The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off one of their most successful seasons in franchise history. The Eagles won 14 games, accrued 70 sacks, and ran for 32 touchdowns, which are all franchise records. On top of the team statistics, AJ Brown, Jalen Hurts, and Haason Reddick all set individual records this past season. Despite these impressive accolades, none of these records represent the motor that powers The Eagles. Without a doubt, Jeff Stoutland, the offensive line coach for the Eagles, is the key to their success.
Coaching Background
Jeff Stoutland started with the Eagles in 2013, but his coaching career starts much earlier than that. In 1984, Stoutland started as a linebackers coach for Southern Connecticut State, where he had played his college ball. Following his stint as a linebackers coach, he made the transition to offense in 1986. from then on, he coached offense, serving different roles. He coached at places like Syracuse, Michigan State, Miami, and Alabama. In 2013, when Chip Kelly was hired by the Eagles, Stoutland finally landed his first NFL job. Since then, Stoutland has been the Eagles’ offensive line coach, remaining with the team through two coaching changes (2015 and 2021).
Accolades
With the Eagles, Stoutland repeatedly produces offensive line units that rank at the top of the league. Some of his top players who have been recognized as some of the best linemen include Jason Kelce, Evan Mathis, Brandon Brooks, Lane Johnson, and Jason Peters. More recently, he has taken young players like Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, and Isaac Seumalo, and turned them into stars.
Jeff Stoutland is credited with amazing passion and knowledge. When Jason Kelce was asked about what makes Stoutland so great, he said:
He’s an outstanding technician who understands how to hit run blocks, understands how to teach pass blocking and footwork and all of that.
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Statistics
If word of mouth isn’t enough to represent his impact, the stats display how dominant his offensive line units are. In 2017, the Eagles’ offensive line won the Built Ford Tough Offensive Line Award for the best offensive line unit. Along with this award, The Eagles’ offensive line has been top 5 in rushing yards 4 times since he was hired. They also ran for the most touchdowns in the NFL for the past 2 years, setting an NFL record with 39 in 2022.
Going forward
As for the future, Jeff Stoutland seems to be going nowhere. Recently, Stoutland signed a long-term extension with Philadelphia. I anticipate he will continue to produce the strongest offensive line units in the NFL while developing younger players to replace current greats like Kelce and Johnson. Ultimately, the Eagles should remain one of the top teams in the NFL and a large part of that is due to the effect Stoutland has with this organization.
My Name is Bruce Binster, a sportswriter for Belly Up Sports. You can find Belly Up Sports and my Twitter here.
