"What I'm hearing is that Lincoln Riley is happy at Oklahoma."
Sal Paolantonio on the Eagles' interest in hiring the #Sooners Coach: pic.twitter.com/YbKbk2gSBE
— Cayden McFarland (@caydenmc) January 12, 2021
The Philadelphia Eagles are said to be enamored with Oklahoma head football coach Lincoln Riley, but according to ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio, another NFC rival is the darling of his eye.
During a Tuesday appearance on the network, Paolantonio stated that he’s reached out to Riley, who’s reportedly “happy” in Norman, Oklahoma, and would only leave for the NFL if it centered around his dream job with the Dallas Cowboys.
“Lincoln Riley is the kind of name that takes the sting out of releasing, letting go, firing, whatever word you want to use, Doug Pederson. And Howie Roseman likes to go for broke,” Paolantonio said. “But what I am hearing is that Lincoln Riley is happy at Oklahoma.”
“He thinks he’s got a good job, he’s making six and a half million dollars a year. He’s making more money right now than Doug Pederson would be at the Philadelphia Eagles. Doug has two more years on that contract. And that if he were interested in going to the NFL, it probably would be to go to the Dallas Cowboys. That is a job that he has been linked to. So the question is whether or not they go for Lincoln Riley, right? I mean, if you go for Lincoln Riley, that means you’re all in on Jalen Hurts and you’re out on Carson Wentz.”
A Texas native, it’s hard to see Riley leaving the comforts of Norman or bypassing his eventual opportunity to coach in Dallas for the weather in Philadelphia and the fans that come with the job.
Riley’s salary alone is reason to stay put in Oklahoma, where he’ll again compete for a National Championship.
