The Eagles announced on Wednesday afternoon that longtime offensive line coach Juan Castilo will be the team's new defensive coordinator. To take Castillo's duties, the Eagles have talked the highly respected Howard Mudd out of retirement to become the new offensive line coach.
A press conference will be held later today. We will broadcast it on a special edition of Eagles Live! beginning at 6 PM.
Castillo just completed his 16th season with the Philadelphia Eagles. It was his 13th as an offensive line coach. During his tenure, four linemen earned their first Pro Bowl selection - Tra Thomas, Jermane Mayberry, Jon Runyan and Shawn Andrews - as Castillo became one of the most renowned offensive line coaches in the game. Since 1996, the Eagles have drafted three offensive linemen in the first round - Mayberry (1996), Thomas (1998) and Andrews (2004) - and all three have gone to the Pro Bowl.
This past season, the Eagles set the franchise record for most points scored in a season, total net yards and yards per rushing attempt. The Eagles became the first team in NFL history to average at least 4.0 yards per rushing attempt in all 16 regular season games. In 2009, the Eagles set the franchise record for passing yards. In 2008, the Eagles allowed the fewest sacks per pass play (1 in 27.3) in team history.
Castillo's calling card in the NFL has been developing outstanding offensive lines, but he was a linebacker at Texas A&I and for the USFL's San Antonio Gunslingers. After years of trying to thwart opposing defensive schemes, Castillo can take the thousands of hours of film study and research and use it against opposing offenses.
Castillo's coaching career began as a graduate assistant at Texas A&M-Kingsville (formerly Texas A&I) in 1982 working with the linebackers and the defensive line. From there, Castillo went to Kingsville High School from 1986-89 where he was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
In 1990, Castillo shifted to the offensive side of the football back at Texas A&M-Kingsville working with the offensive line.
Castillo was hired by former Eagles head coach Ray Rhodes as an offensive assistant in 1995 and in 1997 became the tight ends coach. In 1998, Castillo moved over to the offensive line and has been there ever since. Castillo was one of only four coaches to be carried over from Rhodes' staff to Andy Reid's inaugural staff in 1999.
In addition to shaping top-shelf talent, Castillo has also developed undrafted players and turned them into quality NFL starters. Such players include Jamaal Jackson, Nick Cole, Hank Fraley, Artis Hicks, Bubba Miller and Steve Edwards. It's fitting that Castillo credits "Rocky" as his favorite movie.
Well respected around the league, Castillo's name recently surfaced as a reported candidate for the offensive coordinator position in Cleveland under former Eagles assistant Pat Shurmur.
One of the few coaches in the NFL to be of Hispanic descent, Castillo is proud of that and has done a lot of work promoting the NFL to the Spanish-speaking audience. In 2002, Castillo was a special gust of President George Bush for a Cinco de Mayo celebration at the White House. On July 4, 2009, Castillo's hometown of Port Isabel, Tx. celebrated "Juan Castillo Day" where Castillo was given a key to the city by the mayor.
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 4:15 p.m., February 2
