Sean Mannion’s coaching career just hit the fast lane.
After a single season as the Packers’ quarterbacks coach, the former NFL signal-caller is stepping into the spotlight as the new offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles - a role that’s equal parts opportunity and landmine. It’s a bold move for Mannion, who’s just three years removed from taking practice squad snaps with the Vikings and Seahawks. Now, he’s calling plays for one of the league’s most scrutinized franchises.
And if history is any indication, this job could either launch his coaching career into the stratosphere… or send it spiraling.
The Philly OC Job: High Risk, High Reward
Chris Long - Super Bowl champ, former Eagles defensive end, and one-time teammate of Mannion back in their Rams days - summed it up best on his Green Light podcast: being the Eagles' offensive coordinator is like playing Russian roulette.
“You either get a great job or it’s a career suicide type deal,” Long said. And he’s not wrong.
The Eagles’ recent track record at OC is a mixed bag of Super Bowl rings and pink slips. There’s rarely a middle ground.
Let’s run it back:
- Frank Reich (2016-17): Super Bowl winner, parlayed it into the Colts’ head coaching job. Fired in 2022.
Brief stint with the Panthers ended after 11 games. Now advising at Stanford.
- Mike Groh (2018-19): One playoff win, then fired. Landed WR coach gigs with the Colts and Giants.
- Shane Steichen (2021-22): Two playoff wins, now the Colts’ head coach.
- Brian Johnson (2023): Fired after a 10-1 start fizzled into a first-round playoff exit.
Now the passing game coordinator in Washington.
- Kellen Moore (2024): Super Bowl champ, hired as the Saints’ head coach.
Still holding that post.
- Kevin Patullo (2025): One-and-done with a first-round exit.
Currently unemployed.
That’s three OCs who turned the job into a head coaching gig. And three who flamed out - fast. It’s a boom-or-bust role, and Mannion’s stepping right into the fire.
A Young Coach, A Tough Situation
At 33, Mannion’s rise has been meteoric. From clipboard holder to QB whisperer to play-caller in Philly, he’s moved up the ladder at breakneck speed. But he’s inheriting a roster that’s not quite the sure thing it once was.
Let’s start with the weapons - or the potential lack thereof.
- Dallas Goedert is a free agent.
- AJ Brown is swirling in trade rumors.
- Saquon Barkley, now a year older, is coming off a down season (4.1 yards per carry) after his electric 2024 campaign.
- The offensive line has shown signs of wear and tear.
- And Jalen Hurts? Still polarizing.
Still inconsistent. Still searching for that leap from good to great.
This isn’t the same high-flying offense that steamrolled its way to a Super Bowl just two seasons ago. It’s a unit with question marks at every level, and Mannion’s tasked with answering all of them - fast.
The Pressure Cooker
Long didn’t sugarcoat it: this is one of the most high-pressure jobs in football. The Eagles fanbase is passionate, the media microscope is intense, and the expectations are sky-high. Add in a shrinking Super Bowl window, and the margin for error is razor-thin.
“You’re on the back end of the window with the roster,” Long said. “It is a pressure cooker kind of situation.”
But there’s also upside. If Mannion can steady the ship, unlock Hurts, and get this offense humming again, he could be on the fast track to a head coaching job - just like Steichen and Moore before him.
That’s the gamble. That’s the job.
And Mannion, for better or worse, just pushed all his chips to the center of the table.