Early Wednesday afternoon, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson was hired by the Cleveland Browns to be their next head coach. But according to Sports Illustrated's Michael Silver, the Eagles put in a late call for Jackson.
If you're an Eagles fan who wanted Hue: Your team at least put in a call, albeit very late in the process
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) January 13, 2016
Many Eagles fans were clamoring for Jackson–a guy who has 14 years of NFL experience and has shown the ability to get the most out of his offensive talent.
But surprisingly, Jackson was not even on the Eagles' coaching list. While appearing on 97.5 The Fanatic last Friday night, ESPN insider Adam Caplan had the following to say about Jackson and the Eagles, via Bleeding Green Nation.
"Hue Jackson is not on the Eagles’ list. I don’t know why. If he doesn’t get an interview from the Eagles, they’re making a mistake. I’ve watched this guy work. He commands respect. He has such command of players."
"Joe Flacco told me a story. I remember having a long talk with coaches he had in his career. Not only was [Hue] one the favorite coaches that he’s had, he’s such a good teacher, and he handled him so well. Very direct. That’s what the [Eagles] lacked with Chip [Kelly]. Directness. He didn’t get it."
A guy who relates to players while also commanding their respect? Sounds like the complete opposite of Chip Kelly, and it also sounds like the type of candidate Jeffrey Lurie described during his press conference last month, via CSNPhilly.com.
"[Someone who] interacts very well and communicates clearly with everyone he comes in touch with," Lurie said, adding he's looking for someone who will open their "heart to players and everybody you want to achieve peak performance" and someone who has "a style of leadership that values information, all the resources that are provided and at the same time values emotional intelligence. … A combination of all those factors creates the best chance to succeed."
So why wouldn't the Eagles at least look into Jackson at an earlier date? Well, Jackson has a history of demanding power over player personnel–a bridge that Howie Roseman and Lurie would likely prefer not to cross after enduring the disaster of Chip Kelly.
Despite reports that the Eagles weren't interested in Jackson, they still decided to throw in a call right before he accepted the Cleveland Browns' head coaching position. Was this to please the people who were begging for the Eagles to at least interview Jackson? Or was this a move by a front office that is desperate and panicking?
Whatever it is, it doesn't reflect well on the state of the Eagles' front office. When Lurie fired Kelly one week before the regular season ended, he justified it with the notion that the front office could get a jump-start on the coaching search. However, that rationale hasn't translated to results.
Since firing Kelly, the Eagles have interviewed just six candidates, including Duce Staley, Pat Shurmur, Ben McAdoo, Adam Gase, Tom Coughlin and Pederson. Pederson appears to be the front runner to land the Eagles' head coaching job, especially with the report that the Eagles have concluded interviews.
