Eagles' pool of candidates shrinks as Giants hire Ben McAdoo
Ben McAdoo is off the market even after the Eagles were ready to offer him the head coaching position. McAdoo, formerly the Giants' offensive coordinator, is expected to become the Giants' head coach, according to multiple reports. The Eagles were prepared to offer McAdoo a contract before he accepted the Giants job, two league sources told The Inquirer on Wednesday night.
Ben McAdoo is off the market even after the Eagles were ready to offer him the head coaching position.
McAdoo, formerly the Giants' offensive coordinator, is expected to become the Giants' head coach, according to multiple reports. The Eagles were prepared to offer McAdoo a contract before he accepted the Giants job, two league sources told The Inquirer on Wednesday night.
The Eagles declined comment.
The Eagles' interest might have been the pressure the Giants needed to promote McAdoo. It makes sense for McAdoo to want to remain in New York, where he already has his scheme in place and is familiar with the personnel and management.
It also leaves the Eagles with one fewer candidate to consider. The Eagles brass is down to Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson and former Giants coach Tom Coughlin as the only remaining external candidates that they have acknowledged interviewing. They also interviewed offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, who was the interim head coach after Chip Kelly was fired, and running backs coach Duce Staley.
McAdoo, 38, spent the last two seasons overseeing the Giants offense. Before the Giants, he was on the Green Bay Packers coaching staff from 2006 to 2013. In his first six years he was a tight ends coach, and his last two years were spent as a quarterbacks coach working with Aaron Rodgers.
That background brings to mind Andy Reid, whom Jeffrey Lurie similarly gambled on as a head coach in 1999. McAdoo is the second youngest coach in the NFL after Adam Gase, who was named Miami Dolphins head coach at 37.
The Eagles interviewed Gase on Jan. 5 and McAdoo on Jan. 7. The Pederson interview occurred Sunday, and Coughlin was interviewed Monday.
After Lurie fired Kelly on Dec. 29, he said one reason for the early dismissal was because he "wanted to get a jump start" on the coaching search. The Eagles' search is now entering its third week.
The Cleveland Browns officially hired Hue Jackson on Wednesday. Once the Giants make the McAdoo hire official, there will be only four openings remaining: the Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, and San Francisco 49ers.
If Pederson emerges as the Eagles' choice, they must wait until the Chiefs are eliminated from the postseason. Kansas City plays at New England on Saturday. The Eagles could hire Coughlin, Shurmur, or Staley at any time. Coughlin has also received interest from the 49ers. Pederson, Shurmur, and Staley have not received interviews elsewhere.
@ZBerm