Updated: 8:27 p.m.
The Eagles have finalized the long-rumored move to hire Frank Reich as offensive coordinator, according to two league sources Wednesday. The news was first reported by CBSSports.
The Eagles later announced the Reich hiring along with 14 other assistant coaches (see story).
Reich was fired last week after two years as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator. The Chargers ranked 17th and 26th in scoring the last two years under Reich and 18th and ninth in yards.
Reich and Pederson were briefly teammates with the Panthers during the 1995 offseason.
Reich was a third-round pick of the Bills in 1985 and spent most of his career as Jim Kelly’s backup in Buffalo. He finished his 14-year career with the Panthers, Jets and Lions.
He began his coaching career in 2008 as an assistant on Tony Dungy’s staff with the Colts. When Jim Caldwell replaced Dungy, Caldwell promoted Reich to quarterbacks coach, and he spent the next two years working with Peyton Manning. After an additional year as the Colts’ wide receivers coach, he was fired along with the entire Colts staff.
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Reich joined Ken Whisenhunt’s staff with the Cardinals as wide receivers coach before going to the Chargers. After one year as quarterbacks coach working with Philip Rivers, he became offensive coordinator.
Reich is best-known for engineering the greatest comeback in NFL history. In a 1992 wild-card game, the Oilers led Reich’s Bills 35-3 in the third quarter before Reich rallied the Bills to a 41-38 win.
Later that day, when the Eagles trailed the Saints 20-7 in a wild-card game, head coach Rich Kotite used the Bills’ comeback to inspire the Eagles to a record 26-point fourth quarter and a comeback win of their own.
Reich replaces Pat Shurmur, who served as Chip Kelly’s offensive coordinator for three years and was interim head coach when the Eagles finished this past season with a win over the Giants after Kelly was fired.
Shurmur was on Andy Reid’s coaching staff in 1999 when Pederson played for the Eagles.
Reich's father, Frank, played for Penn State from 1953–55 and was drafted by the Eagles in the 14th round of the 1956 NFL draft but never played in the NFL.
The Eagles have not yet confirmed Reich’s hiring.
Pederson on Tuesday confirmed the hiring of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and announced he'd retain special teams coach Dave Fipp, running backs coach Duce Staley and offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland.
Pederson will also reportedly keep Cory Undlin as secondary coach. Other reported hires are Tim Hauck as assistant defensive backs coach, Ken Flajole in some role on the defensive side and John DeFilippo as quarterbacks coach.
That would leave openings for wide receiver, tight ends, linebackers and defensive line.