Eagles OC Shane Steichen listed as top head coaching candidate for 2023
If the Eagles continue their hot start and finish as one of the top teams in the NFL, they’ll more than likely lose some of their coaches next offseason. Whenever a team finds success, especially in a quick fashion like the Eagles have, replacing coordinators becomes a yearly tradition.
Philadelphia knows this reality all too well. Following their Super Bowl victory in 2017-’18, they immediately had to replace OC Frank Reich and QB coach John DeFilippo. The team failed to adequately replace either of them and, well, you know what happened next.
The Eagles find themselves in a similar position right now. With three wins in as many weeks under their belt, rumors about potential head coaching candidates from their staff have already began circulating.
Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr put together an extensive list of potential head coaching candidates for 2023. The list goes through 65 candidates, ranked from most likely to become a HC to least likely.
To kick off his list, Orr went with none other than Eagles OC Shane Steichen. Ever since it became known that Steichen was the play caller for Philly’s offense, his name has been floated here and there as someone to watch next offseason.
Just three weeks into the 2022 campaign, he’s already atop SI’s head coaching list for next year.
SI on Eagles OC Shane Steichen:
“Well, the first one is in order. Steichen is our top candidate for the 2023 season. In the pressing search for the next great offensive-minded head coach, Steichen seems to have slipped between the cracks despite a strong track record. He was instrumental in preparing Justin Herbert for his surprise rookie season (Herbert was thrust into a starting role with almost no preparation) and has been equally important in the development of Jalen Hurts—the Eagles’ offense is behind only Miami, Kansas City and Baltimore in terms of efficiency.
It’s not hard to see their multifaceted approach, which helps Hurts and the Eagles transcend the idea of a ‘system,’ being copied around the league. Steichen is a mastermind at creating mismatches and had a roster trending in the right direction with a rookie receiver as the primary passing threat in ’21 before Philadelphia upgraded their talent set.”
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Steichen wasn’t the only Eagles coach listed either. Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon also cracked the top-10. JG interviewed for the Houston Texans job this past offseason and is well regarded around league circles, so it’s no surprise that he’s a prime HC candidate for next year as well.
In regards to Steichen, his stock has catapulted through the early portion of the NFL season. As SI points out, Steichen has been instrumental in the development of Jalen Hurts this year, as well as LA’s Justin Herbert during his rookie campaign.
The Eagles currently lead the NFL in total yardage and they’re tied for second in the league with a 6.4 yards per play average. Their passing offense has been dynamic as well, racking up 890 yards through the air (third in the NFL) while averaging a league-best 13.9 yards per completion.
The NFL is a copycat league, especially on the offensive side of the ball. If the Eagles continue to dominate on that side of the ball, Steichen’s days in Philly are numbered, unfortunately.
Hopefully Nick Sirianni is better at replacing his coordinators than Doug Pederson was. He’ll probably have to do it as early as next offseason.
Mandatory Credit: USA Today Sports
