Nick Sirianni is all set as the new head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, but what about his supporting cast of coaches? After losing Doug Pederson and Jim Schwartz, in addition to not having a true offensive coordinator, Philadelphia has filled those voids. Recent reports have informed the public that Shane Steichen will likely be hired as the Eagles offensive coordinator. As for the defense, the successor to Schwartz will be Jonathan Gannon, as he will be Philadelphia’s new defensive coordinator.
These are relatively unknown names, especially for Eagles fans, who will be looking to change the playing style of this dysfunctional Eagles team. Steichen and Gannon are relatively younger coaches, like Sirianni, so having that coaching staff will provide an overall new feel. Among the other assistant coaches that are being named, these two are the ones who will have the most to prove.
New #Eagles coach Nick Sirianni’s staff coming together. So far:
OC: Shane Steichen
Pass game coordinator: Kevin Patullo
OL/run game coordinator: Jeff Stoutland
DC: Jonathan Gannon
DL: Tracy Rocker
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) January 25, 2021
Shane Steichen (Offensive Coordinator)
The 35-year-old is coming from being the offensive coordinator with the Los Angeles Chargers to be the new offensive coordinator for Philadelphia. Shane Steichen was only with the Chargers for the 2020 season, but Sirianni and the Eagles organization clearly see something in him. The former Los Angeles offensive coordinator played a large role in the successful development of star rookie Justin Herbert. Perhaps he was partly brought in to add more tools to fixing the Carson Wentz conundrum. Regardless, Steichen and Sirianni have a history as they coached together with the Chargers in the mid-2010s, which answers part of the question of how he was selected.
While it is somewhat strange that Steichen would go from one offensive coordinator job to another, his history with Sirianni justifies the decision. Steichen has worked with the Chargers coaching staff since 2011 and worked his way up the coaching tree. As a result, Steichen has plenty of experience with the NFL. As for what kind of offense he will be implementing with Sirianni, it is unclear what it will ultimately be.
Steichen has the task to determine what offensive scheme will work most efficiently with the players that he will have. It will also all depend on the quarterback situation with Carson Wentz and Jalen Hurts. They are relatively different players in how they operate, so that affects the outcome. If all goes smoothly for Philadelphia where Wentz regains his ability and trust, then it will be easier for Steichen. While they are different, Wentz and Justin Herbert have similar types of play-styles, so Steichen could implement a similar offensive model he used in Los Angeles for the Eagles offense. Then again, if Hurts comes out on top as next year’s quarterback, Steichen will need to adapt to Hurts’ mobility. Regardless, the Philadelphia offense is in for a brand new look and the players should be ready for it.
Jonathan Gannon (Defensive Coordinator)
Gannon is a 37-year-old who has been with numerous NFL organizations as a defensive coach and an NFL scout. Most previously, he has served as the Indianapolis Colts as the defensive backs/cornerbacks coach. Gannon has been an Indianapolis coach since 2018. He’s worked alongside Sirianni since then and a bond clearly formed between them bringing Gannon to Philadelphia. Gannon has moved around the league quite a lot prior to becoming the Eagles defensive coordinator. He has defensive coaching jobs with the Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings which have occurred from 2007-2017. Within those jobs, he was a college and NFL scout for the St. Louis Rams from 2009-2011. Similar to Steichen, he has plenty of experience in the NFL, so that provides the Eagles fanbase with some relief.
One question mark up in the air is Gannon’s credibility and ability to handle moving from a defensive backs/cornerbacks coach to defensive coordinator. It is reasonable to be skeptical, but it’s simply something that can’t be answered until next season arrives. Despite the skepticism, what he was able to help produce defensively in Indianapolis helps to ease the uneasiness for fans. Indianapolis defense played exceptionally well all season and ended with the No. 8 defense in the league.
As for Gannon’s contribution, he helped the secondary become one of the best in the league. Xavier Rhodes is a direct result of Gannon’s ability as a coach. Rhodes was experiencing a drop in production until he played for Gannon. This is encouraging for Philadelphia because Philadelphia’s secondary has been sloppy and inconsistent. Gannon has the chance to turn that around and become a consistent and productive secondary. As for the front, Philadelphia has used the 4-3, similar to Indianapolis, in the last five seasons, that should remain. Gannon is coming into Philadelphia as a fresh face and the organization hopes that this defense becomes a dominant force.
Featured image courtesy of Philly Voice
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