rewrite this title “Why couldn’t you get somebody more experienced?”: Stephen A. Smith raises red flags about Eagles hiring Sean Mannion as OC

The Philadelphia Eagles are hiring former Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach Sean Mannion as their new offensive coordinator to replace Kevin Patullo.

Mannion, who has been in the job for just two seasons, has a big task ahead of him. NFL analyst Stephen A. Smith raised questions about the Eagles hiring Mannion. In Thursday’s episode of “First Take” Smith criticized the Eagles for their hiring pattern.

“First of all, congratulations. … It’s not because of anything pertaining to his ability. … The issue is not him, it’s the Eagles. They have fired the last two people they have plucked from nowhere to be first-year offensive coordinators.”

“If you are the Philadelphia Eagles, why did you do that? Why is that the way to go? Why couldn’t you go and get somebody more experienced?”

The Eagles promoted quarterbacks and wide receivers coach Brian Johnson as the offensive coordinator in 2023. However, he was fired after just one season in the role.

Philadelphia turned to Kellen Moore as their next OC in 2024. Moore led the team to a remarkable offensive performance in the postseason, helping the team win the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, he moved on to become the New Orleans Saints’ coach in 2025.

Following Moore’s departure, Patullo was promoted as the Eagles’ new OC. However, the defending champions struggled offensively during his tenure, resulting in his firing earlier this month.

Also Read: “Career suicide type deal”: Ex-Eagles star Chris Long gets candid about former teammate Sean Mannion being hired as Nick Sirianni’s OC

Also Read: “He’ll be gone next year with Nick Sirianni”: NFL fans react as Eagles hire ex-Vikings QB to replace Kevin Patullo as OC

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni impressed by Sean Mannion

The Eagles were reportedly interested in hiring Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll, but they ended up signing elsewhere in the offseason. Although, Sean Mannion wasn’t the Eagles’ first choice, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni praised the young coach after his hiring.

“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,” Sirianni said. “I was impressed by his systematic views on offensive football and his strategic approach.

“Sean’s 11 years in the NFL have provided him a great opportunity to learn from and grow alongside some of the best coaches in the game.”

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash