Former Eagles director of personnel operations and current Alabama assistant coach Joe Pannunzio is likely to return to Philadelphia, according to a report from AL.com’s Matt Zenitz. (Hat tip @igglesnut.)

Huh. This is an unexpected development.

Pannunzio originally joined the Eagles back in 2015, one month after Chip Kelly won a power struggle for control over Philly’s player personnel department. Pannunzio seemingly had ties to Kelly’s former de facto general manager, Ed Marynowitz, who also spent time at Alabama.

Despite this, Pannunzio remained with the Eagles for a full season after Kelly and Marynowitz were fired. It wasn’t until February 2017 that Pannunzio left the Eagles to return to Alabama as a tight ends and special teams coach. Pannunzio then coached running backs for the Crimson Tide in 2018. (Side note: Bama running backs Josh Jacobs and Damien Harris could be of interest to the Eagles in the 2019 NFL Draft.)

It might be worth noting that Pannunzio shares a connection with Eagles offensive line coach/run game coordinator Jeff Stoutland? Pannunzio and Stoutland overlapped at Miami from 2007-2010 and at Alabama from 2011-2012.

It’s currently unclear exactly what title Pannunzio will have in his second stint with the Eagles. He has experience in both front office and coaching roles.

Here’s a snapshot of his entire football resume:

1978-1981: Quarterback — Southern Colorado

1990-1991: Offensive line/tight end/special teams coach — TCU

1992-1994: Tight ends/special teams coach — Minnesota

1995-1998: Tight ends/special teams coach — Mississippi

1999: Tight ends/special teams coach — Auburn

2000-2005: Head coach — Murray State

2006-2010: Tight ends/special teams coach — Miami

2011-2014: Director of football operations — Alabama

2015-2016: Direct of personnel operations — Philadelphia Eagles

2017: Tight ends/special teams coach — Alabama

2018: Running backs coach — Alabama