Josh Grizzard's Hire Doesn't Matter — And That's Actually Good News for the Eagles

The Eagles added Josh Grizzard to their coaching staff, and the reaction ranged from mild curiosity to complete indifference. Coming off a stint in Tampa Bay where Todd Bowles publicly blamed him for the Buccaneers' offensive struggles, Grizzard isn't exactly arriving in Philadelphia with a hero's welcome.

But here's the thing: this hire doesn't really matter. And paradoxically, that's exactly why it's fine.

Why It's Inconsequential

The Eagles' 2026 offense will be defined by two people: Sean Mannion and Jalen Hurts. Mannion is installing a new Shanahan-tree system. Hurts is the quarterback executing it. Everything else — the pass game coordinator, the run game specialist, the quality control coaches — orbits around that central relationship.

Grizzard isn't calling plays. He isn't designing the scheme. He's a support piece in a coaching staff that will ultimately rise or fall based on whether Mannion can translate Shanahan principles into a system that maximizes Hurts's abilities. Grizzard's role is to help with pass concepts and receiver development within someone else's framework.

The Bowles Factor Is Noise

Todd Bowles blaming Grizzard for Tampa's offensive woes says more about Bowles than Grizzard. Coaches who throw coordinators under the bus at the Combine are coaches trying to save their own jobs. The Buccaneers' problems were systemic — and pinning them on one assistant is the kind of scapegoating that reveals organizational dysfunction, not individual failure.

Grizzard may be a fine coach. He may be average. But evaluating him based on Bowles's finger-pointing is like reading a Yelp review from a customer who's mad about something unrelated to the food.

What Actually Matters This Offseason

Instead of worrying about the ninth coach on the staff, Eagles fans should focus on the decisions that will actually shape 2026. Will A.J. Brown be traded? Can Mannion develop a rapport with Hurts quickly enough to have a functional offense by September? Will Howie address the defensive depth that's about to get gutted by free agency?

Those are the questions that determine whether the Eagles are a Super Bowl contender or a team running in place. Grizzard's hire is a footnote in a chapter that hasn't been written yet.

The Silver Lining

If the Grizzard hire is inconsequential, that means the Eagles aren't relying on assistant coaches to save their season. The foundation — Hurts, Barkley, the defensive line, Sirianni's leadership — is strong enough that role players on the coaching staff don't need to be home runs. They just need to not get in the way. And for a coordinator who's been through the fire in Tampa and has something to prove, "motivated and competent" might be exactly what the Eagles need from the position.