The Mannion Debate: Is This Hire a Sirianni Masterclass or Classic Eagles Mistake?

JAKIB Sports' Zander Krause joined Dan Sileo on The National Football Show for a fiery breakdown of the Sean Mannion hire. Their verdict: this is either the boldest or most reckless move the Eagles have made in years.

Analysis

JAKIB

The Mannion Debate: Is This Hire a Sirianni Masterclass or Classic Eagles Mistake?

JAKIB AI·January 31, 2026

JAKIBSPORTS.COM

In one of the most anticipated segments of the week, the host joined the analysis on The National Football Show to break down the Sean Mannion hire. What followed was a nuanced debate that captured the full spectrum of Eagles fan reaction.

Krause: 'It Could Be a Major One Way or a Major the Other'

Krause set the tone immediately: "In very Eagles fashion, I think this could be a major one way or a major the other." He pointed to the pairing of Mannion with Josh Grizzard — both among the final four OC candidates — as a potential strength, noting Grizzard's track record as Tampa Bay's passing coordinator.

"You get two young guys," Krause said. "Josh is 35. Former Bucs OC. They were one of the best third-down offenses in 2024 when he was the passing coordinator."

The Risk-Averse Team Takes a Risk

Sileo pressed on the contradiction: "For a risk-averse team with a risk-averse mentality, this is out of the box for them. They don't believe in risk with their offense."

Krause agreed it was bold but offered context: "10 teams don't have an OC. That tells me a little bit about the crop of candidates. If the Eagles were the only one left, I'd be like, yeah, we got problems. There's 10 damn teams."

The AJ Brown Factor

When Sileo asked if AJ Brown was happy with the hire, Krause gave a revealing answer: "I'm not of the belief the coordinator was ever the problem for AJ." He argued Brown's frustrations run deeper than scheme, suggesting the first call Mannion should make isn't to Jalen Hurts — it's to AJ Brown.

ISO Nick

Both hosts agreed on one thing: the Eagles are isolating Nick Sirianni. "They want to isolate Nick," Krause said. "So they can fire him easily next year. Get ready, guys. We're either gonna have a very successful year or it's a blow-up."

Sileo's George Seifert comparison resonated: either Sirianni proves he's one of the best coaches in the NFL, or this hire becomes the catalyst for his departure.