The Philadelphia Eagles appeared set to interview Bruce Arians at some point in the future. However, although the Eagles were rumored to meet with him on Jan. 15, USA TODAY alleged that no such interview will take place.
The Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator and former interim head coach already has interviews set with the Chicago Bears and San Diego Chargers, according to Arians’ agent. Yet USA TODAY quoted an Eagles spokeman as saying that he is not interviewing with Philadelphia as well.
Arians seemed like an ideal candidate for the Eagles, since he is a hot, offensive-minded coordinator who got some surprising, successful head coaching experience this year. His eight wins with the Colts, his work with Andrew Luck, his distant local past as a Temple Owls head coach and his help in making the Colts a quick winner again looked to work in his favor.
But if it works in his favor, it might be for either the Colts or another team looking for a new coach. As for the Eagles, rejecting an interview with Arians is a sign that they’re focused on other candidates, or perhaps just one.
Philadelphia already interviewed Ken Whisenhunt and Jay Gruden on Jan. 14, according to ESPN, with speculation continuing to build on Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. Although Bradley and Gruden have no head coaching experience, and Whisenhunt struggled in his final years with the Arizona Cardinals, Arians doesn’t appear to have an edge over them anyway.
With four other teams looking for head coaches and the Bears and Chargers allegedly interested, Arians has many other options besides the Eagles. As for Philadelphia, it has nothing but options, yet what it is missing is an actual head coach.
Arians was already a head coach who made a two-win Colts team into an 11-win playoff squad, and made Luck win big in just his first season. Yet if the Eagles don’t think he can turn their four-win team and rookie quarterback Nick Foles around as well, they will need to have someone with an even bigger track record in mind.
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