FOX broadcaster and former Baltimore Ravens head coach Brian Billick might be in line for a new job.
According to league sources that spoke to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, Billick has interviewed with the Philadelphia Eagles for their open head coaching position. The Eagles fired Andy Reid following the 2012 season and he has since signed on to be the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Billick was head coach of the Baltimore Ravens for nine years and won the Super Bowl with the team over the New York Giants after the 2000 season with quarterback Trent Dilfer.
The Eagles and their executive group, including owner Jeffrey Lurie, general manager Howie Roseman and president Don Smolenski, have interviewed a number of candidates for the head coaching job, including Chip Kelly and Brian Kelly among others. The team also plans to meet with Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden on Monday and Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians on Tuesday.
Billick last coached for the Ravens in 2007 and was fired following a 5-11 season. He went 80-64 while with the franchise and led the team to Super Bowl XXXV, blowing out the Giants and quarterback Kerry Collins 34-7.
Following his time with the Ravens, Billick became a broadcaster with FOX and also appears on the NFL Network and ESPN Radio. Billick has proven to be a consistent broadcaster and has brought insight and football intelligence to the FOX television booth since finishing coaching.
The Eagles are looking for a new head coach for the third time under Lurie. Reid was with the franchise for 14 seasons and went 130-93-1, winning 10 postseason games while going to the playoffs nine times. He led the team to five NFC championship games, including four consecutive appearances from 2001-2004, and to Super Bowl XXXIX in 2004.
"Jeffrey has been very adamant with us that the key is getting the right guy," Roseman said in an interview on the team's website. "The key isn't getting the right guy as quickly as possible, so that's what we're going to do."
Reid was the longest tenured head coach in the NFL since joining the Eagles in 1999. This year's 4-12 record was the worst for Reid since his first year with the team and ended on a sour note after a 42-7 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday in Week 17.
"Andy Reid won the most games of any head coach in Eagles history and he is someone I respect greatly and will remain friends with for many years to come," owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement, according to ESPN.com. "But, it is time for the Eagles to move in a new direction. Coach Reid leaves us with a winning tradition that we can build upon. And we are very excited about the future."
The Eagles started 3-1 this season, but lost the following eight games in a row, including a 31-6 defeat against the Washington Redskins. Vick suffered a concussion during the streak and was benched for rookie Nick Foles. He threw for 2,362 yards and 12 touchdowns with 10 interceptions in just 10 games played.
The Eagles lost 11 of the last 12 games of the season, winning 23-21 against Tampa Bay on Dec. 9 for the lone victory during that span. Philadelphia had issues on both sides of the ball this season and finished ranked 23rd in the league in rushing defense while allowing 27 points per game.
The team also dealt with injures to Vick as well as other key players. LeSean McCoy dealt with a concussion and DeSean Jackson was forced to go on injured reserve after suffering a rib injury.
Lurie tried to get Chip and Brian Kelly to leave their college football jobs at Oregon and Notre Dame, but both opted to remain at their jobs. The Eagles face a tough division with the Giants, Redskins and Cowboys and have been disappointing in two straight seasons since making the playoffs in 2010.
The Eagles still have a ton of talent on their roster with players like DeSean Jackson, McCoy, Jeremy Maclin, Bryce Brown and Brent Celek. The team also has a future in Nick Foles, who passed for 1,699 yards and six touchdowns while starting over the second half of the season.
Philadelphia struggled offensively this season and did not have a passer throw for over 3,000 yards, a running back go for over 1,000 yards or a receiver aging 1,000 yards. Reid was consistent nearly every season with the Eagles, but won the least amount of games (four) this year than he had in any season with the team. His worst record was during his first year in 1999 when he went 5-11.
Billick has coached players like Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Jamal Lewis and Trent Dilfer and could bring some experience and Super Bowl pedigree to the franchise.
