Jeff Stoutland exits as Vic Fangio ponders retirement: Eagles drama never ends

At this time a year ago, as he celebrated his second Super Bowl title as the Eagles’ offensive line coach, Jeff Stoutland was being hailed as the greatest assistant coach in franchise history. His only real competition: Vic Fangio, whose arrival as coordinator the previous offseason saw the team turn its defense from its greatest weakness to its greatest strength.

Now, a year later, one might be going and the other is gone.

Stoutland announced Wednesday evening on his Twitter/X feed that he had decided “My time coaching with the Eagles has come to an end.”

Meanwhile, after weeks of rumors and reports, there was still no definitive news regarding Fangio and his annual contemplation of retirement.

Granted, we haven’t yet reached Super Bowl Sunday, but teams that win a Super Bowl within a calendar year and then return to the playoffs usually remain more stable than the Eagles have been the past few weeks.

It seems like a team in disarray.

The departure of Stoutland is the more seismic development. Since arriving with Chip Kelly in 2013 from the college ranks, Stoutland has become a cult figure in NFL circles and a demigod in football-crazed Philadelphia. His demanding coaching style, dubbed ”Stoutland University“ by Jordan Mailata, a giant converted rugby player who was his most prized pupil, turned Mailata, Jason Kelce, and Lane Johnson into Hall of Fame candidates and helped several other linemen perform beyond expectation.

However, the offensive line in 2025 struggled. There was a cascade of injuries, but as the season collapsed, whispers regarding Stoutland’s effectiveness began to circulate.

He’d also been passed over. Stoutland was not considered a viable candidate to replace offensive coordinator Kellen Moore last year when Moore became the head coach in New Orleans, nor was he considered a viable candidate to replace recently demoted OC Kevin Patullo.

During the season, Stoutland, who had been serving as running game coordinator, was stripped of those responsibilities by head coach Nick Sirianni.

After the Eagles hired Sean Mannion as OC last week, all offensive assistants were put on notice that Mannion might alter the staff. Quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler was expected to be the first casualty.

Instead, Stout was out.

Stoutland is 63, and is contemplating both retirement and remaining with the Eagles in an advisory position, although, given his strong personality and his 13-year tenure, his shadow likely would be too much of a distraction. His status will remain in limbo for the time being.

» READ MORE: Longtime Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland announces departure from team

Apparently, the same is true of Fangio

I heard 2½ weeks ago that Fangio, 67, was contemplating retirement, and that it might hinge on a reunion with offensive coordinator candidate Mike McDaniel, under whom Fangio worked as defensive coordinator in Miami in 2023. I couldn’t get it confirmed in the Eagles building, so I didn’t write it, and then PhillyVoice.com broke the story over the weekend.

The most intriguing parts of that story concerned the news that not only was Fangio so close to retirement that the Eagles alerted possible candidates, but also that one of those possible candidates was former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who was generally despised by Eagles fans when he left for the Cardinals’ head coaching job.

At any rate, my league sources said Fangio decided to not retire last week, which was one reason Gannon went ahead and took the DC job in Green Bay. Then, on Monday, The Inquirer reported that Fangio was still dithering … but the next day, @PHLY_sports reported that Fangio was staying, which I, too, have heard.

The Eagles and Fangio have remained mum.

So it seems, as prime candidates to replace Fangio keep getting hired by other teams, Fangio might be holding the Eagles hostage.

If not, it only makes sense that the Eagles would say so. The team, with its high-maintenance players, its impulsive head coach, and its eclectic collection of front-office characters, often gets frustrated by the way it is covered.

But this is unnecessary drama … unless it isn’t; unless Fangio is, in fact, holding them hostage.

This is the sort of behavior that casts the organization as dysfunctional.

Sirianni taunts fans, including his own. Diva wide receiver A.J. Brown complains about the offense for three seasons, reads books on the sideline, calls the offense a “[bleep] show” online, and has to be reprimanded by owner Jeffrey Lurie. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter spits on Dak Prescott before the first snap of the season and somehow gets himself ejected and suspended from the same game.

Fangio likes to golf and fish and watch the Phillies, but as a defensive coordinator, he gets to do that just one month per year.

» READ MORE: Jeffrey Lurie admired Kellen Moore as OC in Dallas and hired a similar coach, Sean Mannion, for the Eagles

There are plenty of reasons besides age that Fangio might want to step away.

First, while the Eagles win, the NovaCare Complex isn’t exactly an easy place to be. Howie Roseman operates with more autonomy, unlike most other GMs, who are more beholden to their coaching staff, especially their coordinators. Additionally, the best defenders will soon be receiving lucrative extensions, which could change the dynamic in the building. It might be a lot more pleasant coaching young, hungry talent like Jordan Davis, Quinyon Mitchell, Nolan Smith, and Cooper DeJean than coaching those same guys minus the financial incentive.

Maybe, at 70, Fangio doesn’t want to be babysitting a well-paid, overweight, under-motivated Jalen Carter.