Eagles Wake-Up Call: Waiting On Gus Bradley
As Week 2 of the coaching search nears its conclusion, a lot of Eagles fan are asking: What is going on with Gus Bradley?
It was back on January 4 when word came down that the Eagles requested and were granted permission to speak to the Seahawks defensive coordinator, but all has been quiet since then.
This much we know: The interview has not taken place yet, according to a league source. Some have opined that perhaps the two sides already met and were keeping it under wraps, but that does not appear to be the case.
The sense I get, though, is that the Eagles are laying low on the Bradley front out of respect for the coach. If there is a date set for the sitdown, they’re not saying just yet. Bradley wants the attention squarely on Seattle’s playoff game against Atlanta Sunday.
Still, it can’t be blocked out completely. Bradley was asked about the Eagles’ interest in him at his press conference Thursday.
“Well, it’s flattering,” said Bradley. “And I know people talk about our entire focus is on Atlanta, and it really is. It’s so important to us and we worked so hard to get to this point. And our whole message to the team is keep raising the bar and keep getting better and better every week. They are talking that and we’re talking that, so it’s easy to stay focused on it. It’s flattering but really our entire focus is on Atlanta and doing everything we can to get one step closer.”
It’s hard to picture Bradley taking the time this late in the week to interview for the job. So does it spill into next week? Beyond that if the Seahawks win? Jeffrey Lurie has demonstrated patience when it comes to this process, a virtue that will come in handy as Bradley and any other coveted assistants finish out their postseason runs. [Note: It has since been reported that the Chargers met with Bradley on Thursday night; maybe he’d be open to a sitdown this close to a game after all.]
In the meantime, here is Bradley’s press conference to keep you satiated.
WHAT YOU MISSED
In the latest coaching buzz, Sheil looks at news around the league that could impact the Eagles.
Fletcher Cox was named to the All-Rookie team.
Kapadia uses the All-22 to figure out how these playoff teams are generating pressure.
Mike Mayock gives his thoughts on Brian Kelly and who should be the next coach of the Eagles.
In my Twitter Mailbag, I explain why Notre Dame’s performance against Alabama should not change your thinking on Kelly.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Dan Graziano senses that Kelly’s flirtation with the Eagles is all about gaining leverage with Notre Dame:
But from here, what this looks like is an attempt by Kelly to get a sweeter deal in South Bend. Kind of a transparent attempt, actually. And if it is, good for him. That’s how the world works, after all. That’s how you get raises. Make ’em think somebody else wants you.
Would this mean the Eagles are being used as a pawn in this game? It would, yes. But there’s no harm in that. It’s not as though the Eagles are putting off other interviews while they wait for Kelly to come back from vacation. They’re still talking to Lovie Smith today and proceeding with the methodical process of trying to find their next head coach. They are not, as we discussed Wednesday, behind any kind of reasonable timetable here and they’re determined to find the right guy.
Could RGIII‘s recovery take more time than people think? From SI.com:
With Griffin requiring extensive work on both his LCL and ACL, his status for the 2013 season is very much in jeopardy. Initial reports tabbed Griffin’s recovery at six-to-eight months, but injury expert Will Carroll told SI.com that may be pushing it.
“With a ‘normal’ ACL reconstruction, we’d normally say eight-to-12 (months), but even that is a bit optimistic unless we start considering the kind of returns we’ve had,” Carroll said. “It’s more than just Adrian Peterson and Wes Welker — those are the extreme positives — but six-to-eight seems a bit short to me.
“Possible? Yes. Optimistic? Probably.”
COMING UP
We’ll continue to track it all for you.