Sean Mannion, for all intents and purposes, is an unknown. The Eagles’ new offensive coordinator has been a coach for just two seasons. The 33-year-old has never devised or implemented a scheme. He’s never authored a game plan. And he’s never called plays.
He could end up the next Bill Walsh or the next Tom Walsh. More than likely the former backup quarterback will end up somewhere between those polar extremes when it comes to offensive minds of the last four decades. But it’s nearly impossible to assess with any certainty how the neophyte will fare in Philadelphia.
The hire says more about Nick Sirianni’s future than it does about almost anything related to Mannion or the Eagles offense. Whether he made the ultimate decision or not, the coach will have to take ownership for selecting one of the least experienced coordinators in the NFL, if not the least experienced.
Sirianni could be rewarded with immediate success. The Eagles could even have marginal offensive improvement that would allow Sirianni to maintain Mannion for more than one season. But if there is further regression, or even sudden failure, the gamble could push Sirianni into a firing line that saw nine coaches lose their jobs over the past several months.
And here’s why: The line between success and failure for Sirianni is thinner than for most because he doesn’t have a discernible offensive philosophy or calls plays. He does a lot as a CEO-type coach, more than some on the outside are willing to concede.
But winning here is suddenly not like winning at most places. Sirianni helped raise those expectations. But clearing that bar or falling short of it would both seemingly have him back where he’s been four times before: having to replace an offensive coordinator.
Shane Steichen and Kellen Moore became head coaches, while Brian Johnson and Kevin Patullo ended up either fired or demoted. That disparity explains varying perceptions of the job, but ultimately Sirianni chose a candidate who didn’t interview for any of the other 14 coordinator openings.
That doesn’t mean the Eagles didn’t find a diamond. Mannion played under some of the brightest offensive minds in the game today. He rose to quarterbacks coach in Green Bay in just his second season and became an assistant the Packers didn’t want to lose.
“He’s seen as a climber,” said an agent who represents coaches, “and Nick might have gotten in on the ground floor.”
But the Eagles are again making a projection — one even bigger than those they made with first-time play callers Johnson and Patullo.
They opened their search with former head coaches Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll at the top of their list, sources said. That doesn’t mean the Eagles were ready with offers. They had an informal conversation with McDaniel over a video call and met in person with Daboll for a more formal interview.
McDaniel and Daboll eventually took coordinator jobs with the Los Angeles Chargers and Tennessee Titans, respectively. The Eagles interviewed others around the same time, but the search expanded and included more than a dozen coaches interviewed and others in which some form of contact was made.
Some made it clear they wanted to pursue other opportunities. Some declined to be interviewed and opted to stay in their current positions. And some the Eagles deemed not the right fit. Aside from Mannion, Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, former Tampa Bay Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, and Houston Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson met with the Eagles for a second time. A source told The Inquirer on Friday that Grizzard will join the Eagles as the team’s new pass game coordinator.
“Some came with years of experience running an offense and calling plays. Others were young, sharp, and dynamic coaches on the rise,” Sirianni said in a statement. “I felt it was important to be patient and thorough to allow the right fit to reveal himself to us. Sean did just that.”
Sirianni led the process, as he should. But general manager Howie Roseman was heavily involved. And owner Jeffrey Lurie, despite maintaining his winter residence in Florida, was conferenced into the interviews.
The Eagles will say that Sirianni made the final call, but recent history shows Lurie has asserted himself or Roseman’s connections when he has deemed it necessary. The Eagles’ track record in plucking head coaches from relative anonymity — e.g. Andy Reid, Doug Pederson, and Sirianni — is strong.
Sirianni did well with his first coordinator hires: Steichen, who had prior experience, and defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who did not. He struck out with their replacements: Johnson and Sean Desai.
Moore and Vic Fangio have been viewed as Lurie-Roseman-led correctives, and understandably so. The owner and GM interviewed Moore for the head coaching job in 2021, and Roseman made the initial calls to Fangio when the Eagles first tried to hire him in 2023 and when they finally did a year later.
They don’t have an obvious link to Mannion. Sirianni may have been permitted to make the decision all on his own. He did win a Super Bowl just a year ago, and earned a contract extension as a result. Lurie and Roseman may also be giving him all the rope he needs.
There are many unknowns at this stage, beyond Mannion’s qualifications. He will call plays, a source said. But will he have autonomy over the offense or will Sirianni oversee the operation? Will the scheme and terminology be his or will there be a meshing?
The Eagles aren’t planning to hold a news conference. Sirianni’s next media availability will probably be at the NFL scouting combine next month. Mannion will be shielded until the spring. They likely see little reason to divulge their plans unless required.
There’s also a lot to figure out. Beyond the Xs and Os, there’s the coaching staff and the roster. The Eagles do know who their quarterback will be, barring something unforeseen. It’s hard not to view the inability to snag a proven name as an indictment on Jalen Hurts, just as much as it was on Sirianni.
Locals may view Hurts through the prism of his excellence in the biggest games, but consensus from the rest of the league isn’t as generous. Of course, many of them don’t have his ring or Super Bowl MVP.
Mannion will be charged with elevating Hurts into being more consistent in the dropback game. He has been credited with helping Packers starter Jordan Love and backup Malik Willis advance and with helping them become better pocket passers.
It should matter that Mannion played the position and that he’s done it recently. But there could be the question of whether he has enough gravitas for the stoic old soul in Hurts. Sirianni might have suggested two weeks ago that he would include the quarterback in the coordinator search, but his involvement was minimal at best, sources close to the situation said.
Sirianni needs a modern passing game that utilizes under-center play action, not just for Hurts, but for the entire offense, especially the wide receivers. A.J. Brown may be more inclined to want to stay if he sees the possibility of an explosive air attack.
Mannion spent most of his formative playing years with Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay, but he also spent time with Kevin Stefanski, Matt LaFleur, Kevin O’Connell, Zac Taylor, Gary Kubiak, Klint Kubiak, Dave Canales, and Grant Udinski.
Most have fallen under the Kyle Shanahan umbrella. They’ve all deviated from the core principles in some form, but the marrying of the run and pass through under-center play action has been one of the foundations of its success.
Hurts has had to learn to play under center in the NFL and has made incremental improvements, but the Eagles have been far behind the curve. There are other facets as important in modern offenses, but that change should be coming to the Eagles.
It could affect offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland’s role. He has long been the run game coordinator, but he didn’t have as much input last season when the Eagles shifted their game planning and play calling to offset the early struggles on the ground, NFL sources said.
Mannion could be allowed to bring in his own staff, but it’s unlikely he has assistants at the ready. Sirianni could use the new coordinator as an opportunity to make a few changes. It seems unlikely that the esteemed Stoutland would be one, although the new scheme could allow him to focus exclusively on the O-line.
In question is how involved Sirianni will be in the offense. He could act as a senior consultant to Mannion, or he could hire a trusted veteran to help the young coordinator. Sirianni might want to avoid someone who could be considered a threat or a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency alternative.
Or maybe he just reassigns Patullo to that role. There may not be anyone better suited to understand the rigors of being the Eagles’ offensive coordinator — both inside the building and out. Patullo had little margin for error.
Mannion should be granted a longer grace period. But how long is Sirianni’s? They’re likely bound together.
