3 Most Likely People To Become Next Eagles' Head Coach
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Certainly, the Philadelphia Eagles' head coaching search -- just one week in -- is vague. We don't know much.
(You can track all of the rumors and reports from the Eagles' coaching search here.)
But let's operate under what we do know, which is: Jeffrey Lurie wants a players' coach, who will not make a big stink over personnel control and will be able to -- at the very least -- collaborate with Howie Roseman. Gulp.
That likely rules out of all of those big names with a proven track record you're hoping for. Here is my guess for the three most likely candidates.
3. Adam Gase
Gase, 37, is the youngest, hungriest, smartest outside name we've heard during this coaching search and he is expected to interview with the Eagles on Tuesday. Gase went to Michigan State, was an LSU assistant from 2000-2002, had two successful seasons as offensive coordinator with Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos, and showed promise this past season as the OC of the Chicago Bears.
Under Gase, the Broncos were just one of two teams to finish top-five in the NFL in yards and points (total and per game) in 2013 and 2014. The other team, coincidentally, was the Eagles.
In 2015, Gase led QB Jay Cutler to the best rating of his career (92.3). Cutler's 11 INT's were his lowest amount among his seven seasons in which he played in 15 games or more. And all this came despite the Bears' offense losing top skill players Matt Forte, Alshon Jeffrey, and Martellus Bennett for multiple games to injury.
2. Sean McDermott
McDermott, 41, seems to perfectly fit Lurie's criteria. McDermott went to LaSalle College High School and got his first NFL job as a scouting assistant under Andy Reid and the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999, progressing through the ranks and eventually learning from the late-great Jim Johnson on the defensive side of the ball. McDermott, who was eventually fired by Reid after the 2010 season, has spent the last five years as the Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator.
The 15-1 Panthers have the sixth ranked defense this season.
McDermott has reportedly not been contracted by the Eagles thus far, even though it would be fair play, as the Panthers are on a bye until the NFC Divisional Playoff round.
1. Doug Pederson
The only thing closer to Reid than McDermott is Pederson, who basically is Reid. Just a decade younger.
Pederson, 47, was coaching high school football just eight years ago. For the last three season's, Pederson has been Reid's offensive coordinator in Kansas City. And this year's 11-5 Chiefs are headed the playoffs again. In between high school and the Chiefs, Pederson was the Eagles' offensive quality control coach under Reid from 2009-2010 and the team's QB coach from 2011-2012.
As a player, Pederson was a backup QB in Green Bay from 1996-98. The Green Bay QB coach at the time? Andy Reid. When Reid was hired to be the Eagles' head coach in 1999, guess who he signed to be Donovan McNabb's backup. Pederson, of course.
ESPN's Adam Schefter has reported Pederson is expected to be the "leading candidate."
When fans hear Pederson's name and the next Eagles' coach in the same sentence, the sound that follows is usually "ugh," "no," or "psh." And while my reaction was not any different, I'll say this: Pederson the coach is not necessarily Pederson the player.
He better not be.
