Former Cowboys offensive coordinator emerges as a candidate for Eagles' opening
Former Cowboys offensive coordinator emerges as a candidate for Eagles' opening originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Eagles are interviewing Chargers assistant Kellen Moore for their offensive coordinator opening on Thursday, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero first reported the request.
Moore spent the last year with the Chargers as offensive coordinator under Brandon Staley, who was fired last month and replaced Wednesday by former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.
Moore is technically still under contract with the Chargers, but since Harbaugh is expected to bring in his own staff, the Chargers are expected to allow other teams to interview Moore. Pelissero also reported Thursday that the Browns have requested permission to interview Moore for their OC opening and are expected to get permission.
Moore, 35, spent parts of six seasons as a backup quarterback with the Lions (2012-14) and Cowboys (2015-17) before starting his coaching career in 2018 as the Cowboys’ quarterbacks coach. After one year, he was promoted to offensive coordinator and held that position from 2019 through 2022.
The Cowboys were ranked 6th, 17th, 1st and 4th in Moore’s four years running the Cowboys’ offense, the first year under Jason Garrett and three under Mike McCarthy.
After the Cowboys lost to the 49ers 19-12 in a conference semifinal game in Santa Clara a year ago this week, the Cowboys and Moore parted ways. A day later, he was hired by the Chargers, and in his one season in L.A. the Chargers went 5-12 and ranked 21st in offense.
Moore is the third candidate that’s surfaced so far for the Eagles’ offensive coordinator vacancy, which opened up when the team moved on from Brian Johnson after three years on Nick Sirianni’s staff and one year as offensive coordinator.
All three candidates – Kliff Kingsbury, Jerrod Johnson and Moore – were big-time college quarterbacks who have experience coaching high-powered NFL passing attacks and have had success working with big-time quarterbacks – Kingsbury with Patrick Mahomes, Johnson with C.J. Stroud, Moore with Dak Prescott.
Sirianni said Wednesday that an ability to work closely with Jalen Hurts and get the most out of Hurts and help him return to his MVP-caliber form in 2024 is the top priority for whoever fills the job.
“It's really important that those two guys are going to work hand in hand to make sure we're getting back to where we need to be,” Sirianni said.
During Moore’s four years in Dallas as offensive coordinator and play caller, the Cowboys averaged 27.7 points per game – 2nd-most in the NFL behind the Chiefs’ 28.8. During his five years in Dallas as either QBs coach or OC, they had the 4th-most passing yards in the NFL with 256 per game.
Moore’s only NFL playing time came in with the Cowboys at the end of the 2015 season.
With Tony Romo injured and Brandon Weeden and Matt Cassel struggling, Moore played in the last three games, starting two, and threw four touchdowns and six interceptions vs. the Jets, Bills and Washington. He threw for 435 yards with three TDs against Washington in his final NFL appearance.
When Moore played for the Lions, his head coach for two years was former Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, and one of his offensive coaches was Jeremiah Washburn, now the Eagles’ edge rusher coach.
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