It didn’t take long for the Eagles’ rookies to be impressed by Sean Mannion.
Just a few days.
“I know he’s going to be really good for this program,” second-round pick Eli Stowers said. “He’s a really smart mind. Just learning the offense in the few days that I have, I can tell that it’s going to be a really good scheme and that we’re going to be able to make some really good plays. Our offense is going to be powerful because of him. I’m really excited to work with him.”
Mannion, 34, is entering his first season as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator in 2026 and will be vital to the success of the team this season.
Despite having plenty of talent last year, the Eagles’ offense woefully underperformed, which led to the ouster of former offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo after one season at the helm. The Eagles went through an exhaustive search to hire Mannion and will now turn over the keys of the offense to a guy with just two years of coaching experience.
But Mannion did play in the NFL for many seasons and based on the early returns in South Philadelphia, he has been able to command the room.
“He’s a great coach, definitely,” first-round pick Makai Lemon said. “Getting to know him more and more as a person and as a coach, really, he’s super invested into the players. I’m excited to learn a lot from him.”
Because it seems increasingly likely that A.J. Brown will not be on the roster for this upcoming season, the Eagles are going to need Mannion and his scheme to be as advertised. Even without Brown, it’s not like the Eagles are devoid of talent. They are adding Lemon and Stowers to a group of skill players that already included Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert and more.
And if the offensive line is able to stay healthy — that is a big if — the Eagles will have one of the best O-lines in the NFL too.
But it will be up to Mannion to get the most out of this group.
Throughout the last few months, head coach Nick Sirianni has been impressed by Mannion in the interview process and now in the classroom.
“You do your homework, you go through the process and then you get to see these things before even the players get in here with the way they present in front of the coaching staff and with me,” Sirianni said. I think he’s just got a good confidence. Calm, confidence, conviction with the way he goes about it. Very detailed and it’s been fun. It’s been fun sitting in the back of the room listening him talk, listening to him in install and building the connection with the guys. And he’s done a good job so far. Just gotta keep stacking days upon days.”
The Eagles interviewed 17 different candidates this offseason and some had much more experience than Mannion. But the Eagles view Mannion as an up-and-coming coach and one who will implement a dynamic offense in Philly.
While Sirianni said he entered the search with an open mind, he eventually narrowed the scope to coaches who would run a version of the Shanahan offense in Philly. Mannion has played and coached in that version of the offense for years, but the Eagles are going to try to add their own wrinkles as well.
What does Lemon like about the offense?
“They love to throw the ball, they love to get all of the receivers and the backfield and the tight ends all involved,” Lemon said. “So to be in an offense like this, it’s a great feeling. I’m excited to get around the guys and get out there running. Getting the play calls going. So I’m definitely excited.”
Because this version of offense is prevalent throughout the NFL, we have an idea of what the Eagles are going to do in 2026, but we won’t really get to see it on the field until training camp begins in late July. Before then, the Eagles will have six OTA practices and two mandatory days to continue to install Mannion’s scheme.
In the meantime, they’re not in a rush to give out too many details.
“I don’t know if I can get too much more specific,” Stowers said. “Just know that there’s going to be a lot of opportunities on the field for us in this offense and I’m really excited for it.”