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Just when you thought the Philadelphia Eagles were done making news Tuesday, we get a report about an addition to new head coach Doug Pederson's staff. According to Fox Sports, the Eagles will hire former Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator John DeFillipo as the team's new quarterbacks coach:
Eagles will hire former Browns OC John DeFilippo as QB coach, sources tell me and @PSchrags. From Manziel to Bradford (maybe).
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 20, 2016
DeFilippo has spent much of his career as a quarterbacks coach: after spending 2005 and 2006 with the Giants as a quality control coach, he worked as the Raiders' quarterbacks coach for two seasons, and spent 2009 with the Jets in the same capacity. After a couple years in college at San Jose State, DeFilippo returned as Oakland's QB coach from 2012-2014. He spent last season as Cleveland's offensive coordinator.
This is a very intriguing addition to Pederson's staff. Under DeFilippo's tutelage, several Browns players had career seasons. Wide receiver Travis Benjamin finished the year with 966 yards and five touchdowns, well eclipsing his career numbers in both categories. And tight end Gary Barnidge burst on to the scene last season, racking up 1,043 yards and nine touchdowns. And while no one seemed to have any luck with Johnny Manziel, Josh McCown was on pace for a 4,000 yard passing season before his injuries.
This should be good news for whoever ends up in the quarterback room next year, be it some combination of Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez and/or a new addition via draft or free agency. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has also credited DeFilippo, or "Flip", with helping develop the young signal caller (hat tip to BGN's own Ben Natan for the info). From Cleveland.com:
"He was definitely instrumental in my development throughout the season,'' said Carr. "The quarterback room will love him. He's an amazing coach and a great person. He genuinely cares about his players and he cared about me. He were in constant communication and he did everything he could to help me play as well as possible.''
DeFilippo also has some Philly roots. He attended Radnor High School, and his father, Gene, was the athletic director at Villanova in the early 90's.
In addition to this reported hiring, two of the coordinator spots are now officially filled, and much of the staff is in place: Pederson confirmed Tuesday that Jim Schwartz will indeed be the defensive coordinator, and also that offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland and special teams coordinator Dave Fipp will return in their previous roles. Meanwhile, presumed offensive coordinator Frank Reich will reportedly meet with Pederson about the position.