Eagles to have second interview with Gus Bradley

If there were still doubts about whether Gus Bradley was the lead candidate for the Eagles head coaching job, there shouldnt be now.
Bradley, the Seahawks defensive coordinator who interviewed with the Eagles on Saturday, will have a follow-up interview Tuesday with owner Jeff Lurie, president Don Smolenski and general manager Howie Roseman, the team announced Monday night.
Of the 11 candidates interviewed so far, Bradley is the only to be scheduled for a second meeting. Bradley has also interviewed in San Diego for the Chargers head coach vacancy and was reportedly supposed to interview later this week for the same position in Jacksonville.
If things go well with Bradley on Tuesday, the Eagles could feasibly have their first coach since 1998 other than Andy Reid by days end.
Bradleys defense allowed three touchdowns Sunday in a 30-28 loss to top-seeded Atlanta but just 10 points after halftime. In a wild-card upset of the Redskins at FedEx Field, the Seahawks allowed two first-quarter touchdowns before pitching a shutout for the rest of the game.
Seattle finished the regular season with the NFLs top-ranked scoring defense, allowing slightly more than 15 points per game in Bradleys fourth season as coordinator. Bradley, whose NFL coaching career started in Tampa Bay under defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, spent three seasons in Tampa before then-Seahawks coach Jim Mora lured him to Seattle to lead the defense.
Current Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has raved about Bradley, touting his assistants brilliant football mind and way of reaching people and touching people and getting the best out of them -- coaches and players alike.
In many ways, Carrolls description of Bradley fit the description of what Lurie said he sought on Dec. 31 after firing Reid and starting his first head coaching search since 1999.
Lurie preached the importance of finding an outstanding leader with a unique football IQ and progressive mind.
I think if you're open to finding outstanding leaders wherever they are and you're not concerned with how famous they are, you can find someone special, Lurie said that day.
Bradley, 46, would be the first defensive-minded coach for the Eagles since Ray Rhodes -- the first head coach hire made by Lurie, who purchased the franchise in 1994.
Before starting his first coaching search in 14 years, Lurie promised that he would leave no stone unturned and said he had compiled a very defined list of candidates to interview.
The list turned out to be as wide-ranging and diverse as it was defined. The search committee met with three college coaches who each opted to stay at their respective schools, four former NFL head coaches and four NFL assistants (including Bradley) who had never been an NFL head coach.
The Eagles were expected to interview Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians this week but as of Monday night still didnt have a time and date slated for that meeting (see story). Obviously, Arians wont make it to the table if the Eagles and Bradley reach an agreement after their interview.
Bradleys name didnt generate much buzz until this season, as the Seahawks posted their second top-10 defensive ranking in two years. Seattle had the seventh-ranked scoring defense in 2011 before leading the NFL this season with just one Pro Bowler in safety Earl Thomas.
The Seahawks also finished this past season with the leagues sixth-best pass defense, third-best quarterback rating against and tied for the fifth-most takeaways.
E-mail Geoff Miosher at gmosher@comcastsportsnet.com.