Report: Jonathan Gannon considered “front-runner” for Texans head coaching job

Philadelphia might be in the market for a new defensive coordinator.

Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is “considered by some in that [Texans] building to be the current front-runner” for Houston’s head coaching job, according to a report from ESPN. Gannon is said to have made a “very strong impression in his interview.”

News of the Texans requesting an interview with Gannon first emerged earlier this week. We previously pointed out that Gannon has connections to Texans general manager Nick Caserio.

It’s a bit perplexing that Gannon is already receiving serious head coach interest just one year after being hired as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator. The aforementioned ESPN article compares Gannon to Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley.

But Staley oversaw the league’s top defense in 2020. He had a stronger resume than Gannon, whose defense shut down some bad quarterbacks but really struggled against the league’s better passers. It’s possible Gannon could make for a better head coach than defensive coordinator but one would figure there are more qualified candidates out there. I mean, why is Gannon thought more highly of than DeMeco Ryans, for example?

But I digress. As far as the Eagles are concerned, it’s looking like there’s a decent chance they’ll need a new DC. Even if the Texans don’t end up hiring JG, he could also be in the mix for the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos openings that he interviewed for.

We’ve yet to see a team with a head coaching vacancy officially announce a new hire but that could soon change. In the meantime, the Eagles should be doing their homework on potential DC options.