The Philadelphia Eagles lost to the San Francisco 49ers 23-19 on January 11 in the Wild Card round. It was a defeat that felt far more devastating than the score suggests. The Eagles entered the matchup favored by 5.5 points, while the 49ers were dealing with significant injuries, including the absence of star linebacker Fred Warner. 

In the aftermath of the loss, blame was quickly passed around. Some pointed fingers at wide receiver A.J. Brown, while others questioned quarterback Jalen Hurts. However, one name surfaced more than any other: offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo.

At the start of the season, the Eagles were forced to move on from their previous offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore, who was hired by the New Orleans Saints as head coach. In response, the Eagles promoted Patullo, who had served as the team’s passing game coordinator. While Patullo had been part of head coach Nick Sirianni’s staff since 2021, he had never before held the role of offensive coordinator. 

The decision raised concerns among fans and analysts alike. Just one season earlier, Sirianni had chosen Brian Johnson for the same position. It was a move that ended with the Eagles losing five of their final six games and suffering a disappointing playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Through the first ten weeks of the season, the Eagles appeared successful on paper, posting an 8-2 record. However, many of those wins were narrow, including a dramatic victory over the Los Angeles Rams that required a miracle blocked field goal. At the same time, cracks in the offense were already showing, most notably in a frustrating loss to the New York Giants marked by poor execution and predictability. 

Fans began to notice a troubling pattern in Patullo’s play-calling. On crucial second-and-long or third-and-long situations, the offense repeatedly relied on short runs by Saquon Barkley or Hurts, often gaining only a few yards and failing to move the chains. Creativity was noticeably absent.

The Eagles closed the season with a 3-4 record in their final seven games, finishing 11-6 overall and winning the NFC East. Despite the division title, the offense collapsed down the stretch. A particularly devastating loss came against division rival, the Dallas Cowboys. The Eagles scored 21 points in the first half but put up none in the second. 

Statistically, the struggles were clear. The Eagles ranked 24th out of 32 teams in scoring offense, averaging just 22 points per game and 2.6 touchdowns per contest. 

When compared to the previous season, the decline was striking. The roster remained largely unchanged, aside from the departures of defensive tackle Milton Williams and edge rusher Josh Sweat. In 2024, the Eagles averaged 27.2 points per game, led the league in rushing, and scored over three touchdowns per game. 

On January 13, the Eagles fired Kevin Patullo. The final straw was the abysmal play design on fourth and eleven with the season on the line. Many players, according to retired center Jason Kelce, noted that players shared responsibility for the struggles. However, Jalen Hurts did not publicly support Patullo’s return. 

Sirianni later suggested that Patullo could remain with the team in a different role, but the damage has already been done. Now, the Eagles face the task of hiring their fifth offensive coordinator in five years. Names like Brian Daboll have already surfaced. Daboll is an appealing option given his past experience coaching Hurts and Devonta Smith in college, Barkley in the NFL, and his previous professional relationship with Sirianni on the Kansas City Chiefs. 

In the end, Kevin Patullo’s time as offensive coordinator will be remembered as a season-defining failure. It is one that has stalled the Eagles’ offense and ultimately cost them their season.