Word came down around 10 o’clock Tuesday night that the Eagles’ meeting with Seattle defensive coordinator Gus Bradley had come to a close. And while fans all around the Delaware Valley awaited a verdict, one has yet to be delivered.
Bradley arrived in Philadelphia around 2:30 Tuesday afternoon and was taken by an Eagles’ employee to meet once again with Jeffrey Lurie, Howie Roseman and team president Don Smolenski. If the meeting ended around the time that the media were notified, it could have lasted upwards of seven hours.
While several reports through the day indicated a deal was imminent, sources maintained that no decision had been made and the Eagles were looking at this sit-down as a continuation from Saturday’s interview, which was just a couple hours, given that Bradley and his Seahawks had to play in a divisional playoff game against the Falcons the next day.
Bradley is reportedly scheduled to meet with the Jaguars Wednesday.
Will the Eagles let him leave Philadelphia?
To be determined. This much we know: While the public drumbeat grew louder for the “Gus Bus” to get its own parking spot at One NovaCare Way, the rest of the candidates had not been informed as of late Tuesday night to look elsewhere for work. The Eagles have been publicly tied to 12 candidates during this coaching search. It is altogether possible that they also had some clandestine meetings as well.
Of those 12, Brian Billick, Jay Gruden, Mike Nolan, Ken Whisenhunt, Lovie Smith and Bradley are the only reasonable possibilities in all likelihood. Bruce Arians may have been on that list earlier today, but a league source indicated that he is now off the Eagles’ radar. Nolan has said that he would like to stay in Atlanta, but theoretically that could change.
Whisenhunt was a late addition to the party, interviewing on Monday — the same day as Jay Gruden. He did well enough to vault past Billick, per sources, and is a candidate worth at least keeping an eye on if Bradley turns out not to be the guy. Smith’s name hasn’t been mentioned much since his interview, but he also has not been publicly discounted.
Will it be Bradley? Perhaps a late surprise?
The answer hasn’t revealed itself quite yet.
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