Former Eagles' Super Bowl-Winning OC Turns Up In New York

The Philadelphia Eagles interviewed a reported 15 candidates; however, despite a connection to Nick Sirianni and the organization, the Jets' new OC was never interviewed.

Nov 19, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich on the sidelines during the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Frank Reich is back in the pros, hired on Wednesday as the offensive coordinator for the New York Jets. The longtime coach, now 64, was the interim head coach at Stanford last season, a year after being fired as head coach of the Carolina Panthers.

He will always be remembered as the OC that helped the Eagles win their first Lombardi Trophy on a frigid Minnesota evening back on Feb. 4, 2018. Reich left to become head coach of the Colts after the Eagles' Super Bowl parade.

The hire was an interesting one for Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, only because it was the Eagles who did not hire him to be their OC. The Eagles took 15 days to find a new offensive coordinator and reportedly talked to as many as 15 candidates. None of them were reported to be Reich.

That is something of a surprise considering head coach Nick Sirianni and Reich are close, with Sirianni saying once he viewed Reich as a big brother. Maybe the two talked out of the limelight and decided it wasn’t in either one of their best interests to reunite in South Philly.

Eagles Chose Youth Over Experience In OC Search

Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach Sean Mannion reviews his practice schedule during practice on Friday, August 1, 2025, at Ray Nitschke Field in Ashwaubenon, Wis. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sirianni opted for youth over experience, hiring 33-year-old Sean Mannion to run the offense with assistance from another new and youthful hire in 35-year-old Josh Grizzard to be the team’s passing game coordinator.

In Philly, Reich would have known who his quarterback would be – Jalen Hurts. In New York, who knows who it will be?

But that’s OK. Reich adjusted well in the 2017 season when the Eagles lost Carson Wentz to a serious knee injury late in the year. Enter Nick Foles. Reich went back and watched every game Foles had played previously and made the offense Foles friendly.

He and head coach Doug Pederson would spend the night before kickoff fine-tuning a game plan, making sure the scripted to plays to start a game were on point.

The Eagles ended that season 13-3 with an offense that was third in the league in scoring with 457 points (28.6 per game), utilized the best offensive line in the league to help the Eagles finish third is rushing yards per game (132.2 per game), and seventh in total yards (5,852).

In Super Bowl LII, Foles executed Reich’s game plan to perfection, throwing for 373 yards and three touchdowns to get the better of the Patriots’ Tom Brady and win the Super Bowl MVP award.

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