As the shocking news of the Philadelphia Eagles firing head coach Chip Kelly has trickled in around the football world, there are so many more questions than answers at this early stage in the process.
How could an organization that gave Kelly power over the player personnel department less than a year ago sour on the man so quickly?
These are questions we are going to get answers to in the coming days and weeks. We can all agree on one thing: Kelly the general manager doubled down on Kelly the head coach — something that was an absolute disaster on the field.
We also know that the Eagles are likely going to look to make a pretty quick decision on his replacement. There are already moving parts here that have to be taken into account.
Owner Jeffrey Lurie and president Don Smolenski will join Howie Roseman as the trio leading the search for a new head coach.
Here is a look at five potential candidates to take over what has to be considered an attractive head coaching opening in Philadelphia.
Sean McDermott, defensive coordinator, Carolina Panthers
Likely one of the hottest coordinators in the NFL, McDermott will find himself a highly sought-after commodity come the new year.
After all, Carolina has finished in the top-10 in total defense in three of the past four years with him as the team’s defensive coordinator.
This season alone, the Panthers find themselves in the top nine in points against and No. 4 in total yards given up through 15 games. That’s one of the primary reasons Cam Newton and Co. found themselves with a perfect 14-0 record prior to losing last weekend.
It doesn’t take a genius to realize why McDermott will be linked to the Eagles. He spent 12 years with the organization, beginning as an administrative coordinator in the scouting department and culminating in a two-year tenure as the team’s defensive coordinator.
There could be some questions regarding how his tenure in Philadelphia came to an end. McDermott was fired after seeing his defense finish in the bottom third of the NFL in points allowed back in 2010.
Still, it would be smart for the Eagles to reach out at some point next month to gauge his interest in the job.
Mike Shanahan, former NFL head coach
If the Eagles want to go with experience, Shanahan could be an option here. His success with the Washington Redskins was limited to one playoff appearance in four seasons.
Though, the Super Bowl-winning head coach would bring some legitimacy to the sideline — a part of the equation that has to be taken into account after so many reports of rifts between Kelly and his former players.
Remember, Shanahan was reportedly a candidate for the San Francisco 49ers job last winter.
Finding themselves in a similar situation as San Francisco was last January with a potential of major roster shakeups, the Eagles might look to right the ship with a well-known name.
David Shaw, head coach, Stanford
It’s unlikely Philadelphia would go back to the college ranks to replace Kelly, but anything seems possible at this point. If the Eagles were to do this, it’s probable that Shaw would find himself on the short list.
The success Shaw has had in Stanford since taking over for Jim Harbaugh back in 2011 cannot be denied here.
He’s led the program to four major bowls in five years, including three trips to the Rose Bowl in the past four seasons. During this span, the Cardinal boast a 53-14 record.
Seen as a less demanding coaching candidate than other college options when it comes to front office control, Shaw could very well adjust to the NFL game without much of an issue.
It sure helps here that Shaw did spend nine years as a NFL assistant, including a one-year stint with these Eagles back in 1997.
Hue Jackson, offensive coordinator, Cincinnati Bengals
With just one year of head coaching experience for a then downtrodden Oakland Raiders franchise, Jackson will surely be linked to multiple openings when the calendar switches to 2016.
What Jackson has done to transform Andy Dalton in Cincinnati cannot be denied. Prior to suffering a broken thumb back in Week 14, the former second-round pick was in the midst of a career season with 25 touchdowns and just seven picks.
Bringing Jackson in would enable the Eagles to go with a pro-style offense while potentially finding a way to groom another young quarterback.
Outside of a one-year stint in Oakland, Jackson has spent the past 14 years as an assistant in the NFL. He’s more than qualified to take the reins for an organization. Philadelphia would be a tremendous fit.
Chuck Pagano, head coach, Indianapolis Colts
It’s pretty clear that Pagano will not be back with the Colts next year. Entering this season as a lame-duck head coach, Indianapolis wanted to see him lead the team to the Super Bowl before committing to him long term.
Now that the team is pretty much out of the playoffs heading into Week 17, we should likely hear about a mutual parting of the ways come next week. If so, Pagano will find himself atop of a ton of head coaching lists.
Why wouldn’t Philadelphia look to add this guy as a replacement for Kelly? He’s had a ton of success as a NFL head coach and possesses no real ambition to be a general manager.
In doing this, Philadelphia would be able to add a strong front office man to work with Pagano to rebuild the team’s roster. It just makes too much sense.
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