Kevin Patullo Could Generate OC Interest; Tyree Jackson Has ACL Surgery

The Eagles could lose an important offensive assistant and developmental TE Tyree Jackson had his ACL surgery

With Championship Weekend approaching in the NFL, organizations searching for head coaches are starting to stir with Denver and Chicago the first two teams to make decisions.

The Broncos went with former Green Bay offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and the Bears tabbed ex-Indianapolis defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus to run their on-field show.

The latter hire could impact the Eagles because Eberflus was on the same staff with Nick Sirianni under Frank Reich with the Colts and the Eagles coach brought a couple of assistants over from Indy last year when he got the big chair in Philadelphia.

One of those assistants was Kevin Patullo, who was a receivers coach and pass-game specialist with the Colt before being named the passing game coordinator for the Eagles.

Patullo is very close with Sirianni to the point that when the Eagles head coach tested positive for COVID-19 in advance of a must-win game against the New York Giants on Dec. 26, Patullo was earmarked to be the interim replacement had Sirianni not gotten through the league's protocols in time.

If Eberflus is offered the OC job in Chicago, however, Patullo would be that much closer to becoming a head-coaching candidate himself and he would be given the opportunity to work with a talented young quarterback in Justin Fields.

If Fields were to become a star under Patullo's watch, the now 40-year-old assistant would also surely become a rising, recognizable coaching star and earmarked as a hot head-coaching candidate.

While Patullo is under contract with the Eagles, you can no longer block assistant coaches from interviewing for offensive or defensive coordinator positions, a rule change that was enacted in 2020.

Eagles OC Shane Steichen is well-regarded by Sirianni and in no danger of losing his job, so any lobbying to keep Patullo from a potential offer from Eberflus would likely be financial, personal with perhaps more responsibility thrown into the mix.

Meanwhile, days after reserve offensive lineman Brett Toth confirmed he had surgery that an NFL source confirmed to SI.com's Eagle Maven was for a torn ACL, NFL Media reported that tight end Tyree Jackson just underwent his ACL surgery.

Both players were injured in the Week 18 regular-season finale against Dallas and will be facing rehabs of about nine months.

Jackson has his surgery performed by Dr. Robert LaPrade of Twin City Orthopedics in Edina, Minnesota. LaPrade is regarded as one of the best knee surgeons in the world and is a specialist in treating posterolateral knee injuries and revision ACL reconstructions.

-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on both PhillyVoice.com and YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Eagle Maven and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglemaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.

.