We’re ranking the 10 best head coaches in Philadelphia Eagles franchise history ahead of 2023 training camp
Philadelphia has a storied NFL franchise, but the history of head coaches reads like a list of unfinished business and mediocre shelf lives.
One of the gold standard organizations in the league, the Eagles only have eight coaches to win a playoff game in franchise history, with Doug Pederson and Nick Sirianni adding to the list over the past five years.
With training camp for 2023 fast approaching, we’re ranking the top ten head coaches in franchise history from top to bottom.
Our list includes coaches who coached at least 15 games as an Eagles head coach. In our book, wins and losses are essential, but not the only factor determining the ranking.
Revisiting that miserable 2000 offseason that eventually led to Snyder firing Norv Turner.
Remember when Redskins owner Daniel Snyder fired Washington head coach Norv Turner?
Sunday, Dec. 3, 2000, Washington lost an agonizing home game to the New York Giants 9-7. What made matters even more frustrating for fans was that it was the second consecutive home loss and both against divisional opponents.
Former Washington Football Team head coach Norv Turner watches rookie minicamp at Inova Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports
Washington had gone on the road and defeated defending Super Bowl champion St Louis 33-20, pushing their record to 7-4. However, a 23-20 loss to the Eagles and then the 9-7 loss to the Giants were more than Snyder could take, firing Turner.
It was typical Snyder at the time. Insistent on pushing buttons and making personnel moves, Snyder had signed aging veterans for much too-large of contracts in the 2000 offseason: Bruce Smith, Deion Sanders, Mark Carrier and Jeff George. He had traded up in the draft ensuring Washington would draft No. 2 (LaVar Arrington) and No. 3 (Chris Samuels) in the 2000 draft.
Now Snyder was trying his hand at changing the head coach at the crucial time of three regular-season games remaining. Snyder was thinking when he pushed buttons the team would be motivated. So Turner was suddenly gone. Defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes had five years of NFL head coaching experience. Yet Snyder named offensive assistant Terry Robiskie the interim coach.
Of course, the move backfired miserably. The team played like they were very unmotivated. The Redskins not only lost, but they were also embarrassed in their next two games at Dallas (32-13) and at Pittsburgh (24-3).
Despite the fact Brad Johnson had passed for 4,000 yards, led the team to 10 wins, the NFC East title and a playoff win in 199, Snyder and his player personnel right-hand man Vinny Cerrato had been signing aging veterans to large contracts rather than Washington veterans. Jeff George who was known to be a poor leader was brought to quarterback despite the fact Brad Johnson had passed for 4,000 yards, led the team to 10 wins, the NFC East title and a playoff win in 1999.
What in the world was Snyder thinking?
I recall fans being excited. I recall the media being excited. It was one of the first times in my life I saw trouble out front. How on earth could he have thought Jeff George brought in was good for the team?
Brad Johnson? He got out of town as soon as he could following the 2000 season, signed a free agent contract with Tampa Bay and they won the Super Bowl with Johnson as their offensive leader in 2002.
The 2000 offseason was one where Snyder insisted on making his HUGE splashes. Yet in the end, the season was a mess, and Dan Snyder had no one to blame but himself. He tried to save the season by blaming Turner and firing him. That didn’t work out well either.
A disturbing pattern by Snyder was now beginning to be noticed.
Castillo met with the media via Zoom and as always, there were some interesting tidbits that were revealed.
Castillo began in the NFL with the Eagles in 1995 as a quality control coach. He studied under offensive coordinator Jon Gruden.
Next Castillo was promoted to TE Coach w/Eagles in 1997
Castillo moved back to offensive line w/Eagles from 1998-2010.
Castillo was with current Washington tight end Logan Thomas in Buffalo (2017-18) coaching the offensive line and as running game coordinator. He noticed Thomas’ hard work and talent when Thomas was transitioning to TE from QB.
Castillo has coached 27 years in the NFL —only one coaching tight ends.
Brian Mitchell and Castillo were together with the Eagles (2000-02).
Darrell Green and Castillo were college teammates at Texas A&I, now Texas A&M Kingsville.
Ron Rivera and Castillo met in 1999 coaching the Eagles.
Castillo is aware that he’s the only new coach this season and believes he is to earn the respect of his fellow coaches and players by working hard, not by vocally demanding their respect.
Spanish being his first language, he and Sammis Reyes met and conversed via Spanish.
Castillo has watched some tape and noticed TE John Bates really worked at his blocking.
Castillo has a son in Arlington, employed by the Department of Commerce, and another son who earned a full scholarship to law school at the University of Maryland.
Andy Reid, Ray Rhodes, John Harbaugh, Sean McDermott, Matt Nagy and now Ron Rivera are NFL head coaches who hired Castillo to their coaching staffs.
Castillo has not coached TE specifically since 1997 with the Eagles.
The NFL is no stranger to quick hooks among the coaching ranks, but Stephen Jones confirms that Mike McCarthy will return in 2021,
The 2020 season has gone badly enough that the question had to be asked on Monday: will first-year head coach Mike McCarthy survive the proverbial bloodbath to return next year? The answer from Stephen Jones was an unequivocal yes, but that got the wheels turning. Just how bad do things have to go for a coach to last a year or less?
Not as bad as some might think. There is a rich history of trigger-happy owners showing their new charges the door in a hurry. Peruse the handy list below to take a look at some of the quickest hooks the league has ever seen. Note: for those wondering, Bill Belichick’s day-long employment with the New York Jets is not included; he never actually coached a game.
Year
Team
Coach
Record
2019
CLE
Freddie Kitchens
6-10
2019
ARI
Steve Wilks
3-13
2013
CLE
Rob Chudzinski
4-12
2011
OAK
Hue Jackson
8-8
2009
SEA
Jim Mora
5-11
2007
MIA
Cam Cameron
1-15
2007
ATL
Bobby Petrino
3-10
2006
OAK
Art Shell
2-14
2001
WAS
Marty Schottenheimer
8-8
2000
NYJ
Al Groh
9-7
1999
GB
Ray Rhodes
8-8
1994
NYJ
Pete Carroll
6-10
1993
WAS
Richie Petitbon
4-12
1984
MIN
Les Steckel
3-13
1978
SF
Pete McCulley
1-8
1977
LAR
George Allen
0-2*
1976
NYJ
Lou Holtz
3-10
Poor Al Groh got shown the door after a winning record! A nine-win season would require the Cowboys to run off a seven-game win streak, a statistical improbability that would dash the dreams of all draft fans. Three different men finished a respectable .500 before getting the axe. The majority of the coaches, though, really put in the kind of work that rightfully earned them a ticket to the unemployment line. This much is clear, however: working for the Jets, Browns, or Raiders could be considered an occupational hazard.
Still, just two team owners, if they had any semblance of self-awareness, would look back and rue the day they moved on from their coaches so quickly. Pete Carroll would go on to build a mini-dynasty that’s still going with the Seattle Seahawks, winning one Super Bowl and appearing in another. And Marty Schottenheimer went on to a critically-acclaimed run with the San Diego Chargers, though he always fell short of the promised land.
This won’t be the case for McCarthy and the Joneses. Even though a three- or four-win season in 2020 seems as likely as any other outcome, and as badly as some fans already want to pivot in a new direction, it’s not happening. It’s hard to say that the newest coach in Dallas deserves as much criticism as he’s received, given the circumstances he’s faced.
At a minimum, McCarthy’s job security for next year was likely locked in the moment starting quarterback Dak Prescott was lost for the season. Even though a divorce is inevitable, as it always is in the league whose initials are said to stand for “Not For Long,” it won’t happen in Dallas this off-season.
