Each year, an underrated part of Super Bowl success is the ability to manage distractions during the week before the game. Players and coaches have almost endless questions to answer from the media on top of taking care of their families and preparing for the game. The Eagles will have one more distraction to deal with in the lead-up to Super Bowl LIX with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore potentially taking a head coaching job after the Super Bowl.
Not surprisingly, Moore is a prime candidate to get his first job as an NFL head coach after spending the last six seasons as an offensive coordinator with three different teams. The Saints look poised to make Moore their next head coach, conveniently keeping him in New Orleans after Sunday’s game. The silver lining is that Moore has agreed to wait until after the Super Bowl to speak with the Saints. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a distraction for the Eagles.
During Super Bowl media day, several members of the Philadelphia offense fielded questions about Moore’s potential departure. Naturally, head coach Nick Sirianni faced similar questions, insisting that Moore is focused on Sunday’s Super Bowl. However, it’s human nature for a young coach to be potentially distracted by an upcoming head coach interview, even with the biggest game of his coaching career just a few days away.
If there is a silver lining for the Eagles, they were in a similar situation two years ago. After losing Super Bowl LVII to the Chiefs, both offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon left within days to become head coaches. Oddly, Steichen interviewed with the Colts before the Super Bowl whereas Gannon waited until after the Super Bowl to speak with the Cardinals. Perhaps that experience could help Sirianni to navigate the situation with Moore.
The other silver lining for the Eagles is that the Chiefs also have a few assistant coaches who could quickly move to other jobs soon after the Super Bowl. However, none of them appear to be a slam dunk to get a head coaching job the way Moore looks poised to become head coach of the Saints. With Super Bowl LIX potentially hinging on Philadelphia’s offense staying hot after scoring 55 points in the NFC Championship Game against a top-5 Kansas City defense, if Moore is even a little distracted, it could prove detrimental for the Eagles.
Keep in mind that Moore will be matching wits with KC defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. This figures to be the toughest test Moore has faced as an offensive coordinator. One could call it his final exam in his quest to become a head coach. But if he can’t put aside next week’s interview with the Saints and focus on beating the Chiefs, it could be the difference between the Eagles winning and losing Super Bowl LIX.
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