Eagles nab Bobby April

As former Bills special teams coordinator Bobby April was being pursued by the likes of the Steelers and the Redskins, another candidate for his services was gliding under radar.

And that candidate has landed his services.

The Eagles have announced that April has been hired to take over Philly’s special teams.  He replaces special teams coordinator Ted Daisher, whose second stint with the team lasted only one year.

The fact that the Eagles didn’t fire Daisher until they had the newest bird in the hand allowed them to chase April discreetly.

The Eagles also have terminated the contracts of strength and conditioning coach Mike Wolf and assistant strength and conditioning coach Jay Merlino.

92 responses to “Eagles nab Bobby April

  1. Thank god. Daisher was terrible. Ever since losing John Harbaugh (or since moving him to Defensive Backs Coach in 2006) we’ve had terrible ST.
    Welcome to Philly, Bobby.

  2. Now if we could get a head coach that realizes you can’t run a pass happy offense when your defense has serious matchups issues, someone who can manage a game clock, not leave points on the board and someone who can win the Superbowl. Andy Reid is not that man.

  3. good for the Eagles, but their special teams were already pretty good and they certainly have bigger fish to fry this offseason.

  4. I still can’t figure out why they fired April, buffalo has been pretty consistenly good on special teams for the last few years.

  5. Thanks for once again sitting on your hands and doing nothing, Ted Thompson. Can’t wait to see our crappy punter, inconsistent place kicker, poor tackling coverage unit and ‘5 yards and a cloud of dust’ return unit again next year.

  6. Well, can’t hurt I guess. Any return not involving DJ was pretty much doomed.
    I ended up hoping for touchbacks…

  7. Big Stretch – April had the option of staying on or leaving. He made the right call.
    Now he can show off his talents on a bigger stage, with a team that is sure to make a deep playoff run every ye…oops.

  8. mustbechris says:
    January 14, 2010 3:53 PM
    did they interview leslie frazier first?
    _______________________ That’s funny right thar, I don’t care who you are?!?
    So, the Eagles got that going for them…… which is nice.
    Vox: keep it up….just remember, you’ve got to win the Super Bowl for this year to be a success. To use your words…..

  9. Big Stretch, he wasn’t fired, he left.
    Daisher’s not a bad coach, but April might be as good as Harbaugh. Hopefully he can fix our blocking and our coverage, because for as good as Jackson and Hobbs were at returning kicks this year, they had no help, and it showed when Maclin and Harris were returning kicks.
    Hopefully he can get Rocca to be a more consistent punter as well. He’s got a cannon leg, but his accuracy and consistency are laughable. He had a 9 yard punt this year. Enough said.

  10. this is a GREAT move.
    Bobby April, the best special teams coach in the league, was pursued once the Bills’ entire staff was dismissed after the season.
    The Steelers,were pursuing him heavily
    His special teams unit in Buffalo ranked No. 1 in the NFL three of the past six years.
    He has won two Special teams coach of the year awards, one in 2004, and another in 2008.

  11. nattanyliono: “good for the Eagles, but their special teams were already pretty good and they certainly have bigger fish to fry this offseason.”
    Their special teams weren’t pretty good, DeSean Jackson and David Akers were good, but their blocking and far worse their coverage teams were pretty bad. It didn’t help that Reggie Brown played on coverage teams and hasn’t come to realize what almost everyone else knows, he was a bust round 2 pick, who lucked into an overvalued contract due to circumstances. But really it isn’t his fault, he got a note from Shaun Andrews doctor, that explained to the Eagles medical staff that he was actually allergic to tackling – it made his muscles sore afterwards.

  12. Opie, once they get eliminated from the playoffs Vox will continue running his mouth. Revisionist history and twisting situations to suit Jerry Jones is his specialty. I’m still convinced he either works for the Cowboys or is actually Jerry Jones himself.

  13. “Vox: keep it up….just remember, you’ve got to win the Super Bowl for this year to be a success.”
    This is true, but that doesn’t change the fact that the 0-3gles don’t belong in the same stadium as the Cowboys and they proved it in three games. 0-3gle fans are THE last people on the planet that should talk smack but you guys are always the first to open your slack-jawed yaps. But keep it up, Opie. It’s a long off-season for all fans, but it’s gonna be reeeeeeeally long for you guys. Might help to get a defensive coordinator that can devise pressure schemes without sending the house on a blitz. I figure you guys haven’t had one of those since the days of Buddy Ryan. Since the coaches are hell bent on winning with their schemes, I expect more of the same square peg/round hole slapstick comedy that we’ve come to expect from Reid and Co.
    Still chuckling over Rosenthal’s “interception magnet” Asante Samuel and “shutdown presence” Sheldon Brown comments.

  14. Not a surprising turn of events. When Reid had to burn a time out because of 9 men on the field on a punt (not a punt return, but the Eagles were punting to Dallas), and Daisher was yelled at by Reid on the sidelines, this result was a foregone conclusion.

  15. Look forward to some crazy fakes this year Eagles fans. You better have a punter who can run adn throw tho or it will be a long year.
    Not to mentione that all your back up linebackers and WR wont be able to play their positions because they will all be special teams specialists.
    Bills fans know what I mean by that last one.

  16. These are good firings, the Eagles wore down at the end of the year, and as several people have noted Daisher was terrible. It’ll be interesting to see if Reid has the guts to fire his old friend from Northern Arizona U , Brian Stewart, who after getting fired from Dallas in the wake of the 44-6 season ending debacle in ’08, managed to turn the Eagles secondary from chicken salad to chicken s***.

  17. Damn it….Me thinks Bobby should have chose the NFL team on the west side of PA, oh well!

  18. @Marty: back up LB and WR’s on any team better be able to play special teams in addition to their offensive responsibilities or they won’t be around very long. Only starters get to opt out of ST, and sometimes they use them too.

  19. Hey Vox, when you say the “slapstick comedy” you have come to expect from Reid and CO, do you mean just this past year? b/c Reid and Co have been here quite a long time. Was last years 44-6 comedic? Yeah, for the Cowgirls. Can’t wait to see them lose to the Vikes Sunday.

  20. Djackson is good. Eagles special teams were not good this year. It was almost a foregone conclusion that a penalty was going to be committed every single time they stepped on the field. Excruciatingly painful to know that there was a 78% chance that a block in the back was going to be committed every time they stepped on the field. I’m not even sure that Chris Clemons knew that blocking in the back was illegal.

  21. april sucked after the NFL banned the 3 man wedge, and now the eagles will have tons of special team type players on your team congratulations, he is overrated

  22. Special teams on kick offs and returns have been horrible. Rocca is also gone I hope.
    Why do you guys encourage him?

  23. Next McNabb 3 years later Reid…Then Lurey I hope…Banner while annoying is a finacial guru but a uncap year sees him almost obsolete or budget crazy.

  24. Listen….no one needs to take Vox seriously…the guy plays Magic cards. And then he acts like he knows what he is talking about in terms of professional football….
    Two things that don’t mix: professional football and Magic cards.
    Vox, stick to dressing up like a medieval wizard and having LARP battles with your friends.
    Go ahead and google “LARP nerd” to see pictures of Vox and his buddies.

  25. Vox wins a playoff game for the first time this century and you’d think that the Cowboys were the Patriots…

  26. A playoff drought of 13 years and now Cowgirl fans have the sack to talk?
    Enjoy it while you can. I sense another 13 years of misery once the Vikings end your season.
    ONE AND DONE.

  27. This is the best time of the year for all you egal fans you get to hope and pray that next year will not be another huge let down but remember Sept is going to be here soon so your hopes and dreams will soon be over
    Egals SUCK

  28. Wow, Did I see any Mention of any Cowboys in this article?? No?? Hmm then I wonder why Vox, The Mouth of the Cowboys, (Aka, Mouth Full of Cowboys) is posting anything on this page?? Oh yeah, I remember, They won a playoff game…Congrats! We Eagles fans understand how it feels to Win in the Post season. You must not be used to that feeling yet. Dont worry, Give it time…. after all, You must have been 1 year old the last time that happened for your team.

  29. This is a great move for the eagles!! I can’t wait to see what else they do in the off-season!

  30. Big Blue….Eagles fans are used to being let down. However, This year was not a Bust for the Philly team that Melted last year and went 9-6-1. I am actually impressed with this season. I mean, a Team that had an Plug and play offensive line, and a defense that had a revolving door at Linebacker all season, went 11-5 and almost took division. I am sure that there will be a improvement in Philly Next year when all of the starters are healthy again and we stop playing with our 3rd stringers out there. Ever wonder why both Dallas games looked like a preseason game?? Have Fun in Minnesota, I said it three weeks ago…That will be your real test….not Philly!

  31. Didn’t the Eagles ST have one of the best years? D-Jax led the league in punt return yards (All- Pro returner)and Akers was the kicker for the All-Pro team. Their kickoff returns sucked, but overall their special teams had a much better year than usual. I don’t really get why they fired Daisher unless his blocking schemes sucked. I never really noticed though

  32. My wife is a huge Giants fan. I ‘ve shown her your posts from time to time. She’s given me the green light on you.

  33. Wow. I called this one in the first comment in the article stating he was gone from the Bills. Maybe I should be the one writing for this site.
    Anyways, go birds!

  34. I know this was only a footnote to the article- but I couldn’t let it pass. I went to High School with Mike Wolf and his brother Joe, who played for the Arizona Cardinals for 9 seasons, and they were both great guys who loved the game. Mike was with the Eagles for 15 years, pre-dating Jeff Lurie and Andy Reid. He was considered one the best strength and conditioning coaches in the business.
    I’m not sure what precipitated this move, but I wish Mike the best wherever he may wind up.

  35. I know this was only a footnote to the article- but I couldn’t let it pass. I went to High School with Mike Wolf and his brother Joe, who played for the Arizona Cardinals for 9 seasons, and they were both great guys who loved the game. Mike was with the Eagles for 15 years, pre-dating Jeff Lurie and Andy Reid. He was considered one the best strength and conditioning coaches in the business.
    I’m not sure what precipitated this move, but I wish Mike the best wherever he may wind up.

  36. Everyone should just STOP beating up on Vox.
    You know that he will be leaving for the witness protection program soon

  37. Replacing the strength and conditioning coach is more important, seeing how many injuries there were during preseason.

  38. “Hey Vox, when you say the “slapstick comedy” you have come to expect from Reid and CO, do you mean just this past year?”
    No, I mean the entire package. Reid’s inability to manage a game, for starters. Remember when he had that bet with TO? I think he said he would wear TO’s shorts if he scored 15 TDs. Oh my gosh, how many times has that idiot tried to show up superior coaches only to get it broken off in his ass?
    “b/c Reid and Co have been here quite a long time.”
    It’s anybody’s guess why.
    “Was last years 44-6 comedic?”
    Not as funny as the things that transpired this year. That game was obviously a fluke. The Cowboys have won four of the past 5 games against the 0-3gles. Wade Phillips is widely characterized a a buffoon but guess what… he’s 5-2 against Andy Reid.
    “Can’t wait to see them lose to the Vikes Sunday.”
    Glad to know that you’ll be watching. Maybe you can invite McNabb and Samuel and Brown to watch it with you.

  39. The problem for Ted Daisher was he didn’t call enough pass plays for his special teams.
    When Reid starts drafting better, and committing to the run during training camp, the Eagles might catch up with top echelon teams in the NFL.

  40. Bobby April is a nice man who sucks as a coach. The Eagles will have the worst special teams in the NFL next year. Jot that down in your calendar.
    On another front, what adult male goes by “Bobby”?

  41. “Not a surprising turn of events. When Reid had to burn a time out because of 9 men on the field on a punt (not a punt return, but the Eagles were punting to Dallas), and Daisher was yelled at by Reid on the sidelines, this result was a foregone conclusion.”
    Another bonehead move by Reid. Should have taken the penalty.

  42. “Vox wins a playoff game for the first time this century and you’d think that the Cowboys were the Patriots…”
    OK #1 I didn’t win anything. The Cowboys did. #2, the Cowboys obviously are not the Patriots. They got bounced hard in the wild card round.

  43. Now all they need is a QB, Running backs, an offensive line and a defense and they will be ready to roll I guess.
    20-16
    24-0
    34-14

  44. Vox said: “I figure you guys haven’t had one of those since the days of Buddy Ryan.”
    ___________________________
    You chastise others for applauding the injury to Irvin, yet you demean the name of Jim Johnson……. you really need to think before you type. Just shamefully & blatantly hypocritical.
    As I’ve mentioned before: your new name is MEATLOAF. As in, “ma, the meatloaf, we want it…..now.” Due to your inability to move from your mother’s efficiency apt. in the basement.
    Congratulations on your 1 win in 10 years, I hope it was worth treading on a great man’s name.
    Remember, you’re one loss away from a “nothing” season……..no pressure……
    Enjoy your pork and beans off the hot plate tonight.
    Mustbechris: can’t be Jerry, Jerry don’t type or play with dolls……….I don’t think?!?

  45. “Enjoy it while you can. I sense another 13 years of misery once the Vikings end your season.”
    That’s funny, I see the Vikings still not winning their very first Super Bowl no matter what happens this weekend. The pressure’s on the Vikings. You can NOT win the Super Bowl with a Tarvaris Jackson or a Sage Rosenfels. Bring a BertFarve and anything less than a Super Bowl win = total bust.

  46. Wow, the fact that a single NFL team like the Eagles can make one person so upset and cry so much on PFT is absolutely gold. You’ve got to have some real issues to get so worked up, so easily by an NFL football team. Your life must be extremely boring. Oh well, it seems it amuses a lot of people. Keep up the whining, it’s hilarious.

  47. “Wow, Did I see any Mention of any Cowboys in this article?? No?? Hmm then I wonder why Vox, The Mouth of the Cowboys, (Aka, Mouth Full of Cowboys) is posting anything on this page??”
    I made a comment about how stealthy the 0-3gles are, then the lowbrows attacked as if they didn’t watch their team get it’s asses kicked three times in a row.
    “We Eagles fans understand how it feels to Win in the Post season. ”
    WHEN the 0-3gles have made the post-season in your lifetime, it’s always ended up with a horrendous choke job. Don’t tell me what it’s like to see my team win in the post-season. One more playoff loss and the 0-3gles will have a all-time losing playoff record to match their all-time losing regular season record.

  48. “i’m surprised the 1-13yearsboys didn’t try to sign him”
    Why would they? They have one of the best special teams units in the game.

  49. #3 because I can’t read stats so well
    #4 because I still have gravy and deep fried bacon on my T-shirt
    #5 the lint remover can’t get it removed from my belly button
    #6 it’s socially unacceptable to date farm animals in public
    What? We’re not doing the top 10 reasons Vox is a duche?!? My bad, I must’ve misread his post…….but do feel free to add your own…..
    Drat: Um, Bobby Deniro for starters……. Bobby Kennedy, Bobby Dodd, Bobby Brown, Bobby Jones. Just off top of my head.

  50. Why does anyone bother to wonder why Vox would turn a special teams coach hiring into a 50+ comment thread?
    This is that this dude is interested in. This is what this thing looks like:
    http://www.myspace.com/warlock978
    PFT is all he has, and though he has built a pretty admirable amount of people who think he’s the biggest douche on the internet, it’s a pretty sad existence.

  51. “On another front, what adult male goes by “Bobby”?”
    Same kinda guy that goes by “Andy”?

  52. “Vox, stick to what you know:”
    I know a tranny when I see one. I saved your pictures.

  53. Snuff Smith says: “Bigbluefan: If the Eagles suck, what does that say about the Giants?”
    Giants had the worst redzone D in the entire League and still beat Dallas twice. What does that say about the Eagles?

  54. “What? We’re not doing the top 10 reasons Vox is a duche?!?”
    Don’t use third grade vocabulary words that you can’t spell, lowbrow.
    20-16 (in Philly)
    24-0
    34-14

  55. spanky2525: Please don’t do that again…….paste a link w/no warning or, at least, a waiver for someone to sign so they know what they are about to see…….
    seriously, someone dressed up as the cat from the Wizard of Oz “Larping”?!?

  56. Vox gets his only personal interaction with people through the message boards. What a straight clown and a loser.

  57. Now all they need is a QB, Running backs, an offensive line and a defense and they will be ready to roll I guess.
    20-16
    24-0
    34-14
    Oh, and I forgot, a head coach.

  58. Vox, as far as i can tell, the only thing you do on these forums is try to crap on the eagles at every moment. You are boring, and predictable in your comments. You come across as someone who has alot to say with no one who will listen.

  59. “Why does anyone bother to wonder why Vox would turn a special teams coach hiring into a 50+ comment thread?”
    All I said was that the 0-3gles sure are stealthy. Read the article, it says as much. Oh wait, I know what you want. You guys want to be able to take shots at me and not get anything back. You’re so tough. Philly tough. Broad Street tough. You dish it out really well (I’m being generous) but you can’t take it at all (to say the least).

  60. “Vox, as far as i can tell, the only thing you do on these forums is try to crap on the eagles at every moment.”
    I will admit that I have a lot of fun with that.
    “You are boring, and predictable in your comments.”
    Feel free to just not even read my comments. Won’t hurt my feelings one bit. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? The problem is that you can’t stop. Even though I’m going to turn you in circles and make you look really, really stupid, you’ll still read and reply and bark like a dog when I want you to.
    “You come across as someone who has alot to say with no one who will listen.”
    Seems to me that I get more comments than the articles themselves do.

  61. “Vox, as far as i can tell, the only thing you do on these forums is try to crap on the eagles at every moment.”
    I will admit that I have a lot of fun with that.
    “You are boring, and predictable in your comments.”
    Feel free to just not even read my comments. Won’t hurt my feelings one bit. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? The problem is that you can’t stop. Even though I’m going to turn you in circles and make you look really, really stupid, you’ll still read and reply and bark like a dog when I want you to.
    “You come across as someone who has alot to say with no one who will listen.”
    Seems to me that I get more comments than the articles themselves do.

  62. at least we only gotta put up with this clown for 3 more days courtesy of “bert” farve vox your such a loser

  63. Vox: I spelled it phonetically so your leaping larping self wouldn’t have to strain……
    Your 1 loss away from another disappointing season…….with a low draft pick in April to boot!
    Say it with me: “one more loss, one more loss, one more loss….”

  64. I find it funny how 0-3gles fans only talk about how nerdy Vox Veritas is because they dont have anything to say about the cowboys, and at the same time he’s clowning the 0-3egles.
    this is “PRO FOOTBALL TALK” not “WHO’S THE NERIEST ONE HERE”
    this is getting as old as people talking about “Spygate”
    p.s. males shouldn’t be jealous, THAT’S A FEMALE’S TRAIT
    GO PATS!

  65. @ hizzle1281: jealous of 1 playoff win in 10 years?!? You don’t read this site much do you?
    Assuming that you’re a sensitive Cowboys’ fan too: you’re one loss away from joining the offseason.
    You did beat the Eagles, but you lost to the Giants…..’nuff said.

  66. @ hizzle1281: my bad, you’re a Pats fan….. hadn’t finished my coffee yet, so guess my eyes weren’t focused.

  67. @Opie
    your team’s last Superbowl win was uhh….oops
    Eagles are in the same place as the Chiefs, Lions, Browns, Rams
    lucky for them they are the first ones to draft
    sure the Pats are out to but 3 Rings in one decade is plenty

  68. Oh look. hizzle1281 wants people to pay attention to him. I got lost in your slew of quick posts hizzle. Ah, a pats fan. Go figure. From mass too right?

  69. @dankula
    no im not from mass
    WHY IS EVERYONE JEALOUS OF THE PATRIOTS!?!?!?!?!?!
    maybe the 7 or 8 division titles, 4 SB apperances, 3 victories, tons of records, 16-0, 50 TD, 23 TD
    Misery loves company beeches

  70. hizzle1281: are you a short man? one of unimposing stature……say, like Napolean? I ask because you keep bringing up jealousy……. and, no, no one is jealous of your Pats. You had your impressive run, shrouded in a cloud of mystery, but impressive nonetheless….
    “Eagles are in the same place as the Chiefs, Lions, Browns, Rams….” you left out Pats…

  71. Look at Vox, talking tough.
    Come to Philly in that Witten Jersey, Internet Tough Guy. Let me know where you’ll be.
    Of course, a pussy like you would just sue anyone who touched you. I mean, you threatened to sue me when you got all pouty about your Myspace page. Because you’re a giant vagina.
    And hizzle… football is a game. Obviously a game the Patriots USED to be good at, but not so much anymore. You, too, can do what Vox does – ride a mediocre team into a very halfassed social life of getting derided constantly on internet message boards – but would you want to?

  72. do u 2 morons even comment on the dallas posts or just here on the teams page that has won more than 1 postseason game since 96 trying to see how much attention u can get…..patriots suck too..look how many playoff games theyve won since bellicheck aint able to cheat anymore

  73. yea Pats suck, is that why we won the division again?
    and if football was JUST a game, then they wouldnt make hundreds and hundreds of websites for it
    @whiterhino–there’s always next year big guy

  74. weak schedule…played 4 playoff teams went 2-3 against them 10-6 record…only threats in the division are a rookie qb and a rb that would rather be smoking pot then running the football. he did a helluva job btw for a bad team..thats y u win the division

  75. by there still in the playoffs u must mean they won last week….who do they play this weekend…time to get off the bandwagon there time is up

  76. Vox,
    You have made the big-time…The Eagles fan actually search the internet to find you. I wonder who types in the searches for them?

  77. If anyone has read my posts here or on philadelphiaeagles.com message board you know how I felt about Daisher. All year long I was raving about how terrible he was. The Eagles had one of the best special teams in the league before he got here and he destroyed that. Like I said many of times if it wasnt for Desean returning punts that unit would have been a disgrace.
    His coaching had nothing to do with Desean scoring tds on punt returns. Desean scored tds despite Dasher’s horrible coaching. Dasher’s choices baffled me all year long. Quinton Demps was 1 of the best kick returns last year but wasnt played this year. When Demps finally had a chance to return kicks b/c of injuries he was getting the ball out past the 40 more times then not. Still Daisher went away from Demps and let him be inactive for the rest of the season. I know its the head coaches job to make players inactive but if Daisher wanted him he could have got Reid to let Demps play, but he didnt and it really hurt us.
    He had no control over his unit. They were 1 of the most penalized special teams units and when Ellis Hobbs would return he wouldnt even give a full effort. Still he wouldnt make a change and the team suffered for it.
    When the Eagles signed Daisher everyone was so happy. They said the last 2 years with the Browns they were in the top 3 in the league in special teams. All year long everyone was going back to that saying its not him its the players. But like I said the Browns are still great at special teams without him so obviously it wasnt his coaching it was the personal on the team. Joshua Cribbs can make anyone look good and he really hurt the Eagles by making Daisher look good. Its nice though that everyone knows the truth now. That hes just not that good of a coach.
    I was sure Andy wasnt going to fire him and Im so happy that he did. Usually Reid has no problem getting rid of players but never fires his coaches no matter how much they hurt the team. Im happy that Reid is finally admitting his mistakes and working to improve them.

  78. so u say this “yea Pats suck, is that why we won the division again?” i told u y they won the division…..then ur talking about the jets when i asked u who they play this weekend with no mention before of the jets? im actually 23..how old might u be?

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