The Philadelphia Eagles were confident coming into the season that Kevin Patullo would succeed Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator without this offense missing a beat. Instead, it appears the organization has found itself repeating what happened with Brian Johnson, thus forcing a new search for a new Eagles offensive coordinator this offseason.
Some fans are hoping that Mike McDaniel becomes available. However, the second-half turnaround by the Miami Dolphins makes that improbable and another team would hire him as a head coach if he became available. For the same reasons, we’re excluding Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen. So, Philadelphia will need to be a bit more realistic in its search.
Let’s take a quick dive into a few potential Eagles offensive coordinator candidates to replace Patullo.
Antwaan Randle El, Chicago Bears Assistant Head Coach
NFL teams seeking an offensive coordinator this offseason will take a deep dive into the Chicago Bears coaching staff, wanting to find someone who has worked closely alongside Ben Johnson. There are a few options Philadelphia could choose from, including running backs coach Eric Bieniemy, but Antwaan Randle El might be the top option.
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The former wide receiver has made a name for himself in the coaching ranks. He learned from Bruce Arians (2019-20) in Tampa Bay and then joined Dan Campbell’s coaching staff as wide receivers coach (2021-24). When Johnson took the head-coaching gig in Detroit, one of his first moves was hiring Randle El.
The 46-year-old’s background is working with wide receivers, but he’s also learned firsthand from Johnson about the importance of committing to the run game and sticking with it in the first half. In that way, he could offer a nice mixture of philosophies along with some new ideas that the Eagles coaching staff needs.
Ron Gould, Los Angeles Rams RBs Coach
NFL teams are always keeping an eye on assistants who have spent a few years working with Sean McVay. There’s a strong case to be made that Philadelphia needs to become more of a run-heavy team next season, putting less on the shoulders of Jalen Hurts and making it easier for him. That takes us to the Los Angeles Rams coaching staff, with a focus on running backs coach Ron Gould.
Gould, 60, has been coaching running backs since 1997. He coached running backs at Cal from 1997-2007, proving instrumental in the success of Marshawn Lynch, Justin Forsett and Jahvid Best. McVay hired him as the Rams’ running backs coach in 2023, and over the last two seasons, Los Angeles ranks seventh in Rush EPA and leads the NFL in Rushing Success Rate. Plus, Kyren Williams has developed into a Pro Bowl running back.
This would certainly be a risky hire for Philadelphia, but Gould would have the advantage of working with Nick Sirianni, Parks Frazier and Jeff Stoutland. Plus, given his age, it’s highly unlikely any team would pursue him as a head coach in future years.
Brian Daboll, Former New York Giants Head Coach
Quite a few current and former NFL head coaches will be mentioned as potential Eagles offensive coordinator candidates. Regarding Doug Pederson, how he left the organization makes a return seem unlikely. As for Mike McCarthy, he’ll likely have a shot at head-coaching interviews this offseason. The one former head coach who probably needs to do some damage control for his reputation is former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll, and this would be the best opportunity for him.
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If Saquon Barkley is willing to give a sign-off on his former head coach, Daboll demonstrated in New York that he’s very willing to center his offense around the All-Pro running back. That would also mean keeping him involved in the passing game, something Patullo hasn’t done since taking over as the Eagles offensive coordinator.
The downside with this potential hire is that if the Eagles offense explodes in 2026, this is likely a one-year solution since Daboll wants to become a head coach again. However, if Philadelphia believes it has a very narrow Super Bowl window, that’s still a long-term cost worth paying.
Hank Fraley, Detroit Lions Run Game Coordinator
If the Eagles were to poach offensive line coach and run game coordinator Hank Fraley from Detroit, we think it would be with a specific plan in mind. Fraley would get to focus on working with the entire staff to build a thorough game plan for each week, while Jeff Stoutland continues to be the go-to man for the offensive line.
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This would also mark a return to Philadelphia for Fraley. A former UDFA in 2000, he spent five seasons with the Eagles and made 71 starts at center. The 48-year-old has spent his entire coaching career working with the offensive line, but he earned a promotion to run game coordinator this season. After years spent working under Ben Johnson, Fraley could take what he learned and finally have a chance to prove himself as an offensive play-caller, and he’d have a phenomenal supporting cast around him to execute his offense.
