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Former Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson interviews with the Buccaneers for their vacant role

Johnson lasted just one season as the Eagles play-caller thanks in large part to a late-season slide.

Former Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson interviewed with the Bucs.
Former Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson interviewed with the Bucs.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

A week after news came down that Brian Johnson would not be returning as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator in 2024, he’s already interviewed with the team that eliminated the Birds from the playoffs — the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. According to the Bucs, Johnson interviewed on Tuesday.

The Bucs lost their offensive coordinator, Dave Canales, when he was hired as the head coach of the Panthers, leaving a void on the offensive staff, especially with Canales taking a few of his top assistants to Carolina with him.

Enter Johnson as a candidate. He was fired by the Eagles after his offense struggled down the stretch this season, failing to reach 20 points in four of the team’s final six games of the regular season, capped by a nine-point showing in the 32-9 wild-card loss to the Bucs.

» READ MORE: Eagles’ Nick Sirianni is looking for a new offensive scheme and coordinator — maybe at his own expense

Despite that poor performance in Tampa, the Bucs are interested in Johnson, who previously interviewed for the since-filled head-coaching positions with the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons, and received an interview request from the Panthers but ultimately never interviewed. Johnson also reportedly interviewed with the Cleveland Browns and was scheduled to interview with the New Orleans Saints for their offensive coordinator vacancies.

In his first season as the Eagles offensive coordinator, the team finished seventh in the league in scoring and eighth in yards, despite the late-season slide in which they averaged just 18.9 points over their final seven games. That followed two seasons as the quarterback coach, when Johnson helped develop Jalen Hurts into an MVP finalist during the 2022 season.

According to the Buccaneers’ website, Johnson has some competition for the job. They also haveinterviewed Bucs quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis, Detroit Lions wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El, former Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, and Houston Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, who announced Tuesday he will keep his current job.

» READ MORE: David Murphy: Kellen Moore and Jalen Hurts: Heisman finalists, coaches’ sons, hope for the Eagles