Eagles To Interview Jaguars Coach Mike Caldwell for Role on Vic Fangio’s Staff

Could the Philadelphia Eagles add a former defensive coordinator to work under Vic Fangio?

Tim Kelly | Jan 26, 2024

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Philadelphia Eagles

After a disastrous 2023 season that saw both Sean Desai and Matt Patricia call plays defensively for the Philadelphia Eagles, the team should be much better on that side of the ball with Vic Fangio at the helm. And it now appears that coach Nick Sirianni's new defensive coordinator may add another experienced coach to his staff.

According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, the Eagles plan to interview former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell for their linebackers coaching vacancy Friday.

The 52-year-old was dismissed as the Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator following a disappointing 2023 season for the team. Prior to Fangio parting ways with the Miami Dolphins, the Eagles had interviewed Caldwell for defensive coordinator. He would seemingly be overqualified to be the linebackers coach, but working under Fangio could help him to get a better job next offseason if the Eagles do indeed turn things around defensively in 2024.

Caldwell has quite a few ties to the Eagles organization beyond having worked under coach Doug Pederson for two seasons in Jacksonville.

Before getting into coaching, Caldwell had an 11-year playing career as a linebacker. Four of those seasons -- 1998-2001 -- came with the Eagles, a period in which he recorded 254 combined tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, three interceptions and three forced fumbles.

Andy Reid was Caldwell's coach during his last three seasons playing for the Eagles. It would be Reid who would give Caldwell a chance to begin his NFL coaching career. Caldwell served as a defensive quality control coach for the Eagles under Reid in 2008 and 2009. He was the assistant linebackers coach in 2010, before being promoted to linebackers coach for Reid's final two seasons with the Eagles.

Vic Fangio 'Has a Sizable Mess to Clean Up' With Eagles

Caldwell returning to Philadelphia would not only improve the staff Sirianni and Fangio are assembling, but it would be a full-circle moment for someone with deep ties to the Eagles.

Published Jan 26, 2024

TIM KELLY

Tim Kelly is a contributor to SI's NFL team sites. Additionally, Kelly covers the Philadelphia Phillies as the Editorial Director for PhilliesNation.com. Previously, Kelly has been a producer at SportsRadio 94 WIP and a content producer for Audacy Sports, with written content syndicated to WIP, WFAN, WEEI and some of the biggest sports radio stations in the country. Kelly also has contributed to Bleacher Report, Just Baseball, Sports Talk Philly and Section 215, FanSided's Philadelphia affiliate. Kelly is a 2018 graduate of Bloomsburg University, with a major in Mass Communications and a minor in political science.