The Philadelphia Eagles have fired defensive coordinator Sean Desai, ¹ú²ú̽»¨Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday.
Philadelphia's season collapsed after starting 10-1, with the Eagles losing six of their final seven games, and the defense was a big reason for the team's struggles. Desai had his play-calling duties stripped by head coach Nick Sirianni amidst that losing streak in mid-December, replaced by assistant Matt Patricia.
Patricia, who is not under contract, though, plans to explore other opportunities, ¹ú²ú̽»¨Network Insiders Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reported, per sources.
It felt like an ill-fated marriage from the start.
Desai, 40, had replaced Jonathan Gannon, who accepted the Cardinals' head-coaching job last winter, and the expectations were that the Eagles' defense would dominate again in 2023.
It did not. The Eagles ranked in the bottom 10 in the ¹ú²ú̽»¨in yards allowed, points allowed, interception percentage and -- most shockingly -- sack percentage. The majority of a unit that registered a league-best 70 sacks in 2022 had only 43 in 2023. Â
The Eagles also allowed seven teams to ring up 400-plus yards of offense against them this past season. Five of those games came after Thanksgiving, including in the road playoff loss to the Buccaneers in the Super Wild-Card Round on Jan. 15.
Rapoport reported that Desai, who had run the defenses of the Bears and Seahawks previously, was still expected to be a candidate for some of the vacant defensive coordinator jobs elsewhere around the league.
