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The Jeff Stoutland News is a Bummer, but Eagles Fans Wanted Offensive Changes, and We Got Offensive Changes
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Things were less harmonious this past season. Injuries to right tackle Lane Johnson and others along the front played a part in the ground game’s regression, but there were other dynamics at play. With the offense stagnant, head coach Nick Sirianni took on a more active role over the latter part of the season. He and then-offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo began incorporating different run designs in an effort to kick start the operation.
Stoutland was not consulted about the changes to what he felt was an appropriate degree, a league source said, to the point where he no longer desired the title of run game coordinator because he felt it no longer fit his job description.
That experience gave him pause about continuing on with the organization, the source added.
Yeah look, the run game was shit for most of the year. Lane Johnson was injured. Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens played hurt all season long. Jordan Mailata would tell you he had a down year. We’ve been over that part of it a hundred times, and we could probably end the story right there. But the tight ends were whiffing on blocks and Saquon Barkley was getting blown up in the backfield and it looked like a shell of the run game we saw in 2024, which, let’s be realistic – Saquon wasn’t running for 2,000 yards again. But the offensive line regressed significantly, to a point where the Eagles led the NFL in stuffed runs and had the worst third down on average distance among 32 teams.
For what it’s worth, the run game did pick up a bit over the final few games. Tim’s story doesn’t say when Sirianni specifically got more involved, but Saquon ran for 400 yards in weeks 14, 15, 16, and 17, averaging 4.87 yards per carry while toting the rock 82 times. The caveat is that the stretch included games against the feckless Raiders and Commanders, though he did go for 122 and a touchdown against the Chargers. Jalen Hurts ran for 79 yards on 14 carries in weeks 15 and 16, but again, those were the Vegas and Warshington games.
You’d think that Eagles fans would be unanimous in the thought that the Birds should do everything in their power to keep Stoutland happy and employed. Maybe 95% to 5% in a hypothetical poll. Chalk this season up as a failure and try to get everyone healthy and give it another go in 2026. But at the same time, we all complained that something need to change on the offensive side of the ball, and a lot has. Kevin Patullo is out, Stoutland is out, Sean Mannion is in, and Josh Grizzard is in. The scheme is going to look Shanahan, McVay, and LaFleurian in 2026.
So we got what we wanted, right? Or did we get too much of it?
That’s the question.
The Stoutland news is disappointing, but we spent all season clamoring for something to change and now something has changed. Quite a bit has changed, maybe to the point where the Eagles overcorrected. But pick your aphorism to fit the situation – maybe “beggars can’t be choosers” or “careful what you wish for.”
Either way, Stout is a legend, and nothing changes that.
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com