Philadelphia, PA — Following a 17–34 defeat to the New York Giants, the Philadelphia Eagles made a decisive move to terminate offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo on Friday night. The decision comes amid a wave of criticism directed at the offense’s effectiveness, particularly its post-halftime adjustments and sharpness in high-leverage moments.
“I want to emphasize: he is nonstop; honestly, I think he’s been doing a very good job. But sometimes fit and what’s best for the team must come first. I’m forced to make a difficult decision, but it’s the best one for everyone,” a senior Eagles executive said in an internal statement.
According to internal evaluations, the play-calling has lacked a stable run-pass rhythm, provided too few “easy buttons” to get the quarterback in rhythm, and failed to consistently turn yards into points—especially on third down and in the red zone. Despite stringing together long drives, the Eagles repeatedly missed pivotal moments, from overthrown deep opportunities to sluggish post-halftime opening sequences (P&10). The dismissal is also intended to deliver a “positive jolt” in the locker room: granting the quarterback more on-field autonomy, re-activating designed QB runs in a controlled manner, and restructuring a 15-play third-quarter script to avoid cold starts out of halftime.
While a search is conducted for a permanent replacement, the Eagles will appoint a senior offensive assistant as interim OC and implement an immediate plan: simplify opening-drive sequences, prioritize RPO/quick game to establish rhythm, diversify motion/stack/bunch looks to create free releases for wideouts—especially in 3rd-and-4–7—reignite the ground game with zone-read/GT counter keep concepts to lighten the box, and emphasize more credible play-action with a clear run sell before dialing up shot plays to increase explosive rates.
Initial reactions inside the team indicate veterans recognize accountability does not stop with the play-caller; execution in defining moments must improve. Previously, A.J. Brown publicly praised Patullo’s work ethic and communication, while acknowledging the unit must “turn ideas into points” to reflect the staff’s workload.
In the short term, leadership will track progress through key metrics: third-down conversion rate, red-zone TD rate, third-quarter EPA/play, a measured volume of designed QB runs, and target share for the top wideout duo in 3rd-and-4–7 situations. Over the medium term, the organization will interview OC candidates with a multiple philosophy—flexible between spread and under center, opponent-specific game-planning, and deep situational expertise. The move sends a clear message: after a “hard-to-watch” loss in which the offense was comprehensively shut down, the Eagles are choosing immediate recalibration to uphold offensive standards and reassure fans that the season’s competitive aims will not be compromised.
