PHILADELPHIA – Eagles senior offensive assistant Rich Scangarello and senior offensive consultant Marty Mornhinweg are on expiring contracts and will not return to Philadelphia, sources told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.
These departures follow the news that defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will not return in 2021 and is part of a larger shake-up of coaching staff who are expected to end up with a new offensive coordinator.
Coach Doug Pederson reversed course and parted ways with offensive coordinator Mike Groh and wide-ranging receptionist coach Carson Walch, at the urging of management in January 2020, a day after Pederson publicly said they would return. Owner Jeffrey Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman were active in the subsequent search for a new offensive coordinator. Lurie wanted USC’s Graham Harrell, according to a source, but the Eagles could not land him.
Instead, they ran out of an offensive coordinator in 2020, promoted Press Taylor to the game’s coordinator, and added an assortment of assistants looking for Lurie to import some fresh ideas into a crime left behind. The end result was too many voices as the combination of Taylor, Scangarello, Mornhinweg and passing game analyst Andrew Breiner created a cacophony in the ears of Pederson and defender Carson Wentz, sources said.
Pederson seemed to suggest this dynamic earlier this month.
“There are a lot of positive aspects that result from those communications and discussions, ideas. Indeed, everyone has great ideas. It’s part of making plans,” Pederson said. “But at the end of the day, I want to make sure there’s only one voice, and that’s my voice, which sounds offensive and nobody else’s.”
The Eagles are expected to take on the role of offensive coordinator this time. Pederson has been reluctant to give up gambling duties in the past, but has done so situationally this season and said in December that the temporary waiver of gambling was “on the table.” How open he is to the performance of these full-time duties will affect the offending group of coordinating candidates.
The change to offensive staff follows a 4-11-1 season in which the Eagles finished 26th in the score (20.9 PPG) and 28th in the pace (207.9 YPG).
Wentz fell dramatically in the fifth year, finishing tied for first place in interceptions (15) and tops in sacks (50), despite playing only 12 games. Jalen Hurts replaced him in the 14th week.