’m just really glad he’s here.”
The Eagles could look outside the organization for candidates, too. Here are three guys to consider:
Thomas Brown: He has been Sean McVay’s right-hand man in Los Angeles where he coached running backs before moving over to tight ends and then assistant head coach in 2023. He was a stud running back in college at Georgia and a sixth-round pick of the Falcons in 2008. Brown is another rising star assistant, plus he’s a Rooney Rule candidate.
Rams assistant head coach/TEs coach Thomas Brown is interviewing in Tampa today for the Bucs vacant OC job, per source. He’s scheduled to interview tomorrow for the Panthers OC job.
Duce Staley: Would the former Eagle be interested in coming home? He has been passed over multiple times for the offensive coordinator job (and head-coaching job) in Philly despite owner Jeffrey Lurie saying Staley is “like a son to me.” He recently joined the Carolina Panthers as assistant head coach/running backs coach, so they’d have to make him an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Todd Haley: The 55-year-old is the longest shot on the list but he boasts deep connections to Nick Sirianni. Haley handed Sirianni his first NFL coaching job in 2009 when he was leading the Kansas City Chiefs and those two guys hit it off. Sure, Haley has had his fair share of troubles over the years but he was always regarded as an offensive innovator. He is currently serving as head coach of the USFL’s Memphis Showboats.