Leaving the Philly area won’t be easy for John DeFilippo, the Radnor High product who on Friday accepted the offensive coordinator job of the Minnesota Vikings.
DeFilippo called his time with the Eagles “a dream come true” during Super Bowl week.
But it was an opportunity DeFilippo couldn’t pass up.
It was all but over when Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman put the full court press on DeFilippo in Philadelphia on Thursday, after the Eagles’ Super Bowl championship parade.
“It was an unbelievable day,” DeFilippo told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “How many guys can say they participated in a Super Bowl parade in the morning and became one of 32 play-callers in the NFL at night?’’
DeFilippo’s expiring contract, and more importantly the success of Eagles quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Nick Foles, gave him leverage in his talks with other teams. Last year the Eagles blocked DeFilippo from interviewing for the offensive coordinator job of the New York Jets. They were interested in speaking with him again, per reports.
“We are very excited to add John to our staff,” Zimmer said. “We took our time with the search and made sure we left no stone unturned to get the right fit. He has a track record of success and has proven to be a great teacher. We feel John will have good chemistry with our team and we are all eager to get to work.”
During the Eagles’ postseason bye, DeFilippo interviewed for the head coaching jobs of the Chicago Bears and the Arizona Cardinals. Those positions were filled by rookie head coaches Matt Nagy and Steve Wilks, respectively.
While rumors swirled that Nagy had the edge by virtue of the staff he’d add in Chicago, which has a young quarterback with upside in Mitchell Trubisky, DeFilippo said the timing wasn’t right and viewed it as a learning experience.
At Minnesota, DeFilippo gets his first full-time coordinator job with no strings attached, unlike his stint with the Cleveland Browns. And it won’t be easy as quarterbacks Case Keenum, Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater all have issues, and are unrestricted free agents to boot.
“I’m going to have some say,” DeFilippo said. “And I’m going to leave no stone unturned.’’
With Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich reportedly inching toward the head coaching job of the Indianapolis Colts, left high and dry by New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, you at least have to wonder why DeFilippo didn’t delay his decision. His compatibility with Zimmer and Spielman, and the deal they put on the table, were the consummate offer he couldn’t refuse. Despite those frigid Twin-City temperatures.
It’s just going to be rough putting aside the raw feelings after being part of the first Eagles’ Super Bowl championship team.
“Any time I put on anything that has an Eagles logo I kind of pinch myself,” DeFilippo said during Super Bowl week. “Every time I pull into work every day I kind of pinch myself. To be here at my first Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles, it’s honestly a dream come true, 100 percent.”
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The Eagles unrestricted free agents are: DT Beau Allen, RB-KR Kenjon Barner , OT William Beatty, RB LeGarrette Blount, LBNigel Bradham, LB Bryan Braman, TE Trey Burton, LB Dannell Ellerbe, LB Najee Goode, FS Corey Graham, CB Patrick Robinson and RB/KR Darren Sproles.
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Long snapper Rick Lovato told WDAE Radio in Tampa that the Eagles ran a fake walkthrough on Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium, using almost none of the plays they did in SBLII.
The obvious implication is it was impossible to secure the venue just in case — repeat, just in case — someone was spying - uh, scouting them.
The Patriots were fined and lost draft picks for videotaping the Jets’ defensive coaches signals in 2007.
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Anne Gordon, whose five minutes of fame was kicking a reporter out of the press box at Lincoln Financial Field, has stepped down from the post of senior vice president of marketing, media and communication.
Gordon has been with the Eagles since November 2012. She wielded significant power within the organization, just beneath team president Don Smolenski, on the executive food chain.