The Dallas Cowboys are coming off their second consecutive season without a playoff appearance. While that is never ideal, their second-place finish in the NFC East and offensive output during the 2025 season should at least provide some optimism heading into the 2026 campaign.
Former head coach Mike McCarthy's decision to take the Pittsburgh Steelers job certainly caught the attention of many Cowboys fans. It is a coaching move by the Philadelphia Eagles, however, that should have them eagerly looking ahead to next season. According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, new Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion will be calling plays for Philadelphia. Mannion did not call any plays during his two seasons in Green Bay and will not be going at it alone, as HC Nick Sirianni will also influence the offense.
Mannion, the 33-year-old former quarterback who previously served as an offensive assistant and QBs coach with the Packers from 2024-25, follows former Eagles OC Kevin Patullo, who also had no experience calling plays before taking the job for the 2025 season. At this point, it isn't necessary to rehash exactly how that worked out for the defending champions.
Cowboys Should Be Thrilled by Eagles' OC Decision
Even though Dallas (7-9-1) failed to win the division this season, it was not that far behind the 11-6 Eagles, which it rallied from a 21-0 deficit to beat, 24-21, in Week 12. It was no secret the Cowboys had the worst defense in the league (30.1 PPG), but they played some of their best ball in the two meetings with Philadelphia, holding the Eagles to a combined 3 second-half points.
You cannot deny the talent on Philadelphia's roster. If Patullo was unable to find much success as a first-year OC, there is no guarantee that Mannion will, either. This is especially true if the Eagles do not bring in a veteran to pair with him on the staff. The coaching situation in Philadelphia is high-pressure regardless of who is on the sidelines, and this could easily blow up in the Eagles' face if Mannion is not ready and crumbles under pressure.
Including the wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Eagles scored fewer than 20 points on 10 separate occasions this season, averaging the 19th-most points per game (22.1 PPG). That was even with a roster that was still mostly intact from its Super Bowl LIX triumph the previous season, so it speaks to the task at hand for the first-year OC Mannion, even with the talent he is inheriting on offense.
The Cowboys will go into the 2026 season with a new defensive coordinator after firing Matt Eberflus. Taking over for him will be former Eagles defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Christian Parker, who worked exclusively with Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, two of the more talented younger cornerbacks in the NFL. For a defense that struggled immensely under Eberflus, that should provide some optimism and give Dallas even more reason to feel good about Philadelphia's decision.
Of course, the Eagles were one of the better defenses in the NFL this season, so it is not like Mannion will have to be exceptional to make up for lost points on that side of the ball. However, given Patullo's struggles despite having the same stout defense supporting his efforts, a similar situation could be playing out for the Eagles, especially with Sirianni still having a say in the offense.
This could all work out in the end and be a successful hire in due time, but the Eagles are going down a slippery slope by once again hiring someone with no OC experience. After playing their rivals competitively this season, the Cowboys will certainly not be complaining about the hire whatsoever.