Another Eagles coach reportedly gaining interest

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Another Eagles assistant is getting looks to be a head coach. 

The Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals have both requested permission to interview Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, according to NFL Network and ESPN. 

This makes a ton of sense. 

DeFilippo, 39, was bound to be a hot name for coaching searches this offseason thanks to his work with Carson Wentz. DeFilippo has spent more time with Wentz than any other coach in the NovaCare Complex. He was important enough to the Eagles that they blocked him from interviewing for the Jets' offensive coordinator position last offseason. They cannot block him from interviewing for a head coaching gig. 

"I think any time you have success as a team I think your assistant coaches are going to be looked at for potential jobs," head coach Doug Pederson said on Sunday night. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

It's not hard to figure out why the Bears would be interested in DeFilippo. The Bears traded up a spot to take Mitchell Trubisky with the second pick in the 2017 draft. That just happens to be the same spot Wentz went the year before. The Bears now have an opening after John Fox was let go. 

The Cardinals have an opening after Bruce Arians retired. They seem likely to draft a quarterback. 

In 2017, Wentz was able to make a monumental jump from an OK rookie season to a year where he became a legitimate MVP candidate. Despite playing just 13 games this season, Wentz was second in the NFL in touchdown passes with 33. 

The NFL is all about quarterbacks. It's why the Eagles spent such a premium to move up to get Wentz and it's why they put so many resources into developing him. It's also why the Rams have seemingly found more success with Jared Goff this year; they gave him a better support system. DeFilippo seems to be a great start to any support system. 

While it might seem like a big jump from quarterbacks coach to head coach, DeFilippo has been an offensive coordinator before. He served that role in 2015 with the Browns and did a pretty good job. 

A Radnor High School product, DeFilippo is the son of Gene DeFilippo, who was the athletic director at Villanova from 1993-97. 

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