The Eagles may be looking to a former player to fill the vacant linebackers coaching position.
John Bunting and head coach Andy Reid reportedly discussed the job opening for about a half hour according to Geoff Mosher of the Wilmington News-Journal.
Bunting would provide another veteran voice along with defensive line coach Jim Washburn to assist new defensive coordinator Juan Castillo. Even though Bunting has pro experience as a defensive coordinator, Mosher pointed out that Bunting only wants to be an assistant. The Eagles let go of Bill Shuey following this season. Assistant linebackers coach Mike Caldwell, also a former player, is still on the staff and is in the mix for the job as well.
An Eagles linebacker from 1972-82, Bunting played in 132 games and was a starting outside linebacker for the 1980 NFC Championship team. Bunting finished his pro career in the USFL and promptly joined the coaching staff of the Baltimore Stars working as their linebackers coach.
After a year with the Stars, Bunting went to the college ranks where he coached as an assistant at Brown and also at Glassboro State (now Rowan) before becoming the head coach at Glassboro State in 1988. In his last two years at Glassboro State, the Profs went 21-3 and won back-to-back conference titles.
In 1993, Bunting broke into the NFL coaching ranks as a defensive assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs for two seasons before being promoted to linebackers coach. In 1997, Bunting was named a co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach of the St. Louis Rams and was a part of the staff that won Super Bowl XXXIV. Bunting was hired by the Rams' division rival New Orleans Saints to coach the linebackers in 2000.
Bunting returned to the college ranks as the head coach of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels in 2001 and spent six seasons there leading them to two bowl games.
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 12:10 p.m., February 4
