As the Philadelphia Eagles continue to reassess their offensive game plan, the situation surrounding Kevin Patullo suggests things are expected to improve.
After Patullo was told on Tuesday that his role would change, as some are saying he wasn’t fired, the expectation around the league is that Philadelphia will explore external candidates who can come in and make a major difference.
Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia connected the Eagles to a far more accomplished name in Kevin Stefanski, the former Cleveland Browns head coach.
“Kevin Stefanski: The Browns fired Stefanski after six years at the helm in Cleveland and a 45-56 record. While Stefanski’s time with the Browns ultimately didn’t work out, he was saddled with Deshaun Watson and one of the worst trades in NFL history.
“Stefanski, 43, has Philly roots and seems to have a good relationship with Nick Sirianni. These two teams have held joint practices together for several years. Stefanski is garnering head coaching interest so he might not need to take an OC job. Before becoming the head coach in Cleveland, Stefanski was the OC in Minnesota after working his way up the ranks,” he wrote.
The Browns are one of the worst-run organizations in the NFL, and a lot of the struggles they dealt with on both sides of the football can't really be blamed on Stefanski.
However, it's also fair to point out that he didn't do a great job developing quarterbacks during his time with the organization.
For the Eagles, Stefanski would bring head-coaching experience and proven offensive structure, and his background as a coordinator suggests he could slot into a similar role and be happy with it for a year or two.
However, there isn’t a clean or guaranteed path.
Stefanski is already drawing head coaching interest, and he may prefer to wait for another top job rather than step back into an offensive coordinator role, even with a contender.
The Eagles appear open to adding a proven offensive mind who can bring clarity, structure, and credibility to a unit that lost its edge all season.
I think this would be an A+ hire for all involved.