Eagles coordinators get head coaching jobs
The coordinators for the Super Bowl runner-up Philadelphia Eagles both landed first-time head coaching gigs 48 hours after their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
DC Jonathan Gannon replaced Kliff Kingsbury in Arizona on Tuesday and OC Shane Steichen was hired in Indianapolis, succeeding interim head coach Jeff Saturday.
That completes this year's protracted hiring cycle that featured just five openings.
First-timer DeMeco Ryans was hired by the Houston Texans and Sean Payton
(Denver) and Frank Reich (Carolina) both were hired for their second head coaching jobs.
Steichen's resume includes working with Philip Rivers and helping to mentor Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts.
The Colts have had almost as much instability at head coach and under center as have the Broncos, who have had a different starting quarterback every opener since 2016 and are on their fifth head coach since winning Super Bowl 50 seven years ago.
The Colts now have their fourth head coach since 2017 and are likely to have a new starting QB for the seventh straight season as most draft analysts expect them to select a quarterback with the fourth overall pick in the draft.
Steichen takes over a team that went 4-12-1 and used three starting quarterbacks, two play-callers and two head coaches last year.
Gannon, 40, takes over an Arizona team that went 4-13.
His smothering defenses piled up sacks the last two seasons but his resume took a bit of a hit in the Super Bowl when the Eagles coughed up a double-digit halftime lead and couldn't stop a limping Mahomes from leading the Chiefs to scores on all four of their second-half drives.
That didn't faze Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill, who is trying to find a leader who can help the franchise win its first NFL championship since 1947. Helping in that cause is the No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming draft.