The Brian Johnson Mistake: How Firing the 8th-Ranked Offense's Coordinator Created the Crisis
A.J. Brown had 1,500 yards. Hurts threw for nearly 4,000. The offense ranked 8th in the NFL. And the Eagles fired Brian Johnson anyway. Dan Sileo makes the case that one wrong scapegoat created every problem Philadelphia faces today.
The JAKIB Staff
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One of the most passionate segments on Tuesday's National Football Show came when a caller posed a simple hypothetical: What if the Eagles had kept Brian Johnson and hired Vic Fangio?
"Put the 23 offense with the 25 defense, we win the Super Bowl," the caller said. And Sileo agreed completely.
The Numbers Don't Lie
Under Brian Johnson in 2023, the Eagles had the 8th-ranked offense in the NFL. A.J. Brown posted 1,500 yards and 7 touchdowns on 100 catches. Jalen Hurts threw for 3,858 yards and 23 touchdowns with 538 attempts — the highest volume of his career. DeVonta Smith topped 1,000 yards. DeAndre Swift eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards.
Yes, there were turnovers — 15 of them. But Sileo pointed out that Hurts had never attempted more than 500 passes in a season before. "You got to expect more turnovers, especially for a guy who was just learning how to set protections and you had a first-year play caller."
What's Changed Since?
Since Johnson's firing, the Eagles' passing offense has ranked 25th and 28th — a dramatic regression from the 8th-ranked unit Johnson oversaw. Same quarterback. Same receivers. Different coordinator, worse results.
"How come your offensive passing game has gotten worse since 2023?" Sileo asked. "Same talent, only the right guard's missing. What's different?"
The Only Coach Who Tried to Develop Hurts as a Passer
Sileo made a compelling observation: Brian Johnson was the only offensive coordinator who genuinely attempted to develop Jalen Hurts as a passer. Shane Steichen was an RPO specialist. The coordinators since have limited Hurts' attempts and leaned on the run game.
"The best coach that Jalen Hurts has ever had as an offensive coordinator to develop him as a passer was Brian Johnson," Sileo said. "They didn't give that guy any chance to develop as an OC."
Now, 15 days into a search that nobody seems to want, the Eagles are left wondering if the solution they needed was the one they already had — and threw away.
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