Getty Eagles linebackers coach Ken Flajole is reportedly leaving the team and retiring from the NFL.
It could be argued that the most glaring weakness heading into the 2021 offseason for the Philadelphia Eagles is at the linebacker position. It has been an issue for almost a decade. And now it looks to be somebody else’s problem to fix.
Eagles linebackers coach Ken Flajole is expected to retire and not renew his contract, according to SiriusXM NFL Radio’s Alex Marvez. The 66-year-old coordinator has been in Philly since 2016 and holds four decade’s worth of experience coaching football. He made the jump from the college ranks to the NFL in 1998 when he served as defensive assistant/quality control coach for the Green Bay Packers.
Not sure if this is out there but I am hearing that @Eagles LBs coach Ken Flajole won’t be back in 2021. May be retiring (he’s 66). Coached in college from 1979 to 1997 until jumping to the NFL. Joined Eagles in 2016. Highly respected in league circles.
Flajole, as Marvez notes, is “highly respected in league circles,” and helped the Eagles defense rank in the Top 10 in rushing defense, red zone defense, third-down defense, scoring defense, and takeaways during his tenure. He also gets a tip of the cap for his work in developing Alex Singleton this year.
Alex Singleton has the 2nd highest run stop % in the NFL since becoming a full time starter in week 10:
1) Zach Cunningham – 15.7 %
2) Alex Singleton – 11.4 %
3) Bobby Wagner – 10.9 %
4) Roquan Smith – 10.5 %
#Eagles
Prior to arriving in Philly, Flajole held high-profile jobs with the Seattle Seahawks (defensive backs/linebackers coach), Carolina Panthers (linebackers coach), St. Louis Rams (defensive coordinator), New Orleans Saints (defensive backs coach), and Cleveland Browns (linebackers coach). He was part of the the Eagles’ 2017 coaching staff that won Super Bowl LII.
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Sticking Up for Struggling LB Nate Gerry
Perhaps one of the most recent memories Eagles fans will have of Flajole is back in November when he stood up for struggling linebacker Nate Gerry. To be fair, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz started the Gerry love-fest and probably instructed his coordinators to do the same.
It’s also worth mentioning that there is a point in what both men said. Gerry appeared to be the scapegoat for everything that went wrong on defense in 2020, thanks in large part to him seeming to get beat for multiple touchdowns. His confusion on the Chase Claypool score in Week 5 was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Was it his fault? Was he expecting help? Flajole defended Gerry who eventually went on injured reserve.
“I like Nate. And again I know he’s caught some criticism, but you’re not going to hear it from me, guys,” Flajole said, via Sports Illustrated. “I really think the guy’s been valuable for us, and more ways than what has been shown out on the field. It’s unnoticed production by him, but again from the coaching staff we understand what his role is and he’s done a nice job.”
ESPN Draft Expert Projects Penn State LB to Eagles
The last time the Eagles drafted a linebacker was 1979 when the team took Jerry Robinson out of UCLA with the 21st overall pick. Of course, that’s not counting Marcus Smith in 2014 who was technically an edge rusher.
So it was a bit shocking to see ESPN draft expert Todd McShay select Penn State standout linebacker Micah Parsons for the Eagles at No. 6 overall in his first mock draft. Parsons is a stud and worthy of a Top-10 pick, but Philly just doesn’t value the position. Maybe they will this year. Parsons opted out for the 2020 college season due to COVID-19 concerns. He recorded 109 tackles (14 for loss), five sacks and four forced fumbles in 2019.
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