Report: Brian Johnson interviews with a third team, Nick Sirianni to meet with Eagles ownership on Friday

A third team has put their name in the hat for the services of Eagles OC Brian Johnson.

The Atlanta Falcons announced on Thursday that they have completed an interview with Johnson for their head coaching vacancy.

We have interviewed Eagles Offensive Coordinator Brian Johnson for our head coach opening

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) January 18, 2024

Atlanta joins the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers as teams interested in the first-year offensive coordinator.

Johnson, who served as the Eagles’ QB coach in 2022, garnered league-wide interest last spring for available OC jobs, but Philadelphia promoted him from within to replace Shane Steichen.

Despite their struggles, the Eagles ranked 7th in scoring (24.2 PPG), 8th in total offense (354.4 YPG), and 9th in red-zone scoring percentage (60.0%) in Johnson’s first year as play-caller. There’s a growing belief within NFL circles that Johnson is a bright, young offensive mind who served as the middle-man in Sirianni’s limited scheme.

The Falcons have a second interview lined up with former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, with a deal all but imminent barring an unforeseen development, per NFL Insider Josina Anderson.

As for the Eagles, owner Jeffery Lurie will give Nick Sirianni a chance to present a plan for the future at their impending exit meeting. Per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Sirianni and GM Howie Roseman have begun contacting available NFL coaches and coordinators to potentially join their staff in 2024.

Doug Pederson was afforded the same luxury in 2021, but his plan did not meet Lurie’s expectations and was dismissed.

Nick Sirianni will meet with owner Jeffrey Lurie and will be expected to have a plan for how he is going to improve the Eagles. This will include a pitch on potential new coordinators and assistant coaches, per sources. This is why coaches around the league have been contacted.

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 18, 2024

During yesterday’s locker clean-out, several players endorsed Sirianni as head coach, including Jalen Hurts, Flecther Cox, and Jason Kelce.

“I didn’t even know that was a thing,” Hurts said when asked about Sirianni’s future. “I didn’t know that was a thing. So I don’t see why that wouldn’t be the case. We plan on fixing everything that we’ve done and growing together, Coach Sirianni, Brian, everyone.”

Fletcher Cox didn’t even entertain the idea of moving on from Sirianni.

 “Come on, man. He’s the head football coach. There ain’t even no f—ing discussion about that, man.”

Left tackle Jordan Mailata also seemed perplexed by the rumors surrounding his head coach.

“I don’t understand that. He’s taken us to the playoffs three consecutive years. He’s taken us to the Super Bowl last year. That’s gotta account for something. He’s a hell of a coach. Hell of a coach. I feel stupid saying that, how did we get there?”

“Of course, yeah. I love Nick,” Jason Kelce said. “I think Nick’s a great coach. I really do. I think he’s a great head coach. Obviously, nobody was good enough this year. I wasn’t, none of the players, none of the coaches were good enough down the stretch. That’s the reality of this business. When you’re that bad, it’s a collective thing.

“I’ll always have faith in Nick Sirianni. I think he does a lot of things structurally and organizationally that I think are really well done.”

Lurie is scheduled to meet with Nick Sirianni at the NovaCare Complex tomorrow for the head coach’s end-of-season exit interview, an NFL source said, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane.

Jalen Hurts on the Nick Sirianni endorsement. #Eagles pic.twitter.com/058L0vVbuh

— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) January 18, 2024

Mandatory Credit: BILL STREICHER | USA TODAY SPORTS