Eagles have 4 assistants make a list of 2024 head coaching candidates to watch
The 3-0 Eagles are one the hottest teams in the NFL right now, and with success comes poachers from the opposition looking to lure your best coaches away.
When hiring Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia assembled one of the NFL’s youngest coaching staff, and that dynamic group has already been broken up thanks to their versatility and vast talents.
Shane Steichen took his talents to Indianapolis, and he’s doing wonders with Anthony Richardson.
The much-maligned Jonathan Gannon is in Arizona, and his Cardinals just upset the top-ranked Dallas Cowboys.
Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr listed the top 65 potential NFL head coaching candidates for 2024. The Eagles had four assistant coaches on the list, with their offensive coordinator as a two-time nominee.
Brian Johnson, offensive coordinator, Eagles
A former college quarterback at Utah who has known the Hurts family for years, Johnson is completing his second season with the Eagles after serving as the offensive coordinator for the University of Florida, helping get Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts to the NFL.
Prior to that, Johnson played a key role in Dak Prescott earning All-SEC honors at Mississippi State.
He’s now been tasked when making sure the NFL’s most dominant offense keeps its identity while taking the next step in efficiency and innovation.
Johnson is in his first year as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, replacing current Colts head coach Shane Steichen. Johnson, 36, came up through the college ranks with Utah and spent a handful of years with Dan Mullen at Mississippi State and Florida. Mullen was, for a time, on some NFL radars.
Sean Desai, defensive coordinator, Eagles
Desai was associate head coach of the Seahawks for one season after spending eight years with the Chicago Bears from 2013-2021, serving as defensive coordinator, safeties coach, and defensive quality control coach.
Philadelphia had the NFL’s top-ranked pass defense and No. 2 total defense last season, and Desai has gotten off to a fast start, making that unit even more dynamic.
Desai, 40, took the Eagles’ DC job after Jonathan Gannon went to Arizona. Desai spent 2013 to ’21 with the Bears in various roles, working his way up to defensive coordinator. Desai has spent time with two of the most revered defensive coaches of our generation: current Dolphins defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and current Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll.
Marcus Brady, senior offensive assistant, Eagles
Brady spent time in Indianapolis alongside coach Philadelphia head Nick Sirianni for three seasons and can assess where teams will attack the Eagles’ offense.
Brady was the Colts’ offensive coordinator (2021-22), and Colts’ QB coach (2019-20) prior to joining Philadelphia.
In his first season as offensive coordinator, Brady helped Indianapolis rank second behind the Eagles in rushing yards per game (149.4) and tied for ninth in points per game (26.5).
Brady, a potential head coach from our list last season, is now a senior offensive assistant with the Eagles. A former CFL standout at quarterback, Brady was the Colts’ offensive coordinator before the Jeff Saturday–Frank Reich debacle. He was brought on as a consultant for the Eagles during their Super Bowl run a year ago and remains in Philadelphia now.
D.J. Eliot, linebackers coach, Eagles
The former DC at Temple, Eliot comes from the coaching tree focused on the principles of the 3-4 defense and simulated pressures. The popular coach led defenses at both Colorado (2017-18) in the Pac-12 and Kentucky in the SEC (2013-16). And prior to that, Eliot coached defensive ends at Florida State (2010-12) in the ACC.
Eliot joined the Eagles after a long stint in the collegiate ranks as a defensive coordinator at Kansas, Temple, Colorado and Kentucky. The 41-year-old had a struggling Owls team averaging more than three sacks per game in 2022, finishing top 10 in the country in the metric.
