Eagles Hire Sean Mannion To Lead Offensive Reboot

The Philadelphia Eagles have officially ushered in a new era for their offense, announcing the hiring of Sean Mannion as their offensive coordinator on January 29, 2026. After a 16-day search filled with speculation and second interviews, the Eagles landed on the 33-year-old Mannion, who most recently served as the Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach. The decision marks a bold move for a franchise eager to recapture its Super Bowl-caliber offensive form after a disappointing 2025 campaign.

Mannion replaces Kevin Patullo, who lasted just one season as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator before being dismissed following a playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The Eagles’ offense, once a powerhouse, sputtered in 2025—ranking 24th in total yards per game (311) and 19th in points per game (22.3). Those numbers were a far cry from the top-10 finishes the unit achieved in the previous three seasons, and the pressure is now on Mannion to engineer a turnaround.

The road to Mannion’s hiring was anything but straightforward. Multiple candidates, including Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, former Buccaneers OC Josh Grizzard, Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, and ex-Chiefs OC Matt Nagy, all received second interviews. The Eagles also reportedly pursued high-profile names like Brian Daboll, Declan Doyle, and Arthur Smith, but ultimately, it was Mannion’s vision and rapid ascent in the coaching ranks that won over head coach Nick Sirianni and the front office.

"I'm thrilled to have Sean Mannion on board as the new offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles," Sirianni said in a statement released by the team. "My goal throughout this process was to operate with an open mind regarding the future of our offense to find the best fit for the Eagles. Over the last few weeks, I had an opportunity to meet with a number of talented candidates and great offensive minds. Sean did just that." Sirianni praised Mannion’s "systematic views on offensive football and his strategic approach," highlighting the young coach’s "wealth of knowledge and experience" despite his limited time on the sideline.

Mannion’s journey to Philadelphia is a testament to his football acumen and adaptability. Drafted in the third round by the Rams in 2015, Mannion carved out a nine-year career as a backup quarterback, making stops with the Rams, Vikings, and Seahawks before retiring after the 2023 season. Though he started only three games in his playing career, his time under the tutelage of offensive innovators like Sean McVay, Kevin Stefanski, Kevin O’Connell, and Klint Kubiak exposed him to a variety of cutting-edge systems. All four of those coaches are linked to the Mike Shanahan/Kyle Shanahan/McVay coaching tree—one known for its creativity and adaptability.

After hanging up his cleats, Mannion quickly transitioned to coaching, joining Matt LaFleur’s Packers staff as an offensive assistant in 2024. He was promoted to quarterbacks coach in 2025 after Tom Clements retired. In his lone season in that role, Mannion played a key part in the development of Jordan Love, who enjoyed a breakout year with a 66% completion rate, 23 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, and a 101.2 passer rating—fifth in the NFL and sixth among quarterbacks who started at least 10 games. Mannion also earned praise for readying backup Malik Willis, who stepped in seamlessly when Love suffered a concussion late in the season. Willis completed 27 of 32 passes for 409 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions in 1.5 games, posting a sparkling 139.6 rating in relief.

But questions linger about Mannion’s lack of play-calling experience—he’s never called plays at any level, with LaFleur handling those duties in Green Bay. That uncertainty extends to the Eagles, where it’s unclear if Mannion or Sirianni will be the primary play-caller in 2026. Sirianni has previously delegated those responsibilities, as seen with Shane Steichen and Kellen Moore, both of whom led the Eagles to Super Bowl appearances before moving on to head coaching jobs. Brian Johnson and Patullo, each first-timers, lasted just one season as the Eagles fell in the wildcard round both years.

Despite his inexperience, Mannion’s background as a career backup quarterback may be an asset, especially in working with Eagles signal-caller Jalen Hurts. Mannion has "seen everything in the NFL, every system, every offense, and every defense that works to counter explosive offensive units," according to reporting from NBC Sports Philadelphia. His ability to relate to Hurts and other veteran Eagles—such as running back Saquon Barkley and wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith—could be invaluable as he seeks to revitalize an offense that struggled with consistency and big plays last season. Hurts’ completion percentage dipped to 64.8%, his lowest since his first full year as a starter, and his bad-throw percentage ballooned to 16.7%, the worst since his rookie campaign. Barkley, coming off a 2,000-yard rushing season, found little room to run in 2025 as defenses stacked the box with impunity.

For Mannion, the challenge is steep. The Eagles have cycled through offensive coordinators at a dizzying pace, with a new face in the role every year since 2022. Mannion becomes Sirianni’s fifth OC and Hurts’ seventh play-caller, a level of instability that’s rare even in the NFL’s coaching carousel. Yet, if Mannion can quickly find his footing as a play-caller and infuse the offense with the ingenuity he absorbed from the McVay-LaFleur-O’Connell tree, the Eagles could be poised for a resurgence.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur offered a glowing endorsement of Mannion’s future in coaching, saying, "I really do think this guy's going to have a bright future for us and in the coaching profession. I love his past experience and I figured he was always going to go down this route. I’ve always respected how he went about the process, how he prepared for games, how he helped Jared being a backup for us." LaFleur’s confidence in Mannion’s preparation and football IQ mirrors the optimism in Philadelphia’s front office.

Mannion’s hiring also signals a potential philosophical shift for the Eagles. For the first time, they’ve tapped into the Shanahan/McVay coaching lineage, known for its heavy use of pre-snap motion, creative run schemes, and adaptability to personnel. If Mannion can successfully blend those concepts with the Eagles’ existing talent, fans in Philadelphia might soon see an offense as dynamic as the team’s vaunted defense.

As the Eagles gear up for the 2026 season, the spotlight will shine brightly on Mannion. Will his meteoric rise continue, or will the growing pains of a young coach in a marquee role prove too much? For now, the Eagles are betting on fresh ideas and a new voice to spark their next great run.