Eagles Head Coaching Rumors

Update:

Adam Schefter is now reporting that the Eagles are expected to pursue Chiefs OC Doug Pederson to be their next head coach.

• ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that former Giants HC Tom Coughlin is withdrawing his name from consideration for Eagles head-coaching position.
• According to Schefter, Coughlin didn’t view this as the right fit for him.

The Eagles have interviewed Tom Coughlin, Chiefs OC Doug Pederson, RBs coach Duce Staley, interim HC Pat Shurmur, and Giants OC Ben McAdoo, and Buccaneers OC Dirk Koetter. 

We’ll have more updates regarding the Eagles’ job as the news is available.

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Ian Rapoport is now reporting that the Eagles are set for a “face-to-face meeting” with Tom Coughlin on Thursday.

According to Rapoport, this meeting should be a lot more in-depth than their first meeting.

• Adam Schefter reports that the Eagles have turned their attention squarely to former Giants HC Tom Coughlin regarding their HC vacancy.
• According to Schefter, the two sides have had intensified conversations since Wednesday night.
• Ian Rapoport reports that talks with Coughlin have intensified and things coud go down very quickly.
• Rapoport adds that there are “ongoing discussions” between Tom Coughlin and the Eagles, and even though there are still some questions to answer, the two sides are “far down the line.“

Meanwhile, Dan Graziano reports that although Coughlin was impressed with the 49ers and what they have to offer, he felt as though the distance from his home and his wife’s feelings about moving so far away are major factors.

Coughlin reportedly feels that he has two to three years left.

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ESPN’s Adam Schefter discussed the Eagles’ head-coaching search during an interview with  97.5 the Fanatic Morning Show. Interestingly enough, Schefter said that it’s his sense right now that Giants OC Ben McAdoo could be the “front-runner” for the Eagles’ job.

“I don’t know that [Pederson]’s the front-runner. I know that he’s square in contention for that job, I know they really like him. In my mind, my sense — these are just senses — is that Ben McAdoo is the front-runner. But I don’t know that to be right. I think Pederson and McAdoo both are square in the conversation,” Schefter said, via Philly Mag.

“I think Tom Coughlin‘s interview went well. You can’t meet with him and not be impressed by the coach and man he is. But ultimately, as good and as impressive as he is, I just think the Eagles’ model here is to find someone that they can work with for the next 10 to 15 years and I don’t think Tom Coughlin fits that description as good of a coach as he is…

“Maybe even Pat Shurmur would be in consideration because he is a very good football coach. But to me, I would handicap McAdoo as the favorite for whatever that’s worth and we’ll see if that’s proven right.”

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The Eagles announced that they’ve completed their interview with former Giants HC Tom Coughlin on Monday.

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Ralph Vacchiano reported earlier in the day that the Giants still have an offer for Tom Coughlin on the table to stay with their organization. However, Coughlin has reportedly told people he wants to coach again.

• Tom Pelissero reports that the Giants have granted the Eagles permission to speak with Coughlin regarding their head-coaching vacancy. Pelissero adds that a source close to Coughlin told him last week that there is still a chance he could be coaching in 2016.
• According to Jason La Canfora, the Eagles will meet with Chiefs OC Doug Pederson on Sunday and then travel to interview Tom Coughlin on Monday.
• Coughlin still has another year remaining on his contract, which explains why the Eagles had to ask for permission to speak with him.
• Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Eagles initially pursued Texas A&M HC Kevin Sumlin at the start of their head-coaching search. However, Sumlin has reportedly told people he wants to remain in the college game for now.

Coughlin resigned from the Giants earlier in the week, and this is the first reported interest in him since then. Previous reports have said that Coughlin would likely consider opportunities to coach again, so we’ll have to see if he does, in fact, meet with the Eagles.

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Howard Eskin was able to get a response from Jon Gruden regarding the report that he’s expressed interest in the Eagles’ head-coaching job.

“I’m not interested,” Gruden tells Eskin.

Jason La Canfora also calls the idea of Gruden being interested in the Eagles’ job “ridiculous” while adding that it’s “not happening” and hasn’t been discussed.

Here’s the original report of his interest in the Eagles’ job:

Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News, citing a league source, reports that former Buccaneers HC Jon Gruden has informed Eagles owner Jeffery Lurie, through an intermediary, that he is interested in their head-coaching vacancy.

Domowitch’s source added that Lurie likes and respects Gruden, but still has reservations about his willingness “to play nice” with executive Howie Roseman.

However, Gruden has reportedly told people that working with Roseman wouldn’t be an issue.

Even so, Lurie and the Eagles are reportedly focused on other coaching candidates with the option of getting in touch with Gruden, should they be underwhelmed, left as a possibility.

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The Eagles announced on Thursday that they have interviewed Giants OC Ben McAdoo for their head-coaching vacancy. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that McAdoo’s meeting with Philadelphia went “very well.”

• Reuben Frank of CSN Philly refuted a report that the Eagles scheduled a second interview with Bears OC Adam Gase.
• Jason La Canfora reports that Chiefs OC Doug Pederson will interview with the Eagles for their their head-coaching vacancy on Sunday no matter the outcome of Saturday’s game.
• Alex Marvez is reporting that the Eagles plan to request permission to speak with Buccaneers OC Dirk Koetter.

• Paul Schwartz reports that  the Eagles will interview Giants OC Ben McAdoo on Thursday. Philadelphia is reportedly waiting for owner Jeffrey Lurie to be available for this meeting.

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Reuben Frank of CSN Philly refutes a previous report that the Eagles have scheduled a second interview with Bears OC Adam Gase.

According to Frank, the Eagles have yet to schedule a second interview with any candidate.

Frank admits that this could change in the coming weeks, and that they could still be very high on Gase as a head-coaching candidate. However, there is apparently no follow up interview scheduled as of now.

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Ian Rapoport reports that Bears OC Adam Gase impressed the Eagles enough during his recent interview that they plan to bring him back for a second interview this weekend.

• Gase met with the team on Tuesday, and appears to already be on their short list of candidates.

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Reuben Frank of CBS Philly reports that the Eagles are not considering Jaguars assistant HC Doug Marrone for their head-coaching vacancy.

Bears OC Adam Gase is scheduled to interview for the job Tuesday, and Buccaneers OC Dirk Koetter could be brought in later on in the week.

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Alex Marvez of Fox Sports is reporting that Buccaneers OC Dirk Koetter is on the Eagles’ radar for an interview regarding their head-coaching vacancy.

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Alex Marvez of FOX Sports reports that Bears OC Adam Gase, Lions DC Teryl Austin and Giants OC Ben McAdoo are among the candidates the Eagles will consider pursuing as replacements to Chip Kelly.

Earlier in the day, reports said that Chiefs OC Doug Pederson is a legitimate candidate for the job as well.

Saints HC Sean Payton has also come up as a speculative option for the Eagles, but New Orleans will be looking for draft compensation in return for their head coach.

Austin and Gase are both linked to a number of jobs, so the competition could intense for these two candidates.