Legendary Philadelphia Eagles offensive line coach and run-game coordinator Jeff Stoutland announced that he was stepping down from both roles on Wednesday after 13 years with the organization.
He’ll instantly became a hot name on the coaching market for teams putting together an offensive coaching staff, though the Eagles currently intend to keep him in some capacity, per multiple reports:
“There is absolutely no one I credit more with the career I had than Jeff Stoutland,” former Eagles center Jason Kelce wrote on social media. “The consistent passion and his eagerness to teach pushed my teammates, me, and our room to amazing success. More importantly, we became incredibly close as people. It was more than just coaching and teaching, it was his presence and sense of urgency that was unaccepting of mediocrity and potential left behind. He will undoubtedly be missed inside the building, and everyone that played for him. I am incredible grateful to have played for Stout, one-of-one coach and person. I love you coach.”
The Eagles, meanwhile, released the following statement:
Stoutland, 63, started with the Eagles in 2013 on Chip Kelly’s staff and remained with the team through the Doug Pederson and Nick Sirianni coaching regimes. It’s pretty rare that position coaches remain from one coaching staff to the next, but Stoutland has been credited with developing one of the best offensive lines in the sport and organized a run game that fueled last year’s Super Bowl title.
Among the offensive lineman he helped develop were Kelce, Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Jason Peters, Evan Mathis and Brandon Brooks, all Pro Bowlers except for Mailata (who is nonetheless one of the better left tackles in the sport).
It is unclear if Stoutland simply was ready to take a step back from coaching or if new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion wanted to bring his own people to the staff, though reporting has suggested it was somewhere in the middle.
If Stoutland does decide to continue coaching, however, you can bet a number of teams will line up to secure his services.