Only last year, Brian Johnson was viewed as one of the rising stars of the NFL coaching business, thanks to his work with Jalen Hurts while serving as the Philadelphia Eagles QB coach.
Fast-forward a year, and, after a season spent as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, Johnson is out of Philadelphia and headed to a rival NFC East team.
Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Washington Commanders are “expected” to hire Johnson to a “prominent offensive staff role.” Johnson was relieved of his OC duties with the Eagles in January.
Per Fowler, Johnson will likely be working as the Commanders’ “pass-game coordinator.”
“Big get for Dan Quinn,” Fowler wrote on X. “Johnson is good with quarterbacks and Philly finished top-eight in total offense and points last year.”
Johnson, a former University of Utah quarterback and coach, had interviewed for multiple NFL head coaching jobs this winter, prior to leaving the Eagles, including positions with the Carolina Panthers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tennessee Titans.
Under Johnson’s direction, the Eagles’ offense finished No. 7 in the NFL in scoring offense this season, but the team’s 1-6 mark to end the season put a damper on that success, as did a blowout 32-9 loss to Tampa Bay in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
There were also reports of tension and “disconnect” between Johnson and head coach Nick Sirianni.
With Washington, Johnson joins the staff of Quinn, who was recently named Commanders head coach.
The Commanders finished the 2023-24 season 4-13 overall, a major step back under now former head coach Ron Rivera, after an 8-8 season in 2022, a 7-10 season in 2021 and a 7-9 season in 2020.
Washington has only made the playoffs six times since 1993 and hasn’t advanced to the divisional round of the postseason since 2005.
It has been a disappointing run for a franchise that was once considered one of the best in the league, having won three Super Bowls (played in four) during a 10-year window from 1982 to 1992.