The Eagles plan to hire Bills nickels coach Mike Pellegrino as a defensive backs coach, according to CBS Sports insider Matt Zenitz.
Pellegrino will help fill the hole left by former Eagles defensive backs coach Christian Parker, who was hired as the new Cowboys’ defensive coordinator this offseason.
It’s unclear what Pellegrino’s exact role will be, as safeties coach Joe Kasper was reportedly promoted to pass-game coordinator and defensive backs coach. Perhaps Pellegrino will be the Eagles’ new nickels or cornerbacks coach.
The 32-year-old spent the 2025 season in Buffalo and previously coached with the Patriots from 2015 to 2024. He was a coaching assistant on New England’s staff for four years (2015-2018) and the cornerbacks coach for the remainder of his tenure.
Pellegrino‘s path to becoming an NFL coach was very unique. He never played college football. Instead, he came to the Patriots as a two-time All-American lacrosse player from Johns Hopkins.
Unusual, right?
But not for former Patriots coach Bill Belichick, the biggest lacrosse lover in football.
If Belichick likes you, that is a pretty good sign. He’s one of the best defensive minds in NFL history and has a track record of developing top-notch defensive assistants.
In 2025, Buffalo had the No. 1 passing defense in the NFL — another sign that Pellegrino may be a good coach.
Now, Pellegrino will join Philadelphia’s defensive staff, led by defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, one of the league’s best defensive coaches in NFL history alongside Belichick.