The Eagles’ search for a new offensive coordinator took an intriguing turn Wednesday, as they interviewed a familiar face with deep Philadelphia roots and a long history with head coach Andy Reid.
Matt Nagy, most recently the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs, met with the Eagles to discuss the open OC position. While the Eagles had reportedly been eyeing Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll as top candidates, both are now off the table, prompting the team to pivot toward someone they know well.
Nagy’s connection to Philly runs deep. A Central Pennsylvania native and former University of Delaware quarterback, he began his NFL coaching career in Philadelphia.
From 2008 to 2012, he worked under Reid in various assistant roles, starting as a coaching intern and rising to offensive quality control coach. That early foundation with the Eagles helped launch a career that would later include a head coaching stint with the Chicago Bears and two separate runs as offensive coordinator in Kansas City.
Most recently, Nagy spent the last three seasons guiding Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense. But things have shifted in Kansas City.
Despite being a finalist for the Titans’ head coaching job - which ultimately went to Robert Saleh - Nagy appears to be on his way out. Reports suggest that Reid is preparing to bring back Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator, and with Nagy’s contract set to expire, the writing is on the wall.
While Reid is the primary play caller in Kansas City, Nagy’s fingerprints were still on the offense. However, the unit has been trending in the wrong direction.
In 2023, the Chiefs ranked ninth in total offense. That dropped to 15th in 2024 and slid even further to 20th this past season - a year that saw the team finish 6-11 and miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
That kind of regression, particularly with a quarterback like Mahomes under center, raises fair questions about Nagy’s recent impact.
Before returning to Kansas City, Nagy spent four rollercoaster seasons as head coach of the Bears. He came out of the gate strong, earning NFL Coach of the Year honors in 2018 after leading Chicago to a 12-4 record. But that season ended in heartbreak, as the Bears fell to the Eagles in the infamous “Double Doink” playoff game - a 43-yard field goal attempt by Cody Parkey that bounced off the upright and crossbar before falling short with just 10 seconds left.
After that high point, things gradually unraveled. The Bears went 8-8 in back-to-back seasons, and Nagy wrestled with play-calling duties - handing them off to OC Bill Lazor in 2020, taking them back in 2021, and then relinquishing them again.
In his four years in Chicago, the Bears never finished higher than 21st in total offense and bottomed out at 29th. A 6-11 finish in 2021 sealed his fate, as the team moved on from both Nagy and quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, turning to rookie Justin Fields in a transitional year.
Despite the ups and downs, Nagy brings a wealth of experience with quarterbacks. He’s worked closely with veterans like Alex Smith and Mahomes in Kansas City, as well as younger talents like Trubisky and Fields in Chicago. And going back to his early days in Philly, he was part of the staff that developed Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb, and Michael Vick.
There’s also a quirky footnote to Nagy’s Eagles tenure. During training camp in 2009, with the team dealing with a rash of quarterback injuries, the Eagles briefly signed Nagy - then an unpaid coaching intern - to serve as an emergency camp quarterback.
The NFL quickly voided the deal after one practice, citing a preexisting contract Nagy held with an Arena Football League team. Still, it’s the kind of story that sticks with a guy - and shows just how intertwined Nagy’s football journey has been with the Eagles organization.
Here’s a quick snapshot of Nagy’s coaching path:
- Philadelphia Eagles (2008-2009): Coaching intern
- Philadelphia Eagles (2010): Coaches' assistant
- Philadelphia Eagles (2011-2012): Offensive quality control coach
- Kansas City Chiefs (2013-2015): Quarterbacks coach
- Kansas City Chiefs (2016-2017): Offensive coordinator
- Chicago Bears (2018-2021): Head coach
- Kansas City Chiefs (2022): Senior assistant & quarterbacks coach
- Kansas City Chiefs (2023-2025): Offensive coordinator
Now, the Eagles are giving serious consideration to bringing Nagy back - this time to run their offense. With his history in the building and experience across multiple quarterback archetypes, he checks a lot of boxes. But there are also questions about his recent track record and whether he can reinvigorate an offense that needs a fresh spark.
One thing’s for sure: the Eagles are turning over every stone in their OC search. And in Matt Nagy, they’ve found a candidate who knows the city, knows the system, and has seen the NFL from just about every angle.