Big Dom Headlines Host Of Changes In Eagles' Front Office

The legend of Dom DiSandro continues to grow around the Delaware Valley after the Eagles added another postscript to the world’s biggest nameplate.

In the most high-profile move among a host of changes in the football operations, scouting, and sports medicine and performance departments, the Eagles added the title of Gameday Coaching Operations to DiSandro’s previous business card descriptor of Senior Advisor to the General Manager Howie Roseman/Chief Security Officer.

If you talk to people around the Eagles about what exactly the omnipresent “Big Dom” does for the team they often have a tough time answering, not because it’s nebulous but because of the scope that it entails.

DiSandro joined the organization as the assistant for former chief security officer Butch Buchanico and was promoted to that role after Buchanico retired in 2011.

Entering his 26th season with the organization DiSandro is in charge of the security for all team personnel but is also involved with the personnel department and coaching staff.

The addendum to his title is likely a reaction to the suspension he received from getting into a dustup with San Francisco linebacker Dre’ Greenlaw during a Dec. 3 game last season.

Greenlaw had slammed receiver DeVonta Smith to the ground near the Eagles’ sideline and DiSandro got involved in trying to separate the two players. Greenlaw took exception to that and was ultimately penalized for unnecessary roughness and ejected for hitting a non-player or coach.

Moments later, DiSandro was also forced to leave the field for his part in the situation.

The NFL later ruled that DiSandro would not be permitted back on the sideline for the remaining five games of the regular season, a stretch in which the Eagles went 1-4. He did return for the playoff loss in Tampa, however.

By adding Gameday Coaching Operations to DiSandro's title, the Eagles seem to be removing the argument coming from some that he shouldn’t have been on the field although the hope is that no more altercations will take place.

As far as the other moves, the most notable was Bryce Johnston being elevated to the team’s Senior Vice President/Tertiary Football Executive (third in command in football operations).

Johnston had been heir apparent to departed Vice President of Football Operations Jake Rosenberg, the long-time consigliere of  Roseman, who left the organization after the draft.

Elevated to the VP level in football ops were Adam Berry, the brother of Browns GM and former Eagles Exec Andrew Berry, as Vice President of Football Operations and Strategy, and Jeff Scott as Vice President of Football Operations.

Former Eagles edge rusher Connor Barwin was also promoted to Head of Football Development and Strategy. His previous title was Director of Player Development.

On the scouting side, Chuck Walls and Alan Wolking continue to mirror each other with elevated titles as co-Vice Presidents of Player Personnel while Brandon Hunt, who interviewed for the de facto Patriots GM job, was bumped up to Senior Director of Scouting.

The Eagles also announced three new hires, one in football ops (Isabel Pantle as a Quantitative Analyst) and two on the scouting side as scouting assistants, Laurel McHale and Duke Tobin, the latter being the son of the well-regarded Cincinnati Bengals executive of the same name.

The most high-profile exit was former Vice President of Player Performance Ted Rath, who may have paid the price for the team's perceived conditioning problems down the stretch last season.