Eagles coaching search tracker: Getting close to the end?

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The Eagles fired Doug Pederson on Jan. 11 and immediately began their coaching search to name their next head coach.

At the time of Pederson’s firing, the Eagles’ vacancy was one of seven to be filled.

“There's a lot of good candidates out there,” Eagles owner Jeff Lurie said. “We'll think both inside the box, outside the box. I just want to say, there will be no rush here. This notion of an NFL team making a very important decision for itself and its fan base and rushing to a decision is unlike any in business, and I just don't think that's warranted.”

We’ll track all the updates in the coaching search as they come in:

Jan. 21

  • It's feeling like we're getting to the end of this coaching search. The Eagles have interviewed 10 known candidates and eight of them are still available: Joe Brady, Jerod Mayo, Duce Staley, Josh McDaniels, Todd Bowles, Nick Sirianni, Kellen Moore, Dennis Allen. Chances are one of those guys is the Eagles' next head coach. A few of those names have been talked about more than the others.

  • The Chargers are interviewing Colts DBs coach Jonathan Gannon for their vacant DC job, according to NFL Network. That's a name to keep in mind for the Eagles. Gannon had been linked to the Eagles as a possible DC candidate if Josh McDaniels gets the job but he has also worked with Nick Sirianni, who is also considered to be a finalist.

Jan. 20

  • Speaking of the Lions, they reportedly had interest in Eagles ST coordinator Dave Fipp but the Eagles weren't ready to let him go, according to the Detroit Free Press. Fipp has been with the Eagles since 2013 and survived the last coaching transition in 2016. 
  • We already knew Dan Campbell was going to be the next Lions' head coach but now it's official. The Lions announced the hire on Wednesday.  
  • The Eagles will interview Saints DC Dennis Allen today, making him the 10th known candidate to interview. Meanwhile, it sounds like former head coach Doug Pederson is "leaning toward" taking the 2021 season off. 

Jan. 19

  • The Eagles are reportedly interviewing Cowboys OC Kellen Moore today, according to NFL Network. Moore is the ninth known candidate to interview for the job, which means Dennis Allen will be the 10th on Wednesday. The Eagles requested to interview Moore last week.
  • The candidates keep coming. This time, the Eagles will reportedly interview Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen for their head coaching opening tomorrow, according to CBS Sports. Allen, 48, has been the Saints' DC since 2015. He was the Raiders head coach from 2012-14. The Eagles actually interviewed Allen 10 years ago for their DC job before hiring Juan Castillo. Allen will be the ninth known interview for the head coaching vacancy:

Joe Brady

Robert Saleh

Arthur Smith

Jerod Mayo

Duce Staley

Josh McDaniels

Todd Bowles

Nick Sirianni 

Dennis Allen

  • Add yet another candidate to the list? According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles are "interested in interviewing" Cowboys ST coordinator John Fassel. No news about an interview upcoming. 
  • While the Eagles are still interviewing candidates, it seems like Josh McDaniels is the front-runner. And there's a new report that seems to indicate that. 
  • The Eagles aren't done interviewing head coaching candidates yet. They will meet with Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. It has started to look like Josh McDaniels pulled into the lead as a favorite but it's noteworthy that the Eagles aren't done interviewing candidates. 

Jan. 18

  • Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is interviewing virtually with the Texans today, according to NFL Network. The league has allowed teams to conduct virtual interviews with coaches who are still in the playoffs, which is how the Eagles will speak to Todd Bowles on Monday.
  • There was a thought that the Eagles would have interest in Mike Kafka for their head coaching job but we never heard about an interview request and now, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles are no longer considering Kafka.
  • The Eagles were scheduled to meet with Brandon Staley today but that won't happen now that he's the Chargers' new coach. Instead, the Eagles will be interviewing Todd Bowles on Monday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Bowles was the DC in Philly back in 2012 and is fresh off coaching the Bucs' defense to a win over the Saints on Sunday.

Jan. 17

  • Brandon Staley was supposed to interview with the Eagles on Monday. That's not happening. Staley is reportedly the new head coach of the Chargers. A side note to this is that Brian Daboll had reportedly been the favorite in LA but he's now still available. The Eagles have interest in Daboll, according to our own John Clark. With Staley going to the Chargers and Dan Campbell expected to end up in Detroit, there are just two jobs remaining: 

Jaguars: Urban Meyer 

Jets: Robert Saleh 

Falcons: Arthur Smith

Chargers: Brandon Staley 

Lions: Dan Campbell

Texans:

Eagles:

  • The Eagles reportedly requested permission to interview Eric Bieniemy but according to ESPN, that interview won't happen until after the Chiefs are out of the playoffs. 
  • The Rams lost on Saturday, which means their defensive coordinator, Brandon Staley, is now available. According to NFL Network, the Eagles' interview with Staley is scheduled for Monday. First, he'll meet with the Chargers and Texans. The Eagles will reportedly meet with Josh McDaniels on Sunday.

Jan. 16 

  • A couple new names to add to the growing pool of candidates for the Eagles job: Josh McDaniels and Eric Bieniemy. There is reported interest in other candidates but McDaniels and Bieniemy are the ninth and 10th names to reportedly either interview or that the Eagles have requested for an interview since the coaching search began on Monday. 
  • The Eagles have reportedly asked and gained permission to interview Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, according to ESPN. Staley is in his first season as a defensive coordinator and leads the NFL's No. 1 defense. The 38-year-old previously coached outside linebackers under Vic Fangio in Chicago and Denver. 
  • The favorite to take the Chargers' head coaching job is Buffalo OC Brian Daboll, according to ESPN. The Eagles have not been linked to Daboll, who has done a tremendous job this year turning Josh Allen into a legitimate MVP candidate. If the Chargers hire Daboll and the Lions hire Dan Campbell, then there are just two openings left: Eagles and Texans. 
  • Doug Pederson might not take a year off after all. According to NFL Network, Pederson has emerged as an offensive coordinator candidate for the Seattle Seahawks. The report also stated he could become a candidate for one of the few head coaching jobs available. But there aren't many left. Perhaps the Texans or Chargers might be interested. 

Jan. 15

  • And another one’s gone. The Falcons are hiring Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who interviewed with the Eagles on Thursday. The Falcons were reportedly always focused on Smith and he even canceled his trip to Detroit to meet with the Lions. The Eagles were reportedly impressed with Smith’s interview on Thursday. The 38-year-old might have given them the best chance to revive Carson Wentz’s career.

    Here’s an update of the coaching vacancies this offseason:

    Jaguars: Urban Meyer 

    Jets: Robert Saleh 

    Falcons: Arthur Smith

    Chargers:

    Lions:

    Texans:

    Eagles: 

  • It sounds like the Lions are getting close to hiring Dolphins assistant head coach Dan Campbell to be their next head coach. While there's no contract yet, SI.com's Albert Breer said "signs are pointing" to Campbell getting hired.
  • Todd Bowles will reportedly interview with the Lions today, according to NFL Network. Bowles is one of the names that has been linked to the Eagles in the last week. He has already met with the Falcons. 
  • The Eagles are set to interview Jerod Mayo and Duce Staley on Friday. These are two candidates only the Eagles have shown interest in. The Inquirer reported Mayo and NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark confirmed the Staley interview
  • It sounds like the Eagles are going to lose out on Titans OC Arthur Smith, who recently interviewed with them. According to ESPN, the Falcons have offered their head coaching job to Smith. If he accepts, he's the second candidate the Eagles have interviewed to take another job. 

Jan. 14 

  • The Jets have hired former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. The Eagles interviewed Saleh on Wednesday night but the Jets had already interviewed him twice at that point. Saleh is the second head coach hired in this cycle. There are five openings remaining: Eagles, Texans, Chargers, Falcons, Lions. 
  • The Jaguars have announced that Urban Meyer is their new coach so there are now six head coaching vacancies remaining: Eagles, Texans, Jets, Chargers, Falcons, Lions. 
  • The Eagles will interview Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo on Friday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. We already knew the Eagles requested an interview but now they have one on the schedule. 
  • The latest name to add to this ever-growing list: Cowboys OC Kellen Moore. The Eagles have reportedly requested an interview with the 32-year-old less than two weeks after the Cowboys gave him an extension to stay following a head coaching interview he had with Boise State. Even if the Eagles don't hire Moore, sitting down with a rival OC for a few hours could be useful.

Jan. 13 

  • We heard about the Eagles' interest in Arthur Smith earlier in the week. According to NFL Network, Smith is scheduled to interview with the Eagles on Thursday. Smith has already interviewed with the Jets and has the Falcons, Eagles and Lions upcoming. 
  • The Jets have completed their second interview with 49ers DC Robert Saleh, and he left their facility without a deal. According to NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark, Saleh is on his way to South Florida to interview with the Eagles tonight. 
  • While there's no news of an interview just yet, NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark says the Eagles are interested in Bills' OC Brian Daboll. The Bills had the No. 2 offense in the NFL in 2020 and did it with MVP candidate Josh Allen leading the way. Allen's transformation into a great player is reason enough for the Eagles' interest. 
  • One of the hottest names in this NFL head coaching circuit has interviewed with the Eagles, a source confirmed to NBC Sports Philadelphia. Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady is just 31 years old but is an innovative offensive mind and is likely to land one of these seven opening. The Eagles have been linked to several defensive candidates but their priority remains having an elite offense and Brady might be an answer.
  • The Eagles are interested in Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark. Day reportedly has no interest in interviewing for head coaching jobs this offseason but he would definitely be a top candidate if he does. Day was with the Eagles in 2015 as the quarterbacks coach under Chip Kelly. Since then, he has had tremendous success at Ohio State. 
  • How's this for a surprise? The Eagles are reportedly expected to interview Patriots ILB coach Jerod Mayo for their head coaching position this week. Mayo, 34, has coached just two years but did also have a long and successful career in the NFL as a player. This is the third defensive-minded candidate linked to the Eagles in the last two days.  

Jan. 12

  • Another defensive coach. This time the Eagles reportedly requested permission to interview Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. Bowles is a former Andy Reid assistant who was the secondary coach and interim DC in 2015. Bowles was the Jets’ head coach from 2015-18.

  • The Eagles reportedly requested permission to interview Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who has been in high demand recently. If Smith interviews with the Eagles, it would be his fifth interview this offseason. The best reason to hire Smith might be the chance he can revive Carson Wentz’s career like he did Ryan Tannehill’s 

  • Lurie said he would consider offensive and defensive coaches and he’s staying true to his word. The first known interview request was for Robert Saleh, the highly regarded defensive coordinator from San Francisco. If Saleh gets hired, he’s reportedly expected to bring 49ers assistant Mike LaFleur with him to be his OC. 

Jan. 11 

  • The Eagles fired Pederson and didn’t waste much time. They reportedly called Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley the same day. Riley is a 37-year-old offensive innovator who coached Jalen Hurts at OU in 2019. He has also coached No. 1 picks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray in recent seasons.
  • Former Eagles quarterback Mike Kafka is someone the Eagles may reportedly consider. Kafka is the Chiefs' quarterbacks coach and if Eric Bieniemy moves on, Kafka is expected to take over as their offensive coordinator ... unless he gets hired away first.
  • During his press conference after firing Pederson, Lurie said he expected longtime Eagle Duce Staley to be a candidate for the job. Staley has been passed over for the head coaching position and the OC job before. This time, it seems like Staley has a ton of support from current and former players. 

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