Jonathan Gannon is staying with Eagles. For better or worse. | Marcus Hayes

In a roundabout way, the biggest beneficiaries (so far) of Brian Flores’ lawsuit against the Giants, Broncos, Dolphins, and the NFL are the Philadelphia Eagles.

That’s because the lawsuit virtually guaranteed that defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon wouldn’t get the head coaching job in Houston and would return to Philly for a second season. And, while Eagles fans and many media types called for Gannon’s midseason dismissal, and while many of the same hoped one of his three interviews to be another team’s head coach would result in his departure, the NFL remains virtually unanimous in its admiration for Gannon’s ability to build an elite defense.

“The guy’s very bright,” said one former head coach. “Just give him some talent.”

Gannon’s even-keeled intelligence got him interviews last month in Denver, Minnesota, and Houston. The interviews weren’t hot-name pursuits; rather, they were perceived by most NFL types as seed interviews — conversations to plumb Gannon’s worthiness in future hiring cycles. But Gannon, despite his scant qualifications, was so impressive to Houston that Gannon became a finalist for that job, along with Josh McCown, a former NFL quarterback with no professional coaching experience but with close ties to Texans brass.

Then Flores, who was fired by the Dolphins in January, dropped a lawsuit last week that contends the NFL has generally racist hiring practices and, among other specific claims, accused the Giants of violating the Rooney Rule when they interviewed him last month; that the Giants had already decided to hire Brian Daboll, who is white. Not coincidentally, so are both Gannon and McCown, who, unlike Daboll, also happen to be laughably unqualified.

Flores’ suit also cites the Texans’ firing of David Culley last month. Culley, a first-time, first-year coach, managed four wins in a hopelessly toxic situation. Culley, like Flores — who won nine games — overachieved. Culley, like Flores, is Black. And here’s a twist: Flores had interviewed for the Texans job before he filed the lawsuit.

The Texans suddenly found themselves painted into a corner. Their two favorites, Gannon and McCown, were wildly unqualified white men. Their best candidate, Flores, is suing the league — and, by association, the Texans. Tough to give a job to a guy who’s suing you.

» READ MORE: Brian Flores’ lawsuit is a brave effort to challenge the NFL on racism | Marcus Hayes

The Texans’ solution? Promote defensive coordinator Lovie Smith, whom they could pretend was a viable candidate all along. Smith, 63, last served as an NFL head coach in 2015 with Tampa Bay.

“They never intended to hire Lovie. It’s a joke,” said a longtime former NFL executive. “They had no choice.”

Well, anyway, good for Lovie, the only man in the NFL with a better beard than Jason Kelce.

And, believe it or not, good for Philly.

Right?

After making his bones for seven years as a defensive backs coach, the last three with Frank Reich in Indianapolis, Gannon last year had at least two other offers to become a defensive coordinator. Gannon chose the Eagles and his buddy Nick Sirianni, the Colts’ offensive coordinator, who became the Eagles head coach.

Then, the Eagles struggled against top teams. The best quarterbacks filleted Gannon’s placid defensive scheme and soft formations. Gannon also misused star defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, and, further, he ignored Cox when Cox voiced his concerns in private.

Gannon quickly learned the burden of being a defensive coach in a town spoiled by Buddy Ryan and Jim Johnson. The Eagles started 3-6, had allowed the worst completion percentage and blitzed at the third-lowest rate — which might have been fine if the bend-but-don’t-break mindset hadn’t broken so often. The team also had allowed the most red-zone TDs.

To his credit — and in contrast to current Bills coach Sean McDermott, who was the Eagles’ DC from 2009-10 — Gannon adjusted. After Cox complained publicly, Gannon stopped dropping Cox into coverage. The team went on a 6-1 run that assured them a wild-card playoff spot. The defense allowed 16.6 points per game.

Granted, they played awful competition and faced awful quarterbacks, but they played to their potential. The Eagles finished 10th in yards allowed and 18th in points allowed, which helped justify Gannon’s head-coaching candidacy.

I guess.

Gannon’s greatest defense of his 2021 performance lies in a dearth of defensive talent.

Gannon knew his linebackers would struggle, and he knew his defensive backfield would be a one-man show, so he relied on his D-line instead of firing blitzes. That failed.

Cox turned 31, and it showed. Gannon lost Pro Bowl defensive end Brandon Graham in Game 2. Ends Derek Barnett and Josh Sweat were inconsistent at best, and free agent Ryan Kerrigan was a 17-game joke. And while tackle Javon Hargrave went to his first Pro Bowl on the strength of six sacks in the first five games, when teams finally realized they no longer needed to double-team Cox, Hargrave disappeared: 1½ sacks in his last 11 games.

The linebacker corps was as bad as expected. Thumper T.J. Edwards emerged as an every-down ‘backer, by default, and rookie Davion Taylor was emerging in the midseason before a knee injury took him out, but the position remains general manager Howie Roseman’s blindest spot.

Lockdown corner Darius Slay went to his fourth Pro Bowl in five years, and slot corner Avonte Maddox logged another competent season, but the rest of the unit did little to burnish Gannon’s reputation as a DB whisperer.

Which brings us to 2022. Given better horses, will Gannon have a smoother ride? The Eagles have three first-round picks in April, and they currently have more than $20 million in salary-cap space, which could grow. They have lots of decisions to make. Gannon, a league source said, will have a loud voice in making those decisions.

Graham will be 34 and coming off a knee injury. Cox will be 32 at season’s end, coming off his worst campaign in eight years. Barnett and some stopgaps will be gone. The Birds need at least one new starting defensive end, one frontline linebacker, one cornerback, and one safety.

It will be Gannon’s defense to construct. How well he builds, then coaches, will determine if he’s interviewing for head coaching jobs again this time next year. This is one of the best possible outcomes for the Birds.

Of course, the best possible outcome would’ve been for the Texans to hire Gannon … so the Eagles could then hire new defensive coordinator Brian Flores.