The Ringer's Philly Special Sean Mannion Is the New Eagles OC! What Do We Think? Celebrating 500 Episodes of Philly Special!
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Jan 30, 2026 Zach Berman, Sports reporter and columnist for The Athletic, breaks down Sean Mannion’s rise from longtime NFL backup to Packers QB coach. They discuss why the Eagles chose Mannion, what he might import from Green Bay, and the staff dynamics around play calling. There is also a spicy detour debating whether the Sixers should trade for Giannis and reflections celebrating the show’s 500th milestone.
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Backup QB Turned Coach Path
- Zach notes Mannion's long backup QB career and short coaching apprenticeship across many prominent offensive staffs.
- That backup-player-to-coach path gives Mannion credibility and rapport in the quarterback room.
Calculated High-Variance Hire
- Sean Mannion is a well-regarded, high-variance candidate with deep exposure to modern offensive minds despite only two years coaching.
- The Eagles deliberately cast a wide net and swung for an under-the-radar coach rather than a known but unimpressive veteran.
Search Evolved, Not Defaulted
- The Eagles' search moved from targeted big names to wider interviewing and Mannion emerged as the best-fit candidate.
- That process suggests the team prioritized finding a fresh thinker over defaulting to familiar options.