The Philadelphia Eagles are still searching for their next offensive coordinator, and so far, it’s been a bumpy ride. Two potential targets-Joe Brady and Brian Daboll-are now off the board, with Brady getting the nod as head coach in Buffalo and Daboll reportedly heading to Tennessee as their new OC. That’s left the Eagles looking at some less conventional options, and one name that’s recently gained traction is Sean Mannion.
Yes, that Sean Mannion-the former NFL quarterback who’s currently serving as the quarterbacks coach in Green Bay. Mannion has never called plays at the NFL level, and he’s never held a coordinator position. But despite the lack of experience, he's now in serious consideration for one of the highest-profile OC jobs in football.
On the surface, it’s a head-scratcher. The Eagles are fresh off a Super Bowl win, they have a franchise quarterback in Jalen Hurts, and they’re built to win now.
That’s not typically the kind of situation where you hand the keys to a 33-year-old first-timer. And Philly fans have seen how this movie plays out before.
Under Nick Sirianni, the Eagles have already rolled the dice on inexperienced play-callers-Brian Johnson and Kevin Patullo both got their shots and flamed out quickly. The contrast is stark when you look at Shane Steichen and Kellen Moore, who thrived in the role and have since become head coaches.
So if Mannion is going to be the guy, he’ll need help. That’s where names like Matt Nagy and Joe Lombardi come into play.
Both bring experience-Nagy as a former head coach and play-caller in Chicago, and Lombardi with a recent stint as Denver’s OC. And while Nagy’s time in Kansas City didn’t end on a high note (the Chiefs’ offense dropped from 9th in total yards in 2023 to 24th in 2025), he does have a track record of managing an offense, something Mannion simply doesn’t.
Lombardi, meanwhile, helped guide the Broncos’ offense from 26th in 2023 to 10th this past season. It wasn’t always pretty, and Denver’s offense never quite found its rhythm, but the improvement was real. That kind of experience could be invaluable if the Eagles go with Mannion and want someone in the room who’s been through the fire.
The big picture here is clear: the Eagles can’t afford to get this wrong. Jalen Hurts is a dynamic talent, but he hasn’t always had the structure around him to unlock his full potential. Patullo, for instance, struggled to maximize the offense during his time as OC, and his departure-especially as other high-profile coordinator jobs are being filled-might end up being a move Philly regrets.
The Eagles have the pieces to make another run. They’re still the reigning champs, and the roster is loaded.
But Sirianni can’t do it alone. If Mannion ends up being the choice, the front office has to surround him with the right support.
Otherwise, they risk repeating the same mistakes that plagued the Johnson and Patullo eras-promising on paper, but ultimately underwhelming on the field.