When Brian Johnson was tapped as the Eagles' successor to offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, there was reason for optimism. The 36-year-old QB coach had worked well with QB Jalen Hurts, and it was assumed that would continue even in an elevated role.
Instead, things didn't pan out as the Eagles had hoped for Johnson. Now, it looks like the promising young coach will be employed elsewhere next season.
Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Tuesday that Johnson won't be returning to the Eagles in 2024.
Brian Johnson won’t be returning to the #Eagles as offensive coordinator, NFL sources said, confirming @RealDGunn.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) January 23, 2024
Nick Sirianni will have to replace both his OC and DC. Colts OC Jim Bob Cooter was mentioned as a possibility, but he won’t be among the top candidates, I’m being…
Johnson's ouster is an intriguing one given his role in developing Hurts. He helped the star quarterback turn into a borderline MVP and reach the Super Bowl just a season ago. His work in that regard was enough to earn him some head coaching looks this offseason.
Now, he will be looking for work with another NFL team, and the Eagles will be looking to replace both their offensive and defensive coordinators for a second consecutive offseason.
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Why did the Eagles fire Brian Johnson?
The Eagles' decision to part with Johnson might seem strange when looking at the numbers in a vacuum. Philadelphia ranked eighth in yards per game (354.4) and seventh in points per game (25.5) during the season, making it a top-10 unit.
However, a deeper dive reveals that the offense regressed from its peak under Steichen in 2022. That version of the Eagles' offense ranked third in both yards per game and points per game with largely the same personnel.
| Eagles offense | Yards per game (rank) | Points per game (rank) |
| With Steichen in 2022 | 389.1 (3rd) | 28.1 (3rd) |
| With Johnson in 2023 | 354.4 (8th) | 25.5 (7th) |
The offense as a whole wasn't the only issue. Hurts endured one of his most difficult seasons as a starter. He posted an 11-6 record in the regular season and accounted for 38 total touchdowns, but he threw a career-high 15 interceptions. That was good for the third-most league-wide behind only Sam Howell (21) and Josh Allen (15).
The other concern with Hurts is that he didn't get better in Johnson's offense as the season progressed. In fact, over the last seven games of the regular season — during which the Eagles went just 1-6 — Hurts completed just 61.1 percent of his passes for an average of 193.5 yards per game. He totaled nine touchdowns (four rushing) and five interceptions while posting a below-average passer rating of 77.6.
One could certainly argue that Johnson deserved more time to acclimate himself to the offensive coordinator role and that one season wasn't enough time to fully implement his preferred system. He also had a positive, longstanding relationship with Hurts, so the two could have worked together to fix the team's offensive issues.
That said, coach Nick Sirianni was facing a lot of internal pressure after the Eagles were one-and-done in the playoffs following their late-season collapse. There was even some speculation that he could be fired despite leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance just 11 months earlier.
Given the deficiencies with the offense, Johnson's ouster might have happened either way, but it's also possible he was merely the scapegoat in a bad all-around situation.
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What's next for the Eagles, Brian Johnson?
For the second time in as many offseasons, the Eagles will be bringing two new coordinators into the fold.
As McLane noted, Jim Bob Cooter is expected to be among the candidates to become the Eagles' offensive coordinator, but he isn't expected to be the top option. Other candidates for the position have not yet been revealed.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Eagles have already interviewed Ron Rivera for their defensive coordinator job. The team will likely bring in some other experienced, proven coordinators as they look to replace Sean Desai there.
Replacing two coordinators is no easy task, as it will force the Eagles to install new systems once again ahead of the 2024 NFL season. Even with months to prepare, the team might start a bit slower than usual as it gets comfortable on both sides of the ball.
While the Eagles look at a future without Johnson and Desai, those two will continue to look for work with other teams. Johnson interviewed with the Falcons, Panthers, and Titans during those teams' head coaching searches, so he might land in any of those spots as an assistant.
Desai is also a well-regarded assistant, so he could end up being a defensive coordinator at another location. At the very least, he should be a high-ranking assistant.
