Eagles hire Washburn to coach D-line
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Eagles hire Washburn to coach D-line
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
UPDATE 2:
Jim Washburn is credited with developing many players into stars; his most recent is Jason Babin.
Babin, a former first-round pick who become something of a journeyman and spent last season with the Eagles, is heading to the Pro Bowl next week. He is bringing Washburn and his wife along to Hawaii.
“It stinks that he’s leaving. He’s the greatest position coach I’ve ever had," Babin told Jim Wyatt, of the Tennessean, who broke the initial story of Washburn's talks with the Eagles.
"He’s the guy who poured water on me, let me have sunshine, gave me fertilizer, and really let me grow."
"There’s been no “Hey Jason, 'We want you in Philly' discussions, but it would be hard for me not to contemplate it."
Babin is a free agent, but said he won't rule out a return to Tennessee:
“There’s no hard line, but it’s like “Dang, Wash was my coach. So we'll see."
UPDATE: The Eagles have announced that they have hired Washburn as their defensive line coach.
"We are thrilled to add a quality defensive line coach in Jim Washburn,” said head coach Andy Reid in a statement. “He had a great tenure with Jeff Fisher and the Tennessee Titans and he’ll play a big part in the development of our defensive line moving forward. He’s had a number of Pro Bowl players working under him over the years with the Titans and we’re happy to have him join our coaching staff in Philadelphia.”
Said Washburn: “Words cannot express the gratitude I have for Jeff Fisher and the Titans organization for allowing a nobody like me to coach in the NFL for the last 12 years.
"An opportunity came along for me to join the Eagles and I felt like it was good timing. At this stage of my career, I’m ready to make a change. This is no reflection on the state of the Titans but just a good opportunity for me.
“My wife, Sandy, and I have long planned to make Middle Tennessee our home and that is still our plan. However, we look forward to moving to Philadelphia and joining a top-flight organization like the Eagles and work for a premier coach in Andy Reid.”
From EARLIER:
Jim Washburn, the 61-year-old Tennessee Titans assistant who seems to be in the process of becoming the Eagles' defensive line coach, is known as a fiery, demanding technician, who feels he has found his niche in teaching d-linemen their craft.
"I just like coaching, and I'm blessed to be at this place," Washburn, who joined the Titans in 1999, told a Nashville reporter in 2003. "I don't want to be a head coach or a coordinator. I just like what I do."
Washburn went to the whip to get the most out of the Titans' 2002 first-round pick, Albert Haynesworth. "I was like,'is this guy serious?' He was cussing at me, and everything, and I didn't know what to expect," Haynesworth said, in the 2003 story. "He's going to express his feelings. I didn't think I could take it, but I did, and it helped me out a lot."
Titans head coach Jeff Fisher called Washburn "a passionate instructor." Fisher's assistants work on one-year contracts, and Washburn might have tired of that arrangement, especially with Fisher's fate briefly up for grabs when the 2010 season ended, and the longtime head coach under pressure to deliver big in 2011 or move on.
Washburn coached on crutches for several weeks this past season after a sideline collision with a player in a Sept. 19 game.
It was Washburn who pushed for Tennessee to sign Jason Babin as a free agent last year. Miscast as a linebacker after being drafted in the first round by the Texans, Babin made the transition to defensive end but didn't quite find a foothold in Seattle, Kansas City or Philadelphia. Washburn freed Babin to just beat the tackle in front of him and go after the quarterback. Babin responded with 12.5 sacks and a Pro Bowl berth.
Washburn would be a great upgrade over Rory. Hopefully he can motivate our underpreforming high draft picks along the line.— Dawk20
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- @ jay for the 9,999 time please loose the mug shoot hate to see this guys facebook account LOL!!!!!!! — vickfan79
- I would be an upgrade over Rory. But Washburn reminds me of the good veteran D-line coach the Eagles had from 1999-2005. A definate upgrade.— 76er
- Rory was a terrible special teams coach.....and a terrible secondary coach......and low and behold a terrible d-line coach....anybody see a pattern here? Never played the game, never played any of those positions...ah....but he was smart! Like Obama who "read up" on what it would take to be President, Rory thought he could master the art of coaching football by reading up and studying hard.....nah-ah....— Mark1npt
- Wonder how Washburn feels about DT's that "Wrestled in High School". That seems to be a priority in the Eagles thinking in drafting these guys....and then DE's with the proverbial "High Motor".
— Cant Climb - I give 5 weeks into the season before people are calling for his head and saying "I wish we had McD back..."— ESFjellin
- Now, can we somehow manipulate getting Jeff Fisher to be our DC ? Les, like you noted to the one fellow above... can you start something by putting that out there in print please ? It just needs to be a suggestion, worded in such a way that it's not fact... just speculation by "some"... We're counting on you, Les !— landt
- Les - nice job patroling the comment board. Nice to have a new voice for the D, this was the right move.
- Comment removed.
- Correction: "wishful speculation", not "actual" speculation... don't want lies, just the suggestion, that's all.— landt
- Good hire but it does not matter if we have the same talent....we still need a big stud defensive lineman.......and could he help us get Hainsworth...? Now that would be news....— nuggett
- Now, if the Eagles can get Babin back we'd have two really good DEs to play under Washburn. I thought Babin played well here but was in the wrong system for his abilities. I'm not saying I'm a genius but he goes to TENN and is a beast. Maybe with Washburn he'll find us another Babin-type player. Who knows, maybe he can actually make Graham a good DE. Oh and I love that "Les Bowen" is correcting the idiots who just throw out comments without doing any research, especially the "internet 101" comment. Classic.— amg
