The Philadelphia Eagles have fired defensive coordinator Sean Desai, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday.
Philadelphia's season collapsed after starting 10-1, with the Eagles losing six of their final seven games, and the defense was a big reason for the team's struggles. Desai had his play-calling duties stripped by head coach Nick Sirianni amidst that losing streak in mid-December, replaced by assistant Matt Patricia.
Patricia, who is not under contract, though, plans to explore other opportunities, NFL Network Insiders Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reported, per sources.
It felt like an ill-fated marriage from the start.
Desai, 40, had replaced Jonathan Gannon, who accepted the Cardinals' head-coaching job last winter, and the expectations were that the Eagles' defense would dominate again in 2023.
It did not. The Eagles ranked in the bottom 10 in the NFL in yards allowed, points allowed, interception percentage and -- most shockingly -- sack percentage. The majority of a unit that registered a league-best 70 sacks in 2022 had only 43 in 2023. Â
The Eagles also allowed seven teams to ring up 400-plus yards of offense against them this past season. Five of those games came after Thanksgiving, including in the road playoff loss to the Buccaneers in the Super Wild-Card Round on Jan. 15.
Rapoport reported that Desai, who had run the defenses of the Bears and Seahawks previously, was still expected to be a candidate for some of the vacant defensive coordinator jobs elsewhere around the league.
