As the Philadelphia Eagles continues to conduct their coaching research, we will cover each legitimate candidate individually, while allowing this page to serve as a centralized crawler.
It should be noted that the Eagles are likely to interview many candidates, as they will be partially conducted through Zoom meetings and can be executed without the need for travel. In other words, the expectation here is that this tracker will be filled with many names and there will be many updates. Please check.
Latest updates at the top of this list:
Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo
As a coach, Mayo has only two years of experience. His official title was “coach of internal linebackers”, which doesn’t seem like much, but his role was bigger than the title indicated. The Patriots do not have an official “defensive coordinator” on their team. Mayo and external linebacker coach Steve Belichick served as one of Bill Belichick’s two main defensive assistants. It should also be noted that Brian Flores was “just” the coach of the Patriots linebackers when the Miami Dolphins hired him as head coach in 2019.
Mayo was considered a fierce leader and a highly intelligent player on the field in his playing days, and at just 34 years old, he is clearly considered a young setter as an NFL coach. Still, it is probably too early for Mayo to make a big leap to become a coach at such a young age and with only two years of experience as a coach.
More about Mayo here.
Mike Kafka, Chiefs QB coach
Eagles are reported to be interested in Kafka. We will cover you in more detail if / when a report appears that the Eagles intend to interview you.
Todd Bowles, Buccaneers DC
Bowles was with the Eagles for a season and even served as their defensive coordinator to end the disastrous 2012 season after the team sacked Juan Castillo.
Most notably, Bowles landed a head coaching position with the Jets, which lasted four years, and did not go well. The Jets really went 10-6 under Bowles in 2015 with Fitzpatrick as a defender in his first season there. However, he ended up compiling a 24-40 record with the Jets, winning only 14 games in the past three years. To be fair, in addition to Fitzpatrick, his defenders were Josh McCown, Bryce Petty and newcomer Sam Darnold, as well as a bad list.
As a defensive coordinator, Bowles achieved good results. In 2020, the Buccaneers had the best defense running in the NFL. They were number 1 in opposing race attempts, running yards, running TDs and yards per race. In that sense, his “stop the race first” defense style is similar to the approach we’ve seen over the years of Jim Schwartz.
More about Bowles here.
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Robert Saleh, 49ers DC
Saleh would probably be a head coach by now, if it weren’t for a coach search a year ago that worked against him. He was a hot name, but as the 49ers went to the Super Bowl, and as there were only three spots as a head coach, he had to wait a year.
The Niners’ defense was excellent in 2019, and Saleh kept that unit playing at a high level (sixth in the DVOA) in 2020, despite suffering an abnormal number of injuries at all three levels of the defense. Saleh is known for his demonstrative emotion on the sides during games, something his players seem to react to.
If Saleh gets a job as a head coach, he is believed to bring Niners offensive assistants with him, who will install some version of Kyle Shanahan’s much-praised attack.
More about Saleh here.
Arthur Smith, Titans OC
Smith has been with the Titans since 2011, surviving three head coach resignations. He has been his offensive coordinator since 2019. With a defensive head coach at Mike Vrabel, Smith had the opportunity to run the show offensively for Tennessee, and in the two years he was his offensive coordinator, the Titans have had good results. In 2020, they were second in the NFL in points and fourth in yards.
Sure, Derrick Henry gets most of the credit for strengthening the Titans’ attack (and rightly so), but Smith’s attack also helped turn Ryan Tannehill into a legitimately good NFL quarterback.
More about Smith here.
Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma HC
Riley is arguably the best college coach candidate, as he racked up a 45-8 record in Oklahoma, while developing two quarterbacks and Heisman winners at Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. Riley also trained Jalen Hurts for a year, and Hurts ended the season as runner-up in the Heisman vote.
Riley is seen as an innovative offensive mind, obviously in the passing game, but also in the racing game, whose schemes have been stolen by many NFL attacks. Are Riley’s offenses successful because of his scheme or because he was able to develop the talents of his defenders? Anyway, he is a winner in this debate.
More about Riley here.
Update: Paul Domowitch of the Inquirer is reporting that Riley “seems content to stay where he is for now.”
Duce Staley, Eagles HC assistant, RB coach
Jeffrey Lurie said during his press conference on Monday that Staley would have a chance.
“I would expect Duce Staley to be a candidate,” said Lurie. “He is a great representative of the Eagles and he knows our values. I hope he is part of the search, too.”
Unlike the other candidates on this list, Staley has no experience as a head coach or trainer; however, he has the mental makeup and leadership skills to oversee a list. Should Staley become the head coach, the Eagles will likely put him in contact with an offensive coordinator who will call the game.
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