Eagles potentially impacted by Panthers and Jets coaching news

Jan 26, 2023 - 7:48 PM

Two significant NFL coaching developments that came forth on Thursday could potentially hold meaning for the Philadelphia Eagles.

1) Frank Reich was hired by the Carolina Panthers.

2) Nathaniel Hackett was hired by the New York Jets.

With a number of angles to consider, let’s just get to the in bullet-point form.

• Reich landing in Carolina is noteworthy from the standpoint that the offensive coordinator from the Eagles’ only Super Bowl win has a new head coaching job after getting fired (read: somewhat scapegoated) by the Indianapolis Colts. Good for him. Now ... just don’t bring Carson Wentz to the Panthers.
• Reich could’ve been a potential replacement for Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, who has interviewed for multiple head coach openings. Nick Sirianni obviously loves Reich.
• Reich going to Carolina rules out one of the three teams that Steichen interviewed with. It seemed like there was more momentum with Steichen and the Panthers than the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts openings. Jonathan Gannon seems to be a more serious candidate for the Texans while there is talk that Jeff Saturday, who got a second interview with Jim Irsay, might shed the interim label in Indy.
• While the Eagles might have a higher chance of retaining Steichen with Carolina hiring Reich, there is a chance that the former Eagles OC targets members from Sirianni’s coaching staff. Passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo and/or offensive consultant Marcus Brady could be in the mix for positions with the Panthers.
• The Eagles will play the Panthers next in 2024. Assuming Reich isn’t one-and-done, they’ll see him then. They previously beat him in 2018. He got fired before they could face him this year.
• Hackett to the Jets means that Patullo and Eagles quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson can be ruled out for that job. There was buzz about those guys interviewing for that position.
• Does Hackett to the Jets mean that Aaron Rodgers might end up in North Jersey? We’ll see. That approach certainly didn’t work out for the Denver Broncos. If it did happen, though, the Eagles would get to see Rodgers leave the NFC. They’d take that. Though they would have to face him in 2023 since the Eagles play the Jets next season.