When Jeff Stoutland announced on Wednesday that he wouldn’t be returning as an Eagles coach, it changed the whole perception of what the 2026 team was going to look like. There were also immediate concerns about the esteemed OL coach making a choice to leave an organization he has been loyal to for 13 years.
There isn’t a better offensive line coach in the NFL than Stoutland, and even if he isn’t as familiar with Sean Mannion’s scheme, it’s hard to think anyone else is going to develop talent at the level Stout did. That part specifically will also impact how the Eagles evaluate draft prospects — they won’t have Stoutland on hand to help turn an Australian rugby player into an All Pro left tackle anymore.
Aside from some of the on-the-field concerns, the reason why Stoutland opted to leave instead of stay is just as notable. ESPN’s Tim McManus reported that head coach Nick Sirianni essentially took over the run game late in the season and didn’t talk to Stoutland about the changes he was making. If that’s the case, it’s important to note that the Eagles run game improved in the back-half of the season, but disrespecting a coach as revered as Stout probably isn’t the way to approach it.
Stoutland leaving the Eagles could also have an impact on Lane Johnson and whether the 13-year veteran RT decides to retire instead of return in a whole new system. Obviously losing the longest-tenured player in the locker room, in addition to the longest-tenured coach, isn’t ideal for the culture they both spent years building.
See More:
