PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 06: A general view prior to the game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on September 6, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)The Philadelphia Eagles are the latest NFL team to move on from their head coach. Doug Pederson was fired today after five seasons.
Philly is getting a late start on the coaching hot stove, but that doesn’t mean they still can’t land an impactful hire. We’ve already gotten reports on Chiefs quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka being a possible name to watch as well as a portion of the fan base already advocating for Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
ESPN’s Tim McManus mentioned both of those men as people for Eagles fans to keep an eye on, but also presented another intriguing potential candidate: Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley.
Riley has led the Sooners to a 45-8 record with four Big 12 titles and three College Football Playoff appearances over the last four seasons. He is known for his work on the offensive side of the ball.
“Some believe the Eagles will make a run at Oklahoma Sooners coach Lincoln Riley,” McManus wrote. “He coached Hurts at the college level, has majored in the QB position and is said to have a strong relationship with Eagles general manager Howie Roseman. It would probably take big money to lure Riley out of Norman, but they might view it as a wise investment.”
What the Doug Pederson firing means for the Eagles and Carson Wentz: https://t.co/5FyJjl25s2
— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) January 11, 2021
There are safer hires out there, but ponying up to land Riley would be a bold strike for a Philadelphia franchise that is badly in need of some shaking up.
Like McManus said, it won’t be easy to pull this off, if Philly even wants to hire Riley. But if they do it, it will make the NFC East a whole lot more interesting in 2021.
