The Philadelphia Eagles replaced both of their coordinator positions Tuesday, promoting their quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson to offensive coordinator and naming Seattle Seahawks associate coach/defensive assistant Sean Desai as defensive coordinator.
Johnson replaces new Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen at OC. Desai replaces defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who left to become head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
Johnson, a quarterback at Utah, will assume play-calling duties under head coach Nick Sirianni.
The Eagles also announced other changes to their offensive staff. Alex Tanney was promoted to QBs coach to replace Johnson. Marcus Brady was named a senior offensive assistant and T.J. Paganetti is now run game specialist and assistant tight ends coach.
Johnson has known Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts for two decades. Hurts was a 4-year-old ballboy at Baytown Lee High School in Texas when Johnson played quarterback and Hurts’ father, Averion, was a coach.
Johnson, 36, spent two years as quarterbacks coach of the Eagles. He previous coached in the college ranks at Florida, Houston, Mississippi State and Utah. As quarterbacks coach at Mississippi State, Johnson led the recruiting efforts of Channelview High School (Texas) quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Hurts and Sirianni credited Johnson for much of the team’s offensive success in 2022.
Sirianni said Johnson was “huge” in Hurts’ development but also influential in his articulation of the offense and scheme to players at other positions.
“Brian is also very gifted in the sense of helping be able to scheme, even though he wasn’t the offensive coordinator last year, he still helps a great deal with our schemes and the way we’re attacking defenses in the run game, in the pass game, in the protection world, in situationals,” Sirianni said. “He’s been a great influence, obviously, for Jalen. And Jalen’s done a nice job, obviously. But it’s a good relationship of those two guys because I do believe that’s helped Jalen become a better player.”
Desai, 39, joined the Seahawks last year after working one season as the defensive coordinator with the Chicago Bears. The Temple graduate also served as the Bears’ defensive quality control coach (2013-18) and safeties coach (2019-20).
–Field Level Media
