Eagles coach Andy Reid hinted on Tuesday that firing defensive coordinator Juan Castillo wasn’t the last move he’ll make during the team’s bye week.
“I’m going through and evaluating our football team, both coaches and players,” Reid said. “This is one of the moves, and we’ll see where this goes from here.”
What will the next move be? Reid didn’t say. But Reid did say that he deserves as much blame as Castillo for the problems the team’s defense has faced in the season and a half since Reid made the surprising decision to move Castillo from the offensive side of the ball to defensive coordinator.
“I put Juan in this situation and things didn’t worked out as I’d hoped,” Reid said. “I take full responsibility for putting him in that situation.”
Reid acknowledged that the Eagles’ defensive game plans have been far from the only problem during their 3-3 start.
“Offense, defense and special teams right now, we need to get better, and I’m going to continue to work to that and it’s my responsibility to do that,” Reid said. “And I’m just bringing this to you because this is what’s happend so far. I’m not going to tell you anything that’s going to happen past this, anything that will happen, I’m not telling you that, but this is what has happened so far.”
Reid said that he likes and respects Castillo and considered firing him “one of the tougher things I’ve had to do.” And Reid made clear that he’s looking in the mirror, too.
“I can obviously do better,” Reid said. “I think collectively we can all do better but I can do better myself.”
If Reid’s moves don’t turn the Eagles around soon, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie may be ready to make a move of his own, and fire the man who hired Castillo.
