Eagles hire Sean Desai to replace Jonathan Gannon in defensive coordinator role

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Eagles have hired Sean Desai as their new defensive coordinator, the team announced Tuesday.

The Eagles also filled their offensive coordinator job earlier Tuesday, promoting quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson to the role.

SEE ALSO: Eagles to promote QB coach Brian Johnson to OC

Desai, 39, was the Chicago Bears' defensive coordinator in 2021 before becoming an associate head coach and defensive assistant for the Seattle Seahawks this past season. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said there's "no doubt" Desai has the characteristics to be a successful defensive coordinator.

"He's really a brilliant football guy," Carroll said while addressing reporters at the combine in Indianapolis Tuesday. "The information that he holds, his access to information, is really special."

He'll replace Jonathan Gannon, who was recently hired to be head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.

Desai has ties to Philadelphia. He attended and got his coaching start at Temple, where he served as a special teams and defensive coach.

His first NFL coaching job was with Chicago (2013-21), where he started as a quality control coach before being promoted to safeties coach and then defensive coordinator. He studied under Vic Fangio, who was a consultant for Philadelphia this past season before taking a job as the Miami Dolphins' defensive coordinator. The Eagles had interest in Fangio for the defensive coordinator post as well, according to a league source, but he was already under contract with Miami by the time the Eagles knew for sure that Gannon was being hired by the Cardinals.

Another top candidate for the defensive coordinator post was Eagles defensive backs coach/defensive passing game coordinator Dennard Wilson.