After a disappointing 23-19 loss to the 49ers in the 2025 Wild Card round, the need for a change at Offensive Coordinator for the Eagles was clear. The Eagles’ offense ranked 24th in total yards, and the team’s performance declined as the game went on.
The team finished 5th in first-quarter points per game (6.1), 23rd in the second quarter (6.4), 17th in the third quarter (4.6), and a poor 30th in the fourth quarter (5.1). These stats show how the offense struggled to adapt throughout each game.
Ex-offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo was fired on January 13 following the loss. The search for Philadelphia’s next OC lasted over two weeks as many notable candidates accepted other jobs. The front office and Nick Sirianni did not favor any candidate until they met Sean Mannion, whom they brought in for a second interview and hired shortly afterward.
Mannion’s Background
Mannion is a former quarterback and comes from the Matt LaFleur coaching tree. During his time with the Packers, he served as quarterbacks coach and worked with Jordan Love and Malik Willis. Both quarterbacks had productive seasons, and because of his coaching, Malik Willis might earn a starting job elsewhere in the league.
Mannion also played quarterback under coaches such as Sean McVay, Liam Coen, and Klint Kubiak.
Matt LaFleur expressed his confidence in Mannion, stating, “I really do think this guy’s going to have a bright future for us and certainly in the coaching profession,” when he hired Mannion for the Packers coaching staff.
The Eagles’ head coach, Sirianni, commented on hiring Mannion:
“It was quickly apparent in meeting with Sean that he is a bright young coach with a tremendous future ahead of him in this league. I was impressed by his systematic views on offensive football and his strategic approach.”
A Glimpse Into Mannion’s Offense
Mannion served as the offensive coordinator for the West team in the Shrine Bowl. In that game, his team won 21-17, and he coached with an experience far beyond his years. The director of football operations and player personnel even praised his performance in the Shrine Bowl.
The Shrine Bowl features only three offensive packages-21, 11, and 12 personnel-which determine the number of TEs, WRs, and RBs on the field. The defense also cannot blitz and is limited to Cover 2 and Cover 3. Despite these restrictions, Mannion varied his looks between the personnel groups and kept the defense guessing.
He ran nearly half of the offensive snaps under center, a feature the Eagles’ offense lacked last year. He also called a variety of play actions, screen passes, and option plays, creating running space for the quarterback that Jalen Hurts can undoubtedly take advantage of. The quarterback running element was also underused in the Eagles’ offense last year, and Mannion might unlock it.
Mannion also led a sixteen-play game-winning drive in the Shrine Bowl.
A Fit in Philly?
Outside the Shrine Bowl, what Mannion’s offense will look like remains uncertain, since he never called plays for the Packers. Fans understandably worry about a first-time play caller because of Philadelphia’s recent disappointing experience with one, Patullo.
However, optimism persists because many of the league’s top coaches and respected figures view Mannion favorably. Fans should be excited about what he can add to the mostly stagnant offense the Eagles ran last year.
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