In case you missed last week’s news, the Philadelphia Eagles elected to part ways with Chip Kelly just one season after handing him complete control of all personnel moves. The Eagles’ 6-9 record under Kelly is a far cry below the preseason expectations that included double-digit wins and a playoff win (or several).
It’s been a humbling year for owner Jeffrey Lurie, who raved about Kelly during the offseason and pulled the plug on the entire Chip Kelly experiment after just 15 games. Now it’s back to the drawing board for the Eagles’ owner, who will be hiring his fifth head coach since taking over the team in 1994.
Personally, I would prefer an offensive head coach to help develop potential franchise quarterback Sam Bradford. I think Lurie will be more enamored by an offensive coach too. His last two head coaches, Andy Reid and Chip Kelly, each coached on the offensive side of the ball, and in this generation, I believe that offenses win Super Bowls more than defenses.
Below I will list 15 possible head coaching candidates for the Eagles in 2016. I ranked them in order of my preference and at the end of each description, I included a prediction of what will happen with that particular coach this offseason.
1 – Hue Jackson, offensive coordinator, Cincinnati Bengals
Hue Jackson is arguably the hottest head coaching candidate in the NFL. The 50-year-old offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals has done a terrific job turning Andy Dalton into one of the league’s top 10 quarterbacks and keeping the team afloat with fifth-rounder AJ McCarron. He has weapons everywhere on that offense and I think he could work some magic with DeMarco Murray, Darren Sproles, Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholor and Zach Ertz. Jackson also has head coaching experience, leading the Oakland Raiders to an 8-8 record in 2011 – their best record since their 2002 Super Bowl team – before he was dismissed for Dennis Allen after the season. Jackson has been a coach for 29 seasons, the last 15 in the NFL, where he’s worked everywhere from a receivers coach to an offensive coordinator an unusual one-year stint as a secondary/assistant special teams coach. The point is that Jackson is versatile and I think he’s experienced and ready to become a head coach. He’s the top guy I would pick if I was hiring a head coach. I think he could help Sam Bradford take the next level, as he did with Andy Dalton. The only problem? The Eagles haven’t been linked to Hue Jackson yet. There’s still time, of course, but after hearing that the team has several interviews already lined up, I have my doubts on Jackson coming to Philly. I do think he’ll be a head coach – just not in the City of Brotherly Love.
2 – Adam Gase, offensive coordinator, Chicago Bears
Assistant coaches as young as Adam Gase (37) with as talented of a resume don’t come along very often. Gase’s best work includes a career year from Jay Cutler in 2015, an all-time record breaking year from Peyton Manning in 2013 and a once-in-a-generation fluke season from Tim Tebow in 2011. Broncos general manager John Elway called him a genius and Manning called him the smartest guy he knows. That’s high praise and it puts Gase near the top of my list for possible head coaches. The Eagles plan to interview him this week and they could hire him pretty quickly if things go well, as Gase’s team isn’t in the playoffs, unlike other candidates like Hue Jackson, Josh McDaniels, Doug Pederson and Sean McDermott. This is purely a guess, but I am going to go out on a limb and say that Gase will end up becoming the next head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.
3 – Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator, New England Patriots
Josh McDaniels has a fascinating resume. He flamed out as the head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2009 and 2010, winning his first six games but losing 17 of his last 22. But he’s been tremendous as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator since 2011, and he’s played a big part in breakout seasons by players like Dion Lewis. He’s the anti Chip Kelly when it comes to in-game management. He’s willing to adapt and adjust, dictating the game with his offense, instead of letting the opposing defense control what plays he runs. I’m a big fan of retread head coaches – 11 of the last 18 Super Bowl winners have been a retread head coach – and the word is that McDaniels was very humbled by his failed head coaching experience a few years ago. He’ll be a hot candidate though and I haven’t heard him connected to the Eagles yet. I think he’ll become a head coach but I’m not expecting him to come to Philadelphia.
4 – Sean McDermott, defensive coordinator, Carolina Panthers
If you want a head coach who understands Philadelphia and its fans, Sean McDermott is your guy. The defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers for the past five seasons, McDermott has turned the Panthers defense into one of the top units in the NFL. Some of his best work came in 2015, as he turned Josh Norman into the best cornerback in the NFL, while former Eagles castoff Kurt Coleman emerged as a playmaker at safety. Before Carolina, McDermott coached with the Eagles for 12 seasons, starting as a scouting administrative coordinator and eventually working his way up to defensive coordinator. The Eagles did end up firing him after 2010, but it’s not unrealistic to think they could bring him back. My only concern about McDermott is that I prefer an offensive coach, especially since the Eagles may or may not have their franchise quarterback. If McDermott was hired as the head coach, I would prefer to see the Eagles keep Pat Shurmur at offensive coordinator. But my guess is that McDermott returns to Carolina for a sixth season as defensive coordinator.
5 – David Shaw, head coach, Stanford Cardinal
David Shaw, the head coach at Stanford since the 2011 season, announced today that he plans to stay at Stanford. However, plans change, sometimes overnight, and that could be the case with Shaw. After all, don’t forget that Chip Kelly originally turned down the Eagles’ head coaching job during the 2013 offseason. The attractive aspect of Shaw is his success building a Stanford program that ranks among the top teams in college football, even post-Andrew Luck and Jim Harbaugh. Shaw has coached at the college ranks for the last ten seasons, but it’s worth noting that he spent 1997 to 2005 in the NFL, including a stint as the Eagles’ quality control coach in 1997.
6 – Sean Payton, head coach, New Orleans Saints
If Sean Payton is available, he is at the top of the wish list for the Philadelphia Eagles, according to Paul Domowitch of Philly.com. Payton will meet with the Saints later this week to discuss his future with the team. His current contract has two years and $17 million remaining, and it’s worth mentioning that he’s had a losing season in two of the last three years. But he also has an extremely impressive track record with Drew Brees. The former Chargers castoff has averaged 4856 passing yards and 35 touchdowns per year since 2006. In 2009, he and Payton won the only Super Bowl in Saints history. For what it’s worth, Payton also coached in Philadelphia, serving as the quarterbacks coach for the Eagles in 1997 and 1998. The price to acquire him could be steep, though, as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that it would likely take a second-round pick to acquire Payton. The Eagles, ironically, don’t have a second-round pick after sending it to St. Louis for Sam Bradford last March. So they’d have to get creative with draft pick compensation, and they would almost certainly have to give Payton full control of personnel power, which he had in New Orleans. I think Payton will almost certainly get a job if he leaves New Orleans. I just don’t think it’ll end up being in Philly. I hope it’s not either. I would rather hire a coach without having to part ways with a high draft pick. My guess is that Payton remains in New Orleans. That’s how these things usually work out.
7 – John Harbaugh, head coach, Baltimore Ravens
If John Harbaugh is somehow available, I would have lots of interest in bringing him back to Philadelphia, where he served as Andy Reid’s special teams coach from 1999 to 2007. With the Baltimore Ravens, Harbaugh has won a playoff game in six of his eight seasons, including the Super Bowl three years ago. He’s coming off the only losing season of his career, a year plagued by injuries to practically every valuable player on the team. I highly doubt Harbaugh leaves Baltimore, as he has two years remaining on his contract, but if he had any interest in coming to Philly, I think Jeff Lurie would be very interested. For what it’s worth, I ranked Harbaugh in the middle of this group because it’s very unrealistic to see him leaving the Ravens.
8 – Doug Pederson, offensive coordinator, Kansas City Chiefs
Yup, that Doug Pederson. The former Eagles quarterback who eventually handed over the reigns to Donovan McNabb midway through the 1999 season. Pederson joined the Eagles as an offensive quality control coach in 2009, became the quarterbacks coach in 2011 and followed Andy Reid to Kansas City as the offensive coordinator before the 2013 season. He’s quickly moved up the coaching ranks and he’s done a thorough job in Kansas City. It’s impossible to know how much of Alex Smith’s development in Kansas City is because of Reid and how much is Pederson, but it’s also worth noting that Kansas City has survived the 2015 season despite losing All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles. A concern for Pederson, however, is his lack of experience. Just five years ago, he was an offensive quality control coach, one of the lowest rungs on the coaching totem pole. I think Pederson may succeed as a head coach, but I would prefer the Eagles go with a coach with more experience. I also think Pederson will end up staying in Kansas City to continue building his resume under Reid.
9 – Dirk Koetter, offensive coordinator, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
FOXSports’ Alex Marvez reported that the Eagles will interview Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter for their head coaching vacancy. Koetter, 56, orchestrated a likely Rookie of the Year season for Jameis Winston, the number one overall pick in 2015. Koetter has also worked as the offensive coordinator for Matt Ryan in Atlanta and David Garrard in Jacksonville. He’s a decent candidate with a solid resume. I think the Eagles can do better.
10 – Ben McAdoo, offensive coordinator, NY Giants
FOXSports’ Alex Marvez reported that Ben McAdoo is on the Eagles’ head coaching radar, and for good reason. McAdoo joined the Giants as their offensive coordinator before the 2014 season and has orchestrated two very good seasons out of Eli Manning. He’s only 38 and he’s from Pennsylvania. I also think he’s a very high candidate to be the next head coach for the Giants following the conclusion of Tom Coughlin’s 12-year reign in New York.
11 – Tom Coughlin, free agent offensive coach
Tom Coughlin stepped down from his coaching position with the New York Giants, but my guess here is that he would like to continue coaching. At 69 years old, he’s five years older than the current oldest head coach in the NFL, Pete Carroll, and if the Eagles did look to bring Coughlin in, they would probably have to give him full control of all personnel decisions, like they did with Chip Kelly last offseason. Coughlin has the two Super Bowl victories on his resume, and those eight games during the 2007 and 2011 postseasons are as impressive as any eight games in history. Other than two one-month stretches, Coughlin is just a rich man’s version of Jeff Fisher. He finished his Giants career with five playoff appearances in 12 seasons, although he only made the playoffs once in his final seven seasons. His overall winning percentage with the Giants (.531) is exactly the same as it was with the Jaguars (.531). He’s a solid coach, but I think the Eagles would prefer to go with someone much younger. It is worth noting, however, that Coughlin coached wide receivers for the Eagles from 1986 to 1988, although that may not be relevant since Jeff Lurie didn’t become the Eagles’ owner until 1994. I think Coughlin will end up sitting this season out and then retiring.
12 – Doug Marrone, offensive line coach, Jacksonville Jaguars
Doug Marrone will interview with the Eagles this week, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN. Marrone, who also interviewed with the Eagles before they hired Chip Kelly three years ago, spent the 2015 season as the assistant head coach/offensive line coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars. In 2014, he won nine games during his second season as the Bills’ head coach, the team’s best record in a decade, but he decided to walk away after the season because of the team’s changes in ownership. Marrone, 51, is a former NFL offensive lineman who served Drew Brees’ offensive coordinator for three years before heading to Syracuse as their head coach from 2009-2012. Personally, Marrone is just a guy to me. He’s someone you hire if your first three or four options fall through. He’s an offensive coach but his resume consists of working with tight ends and offensive lines. That’s fine, and hopefully he could help fix the Eagles’ mess on their offensive line, but I’d prefer to hire a quarterback whisperer who can mold Sam Bradford into a legitimate franchise quarterback. My guess is that Marrone doesn’t earn a head coaching gig and remains in Jacksonville.
13 – Teryl Austin, defensive coordinator, Detroit Lions
FOXSports’ Alex Marvez reported that the Eagles plan to interview Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin for their head coaching vacancy. Austin was a hot name after the 2014 season, when the Lions finished third in the NFL in defensive scoring. But they slipped to 23rd in 2015, and although the loss of Ndamukong Suh obviously hurt, that’s an alarming decline for a coach who has served in his current title for just two seasons. Austin, 50, doesn’t have an impressive enough resume to ‘wow’ me as a potential head coach. I would pass if I were the Eagles, and I think they will. I’d put Austin as a 50-50 to earn a head coaching spot for 2016.
14 – Pat Shurmur, offensive coordinator, Philadelphia Eagles
The offensive coordinator for the Eagles for the past three seasons, Pat Shurmur won his lone game as the interim head coach against the Giants in Week 17. He interviewed for the Eagles’ head coaching spot on Monday afternoon. Shurmur, 50, is one of many recent failed head coaches with the Browns, but the highlight of Shurmur’s resume is his success with young quarterbacks. He worked with Sam Bradford in 2010 in St. Louis, when the number one overall pick earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, and he helped Nick Foles turn in the biggest fluke season by a quarterback in NFL history in 2013. I don’t view Shurmur as a serious candidate though. I think he’s an option if the Eagles aren’t able to land one of their top choices. My preference would be to keep Shurmur as the offensive coordinator in 2016, assuming the Eagles are able to bring back Bradford on a contract extension.
15 – Duce Staley, running backs coach, Philadelphia Eagles
I’m not sure if the Eagles were just fulfilling the Rooney Rule by interviewing Duce Staley or if they were simply giving him a resume builder with his first head coaching interview. But I refuse to believe that Staley, who is a solid running backs coach but has never even been an offensive coordinator, is equipped to be the next head coach of the Eagles. Then again, Lurie spoke about the importance of being a leader and connecting with his players, and all reports are that Staley is very highly regarded by his players.
