Philadelphia Eagles debate table: Was Jim Schwartz forced out?

The Philadelphia Eagles DC could’ve been persuaded into leaving.

It has already begun, Philadelphia Eagles fans. As most know, it was reported on Saturday, January 3rd, that defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will not be returning to the Birds in 2021 and may take a year off to contemplate retirement. This report first broke by NFL reporter Tom Pelissero via Twitter.

This came as a shock to some Eagles fans and as a relief to others, but one thing is certain. Something isn’t really adding up. Philadelphia Inquirer’s Les Bowan stated via Twitter that the Eagles players were not aware of Schwartz’s decision and that they didn’t find out about the news until it broke. That doesn’t sound like how Schwartz handles his business, does it? So, yes. This comes as a bit of shock.

Typically when a coordinator, especially one of Jim Schwartz’s tenure, decides something of this magnitude, it’s discussed in great detail with the entire organization. Now, this is speculation but are there any other Eagles fans that are getting the Mike Groh vibe?

You might ask what is meant by that but think about it. If you’ll remember, during 2021’s offseason, head coach Doug Pederson assured everyone that offensive coordinator Mike Groh would return, and then 24 hours later, news broke that he was fired. Again, there are reasons to question whether or not Schwartz’s departure is totally Schwartz’s idea.

The Philadelphia Eagles are following a familiar trend.

So, where exactly are we going with this theory? It’s extremely typical of teams that are in the shape that the Eagles are in to start letting go of major pieces within their organization. Though Schwartz, at times, makes fans want to pull their hair out, the defensive coordinator has had this defense be one of the better defenses in the league.

Since Schwartz’s arrival in Philadelphia, his defense had ranked 12th in 2016, 4th in 2017, 12th in 2018, and 15th in 2019. In 2020, until some major injuries occurred (again), the Philadelphia Eagles’ defense was flirting with ending the current campaign with a top-ten ranking. That appears to be out of the window now.

Schwart’s defense has fallen off of the wagon over the course of the last few weeks. When teams start losing in the fashion that the Eagles have this season, coaching changes are certain to happen, so let’s get back to our earlier question. Is it crazy to wonder if the Eagles organization just wanted to find a classy way to allow their defensive coordinator to make his exit?

Jim Schwartz’s exit is the first major announcement that has been made out of the Eagles camp regarding coaching changes, but more than likely, he won’t be the last. Buckle up Birds fans! This offseason figures to be one to remember for a long time to come.