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Colts: Eagles steal coveted Indy assistant for Nick Sirianni’s staff

By Adam Weinrib

ORCHARD PARK, NY - AUGUST 08: Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni looks at his playbook on the sideline during a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field on August 8, 2019 in Orchard Park, New York. Buffalo defeats Indianapolis 24 -16. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY - AUGUST 08: Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni looks at his playbook on the sideline during a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field on August 8, 2019 in Orchard Park, New York. Buffalo defeats Indianapolis 24 -16. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /
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The Philadelphia Eagles further purged the Colts’ staff by hiring Jonathan Gannon to serve alongside Nick Sirianni.

The penalty that comes along with success in the NFL? Everybody else wants to copy you, and they’re able to open their purses and offer promotions in the effort to do so.

Regrettably, after a season in which it became very clear that the Colts have developed the type of infrastructure other NFL teams covet under Frank Reich, the purge of their staff has begun.

Unsurprisingly, the Philadelphia Eagles have been at the front of the line in poaching coaches from Indianapolis. After all, it’s a Reich-led culture they recognize the skeleton of, if not the defined details.

A few days after Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni leapt to the head coach role in Philadelphia while on vacation, the Eagles have also hired vaunted Indy DBs coach Jonathan Gannon, who had many offers to juggle this offseason, to be Sirianni’s defensive coordinator.

You had to see it coming, but that doesn’t soothe the burn of the band-aid’s quick removal.

Previously, the Bears seemed hot on Gannon’s trail — which we warned you about, considering the ex-DBs coach was specifically instrumental in the pursuit of Xavier Rhodes last offseason, who’s hitting free agency once again this offseason.

It didn’t take Philadelphia long to connect Rhodes to the open spots in their secondary, as well as a list of other Gannon-affiliated DBs who could jump to the Eagles and follow their mentor.

Like Sirianni, Gannon just completed his third season in Indianapolis, a tenure which followed a four-year stint in Minneapolis, where the relationship with Rhodes began and strengthened.

Two clear realities have emerged for the Colts in recent weeks. For one thing, everybody wants to be like them, and they’ll have to build back up in the months to come — their first hire was an internal one, with the elevation of Marcus Brady to offensive coordinator.

And second? There’s a reason the team preached so much patience with Rock Ya-Sin, because the rest of the non-Julian Blackmon defensive backfield could be up for grabs.

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