Source: Spags to Coach in '12; Open to Birds
A source close to fired St. Louis coach Steve Spagnuolo says the former Eagles assistant intends to coach in the NFL in 2012. He expects to have several options, but would be open to the idea of returning here.
Source: Spags to Coach in '12; Open to Birds
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Steve Spagnuolo, fired this week as head coach of the St. Louis Rams, has considerable cachet as a defensive coordinator, despite his 10-38 record in three seasons running the Rams. That's because Spagnuolo was the Giants' DC when they won the Super Bowl four years ago, and is considered by many to be the architect of that triumph. Before that, Spagnuolo was among the best and brightest on Jim Johnson's Eagles defensive staff.
Sometimes when a coach is fired with a year left on his deal, he prefers to sit back and watch, maybe do a little TV work, collecting the paycheck. A source close to Spagnuolo said today that is not Spags' mindset. The source said Spagnuolo, 52, expects to coach in the NFL next season, and would be interested in any opening that might occur with the Eagles.
That's news because the Newark Star-Ledger last week implied otherwise, noting that Spagnuolo was not happy his final year in Philadelphia (2006). When then-Birds offensive coordinator Brad Childress got the head coaching job in Minnesota, Childress wanted to take Spagnuolo with him as defensive coordinator. But Eagles coach Andy Reid said that when he was in Green Bay, Mike Holmgren had a rule about assistants who left to become head coaches -- they should build their own staffs, not pilfer from his. Reid said he wasn't letting Childress take anyone with him.
Of course, a year later Spagnuolo left for the Giants, and that all worked out pretty well for him. And last year at the NFL Scouting Combine, Spagnuolo took part in a dinner organized by former Reid assistants, Spags speaking appreciatively of his former head coach.
The source did not say Spagnuolo definitely is coming back here. He expects to have options, the source said, and no doubt he is interested in weighing them. We still don't know there is an opening with the Eagles. Team chairman Jeffrey Lurie seemed to send mixed signals on defensive coordinator Juan Castillo in Lurie's Tuesday press conference. There has been speculation that even if Castillo stays, Spagnuolo might return as some sort of assistant head coach, adding defensive savvy to the mix and perhaps positioning himself as Reid's logical successor.
All we know right now for sure is that Reid isn't going to do any sort of season wrapup press conference until the Castillo situation is resolved. And no such press conference has been scheduled.
This comment has been deleted.— Flyboy24
Comment removed.- For gosh sakes, Jeffery, grab him NOW......he will be a giant upgrade....and if Andy is upset, get Andy to give JC part of his money as Andy is the one who screwed JC with no talent and no philosphy....— nuggett
- Reid will probably NOT want Spagnola looking over Reid's shoulder.. and being a threat to take Reid's head coaching job.— frank105
- "orgasnized"?????? For Pete's sake - doesn't every modern word processing system have spell-check?— SMitchell
- The Eagles will futz around until someone else signs Spagnuolo. And then say "Yeah, we thought about him but we kept coming back to Juan and the way he turned things around in the last four games." Andy has no intention of getting a guy who would challenge his opinions.— NM Eagle fan
- This is so true. And the sad part is, it (the futzing) will be deliberately done. And then they'll announce that they "tried" to contact Spagnuolo but were unable to (before he signed elsewhere, probably the Giants). They'll lie in order to try to convince the fans that they were earnest in their attempts but Spagnuolo went in another direction. The Eagles front office are perennial liars led by the biggest liar of them all, literally and figuratively, Reid. — essell
- Why are people talking about spags as a future head coach. He hasn't proved anything as a head coach, if anything he has proven he isn't one. Bring him in as AHC or DC but don't make him out to be the next coming of AR only better. He hasn't showed that he deserves that mantle.— ceocreates
- Is Andy still the coach??— eagles2010
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- I would have been happy to stick with Castillo, EXCEPT for the fat that Spags is available. If we could have had him last year, we would have. Jeff Lurie basically said as much in his press conference.— croozn
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- Let Him go to NY.. We DO NOT WANT SPAGS!!!
SICKING WITH JUAN !!!— dmanphilly - I am just thankful that another reporter didn't just repeat the strange logic that the wide 9 stops him from being the DC. The wide nine is a technique not even really a formation(3-4, 4-3) and definitley not a defensive system. Someone said that(probalym an Eagles insider trying to set us up for why Castillo has to stay) and for half the season we have been listening to how the wide 9 dictates all. Balogna. As long as the DC runs the 4-3, the wide 9 can still be a big part of the equation maybe even used properly, like on obvious paassing downs? I haven't seen one reporter actually try to explain why a DC couldn't run blitz packages and use the wide 9. If anything with how fast Cole and Babin are on the edge combined with the gaps created when they line up in it, it should open up delayed blitzes between the tackles for LB's and safeties(which aslo can become effective run blitzes as well). If any reporter wants to write it, they should at least explain the technical reasons why it can't be done. If you want a clue, the reason that Spags/JJ protege might have an issue with it sometimes is because they occasionally drop back the DE in their Zone Blitz schemes. But truthfully, outside of when JJ was doing it with a different type of team(ahem, he had a HOF safety with a special set of skills that made him a force in the box and blitzing), does it really make that much sense to have Trent Cole and Babin dropping back? Didn't you all run McDermott out of town for doing exactly that? Somehow I think that is a minor issue. Sign Spags as AHC Defense with Castillo as his underlink(heck you can still call him DC if you want.) Wide 9 stays as well.— UncleStosh
- I agree with this. Well said. — Eaglefan1991
- Does anyone else think it seems strange that there have been no comments from Andy at all and no press conference scheduled? Note that Lurie said he wanted Andy back, not Andy will be back. I'm guessing Andy takes a job elsewhere with a 5 yr contract rather than return here on a 1 yr deal. He'd be stupid not take the add'l guaranteed 4 yrs since it sounds like nothing short of a Super Bowl win here leads to an extension. He's definitely not stupid. That would be the best business decision for him. And us!— habitualloser
- You guys are presuming that there will be teams clamoring for Reid's services. Other teams have taken note of the journalistic and fan-base criticisms of Reid's intractable faults and unyielding refusal to adjust and/or change as concerns propensity for the selection of undersized personnel and overloaded pass-play selection as well as his inability because of those flaws, to get his team over the top. Reid's teams are perennial brides maids. — essell
- Hire Spagnuolo now before someone else grabs him.— vinnybravo
- Lurie won't let him take a deal. He is under contract here - Lurie may trade him like Oakland did with Gruden but Andy can not just take another deal elsewhere - he is still under contract— boomer64
- Hiring Spags makes perfect sense, which is why the Eagles won't do it. Go Phils!— iceman
- Hiring Spags makes perfect sense, which is why the Eagles won't do it. Go Phils!— iceman
- I really don't think Lurie sent any mixed messages. Although it was hidden, what I heard was "Andy, you're coming back. I thought you made a mistake with Castillo, but I'm not bailing you out. You hired him, you fire him." - Seems pretty obvious that Juan is already out (as evidenced by Lurie's comments). Andy's going to have to eat crow. According to Lurie, the players behind Reid, not Juan. I would be really surprised to see Castillo still on the staff by then end of the Super Bowl. Lurie is setting it up so any incorrect decision by Andy is on him, and any correct decision makes Lurie look good for empowering his coach to make the coaching decisions (unlike Mr. Jones in Dallas).— jhendl3
- Realize that Boomer. Not discounting compensation. Don't be surprised when Andy leaves. You heard it here first.— habitualloser
- this guy sucks. I love how everyone in here jumps like they know anything about him. His TEAM won the super bowl against the Pats. He sucked as a coach for the Rams. Please. You people complain just to complain.— thingfish
- If they hire Spagnuolo, keep Juan as D assistant, the only other two glaring problems are Howie as primary draft board setter, and time management person for Andy.— camasbud
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- Spags is supposed to get the Eagles fans to come back. Laurie thinks he is leading the sheep to the slaughter. With some of you, i guess he's right. As long as Reid remains coach, i will no longer back them. I'm done.— mddon
- I say get Rex Ryan after he's fired by the Jets.— sheilkijawani
- It wouldn't help and it would the whole NFL that the defence had nothing to do with Vick's awful play. Besides, my source says he is replacing Rob Ryan in Dallas.— mario1239
- The Eagles should already have a deal to Spagnola on the table. Pusuit should have begun the day he was cut loose. It is probably too late right now if the Eagles dragged their feet.— billtfla
- Andy is trying to find a job for Juan. When this task is completed Spaggs will be hired and Andy will tell us that TIME'S YOURS.— garcia7
- Has there been an easier question? Consider this, would would have happened had the Eagles started ok and lost the last 4 to finish 8-8? Would any coach be back? I would hope there is a spot of Castillo because I think he works hard and did his best . All of the problems were not his fault. The players needed to make plays and three plays meant the differance between being in the payoffs and going home. But if you can get Spags, you have to do it.— dstump2
- The guy that will decide our DC for next year will be Washburn. I'm sure Reid and Washburn will talk about how well Castillio did this year and if he should return.— ej610
- Spags better not end up in Dallas, NY or Washington!— ej610
- C'mon Andy, do something right, bring in Spags.— Eaglefan1991
- I think he would bring stability to the defense. As far as potentially replacing Reid as HC some time soon...Im not sure about that. I think the Rams were thin on talent and had injuries.— RealizticFan
- It may not take a Super Bowl win for Andy to get a new contract here, but I think it will at least take a Super Bowl appearance. At this point, I'd have to say the odds of that happening in 2012 are not very good.— SteveS11
- If Andy would have done the right thing and let Spags go to the Vikings, he never would have landed with the Giants and they probably would have never won the Super Bowl. So, not only has Andy's stubbornness over the years prevented the Eagles from winning a Super Bowl, but it also helped a hated division rival win one. Great work, Andy!— phink
- It'll be fun watching people's heads explode when it's announced that Castillo is returning.— p-diddy
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- Spags cant take Reid's job for one. This is a offensive oriented league and defensive Coordinators come a dime a dozen. Not to take away from Spags because I think he is one of the great ones in the league and the closest thing we can get to Jimmy J. But the things Andy Reid can create on offense when he is clear minded is unique. Only a handful of coordinators can put points on the board like Reid can. Sean Payton, Mike McCarthy and whoever Bill Bellicheck hires to run the Patriots offense at any given year.
Defense wins games for sure. But offense makes money. And we know who Jeff Lurie is.— Zeru
