Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - The Philadelphia Eagles have named Sean McDermott defensive coordinator, replacing Jim Johnson, the team announced Friday.

Johnson took an indefinite leave of absence from the Eagles in May to continue cancer treatments. He was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer in January. The Eagles did not specify if Johnson, who had been the team's defensive mastermind since Andy Reid took over the head coaching reins in 1999, would return to the team.

The 35-year-old McDermott took over the defense on an interim basis for Johnson, and was his longest-tenured defensive assistant. McDermott previously worked as Philadelphia's secondary coach (2008) and linebackers coach (2007), having joined the team in 1998 as a scouting administrative coordinator.

He has also served as an assistant to the head coach (1999), defensive assistant/quality control coach (2001-02), assistant secondary coach (2003) and secondary/safeties coach (2004-06) for the Eagles.

McDermott played safety at the College of William and Mary, where he began his coaching career in 1998 as a graduate assistant.