When the Philadelphia Eagles suffered a crushing Wild Card loss to the San Francisco 49ers, scrutiny immediately fell on the offense. What had once been one of the league’s most dangerous units looked disjointed and ineffective on the season’s biggest stage, raising major questions about the team’s direction moving forward. Days later, Philadelphia moved on from offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, leaving one pressing question heading into 2026: who would take over offensive coordinator, and, possibly more importantly, play-calling duties?
Head coach Nick Sirianni was the most obvious option, given his offensive background and previous experience running an offense. However, both Sirianni and the organization signaled a desire to take the unit in a different schematic direction than it had in recent seasons. Rather than doubling down on the same approach, the Eagles appeared committed to finding new ideas and a fresh voice to guide the offense. That mindset led to a wide-ranging coordinator search, spanning candidates with extensive play-calling résumés as well as others with little to none.
Just over two weeks after Patullo’s departure, the Eagles agreed to terms with Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach and former NFL quarterback Sean Mannion. Despite never calling plays at any level, Mannion will now be tasked with leading one of the league’s most high-profile offenses. The team is betting that his experience as both a player (Mannion has nine years of playing experience) and a coach, combined with years spent inside successful offensive systems, can help offset his lack of direct coordinator experience.
Mannion has worked under several respected offensive minds, including Packers head coach Matt LeFleur and Rams head coach Sean McVay, two coaches known for creative, modern offensive structures. Philadelphia is hoping that influence translates into a more adaptable scheme and a rejuvenated attack, helping restore an Eagles’ offense that declined sharply after its 2024–25 Super Bowl run.