Breaking: Eagles Hire Josh Grizzard as Pass Game Coordinator in Bold Double Move

In a move that caught even the most plugged-in Eagles insiders off guard, the Philadelphia Eagles hired Josh Grizzard as their new pass game coordinator — the news breaking live during a Birds 365 broadcast. The hire means the Eagles have now secured two of their final four offensive coordinator candidates, creating what could be the most intriguing offensive coaching tandem in the NFC East.

The News Breaks Live

The announcement came mid-show, interrupting what had been a deep dive into the Sean Mannion hiring. "We got some breaking news here at the end of Birds," host Xander Krause announced, as insider the host confirmed the report. "The Eagles have hired Josh Grizzard as their pass game coordinator."

The timing was telling. The Eagles clearly wanted to pair Mannion with a complementary voice before the news cycle moved on, and Grizzard — a 35-year-old who had been the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive coordinator just weeks earlier — fit the bill perfectly.

Who Is Josh Grizzard?

Grizzard's coaching journey traces through some of the NFL's most respected offensive minds. He spent years in Miami under Mike McDaniel, learning the nuances of the Shanahan-influenced system. He worked with Liam Cohen, a Sean McVay disciple, and eventually became Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator after Cohen's departure.

His year in Tampa was a mixed bag. The Buccaneers' offense saw notable declines — scoring fell from 4th to 18th, passing from 3rd to 15th, rushing from 4th to 20th — but context matters. Mike Evans missed a large portion of the season, and rookie standout Bucky Irving was lost for roughly nine games. Baker Mayfield still played at an MVP level for the first five weeks under Grizzard's direction.

Two of Four: A Strategic Coup

The most fascinating element of this hire is what it signals about the Eagles' process. Of the final four candidates — Mannion, Grizzard, Jim Bob Cooter, and Jared Johnson — the Eagles managed to land two. McMullen viewed this as a significant positive.

"When you get two of your final four, I think that's a positive thing," it was noted. "It kind of pushes back on the idea that nobody wants to come to Philadelphia." The double hire also provides insurance: if Mannion is poached for a head coaching job after a successful season, Grizzard is already in the building and familiar with the system.

Not Undercutting Mannion

Initial reactions raised a valid concern: does hiring someone with more play-calling experience undermine the new offensive coordinator? McMullen quickly addressed it. Because Grizzard is also young and relatively inexperienced in the grand scheme, there is not the same power imbalance that existed when the Eagles brought in Matt Patricia to shadow Sean Desai on defense.

"It's literally hard to hire somebody with less experience," McMullen noted about Mannion. "So from that perspective, you have to put that in the equation." In other words, nearly anyone they hired as pass game coordinator would have a more extensive résumé than the new OC. Grizzard's youth makes this dynamic far less threatening.

What It Means for the Staff

The Grizzard hire effectively signals the end for Parks Frazier, who served as pass game coordinator last season. While not officially announced, McMullen indicated Frazier's departure was likely. The move also suggests more offensive staff turnover is coming — potentially at wide receivers coach and quarterbacks coach as well.