Eagles have their offensive coordinator and it's no surprise originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
As expected, Eagles quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson will be Nick Sirianni’s new offensive coordinator.
The news has been expected for a couple weeks, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday morning that it’s now a done deal, and a league source confirmed the news to NBC Sports Philadelphia.
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Not surprisingly, the highly regarded Johnson had “multiple opportunities” for other offensive coordinator jobs before electing to remain with the Eagles.
MORE: Another candidate for Eagles' DC job withdraws
Johnson, who was coached in high school by Jalen Hurts’ dad, has a great relationship with the Eagles’ quarterback and is widely credited for Hurts’ historic rise from a raw backup who started four games in 2020 with modest success to MVP runner-up and Super Bowl star in 2022.
Johnson will be the Eagles’ first African-American offensive coordinator ever and the fourth in the NFL, along with Washington’s Eric Bieniemy, the Bucs’ Byron Leftwich, the Panthers’ Thomas Brown,
The 36-year-old Johnson replaces Shane Steichen, who spent the last two years as offensive coordinator under Nick Sirianni before becoming head coach of the Colts.
The Eagles ranked in the top three in virtually every major offensive category in 2022 on their way to a franchise-record 14 wins and a trip to the Super Bowl.
Sirianni said two weeks ago that whoever replaced Steichen would call plays.
“It does help me manage the game better in my opinion,” he said. “It helps me interact with the players more on the sideline. And it helps me be able to discuss something with somebody upstairs to get on the defensive headset when the offense is up or vice versa. Yes, that will be my intent, to let the next offensive coordinator call the game.”
Johnson was the play caller in his two years as offensive coordinator at Utah in 2012 and 2013 and also called plays as offensive coordinator at Houston in 2017. Utah averaged 27 and 29 points in his two years in Salt Lake City, and Houston averaged 28 points per game in 2017.
Johnson had a hand in calling plays when he was Florida’s offensive coordinator in 2020, although head coach Dan Mullen was the primary play caller. The Gators averaged 40 points per game that year, leading to Sirianni hiring Johnson.
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Steichen is one of four assistant coaches that have left Sirianni’s staff this offseason. Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon became Cards head coach and then hired Eagles linebackers coach Nick Rallis as his defensive coordinator, and defensive quality control coach Joe Kasper left to become safeties coach with the Dolphins under Mike McDaniel.
The Eagles haven’t officially announced any replacements yet.
