Many lining up to laud Stoutland
Philadelphia Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland is so revered that he’ll be overwhelmed by the barrage of happy birthday greetings he receives Friday.
The kind words will come from his players at the Sheraton Grand Hotel at Wild Horse Pass, who got him a dog when his passed away.
They’ll come from the Eagles coaching staff, which has relied on the elite offensive line he crafted all the way to Super Bowl LVII.
Just as importantly, the well wishes will come from the neighbors in Wallingford, who love him for being himself.
Stoutland always will remember walking into his house long after the NFC Championship Game win over the San Francisco 49ers a couple weeks ago. The chirping of Oliver, his Shih Tzu dog, added a dimension to the surprise.
“We had to have somebody come to the house to walk Oliver while the game was on because it’s a long day,” recalled Stoutland, whose wife and daughter attended the game. “When we got home my whole house was decorated. Our neighbors came and decorated it. Kellie Vaccaro came in and decorated the whole place with streamers and balloons. I walked in and I thought I was in an art museum it was so beautiful. Our neighbors are great people. We live in a tremendous neighborhood, Todmorden. And we love it there.”
Everybody who gets a chance to speak with Stoutland probably feels the same way about him. Beneath the gruff-looking exterior is a heart of gold,
a heart that needed triplebypass surgery almost 13 years ago.
Stoutland is tough, yet humble. Detail-oriented and in your face, but forgiving. Relentless but fair.
“He’s unique,” All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson said. “He makes every meeting like a game day. His voice commands attention. He’s very loud. He asks a lot of questions. He calls them cold calling questions, which is like a pop quiz. That puts you on the spot, answering questions under duress. He likes to simulate a game-like meeting room, which can be uncomfortable at times, but you come to respect it, and love it. He develops guys so well. Multiple guys have moved on and done well and I think it’s just a testament to who he is as a coach.”
Stoutland will talk your ear off in a good way about the myriad of techniques necessary for an offensive line to function. The words just fly off his lips while his arms show what he means. Listening to Stoutland is like taking in a lecture from a favorite college professor. When the bell rings to signal the end of class, you
don’t want to leave.
“I heard a coach say a long time ago that our job as coaches is to take the player to another level just a tick above that they might not be able to reach themselves,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said. “Stout has that unbelievable ability to teach fundamentals and really detail it out for them. And then on top of that, he understands how to put players in a great position. And then the fit, how they mesh with everybody on staff. And everybody loves Stout. So, he hits all three out of the park.”
The Eagles are averaging 208.0 rushing yards and just 134.5 passing yards in the playoffs. They’ve outscored the New York Giants and 49ers by a combined 69-14. The Eagles run-pass ratio is 88-51 in the postseason. Seven of the Eagles’ nine touchdowns are on the ground.
If the Eagles continue to grind that way, they’ll wear out the Kansas City Chiefs and win the Super Bowl. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes won’t get a chance to mount a comeback.
Remember this: The blocking scheme and techniques in the Eagles’ win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII still are teaching tools. The game plan and execution were brilliant.
That’s the connection Stoutland, who recently signed a long-term contract to stay with the Eagles, has with his players. In a lot of ways the offensive linemen are just like him. That is to say, stealthy.
“People don’t know that our guys do a lot outside of the building to help people and they don’t really want the recognition,” Stoutland said. “They’re trying to help a lot of young kids in Philadelphia. They’re doing a lot of different things to support people. It’s just out of the kindness of their heart.”
The Philly Special Christmas album featuring Jordan Mailata, Jason Kelce and Johnson has raised tons of money for the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center. Mailata’s rendition of “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” the first song on the album, brings tears to the eyes of Stoutland.
“I drove home the other night and I have that song on Spotify,” Stoutland said. “And I almost cried when I listened to that. I’ll play it for you right now. I’m so proud of those guys. It’s so awesome to hear Lane Johnson, Kelce and then Mailata. We know Mailata can sing. And those other two guys, I’m so proud.”
The players feel the same about Stoutland.
“I’ve been with Stout a decade now and he’s just an unbelievable coach, an unbelievable mentor and an unbelievable teacher,” said Kelce, a five-time AllPro center. “A lot of credit goes to Stout, not just for my success but our whole team’s success.”