Report: Eagles hire Billy Davis as defensive coordinator

Posted by Darin Gantt on February 7, 2013, 11:18 AM EDT

The Eagles appear to have found a defensive coordinator, and it was neither a college coach waiting for National Signing Day, nor someone involved in the Super Bowl.

According to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com, the Eagles are hiring former Browns assistant Billy Davis to run Chip Kelly’s defense.

Davis has been a coordinator before, with the Cardinals and 49ers, but was most recently the Browns linebackers coach. He interviewed for a position coach job with the Panthers this offseason as well, before meeting with Kelly in late January.

Davis’ background has been with 3-4 systems (he got his start in Pittsburgh and worked for Dom Capers in Carolina), and it appears the Eagles will be making that switch.

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51 responses to “Report: Eagles hire Billy Davis as defensive coordinator”

  4. We waited all this time for….what exactly. It appears the Iggles were spurned by several college coordinators and pro assistants before settling on someone who would piss off Joe Banner.

  5. Yeah, but the stuff he did with Marilyn McCoo was really good, like “Up , Up and Away” and “Wedding Bell Blues”.

  8. Great. We’re now the 2012 Cleveland Browns with a college coach sprinkled in. At least we’ll get some good draft picks the next 5 years.

  9. Night not be the sexiest pick, but does that really matter if he turns the D around and gets the job done? Only time will tell. Until then, in Chip we trust. Gulp.

  10. Idc what anyone says. This is a very good hire IMO. Didn’t pay him too much because he’s not very popular but trust me, he was raised by Dom Capers and when you single-handedly bring back D’Qwell Jackson and the other no-names in that linebackers corp play better than they should, he deserves this job.

  12. It does look like we had to go with ‘Plan B’ on this hire…come on, what NFL DC worth anything would want to work with a head coach with NO NFL EXPERIENCE…they would always be questioning what Kelly was preaching. I guess we really stuck it to Banner on this one, though…nice one, Jeffry.

  13. typical comments before anyone does their homework. You realize he coached DRC to a pro bowl year, and D’qwell Jackson in CLE as one of the best linebackers in the league, right?!

  16. Well, dolphins4, if it DON’T look like the Eagles WON’T be winning a Super Bowl soon, then it DOES look like they will. Thanks for your support and as an Eagles fan, I agree.

  17. This guy’s defenses did horribly in the past. I hope Jeff and Howie prove me wrong but the Eagles look like cellar dwellers for some time to come. I miss Andy Reid more each day. Go Chiefs.

  18. Pat Shurmur as our offensive coordinator and now this guy as our defensive coordinator? Both Browns coaches plus we hire Chip Kelly since the Browns wanted him badly. Yo Jeffy boy…..you are destroying this franchise just because you and Joe Banner want to have a slap fight. Freaking women.

  19. Best case senario, he’ll turn out to be a good fit. Worst case senario, we’ll suck, get the #1 overall pick next year, and get JD Clowney and a real DC.

  20. Well unlike most Eagles fans I’ll give Chip Kelly the benefit of the doubt. And it looks like the move to the 3-4 is official.

    Jim Johnson had a similar resume before getting hired. Lots of failed defensive coordinator stops until Reid hired him and the reaction was very similar to what it is now. Obviously that didn’t last very long.

    Welcome aboard coach Davis hopefully the Eagles can give you some actual talent in the draft and free agency to work with.

  21. everybody said the same thing about reid when he was hired, who????? whattt???

    and while it didnt end well and never culminated in a Super Bowl win, you cant deny that he has been the most successful coach in franchise history

    lets give this guy his fair shake and see what he can do. Im excited that he brings a different defensive scheme altogether. Jarvis Jones anyone?

  22. Basically, the other 2 candidiates from the ravens and niners said that they did not want to work with chip kelly. Banner is going to have the last laugh here. lost out on chip kelly but with shurmur and davis being dumped on the eagles, he has to be chuckling.

  23. So when the Eagles go out and sign all the top name free agents, everyone freaks out and says they are the dream team and are trying to buy a super bowl. Now they go against the grain and hire a coach that is unconventional, and coordinators that are not big names, and everyone freaks out and says they have no clue what they are doing….interesting. How bout we let the season play out and see what they do instead of judging paper.

  25. It begins Eagles fans, you wanted “Change” for the sake of “Change” well, here you go. A College coach with no NFL experience hiring terrible assistants from terrible teams. I have been spending the last 15 years trying to get you fools to realize what we had, now it will be fun to just come one here and say told ya so for the next three years until he is fired. FIRE KELLY NOW! There i was the first Eagles fan to say it!

  26. Trent Cole and Brandon Graham are now Linebackers. I think everyone kind of knew they planned on switching to a 3-4. This move really only makes sense because Chip Kelly wants to run the defense too.

  28. How bout we let the season play out and see what they do instead of judging paper.

    It’s just weird to see them losing on paper and on the field now. they were always the best in february and march. just sad.

  29. It don’t look like the Eagles won’t be winning a Super Bowl any time soon.

    I just read this to my eighth grade english teacher, and he curled up in the corner-crying game-style and began weeping.

  31. Like all the New England Patriot fans were saying when THEY hired a new coach……Here we go with the terrible coach from a terrible team, what has this Belichick ever done!?

  32. fortphiladamsterdam says:Feb 7, 2013 11:38 AM

    Eagles don’t have the personnel for 3-4. Rebuilding time!

    ————————————————–

    The Eagles don’t have the personnel for a 4-3. They were rebuilding anyway.

    That defense stinks either way.

  33. Have any of you guys watched that Browns defense play last season? One of the best in the NFl. Great hire!! I mean it can’t get any worse from our defense last year. So all we have room for is improvement. The 3-4 is going to work in Philly.

  34. Oh boy…keep bringing over those coaches from Cleveland. They have such a pedigree of success and winning, its no wonder why you would want to take their scraps.

    There is a reason Billy Davis wasnt in anyone elses thought process. Because he isnt good enough.

    As much as I hate Rob Ryan, he would have been an infinitely better decision. Spags would have been better. Hell…Gregg Williams would have been better.

    But no…we go for Billy Davis.

    Crap…going to be a long long run with Kelly here Eagles fans. Here goes another 5-10 years now with no trophies or rings. Sigh…why couldnt I have been born on the other side of Pennsylvania 😦

  36. I really can’t believe this. Notice all the teams that were interested in Davis. I truly hope Im wrong but, Potatoe Chip has me worried. I hope they are hoping to draft Star Loutell

  37. Everyone who heard of Jim Johnson before Reid hired him raise your hands. He was the fired def. coor. of the Indy Colts and the Seahawks linebacker coach before Reid made him the Eagles def. coor., and that worked out well, now didn’t it.

  38. “croye says: Feb 7, 2013 1:15 PM

    Like all the New England Patriot fans were saying when THEY hired a new coach……Here we go with the terrible coach from a terrible team, what has this Belichick ever done!?”

    You obviously know very little about football, Belicheck was the Defensive Coordinator for the Giants Super Bowl team, then had a bad stint with the Browns then was the Defensive Coordinator under Parcells again in New England. Then went with Parcells to the Jets and was supposed to take that job when Parcells retired, but got hired by the Patriots.

  40. I’m trying to keep an open mind here. If you look at the posting up on the Eagles webpage he’s been with some impressive defenses and produced a lot of defensive probowlers. Crossing my fingers, but I think two years of some growing pains in the conversion of our built 4-3 defense to a 3-4 is going to be cringe inducing at times.

  42. I feel bad for Eagles fans. Bad hire. As soon as Billy Davis was fired from the Cardinals, the next season the Cardinals defense really went to new heights under Ray Horton. Bill Davis was part of the problem, not very good play calling or schemes. Rookie coach, rookie hire!

  43. 11 thumbs down for thinking we have a few bad years ahead of us.

    Eagles fans…are you homers? What do you disagree with? If you think Billy Davis was a good hire, and the Eagles are on the fast track to success by hiring Clevelands fired coaches, pipe up and reply here.

    Let me know why you think Im wrong.

  44. archarya–Davis did not run a 4-3 under in either SF or AZ. He ran Mike Nolan’s preferred 3-4 scheme in SF (to no success), and converted AZ from a 4-3 under with former DC Pendergast to Whisenhunt’s preferred 3-4, again to no success. Davis’ track record as a DC is so bad I am amazed he gets another chance.

  46. eaglesw00t | Feb 7, 2013, 3:23 PM EST
    11 thumbs down for thinking we have a few bad years ahead of us.

    Eagles fans…are you homers? What do you disagree with? If you think Billy Davis was a good hire, and the Eagles are on the fast track to success by hiring Clevelands fired coaches, pipe up and reply here.

    Let me know why you think Im wrong.
    ———————————————————-

    Dude, i dont think you are wrong. In fact, i totally agree with your previous post. I wish you were born on the other side of PA too.

  48. eaglesw00t says:Feb 7, 2013 1:34 PM

    Sigh…why couldnt I have been born on the other side of Pennsylvania

    By all means, pack up and move. I get sick of hearing so called know it all fans that think they can predict the future with their football psychic ability. You call other fans homers yet make a bold prediction like “we are on the decline for years to come” and expect warm results? Take your meds and go back to bed.

  49. Nice OC and DC hires. ( LOL!!!!) Kelly better be Belichick or this is going very bad and he will do what he likes to do flirt with other jobs and eventually go back to college when he realizes he cant do it all in the NFL.

  51. Those of you who think that Horton just stepped in and miraculously turned around the Cardinals defense are idiots. Who do you think had a major part in drafting the talent the Cardinals have now? Billy Davis. As for getting fired in San Fran and Phoenix…he was the fall guy for both of the head coaches who got fired, Mike Nolan a year later and Whisenhunt 2 years later. Just like every coordinator is when the Head Coach’s head is on the chopping block and he’s trying to buy some time. None of you would be happy unless Dick LeBeau was the DC. The NFL is a business, just like every other business, there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes that fans know nothing about. You want results from a “name” and you think you’re not going to get it just because you haven’t heard his name. Wait until the season starts – then judge him.

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