Relationships matter in the professional world. For Brian Johnson, it’s those relationships that have led him to become the newest Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive coordinator without having any prior experience in the NFL calling plays.
Whether it was knowing Eagles QB Jalen Hurts from when he was a kid, to having a strong bond with the rest of the offense, Johnson has done the work to show he’s more than qualified to be the new play-caller on offense.
“I think it’s huge. Nick says the ability to connect with each other is a main core value. Just being out on the field with the guys at practice, we’ve been able to build a great rapport and connection. It’s been a seamless transition to this point,” Johnson said on his relationship with the Eagles offensive players outside of quarterback.
Johnson had spent the majority of his coaching career in college. He helped Kyle Trask become a top collegiate passer, and once he got to the NFL, helped Hurts reach new heights as an overall quarterback.
But while he hasn’t called plays at the NFL level, the former Utah quarterback fully understands what needs to be done to prepare for the new set of responsibilities as the Eagles OC.
“A lot of play calling is planned throughout the course of the week. It becomes a little bit of a feel, and being able to hunt and find matchups you like. That ability to have that feel and adjust quickly is something that shows up as opposed to the college game,” Johnson added. “You gotta be ready to roll with the adjustments or you’ll be a play behind,”
Johnson set to soar with the Eagles offense?
There are some reasons why people believe Johnson is set up perfectly within the halls of the Novacare complex outside of just his personal relationship with the Eagles’ franchise quarterback. He sat behind last season’s coach Shane Steichen and helped prepare the game plan that led Philadelphia to set new franchise records in points and wins.
New additions like D’Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny to the running back group also allow for a more potent offensive system.
“Both Rashaad and D’Andre are different types of backs. It allows us to be flexible on how we deploy them. The sign of a good staff is you want to give your guys the opportunity to let them do what they do best,” Johnson said of his two new offensive pieces.
Johnson didn’t have to join the Eagles though. He had received interest from several offensive coordinators and even head coaching jobs around the league. In the end, his decision to return to the city that gave him his first chance in the NFL was more about the overall organization than one particular player.
“This is an unbelievable organization. I don’t have a ton of experience in this league but it’s still a relationship business. I think those relationships and the type of camaraderie the players and staff have, it’s something that’s really special. I’m eager to be a part of it,” Johnson explained.
The focus for the Philadelphia Eagles though centers around their MVP-caliber quarterback. Even though Johnson’s duties as play-caller will take him out of the quarterback room and have an all-encompassing view of the rest of the offense, the system is in place for him to grow with the quarterback he’s known for a very long time.
“We have a quarterback coach in Alex Tanney. He has that room. The relationship that Jalen and I have in terms of how we approach the game, with me being in this position now will just allow us to go deeper in our relationship,”
Time will tell if Brian Johnson is ready and able to call plays at the NFL level. His expertise in building relationships, as well as his prior experience in college with Jalen Hurts though shows that the team is more than confident in the promotion of their former quarterback coach.
Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire
