When the Philadelphia Eagles hired Sean Mannion as their offensive coordinator this offseason, it was seen as a seismic shift in offensive philosophy. Jeff Stoutland moved on, A.J. Brown was traded, and Philly revamped its roster in preparation for a new identity.
For months, Eagles fans heard about an increased use of under-center formations and a transition to the Kyle Shanahan world of offensive schemes. Questions about Jalen Hurts' ability to adjust were unending.
Through two weeks of regular-season action, though, Mannion hasn't made the changes that everyone expected. In fact, his biggest impact has been improving what the Eagles were already doing well.
Under Mannion, the Eagles have actually leaned even more into shotgun formations, and it's working.
Eagles OC Sean Mannion is building on what Jalen Hurts already did well
According to SumerSports, the Eagles rank sixth in the NFL in total plays from shotgun formations. They ranked eighth in the category last season. Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers offense that Mannion came from ranked 22nd in shotgun looks in 2025.
How the Eagles' offense operates in those shotgun formations has changed, though. The protection rules are different, and they're spreading things out more, almost exclusively using 11 personnel (three receiver) looks when in shotgun. Some of this has been because of the lack of tight end depth, which should change with the return of Zach Ertz, but it seems to be part of Mannion's scheme.
The best part? It's working like a charm. The 2026 version of the Eagles' offense is more efficient when in shotgun formations in nearly every category, especially in the passing game.
2025 Shotgun Passing | 2026 Shotgun Passing | |
|---|---|---|
EPA/Pass | -0.03 | 0.1 |
Passing Success Rate | 43% | 46.4% |
Yards Per Attempt | 6.85 | 7.37 |
Conversely, the Eagles are hardly using under-center formations. They rank 26th in the league in plays from under center, and they haven't been particularly effective in those looks. Mannion is leaning into what the Eagles already did well, but he's putting his own spin on it.
Hurts has been dicing up defenses in Mannion's scheme. He has a completion rate of 70.3% through two games, which would easily be his career best if he carried it out over the rest of the year. He's taking his time and finding open receivers.
Read more: 5 Eagles who dug themselves too deep a hole to climb out of after 2 games
Of course, this is a small sample size. Two games, especially against bad defenses, aren't enough to call Mannion a success as a play caller by any means. But his early emphasis on the shotgun passing game and the efficiency that has come from it have to be encouraging for Eagles fans.
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