While the Eagles' 2025 season did not end the way they intended, defensive line coach Clint Hurtt will coach for one more week at the Panini Senior Bowl in a couple of weeks. One of the NFL's premier pre-draft contests has announced that the Eagles' defensive-minded staff will serve as the head coach of the "National Team" for the 2026 All-Star Conference.
2026 Panini Senior Bowl Head Coaches 🏈🔥
— Panini Senior Bowl (@seniorbowl) January 16, 2026
The American Team will be led by Joel Thomas of the New Orleans Saints.
The National Team will be led by Clint Hurtt of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Full staff to be announced on Monday.#TheDraftStartsInMobile pic.twitter.com/YKpA1cBx7f
Hurtt has just completed his second season with the Philadelphia Eagles, serving as the team's defensive line coach. He's overseen a unit that has amassed two Pro Bowl selections and an All-Pro selection in two years. Even more impressive is that Hurtt led a unit that was able to surpass their 2024 sack total this past season, despite losing players like Bryce Huff, Josh Sweat, and Milton Williams.
"This is an opportunity for two excellent coaches, Joel Thomas of the New Orleans Saints and Clint Hurtt of the Philadelphia Eagles, to take the reins as head coaches in leading their staffs and top football athletes in the Senior Bowl's week-long evaluation of NFL prospects," NFL executive VP of football operations Troy Vincent said in the release. “The Senior Bowl is not only a showcase for top football student-athletes, but also a wonderful opportunity for coaches that are nominated by their NFL clubs to further develop their skills and learn from one another."
Clint Hurtt has perfect opportunity to help Eagles out in NFL Draft
Before his time in Philadelphia, Hurtt joined the coaching ranks in 2003 as a graduate assistant at the University of Miami. He spent 11 seasons in college before joining the Bears in 2014, and eventually became the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks from 2022 to 2023.
Hurtt's opportunity in the Senior Bowl is part of their goal to give NFL assistants opportunities to step into elevated roles and showcase their skill sets. Coaches are nominated by NFL head coaches and General Managers from all non-playoff teams and eliminated wild-card participants.
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Hurtt will be joined by New Orleans Saints assistant Joel Thomas, who will be coaching the American Team. The Senior Bowl is scheduled to take place in Mobile, Alabama, on January 31, signifying one of the most important steps in the pre-draft evaluation process for players in the 2026 NFL Draft.