The Eagles are interested in Ravens quarterbacks coach and one-time Eagles assistant coach James Urban for their offensive coordinator vacancy, according to NFL Network.
Tom Pelissero tweeted Thursday that Urban is on the Eagles’ radar a week after the team fired Mike Groh.
Despite a week of speculation, Urban is the first candidate that's actually been identified.
Urban was one of the initial group of candidates that made sense in the wake of Groh’s firing last week, but this is the first confirmation that the Eagles do have legitimate interest in the 46-year-old Mechanicsburg native.
Not surprising the Eagles would eye Urban as a potential coordinator following the success Ravens quarterback and MVP candidate Lamar Jackson had this year and Urban’s connections with Pederson and the Eagles.
The 22-year-old Jackson threw 36 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in his first full season as a starting quarterback.
NFL
Urban worked in football operations at Penn from 1999 through 2003, when Andy Reid hired him as an entry-level assistant to the head coach.
Urban rose to quality control in 2007 and became quarterbacks coach in 2009, when Pat Shurmur was hired by the Rams as offensive coordinator. Urban had been promoted to assistant offensive coordinator under Marty Mornhinweg after the 2010 season when he left for the Bengals, where he coached wide receivers from 2011 through 2017.
During Urban's seven years coaching receivers in Cincinnati, A.J. Green went to the Pro Bowl all seven years and averaged 79 catches, 1,173 yards and 8 touchdowns.
In 2018, Ravens coach John Harbaugh hired Urban to replace Mornhinweg, who had previously held the shared title of QBs coach and offensive coordinator but in 2018 only carried the O.C. title. Mornhinweg left the Ravens after the 2018 season.
Urban, Harbaugh and Mornhinweg were all together for four years in Philly -- from 2004 through 2007.
Urban played college football at Clarion University in Central Pennsylvania and coached at Clarion until Al Bagnoli brought him to Penn in 1999.
Click here to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies games easily on your device.