Putting the Spotlight on the Philadelphia Eagles' Coaching Staff

Outside of quarterback, a head coach may get the most unwarranted criticism of a fanbase in the NFL today.

Here in Philadelphia, Andy Reid endures the criticism on a daily basis, even when nothing substantial has taken place to be criticized.

But Reid knows that comes with the job, especially in Philly.

However Reid cannot, and does not, do it alone. Let's put a spotlight on all of the key decision-makers of the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff, including Big Red himself.

Andy Reid - Head Coach, Executive VP of Football Operations

After his playing days were over at BYU (Brigham Young University), Reid came on board as a graduate assistant in 1982. After only one year at BYU, Reid bounced around a lot, never staying at one place for more than three years.

After BYU he was the offensive line coach for San Francisco State ('83-'85), Northern Arizona University ('86), UTEP ('87-'88), and then at the University of Missouri ('89-'91).

After making several stops to different colleges across the country, Reid finally landed his first job in the NFL with Mike Holmgren, then coach of the Green Bay Packers.

After working as an offensive assistant and offensive line coach from '92-'96, Reid was promoted to quarterbacks/assistant head coach for the '97 season, a year after the Packers beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

It didn't take long for Reid to get noticed.

In 1999, the Philadelphia Eagles were looking for a new head coach after Jeff Lurie had relieved Ray Rhodes of his duties with the team, and it didn't take long for Lurie to find a bright, young coach worthy of the spot in Reid.

Reid impressed Lurie with his notebooks dedicated to jotting down plays and taking notes from Holmgren on how to build a winning team.

Reid's hiring was uncommon at the time, as it was common practice to hire coordinators as coaches because it was believed any coach less than that was not ready to lead an entire team.

The success that Reid has enjoyed has changed the minds of NFL owners and has started a new trend sweeping the NFL over the past decade.

Since 1990 there have been 73 rookie head coaches. In that time span, only four have stuck with the team that hired them for 10 or more years including Jeff Fisher (Houston/Tennessee, since 1994), Bill Cowher (Pittsburgh, '92-'06), and Dennis Green (Minnesota, '92-'01).

On top of that, Reid holds franchise records in regular season wins (96), winning percentage (.608), and playoff victories (10).

Also, Reid has sent 19 players to 44 Pro Bowls, the most of any coach during the last decade. None of the players sent had ever gone to a Pro Bowl before their time with Reid.

Jim Johnson - Defensive Coordinator

Although his playing days at Missouri and in the AFL consisted of playing quarterback and tight end, Johnson has always been a defensive coach.

Johnson's coaching career began as a head coach in 1967 (until '68) at Missouri Southern, three years after ending a short two-year stint in the AFL with the Buffalo Bills as a tight end.

After Missouri Southern, Johnson would spend four years at Drake University ('69-'72) and Indiana University ('73-'76).

In 1977, Johnson landed a job as the secondary coach at Notre Dame. The following year he was promoted to defensive coordinator/assistant head coach, a job he would hold until 1983.

In 1984, Johnson went to the USFL to coach the defense of the Oklahoma Outlaws. Then after only one year jumped ship to the Jacksonville Bulls, again of the USFL. Even during his short time with the USFL, his defenses turned some heads among NFL circles.

In 1986, Johnson would finally get his wish and broke into the NFL with the STL/AZ Cardinals. He came in as the defensive line coach, but eventually moved to the secondary where he helped Aeneas Williams create the reputation he has today. Johnson would stay with the Cardinals until 1993.

Johnson worked with the Indianapolis Colts from '94-'97, coming in as the defensive line coach then taking over for Vince Tobin after he left Indy to become the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.

It would take only one year with the Seattle Seahawks in 1998, and in a smaller role no less, to make his mark on Andy Reid, the man who would eventually hire him.

In that one year with Seattle, Johnson served as the linebackers coach. However, he was given a lot of credit for the defense's success. That season, the defense recorded 10 touchdowns, with eight of them coming on interceptions, the second most in NFL history.

In 1999, Reid had seen enough to give him the confidence to hire Johnson on his new staff in Philadelphia. Reid had apparently had his eye on Johnson even during his days in Indianapolis and had decided that if he became a head coach before Johnson that he would hire him immediately.

That's exactly what Reid did, and it's paid off.

Big time.

During his time in Philadelphia, Johnson's defenses (overall) have ranked in the top five of every major defensive statistical category, including sacks, turnovers, points allowed, and others.

Johnson is regarded as one of the best, if not the best, coaches in the NFL today. He has revolutionized the blitz and has seen his defense copied throughout the league.

Along with the likes of Dick Lebeau and former NFL defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, Johnson is considered one of the top defensive minds of the day.

Marty Mornhinweg - Offensive Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach

After spending four years as a starting quarterback at Montana University, Mornhinweg spent the next 10 years bouncing from one college job to the next.

• Montana (Receivers) - 1985
• UTEP (Graduate Assistant) - '86-'87
• Northern Arizona (Running Backs) - '88, '94
• SE Missouri State (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks) - '89-'90
• Missouri (Tight Ends/Offensive Line) - '91-'93

He would finally break into the NFL in '95 as an assistant coach with the Green Bay Packers. This would also be the third time he had worked along side Andy Reid. They had previously coached together at UTEP and Missouri.

He worked as an offensive assistant in '95, then took over the quarterback-coaching duties in '96. That year, he coached Brett Favre as the Packers went on to win the Super Bowl.

The following year, he left for a job running the offense in San Francisco. Reid was then named his successor as quarterbacks coach and would hold the position until being hired in Philadelphia.

Mornhinweg coached the San Francisco offense from '97 up until 2000. In 2001, he was hired as the Detroit Lions' head coach. After a dismal 5-27 record in two years with Detroit, he was fired and brought on by Reid as a "senior offensive assistant," since Childress still had OC duties.

After Childress left to become the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings after the 2004 season, Mornhinweg stepped in and has since been the OC/assistant head coach ever since.

Mornhinweg has led the Eagles' offense to record-setting seasons in 2006, 2007, and 2008. The records consist of most points scored in a season, most yards in a season, and other accolades involving individual performances by his players.

Ted Daisher - Special Teams Coordinator

Daisher originally came into the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles as the special teams quality control coach after 22 seasons in the collegiate ranks. In 2006, he was the special teams coordinator of the Oakland Raiders.

Then from '07-'08, he was the special teams coordinator of the Cleveland Browns, which boasted three Pro Bowl players (KR/PR Josh Cribbs, K Phil Dawson, and LS Brian Pontbriand).

Juan Castillo - Offensive Line Coach

Castillo has been on the Eagles coaching staff for 15 years. He was one of only four coaches held over from the Ray Rhodes era into the Andy Reid era.

He has been the offensive line coach for 12 of those 15 years while previously working as an offensive assistant and tight ends coach.

Castillo attends the Scouting Combine every year to work with the prospective offensive linemen.

David Culley - Wide Receivers Coach

Culley boasts 31 years of coaching experience, 16 years in the NFL, and 11 years as the Eagles wide receivers coach.

Culley is a huge reason for the success of DeSean Jackson a year ago and will have a big say in how Jeremy Maclin performs this year.

Culley was a four-year starter at quarterback at Vanderbilt University from '73-'77 before breaking into the coaching ranks.

Sean McDermott - Secondary Coach

McDermott has served as the linebackers and secondary coach during his 11 years with the Philadelphia Eagles.

McDermott is widely considered one of the up-and-coming young stars of the coaching ranks. He is being groomed by Johnson as his eventual replacement.

With Johnson's unfortunate and deeply saddening announcement of his battle with cancer, McDermott will see an increase in involvement with gameplanning and overseeing of the defense this year, and Johnson has faith he will do just fine.

Tom Melvin - Tight Ends Coach

Melvin broke into the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles 11 years ago as an offensive assistant/quality control coach. He has assumed the duties of tight ends coach for the past eight years.

Melvin has been a huge part of the early success of L.J. Smith and the recent breakthrough of Brent Celek, who led the Eagles during the postseason in receptions (19) and touchdowns (3).

Mornhinweg was the man who replaced Melvin as the running backs coach at Northern Arizona University.

Rory Segrest - Defensive Line Coach

Segrest joined the Eagles in 2006 as a special teams quality control coach and assisting Pete Jenkins along the defensive line.

From 2007-2008 Segrest served as the special teams coordinator. After two fairly rocky years, Segrest will take over as defensive line coach after the retirement of Pete Jenkins this past offseason.

Segrest's first love is the defensive line, so this opportunity should not go to waste.

Bill Shuey - Linebackers Coach

Shuey spent his first five season as a quality control coach while learning the ropes around the linebackers.

Shuey just served his first year as a positional coach after Jon Harbaugh took the head coaching job in Baltimore, which moved former linebackers coach Sean McDermott to the secondary, and allowed Shuey to take over the linebackers.

Shuey, 34, is a young guy who looks to have a bright future in the NFL and has gained a lot of confidence from Andy Reid.

James Urban - Quarterbacks Coach

Urban is in his first year as quarterbacks coach after two years spent as a quality control coach. Urban will now take the reigns as quarterbacks coach after the departure of Pat Shurmur, who followed Steve Spagnuolo to St. Louis as the offensive coordinator.

Urban was Shurmur's right-hand man last year and gets his shot this year. He's a young guy, just like a lot of the Eagles' coaches, and looks to make a name for himself.

Ted Williams - Running Back Coach

Williams is entering his 15th season with the Eagles, his 13th as the running backs coach. His first two years were spent as the tight ends coach.

Williams, along with Juan Castillo, is one of four coaches held over from the Ray Rhodes era.

Williams gets a lot of credit for the success of Brian Westbrook, Duce Staley, and Correll Buckhalter. He was a huge reason the "three-headed-monster" backfield of 2003 worked as well as it did.

Doug Pederson - Offensive Assistant

Pederson has always been a coach. Even while he was a player, he always acted more as an on-the-field coach.

Reid worked with Pederson during his four years in Green Bay, and brought him along to Philly in 1999 to play quarterback and be a tutor until Donovan McNabb was ready to take over during the season.

Pederson recently spent the last four seasons as an extremely successful high school coach in Shreveport, LA, leading the team to it's first district title in 2007 and a 33-7 overall record during that span.

Pederson will be working with McNabb again and should prove to be a vital asset to not only McNabb, but the entire team. Look for Pederson to move up quickly.

Quality Control Coaches:

Mike Caldwell - Defensive Quality Control Coach

- Second Season; Former NFL Linebacker (three seasons with Eagles)

Jeff Nixon - Special Teams Quality Control Coach

- Third Season; PA native

Otis Smith - Assistant Secondary Coach

-Second Season; Former NFL Cornerback (four seasons with Eagles)

Mike Wolf - Strength and Conditioning Coach

- 15th Season; Designed NovaCare weight room

Jeanie Subach - Nutrition Consultant

- Second Season; Licensed sports nutritionist

Jay Merlino - Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach

- 8th Season; Certified strength specialist by NSCA

Barry Rubin - Strength and Conditioning Assistant

- Second Season; Conducted into USA Strength and Conditioning coaches HOF ('03)

These are the men (and woman) who makes this team tick. They are the overcriticized, unsung heroes of the Philadelphia Eagles we all know and love. Without these fine men (and woman) there would be no team.

What an awful world that would be.