The Philadelphia Eagles are hiring former Tennessee Titans inside linebackers coach Bobby King for “a similar role in Philly,” according to a report from Tim McManus.
The Eagles previously interviewed former Green Bay Packers coordinator Joe Barry and former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell for their LB coach opening but they were hired elsewhere. Barry joined the Miami Dolphins as their new linebackers coach/run game coordinator while Caldwell joined the Las Vegas Raiders with the same title that Barry received.
And so King is a bit of an unexpected addition, though he does have a connection to the Eagles’ current staff. Here’s a snapshot of his coaching experience:
2010 — Dallas Cowboys assistant linebackers coach/defensive quality control coach
2011 — Houston Texans defensive assistant
2012-2013 — Houston Texans assistant linebackers coach
2014-2016 — San Diego Chargers assistant linebackers coach
2017 — Houston Texans linebackers coach
2018-2020 — Houston Texans inside linebackers coach
2021 — Houston Texans defensive line coach
2022-2023 — Tennessee Titans inside linebackers coach
King overlapped with Nick Sirianni in San Diego for three seasons.
King also notably coached Zach Cunningham, who drew praise from Howie Roseman during the Eagles’ end of season press conference, from 2017-2022 (except for 2021). Cunningham is set to be a free agent in March but perhaps this hire points to him returning in 2024.
It goes without saying that the Eagles’ linebackers really struggled last season. Former Eagles LB coach D.J. Eliot was hardly the sole reason to blame but the team clearly didn’t view him as part of the solution. We’ll see if King is able to get more out of the talent he’s given to work with.
