Eagles done with offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo: 5 candidates to get Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley on track

The change Philadelphia Eagles fans have been waiting for is finally here: head coach Nick Sirianni is making a change at offensive coordinator and removing Kevin Patullo from that role. 

Philadelphia took a significant step back offensively with Patullo as the offensive play caller in place of Kellen Moore after he departed to become the New Orleans Saints head coach following the Eagles' Super Bowl LIX triumph. Quarterback Jalen Hurts threw for under 200 yards nine times in the 2025 regular season, which was the second most such games with Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (12) having more. That's astounding considering Hurts possesses running back Saquon Barkley, wide receiver A.J. Brown, wide receiver DeVonta Smith and tight end Dallas Goedert at his disposal with a stout offensive line in front of him. Barkley averaged just 71.3 rush yards per game this season after averaging 125.3 in his 2024 NFL Offensive Player of the Year campaign in 2024. 

Brown had zero catches in the second half of a game five times, which is the same amount times the following top wide receivers had combined in 2025: Ja'Marr Chase (one), Justin Jefferson (one), Puka Nacua (one), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (zero), Amon-Ra St. Brown (one), CeeDee Lamb (one) and George Pickens (zero). 

* Top 10 in NFL 

So which established offensive minds will Sirianni pursue in an effort to elevate his squad back to true Super Bowl contention? Here is a look at five potential candidates.

Mike McDaniel, former Miami Dolphins head coach

Mike McDaniel has already been requested to interview for multiple head-coaching vacancies, so there's a good chance he will remain an NFL head coach in 2026. However, on the off chance he doesn't get one of the NFL's nine vacancies that are currently available, he would be the most coveted offensive coordinator option. His Dolphins offenses averaged 5.78 yards per play, the seventh-best among head coaches in the Super Bowl era (since 1966), minimum 50 games as an NFL head coach.

Tua Tagovailoa's connection to Tyreek Hill in McDaniel's first two seasons in Miami, 2022 to 2023, was electric. Hill produced over 1,700 yards receiving in both years, which earned him consecutive first-team All-Pro honors. Perhaps he could do the same with Hurts and Brown if he doesn't become a head coach in 2026.

Brian Daboll, former New York Giants head coach

Brian Daboll knows a thing or two about building capable NFL offenses around quarterbacks who have limited passing skillsets. Daboll went to the playoffs in 2022 with then-New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones averaging 6.5 air yards per pass attempt, which ranked 31st of 33 qualified quarterbacks that season. Barkley still produced 1,312 yards rushing and 10 rushing touchdowns on under 300 carries, 295 to be exact, that year.

Daboll could certainly put together a high-flying offense after being reunited with Barkley and having Brown and Smith at his disposal. Rookie first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart looked like a dual-threat dynamo with Daboll calling the plays before his midseason firing, so there's no reason why he couldn't get Hurts looking more like he did in 2022 and 2024 when Philadelphia went to the Super Bowl. 

Frank Reich, former Indianapolis Colts head coach

Sirianni was Frank Reich's Indianapolis Colts' offensive coordinator for three seasons from 2018 to 2020 before being hired to be the Eagles head coach in 2021. Reich was also the Eagles' offensive coordinator in 2017 for the franchise's first Super Bowl championship team. Hiring Reich would give Sirianni a trusted confidant and a coordinator who once upon a time had Carson Wentz playing like an NFL MVP candidate. Reich is also available right now after spending one season as Stanford's interim head coach for former Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, who is now the general manager of his alma mater's football program. 

Kliff Kingsbury, former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator

Kliff Kingsbury helped Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels produce what stands statistically as the greatest rookie quarterback season in NFL history after their run to the 2024 NFC Championship game. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin caught a Washington franchise record 13 receiving touchdowns in 2024 as well. With Daniels missing 10 games because of injury in 2025, Washington took a step back, which led to Kingsbury parting ways with Washington.

If Kingsbury doesn't get his second NFL head-coaching job this offseason, perhaps he could come to the Eagles where he could certainly uplift a talented Philadelphia offense. 

* Tied with Ben Roethlisberger (2004)

Philip Rivers, former Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback

Philip Rivers is now done playing professional football, but that doesn't mean his time with the NFL is finished. He's been the head coach at Fairhope (Ala.) St. Michael Catholic, but after getting a taste of football at the highest level again after playing for the Colts in 2025, could he be interested in coaching in the league? If he is, Rivers coming to work with Sirianni to coach the uber-talented Eagles offense would make sense.

Sirianni was Rivers' quarterbacks coach on the Chargers for the 2013 and 2024 seasons, and he was Rivers' offensive coordinator with the Colts in 2020. There's a high level of familiarity there, and there wouldn't be a much better opportunity for the eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback to begin his NFL coaching career than with an offense as loaded as the Eagles' unit is entering 2026.