Eagles may have applied unconventional coaching search strategy to find their next great executive

The Philadelphia Eagles have a knack for going against the grain with hires. Their recent executive hire may be along those same lines.

In a recent column from Mike Sielski of the Philadelphia Inquirer looking at the team’s hiring tendencies with head coaches, Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeff Lurie spoke about the team’s repeated decision to ignore what is expected and considered “normal” when it comes to hiring head coaches.

There’s one simple key: Lurie and the Eagles decide to do the right thing and have confidence in their decisions.

"“I know it’s not the conformist thing to do,” Lurie said. “As I said, nobody wanted Andy. Nobody wanted Doug. Nobody knew about Nick, I guess. I don’t know. Didn’t make sense to me. Didn’t make sense to Howie. We feel: Just do the right thing, and you’re going to have a chance to be great. And if you don’t do the right thing, you have no chance. That’s kind of what it is. Just have confidence in what you think is the right way and what gives you the best chance of high success.”"

A recent executive hire follows that same archetype.

The Eagles hired someone with unexpected background as a new executive

According to a report from Bloomberg.com, Adam Berry has been hired to the Eagles (subscription required) as an executive. Berry is joining the personnel department.

Fans might be surprised to take a look at his prior experience, which is far from the sports industry. Berry is leaving a role as Managing Director and Head of U.S. Bank Loan Trading at Goldman Sachs.

Not every day you find your next great executive in the banking world, so what makes Berry a fit?

Well, for one, it runs in the family. Andrew Berry, Adam’s brother, is the Cleveland Browns General Manager. Adam also played wide receiver at Princeton University.

The Eagles have to be pleased with the team current GM Howie Roseman has built, but at 35, Berry could be a general manager candidate for the future, whether with the Eagles or elsewhere.

Clearly, the Eagles must be confident in his skills, despite the lack of football experience at the executive level. We’ll see if the unconventional hiring continues to pay off. Maybe more Browns and Eagles deals to come, too, with the new family connection the two teams have.