The Philadelphia Eagles are once again underachieving, and we now have the season's first casualty.
The Eagles announced Tuesday that defensive coordinator Juan Castillo has been dismissed from his duties. Todd Bowles, who had been serving as the team's secondary coach, has been named the new defensive coordinator.
The move is somewhat surprising, as Castillo is regarded by many to be a solid NFL coach, and the Eagles' big issues seem to be in areas beyond the defense. Plus, Castillo was actually a coach on the offensive side of the ball before being named defensive coordinator following the firing of Sean McDermott in February 2011. Prior to being named to the position he was eventually fired from on Tuesday, Castillo had not coached defense since 1989.
"I want to make it clear that I have nothing but the ultimate respect for Juan Castillo as a coach and as a person," head coach Andy Reid said in a statement released by the team. "He's one of the finest football coaches that I have ever worked with. He has served this organization extremely well for 18 years and letting him go was a difficult decision. I know he will continue to be a successful coach in this league and wish he and his family nothing but the best.
"We're six games into the season and average isn't good enough. I know the potential of our team and insist on maximizing it."
One now has to wonder how much longer Reid will be roaming the sidelines in Philly.
