Report: Spagnuolo expected back to Eagles by end of the week
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
Report: Spagnuolo expected back to Eagles by end of the week
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
Steve Spagnuolo is expected to return to the Eagles by the end of the week, Jason LaCanfora of NFL Network reported.
LaCanfora, citing NFL sources, wrote that Spagnuolo would likely replace embattled defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, perhaps not in name, but as the leader of the Eagles defense.
LaCanfora, though, told Ruben Frank of CSNPhilly earlier today that he was reporting that Spagnuolo would visit Philadelphia by the end of the week, not that the former Rams head coach was going to be hired by the Eagles in that time span.
If Spagnuolo is heading to the area, he may show up at Eagles headquarters and find an empty NovaCare Complex. Most of the Eagles decision-makers are on vacation this week. Eagles coach Andy Reid is away until Sunday, a source close to the situation said, so it is unlikely that any coaching changes will be announced before Sunday.
Reid, of course, was able to mastermind overhauling his coaching staff while he was away on a Caribbean vacation last January.
Spagnuolo is currently also on a vacation with his wife (at the same location as Reid?) but is expected to return tomorrow. He was fired by the Rams last week after three years as head coach. Spagnulo spent eight years with the Eagles as a defensive assistant, but left in 2007 to become the New York Giants' defensive coordinator.
If Spagnuolo does not replace Castillo as coordinator he could be named an assistant head coach along with offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. If Castillo is out in his current position, he could fill the vacany at secondary coach after Johnnie Lynn was fired last week.
Former Eagles safety Quintin Mikell, who played under Spagnuolo last season in St. Louis, said last week that he thought his former coach would end up back in Philadelphia. Mikell said that Spagnuolo, as head coach, may have missed calling plays.
I actually feel bad for Juan. He was given a no-win scenario and did his best. The teams defensive stats were not bad either. Working under Spags for a couple of years may be just what he needs to provide experience for future success.— Bobphxville- CharlieGarner25 I wish you would just go away. Eagles are the most exciting team in the NFL and have been that way all my life. I became an Eagles fan when I was 4 years old at the Vet when the Eagles played the Giants on MNF in 1988 my dad took me to the game. All you do is cry about the run pass ratio. Ill admit the Andy is the worst clock manager in the history of the league but this team has the talent to compete next year and make a superbowl run despite that. Sign DJack and the "great micheal vick" will be a pro bowler and have a banner season. Yep I said it. The Eagles will win the superbowl next year if the world doesn't end on Jan 21st. Go E A G L E S! and Frank 105 get out of your moms basement and get a job!— aman1711
- Spags will not ask his DB's to cover man ,one on one because his philosophy is about zone blitzing. Asante is the only zone-blitz cover corner and he will be gone. As long as Dree Brees and Aaron Rodgers are playing QB in the NFC, the Eagles will not win the SB. This move changes nothing.— SilliBilli
- Tell me when will Spags be mine? Tell me Juan-Go, Juan-Go, Juan-Go— dragoon6
- We're still going to have Vick, his turnover anf his 4th quarter chokes. You want excitement? You want last minute wins in the clutch? Trade Vick and Young to Denver for Tim Tebow.— mario1239
- CHUCKSF - Are you SERIOUS, man? If you are referring to the Va-Giants Super Bowl victory over the Patriots, it is universally accepted that the DEFENSE won that game, by harassing, sacking and beating Tom Brady DOWN for 4 quarters. As a matter of fact, all was almost for naught, as Sheli threw a pick RIGHT TO ASANTE SAMUEL on the game winning drive that culminated with Plaxico's TD reception. If anything, Sheli did all he could to LOSE the game. The Va-Giants DEFENSE - not the leat of which was the DEFENSIVE GAMEPLAN and SCHEME - won the SB for the Giants. Please grace us with more of your unmatched Football knowledge. D. OPE!— 5NOT4
- It won't matter! Reid will try a pass on 3rd and 1, we get intercepted. Pat's win again— gmr18901
- A little late for this year.— PhillySubsMac
- Castillo will NOT be let go; he maybe moved but not terminated......Andy loves loyalty, even if it is from incompetency. Now can you imagine if Spags becomes another assistant head coach. Picture the chain of command re defensive sets during a game........Spags calls an allignment but runs it through Andy who makes a decision back to Spags who advices Castillo, who then runs if through The D Line coach who then either passes it on to the field d captain or lets Castillo pass it on to the field....What a ship of fools..........At last count the Eagles were close to 20 coaches....that is almost 1 coach per 2 players. Hey does coaches' salary count towards the Cap? Maybe Spags salary cover the money that may have gone to Jackson...............Oh Well!— ox
- I don't think a coach's salary is counted towards the cap. I could be wrong, though. — spz74
- Reid won't hire Spags - because he should.— ej610
- Doesn't change a thing except the fan's expectations, which will be once again trounced in humiliating fashion. This club is lost, plain and simple. Vick is a injury-prone turnover machine in an unbalanced offense and Reid can't make game day decisions. What's to like about the Eagles? Nothing.— Sam Crow
- 2 beat reports for the Eagles reporting totally different stories. This one says Spags expected back by end of week. And the story directly under it says no word on Spags expected this week. Who do we beleive? Is the Sports Dept. of both papers hedging their stories? That isnt even close to being a similiar story.
— Pat c - You're not much of a reader, are you, Pat c? Both stories say that Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network is reporting that Spagnola will be back with the Eagles by the end of the week. In the Daily News version, the reporter writes what he knows about the situation and then mentions toward the end what LaCanfora has reported. In the Inquirer version, the reporter mentions LaCanfora's report and then writes what he knows himnself. These are not "totally different" stories. They are the same story written different ways. — phillyl0
- Everyone on this team gets 1 year to prove himself, except the quarterback, he gets as many as he wants... still waiting.— Sidewinder7
