3 Reasons Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown-led Eagles Are Struggling to Find an Offensive Coordinator

Before entering the 2026 NFL season, the Philadelphia Eagles have to find and hire an offensive coordinator who can maximize Jalen Hurts, AJ Brown, and the rest of the offensive unit’s capabilities.

When Kellen Moore handled playcalling duties, the franchise ended up winning their second-ever Super Bowl, and the quarterback had one of his best games wearing green, which netted him the MVP trophy.

The New Orleans Saints lapped him up and made them their head coach. That led the Eagles to promote pass game coordinator and associate head coach Kevin Patullo to Moore’s role.

However, not all continuity-based promotions turn out to be good moves. Fast forward to now, and Patullo is out after his struggles to get the offense playing good football became the team’s Achilles Heel.

Now, as they look forward to hiring the next man to lead Hurts, Brown, and the others, it seems the Eagles have hit a stumbling block. Their first option was to offer the position to former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel.

But he decided he was better off turning Justin Herbert and the Chargers offense around. Then they were seeking Brian Daboll, always thought of as a brilliant offensive mind. That offer did not pan out as the former Giants head coach seemingly declined it.

Some other names are being thrown into the mix, but the reality is that it seems the organization is struggling to find a top-tier offensive coordinator.

Considering any good candidate coming in can possibly win the Super Bowl, which could lead to a head coaching job, it seems there are a few reasons why many do not want the job.

Offensive coordinator has to be someone who should not be afraid to confront Jalen Hurts

One of the glaring problems Kevin Patullo faced during his time calling plays was that he could not get Jalen Hurts to do some of the things that made them win the Super Bowl.

Statistically, the 27-year-old had a better regular season. That, though, did not help the rest of the impactful players on his team. There is a reason why AJ Brown was frustrated all throughout the year.

Though the wideout clarified that his rants were not directed at his quarterback, he did mention that the passing game was where the problem lay.

It seems he was trying to say that Patullo was not doing his job. But as was evident from game footage, it was because the former offensive coordinator was not asking Jalen Hurts to deploy the plays that made them successful in 2024.

Either the coordinator did not believe that was the way to go, or he could not get his quarterback to agree to those schemes. Hurts played it safe and threw a lot of deep balls.

When playing against mid to top defenses, those two acts will not be enough. The Eagles’ offense became one-dimensional with the receivers not utilizing the middle of the field, and the running game became stagnant.

Whoever comes in has to be brave enough to push Jalen Hurts so that whatever they have in mind can be implemented. Otherwise, they too will be asked to leave.

Managing AJ Brown’s frustrations

Even if many ask the Philadelphia Eagles to move on from AJ Brown, his astronomical $72.5 million dead cap hit will not be something they would be able to swallow.

Moreover, no other team will be willing to take that big a cap hit, especially when the 28-year-old has proved that he cannot seem to control his emotions for the better of the team.

That last part needs someone willing to understand the Ole Miss star and then work with him to figure out how to get him more involved in every aspect of the passing game.

Managing his frustrations is crucial to the Eagles’ success, and there is no bending around the corner with his mind, especially when it has led to some uncomfortable scenarios this past season.

Once he is on board and back to beaming his wide smile, AJ Brown might be one of the biggest cheerleaders this offense needs. If they need a spark, he is the best person to bring.

As much as the next offensive coordinator needs to be hard-nosed to get Jalen Hurts out of his comfort zone, the same person also needs to know how to be soft enough to understand and get the best out of the team’s best receiver.

Find ways to bring Saquon Barkley back to his best

Even if Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown play the right way, the offense will not get anywhere unless Saquon Barkley is back to what he does best, run the ball.

His 1,140 regular-season rushing yards were nearly half of what he managed in his record-setting campaign. It is as if he struggled with injuries, or if he somehow lost his ability to break open when required.

Rather, it was purely the lack of good play schemes that had opened up glaring holes for him a year ago. Whoever takes up the offensive coordinator position has to get Barkley back to at least 70-75% of what he has proved he can be.

The rest can be managed by making the most out of the passing game. When the Penn State gallops around the field, the Eagles become a problem.

It is a monumental task to ask someone to get the most out of Jalen Hurts, AJ Brown, Saquon Barkley, and the rest of the Eagles’ offensive unit. But the team has so much talent that not utilizing it is undermining the coach’s own skills.

Understandably, this pressure has kept some good candidates away. But maybe it is a good sign that the franchise gets someone who truly wants the job.

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