Eagles 360: The Search Begins

three seasons. Of course, the Eagles six and nine and twenty fifteen two and five, after reaching the midway point of this season at four and four. So we will get into what Jeffrey Laurie had to say. We'll also go into the locker room to get the player's reaction to the news. And they are preparing for the season finale on Sunday against the New York Giants. So it is really kind of a remarkable day. This has only happened once in franchise history, firing a coach with one

game to go. That happened in nineteen eighty four, the Eagles making Mary and Campbell an ex coach, promoting Fred Bruney to the interim job. He went out and beat the Minnesota Vikings thirty seven thirty five. He was not rehired after that win, and then of course Buddy Ryan came to town and turned the football fortunes around just a little bit. Anyway, Jeffrey Lourie met with the media

for twenty two minutes, and he was engaging. He was fourth right, and he was honest in his assessment of what went down in terms of win and losses in the Chip Kelly era. He began meeting the media by thanking Chip Kelly and saying that he believes that Kelly will have a very successful future wherever his next coaching job. Maybe I look forward to watching Chip succeed wherever he goes, because I think he really will. Really just want to

publicly thank Chip. Nobody worked harder the last three years and a smart guy, and it was a bold decision to hire him and had certainly some success, and you know, I wish him the very best, as I did yesterday. I go back to the original hiring of Chip. It was a it was a bold choice. We knew what the potential pitfalls were. He was our first choice. It was a unanimous decision we all had in the hiring

process that we should make that bold choice. I thought, after you know, fifteen years of going in one direction, that there was a reason to do that. And I think whenever you make a bold choice, I'd hate to ever be risk averse. I don't ever want to operate that way. Whether it's acquiring a player or picking a head coach or whatever. It's much better to go for it than to just, you know, say, Okay, well other teams are doing it that way or something like that.

That's not the way we've ever operated and so I think one of the things is when you make a bold choice, there's increased risk, and sometimes it just doesn't work out when you take risks. There was really no choice in terms of maximizing Chip without him having the lever, so to speak, of making those decisions. That's that's where it was at. I mean, I think you either were all in or you should find a new coach in terms of the trust, and so the choice was let's

let's see if that's going to work. And in terms of you know, the results, part of that's the reason we're here today. Laurie made the move midweek, giving the Eagles an opportunity to have some advanced opportunities to contact potential candidates for the head coaching job. It is a search that he is familiar with, having done it a few years ago when the team of Jeffrey Lourie, Don Smilensky and Howie Roseman landed Kelly from the University of Oregon.

So now the Eagles are in the same situation, with a few days of advanced time to go. Laurie discusses the search for the next Eagles head coach. I'm very confident that the search will be done very, very professionally. As the last one was. We uncovered several excellent candidates. I'm very confident that what we're going to assemble in terms of that search will will lead us and our fans to a really excellent choice. In terms of what we're looking for in a coach, it's several things, and

it's um number one, A smart strategic thinker. That's that's that's a given. You've got to be looking out for the short term, mid term and long term interests of the franchise. UM looking for somebody who interacts very well and communicates clearly with everybody he works with and comes in touch with. UM understands the passion of our fans

and what it's like to coach the Philadelphia Eagles. It's a unique and incredibly passionate fan base, UM that just wants to win, and you've got to incorporate that in your life, in your heart, and you've got to be willing to do that. We're going to look at NFL coaches, NFL coordinators, college coaches, retired coaches, any any category you can come up with, if we think it's the best candidate. So UM, No, there will be no change in categories.

It's it's open to figuring that figuring that out. We're looking for the best leader. You know, I've looked carefully at coaches around the league and where they come from, and I don't think there's any clear evidence of offense over defense, defense over offense. It comes down to the leadership ability in today's with today's athlete, in today's world, it's different than it was a long time ago. But

I don't treat offense or defense differently. We'll hear more about Jeffrey Lorie and what he had to say to the media in the show a little later on, But next up, on Eagles three sixty, we go inside the locker room and talk to the players. It is a difficult time for them as they prepare for the New York Giants on Sunday, the season finale, and they also discuss the stunning news the Chip Kelly out as the Eagles head coach. I scept to Philly. I sept the Philly.

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We welcome you back to Eagles three sixty. Eagles insider Dave Spidero here and as you know, Chip Kelly last season. After the twenty fourteen campaign ended with a win over the New York Giants, just a couple of days later, the Eagles making another stunning announcement they made Chip Kelly gave him full control over the personnel department. That meant that he was in charge of the ninety man roster, not just the fifty three man roster during the season.

So Kelly made some moves in the offseason that you may have heard about, trading Nick Foles in a second round draft pick to the Rams in exchange the Eagles getting back Sam Bradford, trading the all time leading rusher in franchise history Lashawn McCoy to the Buffalo Bills for linebacker Kiko Alonso coming off a lost twenty fourteen season that he missed with an AHL injury in and the Eagles and free agency going big signing DeMarco Murray and

running back Ryan Matthews at running back and cornerback Byron Maxwell. The success has been mixed the Eagles the bottom line sixth and nine, and Lorie Today, when he met the media, talked a little bit about those successes, the idea of the player roster, and why he made this decision middle of the week. One of his prime reasons was to give the chairman CEO an opportunity to speak to the team. In today's world, especially at least the way I like to run things, I want to hear from the players.

I want to engage them and have them understand what they felt was lacking. I need to understand, have them understand and take accountability, but also at the same time be a sponge for what is leadership like In today's football world, You're dealing with twenty two to thirty five or more age people and people who are elite athletes trying to perform at the very peak of their profession

and what is leadership like in today's world. It's very, very different than it was ten, fifteen, twenty years ago, and you know, I would like to think that we're always going to try to be on the progressive end of how to lead. I'm not someone who's hands off, and I try to get a sense of players and their concerns in the locker room at all times. But the kinds of players, whether it's Darren Sproles, DeMarco Murray, Sam Bradford, Vinny Curry, you name it, these are players

that can fit in any system. And it remains to be seen if we run a high tempo type of offense or not. That I'll be determined by the new head coach. But I don't see any players on the roster that one would say are only a fit for a Chip Kelly team, not at all. So we have to increase the talent level and increase the performance level of those we have, and uh, you know, that's that's

the key. It's not a fit system type of situation. Certainly, the most notable acquisition in the offseason quarterback Sam Bradford, who had missed all but seven games in twenty thirteen, in twenty fourteen with a knee injury, and after a slow first half of the season and then a concussion and shoulder injury, Bradford has really played well the last six games, a passer rating of Yearly ninety five. He's

been a great leader. He's been tough in the pocket, He's gotten the ball down the field, He's made some plays and had this offense moving in the locker room. On Wednesday, the media surrounding Sam Bradford getting a reaction to the news that Chip Kelly was no longer his head coach. I didn't see it coming. I don't know if anyone did. You know. When I got the news last night, I was shocked. What do you think led

to chips demise? You? Um? Yeah, I'm not the one who makes those decisions, so you know, it's really hard for me to speculate on that. But do you understand it all some people have talked about that, his relationship with players, his relationship with with with the front office. Did you see anything that you think would lead to this? Um? Yeah, Like I said, I don't know what his relationship was with other people, but I had a great relationship with him.

You know, he gave me an opportunity, you know, after being injured for two years, And I'll forever be grateful for that. And you know, it's just it's tough him not being weird to get you that you wanted to resign here and you're comfortable in Philadelphia now that Chips Gods,

you still feel that way? Um? I mean, yeah, I still enjoy the guys on this team, you know, I enjoy the city, have enjoyed my time here, Um, you know, obviously, And I think a lot of it depends on who they hire as a head coach down you know, what type offensive system he wants to run. Sam had much accountability do you think the players have? Um, you know, a lot. You know, we're the ones out there trying to execute the game plan. We're the ones out there,

um making the plays. So you know, I know for me personally, you know, I feel like a lot of it is on our Sam, you talked about not wanting to have to learn a new offense. Do I say that only happened one and way to other people like you kind of feel like you can't catch your break in this. Um, I don't think you can look at it like that, you know, Obviously, I would love to be in the same system, and it's only happened once

in my career. But at this point, you know, whether I'm here somewhere else, I'm going to be learning a new system. So it's just part of it. The player reaction, as you might imagine, was pretty stunning. Most found out on Tuesday night via the Internet and then called each other and shared the news and shared the reaction. Reported to work on Wednesday, trying to focus in on a

good day of practice. We go back into the locker room and talk to a host of players about their thoughts, the chip Kelly's out, what happens the rest of the season, and what might happen in twenty sixteen and beyond. It's just a big of a shock for me, as it was for anybody else. But that's the business that we're in, and we understand that. I mean, I've been on a team with Todd Hailey and he got fired when Kansas City when there was three games left in the season,

so I've been part of this. I understand it's the business. This isn't new to me as much as it is to some of the other people around, but that's what we're in and everybody knows that you have to produce and you have to win to keep your job the NFL. I'm sure he lost the team. I think a lot of guys here have a lot of respect for Chipping wish him a lot of moving forward. If we as

players just didn't play well, I'm speak for myself. You had my respect, you know, had my attention, and I think the way he opposed the game was second to none and it helped a young man like myself approached the game. Yeah. Um, you know, I just want to go in to positive ruction. Whoever we hire, you know, get in April, buy into a system and believe and get our guys on board. And uh, you know, I think the biggest thing, uh with with if there's any

prossible team, needs to be communication. Doesn't need to be you know, chirping in the locker room and then you know, hiding it from him. I think it needs to be open communication because I think it's how things will get sold where you want to the future of this franchise go without ship. I just wanted to see it get back you know to what I came into. You know what how coach Read was and you know, just let's get back to winning period. I just want to get

back to winning. That's all I care about, and that's all that's all should be. The focus is winning. Keep it right here for our final segment on Eagles three sixty. We've got some final thoughts on the Eagles and the Giants and a most unusual day at the Novercare Complex. Ain't the paint hot of the PAINTA hot of the painter. Pain carves to complete electrolytes, to replenish everything you need to keep sweating. Hi, my name is Jim Taylor. I've been with back Me for thirty four years. Our lancs

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Duncan Donuts is helping more boys and girls get in the game this year. For every Eagle's touchdown, Duncan Donuts will donate two hundred and fifty dollars to Good Sports. To learn more, visit good sports dot org. Slash Duncan Philly. Welcome back to our final segment here on Eagles three sixty. Eagles insider Dave spidero with you the Eagles and the Giants on Sunday, the season finale a kapper to a

most disappointing two and fifteen season four the Eagles. You think back to the preseason and how good this team looked, how many points they scored, the big win over the Green Bay Packers, and now we come to this the season finale for the Eagles. A win, of course, gives the Eagles second place in the NFC East. A loss means the Eagles are in third place in the division. Will tell you what that means when it is over.

As far as Draft position two, sixteenth schedule, and all the pertinent information the Eagles and the Giants at one o'clock on Sunday, We've got you covered, starting at noon with our kickoff show here, we've got our halftime report, and then our postgame show presented by Ricos. So make sure you're with us all the way through on Sunday.

I know you'll be here. The Eagles making some news this week midweek in unusual circumstances, head coaching change and now Pat Schermer gets his shot to finish the season the right way for the Eagles. And thank you so much for joining us help you. Have yourselves a very, very happy and healthy new year, and we look forward to great things from the Eagles in two thousand and sixteen. Have yourselves a great Eagles night, everyone,