Eagles Keep Rebranding The Same Product

PHILADELPHIA - Kevin Patullo is in his final days, perhaps final hours, in what will be a one-year stint as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, soon to be sacrificed to everything that is wrong with a public-facing industry.

In my quarter-century covering the NFL, there are few comparable examples for Patullo, who is universally liked inside the NovaCare Complex yet disdained outside the gates by those who’ve been conditioned to believe that Patullo is the sole beneficiary of the blame that needs to be assigned as punishment for failing to meet expectations.

"I think you have to point the finger at one person, that's what you guys have to do in your job,” running back Saquon Barkley assessed Monday during the Eagles’ clean-out day. “Somebody’s gotta catch the blame, especially when we had the season we had the year before. Do I think that’s fair? No, I don’t think that’s fair at all.”

None of that means Patullo’s offense, which really isn’t even his offense, was good enough or even acceptable to ensure one’s job security in a bottom-line business.

What it does mean is that it’s the easiest fix to be made, measured against the difficult conversations that could spark actual change with an Eagles’ offense built around the skills of quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Same Script

Receiver DeVonta Smith completes a drill. | Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

“I mean this is the scheme that we’ve been in the whole time so whatever everybody thinking, nothing changed, it’s the same scheme,” wide receiver DeVonta Smith said after the disappointing 23-19 wild-card loss to San Francisco on Sunday.

Don't believe Smith? How about Barkley?

"I know it was a new offensive coordinator and new guys, but we kind of stuck with the same script, to be honest, of what we did last year," Barkley said.

"If there are multiple players saying that, why don't you believe us? Jordan Mailata quizzed reporters.

Both head coach Nick Sirianni and Hurts remained agnostic when asked about Patullo because they know what's coming.

"There will be time to evaluate everybody's performance," Sirianni said when asked by Eagles On SI about Patullo's future. "Right now, I feel for all our guys in the locker room, all the players, all the coaches, the front office, everybody that works so hard, the fans that come out and support us, Mr. [Chairman/CEO Jeffrey] Lurie. I feel for all of us, all of them, and there'll be time to evaluate everything coming up."

“It’s too soon to think about that," Hurts said Monday when discussing Patullo. "Like I said, I put my trust in Howie, Nick and Mr. Lurie.”

Stripped to its bare bones the skeleton of this offense was developed midway through the 2021 season, Hurts' first as the Eagles' starter and Sirianni's rookie year as a head coach. It's stayed relatively constant through Shane Steichen, Brian Johnson, Kellen Moore and now Patullo.

What a firing signals is that the Patullo brand is toxic and untenable to move forward with from a public relations perspective. It will in no way guarantee movement away from an offense that everyone seems to dislike so much no matter who is next in line.

In fact, history says it will be the same product with different branding wholly dependent on better execution from players another year older.

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