Reports: Philadelphia Eagles hire SEC offensive coordinator as quarterbacks coach

PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles are hiring Florida offensive coordinator Brian Johnson to be their quarterbacks coach under new coach Nick Sirianni, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.

“The #Eagles are hiring University of Florida OC Brian Johnson as their new QB coach, source said,” NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport tweeted. “The former Utah QB has impressed in the college ranks, including at Mississippi State where he served as Dak Prescott’s QB coach.”

Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports also reported Johnson’s hiring.

Johnson, 33, has been at Florida since 2018 when he was hired as the quarterbacks coach under Dan Mullen, and he became the offensive coordinator in 2020. With Johnson as his position coach and offensive coordinator, Gators quarterback Kyle Trask threw for 4,283 yards and 43 touchdowns to eight interceptions while completing 68.9% of his passes.

Johnson’s background features extensive experience under an impressive array of college coaches, and he’s had the opportunity to work with some top coaches.

Johnson, a natve of Baytown, Texas, was recruited to Utah by new Jaguars coach Urban Meyer, who he played under for one season. Then, Johnson played for Kyle Whittingham for the next four years. Johnson threw for 7,853 yards and 57 touchdowns with 27 interceptions in his career.

In 2008, Johnson helped lead Utah to a 13-0 record and a No. 2 finish in the final AP poll after the Utes upset Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

Johnson’s coaching career began as the quarterbacks coach at Utah in 2010, and he spent four seasons there, including two as the offensive coordinator in 2012-13. He reunited with Dan Mullen, who was his quarterbacks coach at Utah, at Mississippi State as the quarterbacks coach from 2014-16. There, Johnson helped develop Cowboys star Dak Prescott into one of college football’s top players.

Johnson spent 2017 as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Houston under Dana Holgorsen before reuniting with Mullen at Florida as the quarterbacks coach in 2018.

According to Yahoo Sports, Johnson interviewed for coaching jobs at South Carolina and Boise State, and he’s regarded as an up-and-comer in coaching circles.

Johnson would replace Press Taylor as the quarterbacks coach in Philadelphia. Reports earlier this week indicated Sirianni was not planning on retaining Taylor on his staff. Johnson has an interesting job with the Eagles in attempting to get Carson Wentz back on track while also developing Jalen Hurts. Wentz was regarded as close with Taylor, so that relationship will be important.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Johnson has known Hurts since Hurts was 4 years old and tried to recruit him to Mississippi State. Hurts’ father, Averion, was an assistant coach for Johnson’s high school in Baytown, Texas, too.

Johnson is the latest reported hire for Sirianni, who spent the past three seasons as the Colts offensive coordinator. The Eagles are reportedly hiring Shane Steichen as offensive coordinator and Kevin Patullo as pass game coordinator while reportedly retaining Jeff Stoutland as offensive line coach.

Johnson is the first external offensive hire who didn’t work with Sirianni at some point in his coaching career.

Daniel Gallen covers the Philadelphia Eagles for PennLive. He can be reached at dgallen@pennlive.com. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Follow PennLive’s Philadelphia Eagles coverage on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.