Andy Reid fires Eagles defensive coordinator
Head Coach Andy Reid took his mediocre Philadelphia Eagles team into his own hands and without telling anyone, fired his defensive coordinator Juan Castillo Tuesday.
Reid told no one of the move he was going to make late this morning to his longtime assistant, who was moved from offensive lineman coach to defense after 13 seasons.
Castillo was with the Eagles for 18 season, longer than any coach in franchise history. He was replaced by secondary coach Todd Bowles.
”We’re six games into the season and average isn’t good enough,” Reid said in a statement. ”I know the potential of our team and insist on maximizing it.”
After blowing back-to-back fourth quarter leads the past two weeks, Reid made it clear in his press conference earlier today that he needed to make a change for the better of the team.
”I put Juan in this position,” Reid said at a press conference Tuesday at the team headquarters. ”It didn’t work out. I take full responsibility for putting him in that situation.”
The Eagles (3-3) are on a bye this week after they blew a 10-point lead with five minutes remaining and lost 26-23 in overtime to the Detroit Lions. The Eagles also let the Pittsburgh Steelers rally and allowed them to kick the game-winning field goal as the clock ran out of time last week.
Castillo joined the Eagles in 1995 as an offensive assistant under coach Ray Rhodes. He was promoted to tight ends coach in 1997, and then offensive line coach in 1998.
