Eagles OC Search Day 17: Cooter and Mannion Get Second Interviews as Patience Wears Thin

The Philadelphia Eagles' search for an offensive coordinator has reached Day 17 with no resolution in sight — but there are signs the process is finally winding down. On Thursday's Birds 365, John McMullen reported that both Jim Bob Cooter and Sean Mannion have been brought in for second interviews, while the team has also requested to speak with Denver Broncos assistant Davis Webb.

McMullen's Message: Find the Best Teacher

McMullen came out firing in the opening segment, delivering a passionate case for the Eagles to stop overthinking the hire. His core argument: stop chasing the league's trendy concepts and hire the best teacher available.

"Who's the best teacher who can teach fundamentals, who can teach technique, who can get guys in position so they can do it on the field?" McMullen said. "I'm so sick of the concepts. Find me somebody who can make players take advantage of their physical skills. Find me the teacher."

He pointed to the Eagles' track record of running the same offensive system for five years and beating everybody, calling the notion that the league has 'caught up' to their offense overblown. McMullen argued the real key isn't scheming people open — it's maximizing the talent already on the roster.

The Matt Nagy Case

Of the known candidates, McMullen made his strongest case for Matt Nagy, calling him 'by far the most proven' of the group. He pushed back on the widespread negative perception of Nagy, noting that the former Bears head coach was over .500 in Chicago and made the playoffs twice — accomplishments that look even better considering what that franchise looked like before and after his tenure.

The knock on Nagy, McMullen argued, boils down to one thing: Patrick Mahomes had his worst statistical year under Nagy in Kansas City. But McMullen dismissed that as 'no substance' driven by groupthink, pointing out that anyone who watched the Chiefs this season wouldn't put their offensive struggles on Nagy.

The Jim Bob Cooter Dilemma

Cooter's candidacy presents a different kind of challenge. McMullen admitted he never took Cooter's candidacy seriously because of the optics — Cooter is a known friend of Nick Sirianni, and the 'you're hiring another Nick Sirianni friend' narrative would come at the Eagles 'like a Mack truck.' He acknowledged that's completely unfair, but said it's the reality of operating in Philadelphia's intense media market.

That said, McMullen applauded the Eagles for taking the candidacy this far, saying if Cooter is truly the guy they believe in, they should hire him regardless of outside noise.

Jeffrey Lurie: The Eye of the Storm

Perhaps the most significant takeaway from Thursday's show was McMullen's analysis of why the search has been so difficult. He identified Jeffrey Lurie's impatience as the primary factor — what he called 'the eye of the storm.'

Lurie's demonstrated history of impatience with results has resonated throughout the coaching fraternity. McMullen noted that Sirianni nearly got fired in Week 4, nearly got fired after the 2023 collapse, and faces scrutiny every time something goes wrong — despite being one of the winningest coaches in his first five years in NFL history. That instability has deterred top candidates with options from choosing Philadelphia.

McMullen also highlighted the irony that while Lurie is impatient with on-field results, he's been painfully patient during the search itself — allowing candidates to take off ramps to other teams. Bobby Slowik took the Dolphins' OC job. Zach Robinson landed a coordinator position elsewhere. And the Eagles keep going further down their contingency list.

The Schefter Subplot: Sirianni Calling Plays?

In a late-show development, McMullen referenced an Adam Schefter appearance on another show where Schefter raised the possibility of Sirianni calling plays if the new offensive coordinator isn't ready to do so — particularly if the Eagles hire a young, unproven candidate like Sean Mannion.

McMullen credited Les Bowen for drawing the parallel to when Lurie let Chip Kelly run personnel — a move McMullen has previously called the worst decision Lurie ever made. The implication: Lurie could be setting up a scenario where Sirianni is given full offensive responsibility, and if it works, great — if it doesn't, he has his reason to move on.

McMullen expects the search to wrap up by early next week. With second interviews now underway, the next Eagles offensive coordinator could be named within days.

Watch the full episode of Birds 365 on YouTube at youtube.com/@jakibsports. Listen on Apple Podcasts (search 'Birds 365 Philadelphia Eagles') or Spotify (search 'JAKIB Sports').