Glenn Schumann opens up on decision to turn down Philadelphia Eagles, stay at Georgia

The Philadelphia Eagles have shown a clear interest in Georgia football over the past couple of seasons. After the Bulldogs claimed back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022, the Eagles selected five UGA players in the past two NFL Drafts.

It’s not just the players that Philadelphia is interested in, however, but the coaches as well.

The Eagles reached out to Georgia co-defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann this offseason about a potential jump to the NFL. But after interviewing for the DC job, he ultimately decided to return to Athens.

“In terms of that process with the Eagles, when you’re successful, opportunities come for everybody,” Schumann said Tuesday. “Opportunities come for players. Opportunities come for coaches. It was an honor to be considered and to be reached out to by them. I appreciate it and that’s about all that I went through that process. I’m glad to be where I am.”

Schumann has worked with Georgia coach Kirby Smart for the past 15 seasons dating back to when both were assistants under Nick Saban at Alabama. When Smart left to take the head coaching job at his alma mater, Schumann followed as an inside linebackers coach before being promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2019.

Although the opportunity to join a rising Eagles team that made a Super Bowl appearance last season was tempting, Schumann couldn’t fathom leaving the life he built for himself in Georgia behind.

“There’s a lot of ways to define quality of life,” he said. “One, you’re responsible as a husband and a father to do what’s best for your family and their well-being and my family’s extremely happy here. Two, quality of life in this profession is generally tied to winning and I’ve been very fortunate between both being here and at Alabama that we’ve been extremely successful. So I have a high expectation and standard for what I want to achieve in my career.

“People always talk about ‘the grass isn’t greener.’ When you look at it, there’s been a lot of people who’ve been extremely happy and they’ve tried to become happier and they ended up miserable. So I’m extremely happy here. I love the people that I work with. I love the players that I get to coach and I love where I live. So there’s a lot of reasons why I’d still be at Georgia.”

With Schumann back, the Bulldogs should again boast one of the top defenses in the country with five players named to the preseason All-SEC first team. Georgia will kick off the 2023 season on Sept. 2 against Tennessee-Martin as it begins its quest for a three-peat.