The Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive coordinator search to replace Kevin Patullo has begun and there are two names at the top of their list: Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll.
This much according to a report from NFL insider Dianna Russini.
Let’s take a closer look at each candidate.
Mike McDaniel
McDaniel was fired by the Miami Dolphins last week after going 35-35 (including playoffs) in four seasons as a first-time head coach.
He originally landed that job due to his success working with Kyle Shanahan. The two overlapped on NFL coaching staffs together for five different teams first from 2006-2008 and then from 2011-2021.
The Dolphins had an above average offense in 2022 and then one of the NFL’s best in 2023 before McDaniel’s units declined over the next two seasons. While dealing with injury issues along the way, starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa regressed and ultimately got benched by the end of 2025.
Despite his struggles in Miami, other teams still seem interested in hiring McDaniel as a head coach; he’s received multiple interviews in that capacity. He’s also reportedly interviewed for the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator opening.
At first glance, Jalen Hurts doesn’t seem like a natural fit for McDaniel’s schematic styling. But the Eagles could be thinking that McDaniel will adjust to a new quarterback.
There’s also the question of how McDaniel fits in the building with his former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who left after spending just one year in Miami. I see that as an overblown concern because I don’t know that they necessarily hate each other as much as Fangio wanted to get to Philly and the gruff defensive coordinator wasn’t the right personality fit for McDaniel’s vision as a head coach, which is not the role the Eagles would be hiring him for.
Color me intrigued by McDaniel but I tend to think he’s going to get a head coaching job.
Brian Daboll
Let’s just say I would not be surprised if the Eagles hired Daboll.
The 50-year-old has been available since being fired by the New York Giants, where he went 21-41-1 over four seasons (not so fun fact: his last win was over the Eagles in Week 6).
Daboll received a head coach interview from the Tennessee Titans but I don’t think teams are eager to hire him in that role.
Further, Daboll has multiple connections to the current iteration of the Eagles:
- He overlapped with Sirianni on the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021. Daboll was their offensive coordinator while Sirianni served as KC’s wide receivers coach.
- He overlapped with Hurts at Alabama. He was the Crimson Tide’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2017. Hurts threw 17 touchdowns to one interception that year while also rushing for 855 yards. Of course, that’s the year when Hurts got benched for Tagovailoa during the team’s national championship win.
Though Daboll largely struggled outside of his first season on the Giants (where he helped to make Daniel Jones look decent), he previously had success coaching Josh Allen on the Buffalo Bills from 2018-2021. Now, part of that is Allen being a freak who probably looks pretty good with most offensive coordinators. But Daboll’s experience working with mobile quarterbacks (including Hurts for one year) could make for a good fit in Philly.
Which OC candidate do you prefer, Eagles fans?
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