Mike Pettine reportedly in the mix to join the Eagles’ coaching staff

The Philadelphia Eagles are reportedly hiring Sean Desai as their new defensive coordinator. And it appears they might hire a former Desai associate to work with him.

Geoff Mosher reports he is hearing that Minnesota Vikings assistant head coach Mike Pettine could join the Eagles’ coaching staff.

Pettine joined the Vikings with his current title in 2022 after serving as a senior defensive assistant for the Bears in 2021. That was the same year Desai served as Chicago’s defensive coordinator.

Given Desai’s relative youth (turns 40 in April) and inexperience (one season as DC), there’s some sense in adding a more seasoned coach to assist him. Pettine fits the bill considering he’s been coaching in the NFL since 2004 and he’s held defensive coordinator roles with the New York Jets (2009-2012), Buffalo Bills (2013), and Green Bay Packers (2018-2020). Pettine was also the Cleveland Browns’ head coach for two years (2014-2015).

As an added bonus, Pettine is a local guy. The Doylestown, PA native attended high school at CB West. He was a head coach at William Tennent High School and then North Penn High School towards the beginning of his coaching career. Would be kind of cool to have a hometown flair on the Eagles’ defense with Pettine being a Bucks County guy and Desai having attended/coached at Temple. Plus there’s obviously Camden, NJ native and Temple alumnus Haason Reddick as a defensive cornerstone on the field.

If the Pettine hire goes through, the Eagles could look to give him the title he had with Desai in Chicago. The Birds also still have a linebackers coach spot to fill after losing Nick Rallis to the Arizona Cardinals.