It has all happened so quickly for Mike Zordich, ever since he got the "itch" to get back into the NFL and to send out feelers around the league to see if he could return to the league where he played for 12 seasons, five as an Eagles safety in 1994-98. From late January until now, as Zordich sits in a meeting room in the NovaCare Complex, he went from a high school coach in Ohio to a defensive backs coach at Youngstown State to a defensive coaching intern with the Eagles.
"Amazing," says Zordich, laughing. "I can't thank Andy Reid and the coaches here enough. I'm digging in. I'm in the playbook, looking forward to every minute of what I'm doing."
After retiring from the NFL in 1998 -- a miserable 3-13 season with the Eagles -- Zordich settled in Ohio with his wife, Cynthia, and their three sons. Zordich coached his boys, immersed himself in his family life and enjoyed it all. Then he started feeling the NFL bug biting and he send out "I'm here" cards to those contacts around the league. One of the cards went to Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, for whom Zordich played five seasons in Arizona. One thing led to another and Reid invited Zordich to attend the post-draft camp as an observer. Whatever Zordich did in his time at the camp convinced Reid that Zordich was worthy of adding to the coaching staff.
But in meantime, Zordich had accepted a job at Youngstown State and was busy there, and he felt his next step would be at the college level. Reid called and offered Zordich a spot and the future is all Midnight Green for Zordich, who will work with Brian Stewart and the defensive backs in the Eagles defense.
"Once I got here, I didn't want to leave. It was awesome. I was just helping out, get a little experience and then one thing led to another. I was invited back to all the OTAs, but I couldn't make it back because of my responsibilities at Youngstown State ... two and a half months later I was back here and I couldn't believe it," said Zordich. "When Andy called me and offered me a spot, I was surprised. I always wanted to coach. Even when I played, I wanted to coach. When I was done playing here, I had ample opportunity to stay here. Mr. (Jeffrey) Lurie made that clear. But my kids were young and I wanted to be with the family. I needed the break after that 3-13 season.
"Fortunately, after all of these years, I'm back. I'm pinching myself still. It's surreal, but at the same time, there is a lot of work here. A ton of work for me between now and training camp. I loved playing in Philly, I loved the fans and I'm as excited as I could be."
Zordich joins Mike Caldwell and Doug Pederson as former Eagles who are now on the staff as coaches.
"Amazing," says Zordich, laughing. "I can't thank Andy Reid and the coaches here enough. I'm digging in. I'm in the playbook, looking forward to every minute of what I'm doing."
After retiring from the NFL in 1998 -- a miserable 3-13 season with the Eagles -- Zordich settled in Ohio with his wife, Cynthia, and their three sons. Zordich coached his boys, immersed himself in his family life and enjoyed it all. Then he started feeling the NFL bug biting and he send out "I'm here" cards to those contacts around the league. One of the cards went to Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, for whom Zordich played five seasons in Arizona. One thing led to another and Reid invited Zordich to attend the post-draft camp as an observer. Whatever Zordich did in his time at the camp convinced Reid that Zordich was worthy of adding to the coaching staff.
But in meantime, Zordich had accepted a job at Youngstown State and was busy there, and he felt his next step would be at the college level. Reid called and offered Zordich a spot and the future is all Midnight Green for Zordich, who will work with Brian Stewart and the defensive backs in the Eagles defense.
"Once I got here, I didn't want to leave. It was awesome. I was just helping out, get a little experience and then one thing led to another. I was invited back to all the OTAs, but I couldn't make it back because of my responsibilities at Youngstown State ... two and a half months later I was back here and I couldn't believe it," said Zordich. "When Andy called me and offered me a spot, I was surprised. I always wanted to coach. Even when I played, I wanted to coach. When I was done playing here, I had ample opportunity to stay here. Mr. (Jeffrey) Lurie made that clear. But my kids were young and I wanted to be with the family. I needed the break after that 3-13 season.
"Fortunately, after all of these years, I'm back. I'm pinching myself still. It's surreal, but at the same time, there is a lot of work here. A ton of work for me between now and training camp. I loved playing in Philly, I loved the fans and I'm as excited as I could be."
Zordich joins Mike Caldwell and Doug Pederson as former Eagles who are now on the staff as coaches.
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