Eagles’ Nick Sirianni changes plan for team meeting night before Super Bowl
PHOENIX Nick Sirianni had a plan.
The Eagles head coach puts a lot of thought into the messages he delivers to his team and he spent plenty of time formulating a plan for this moment, the night before the Super Bowl. And he had something prepared.
He scrapped it.
Instead, when the Eagles meet tonight, the night before Super Bowl LVII, Sirianni will open the floor. Anyone who has something to say to the entire team can say it.
Sirianni said thats what his mentor Larry Kehres would do before his Mount Union teams would play in the Stagg Bowl (Division III championship). Those moments stuck with Sirianni.
I always thought that was really powerful when all the guys could get up and say whatever was on their heart to say, Sirianni said on Thursday. So well kind of treat it that way.
The Eagles arent limited in their options. There are plenty of veterans and even some younger players who would be worth hearing from the night before the biggest game of their lives.
A couple players seem very likely to address the entire group.
Im always up for the challenge of talking to the team, said Brandon Graham, the longest-tenured player on the roster. I know a lot of guys respect what I have to say so I dont shy away from it. Even if its just something 2 seconds, Im definitely going to have an input, let them know, hey, dont worry about nothing you cant control, put a great week in and just make sure you go out there and go all-out now that you done put the work in.
His longtime teammate Fletcher Cox, who arrived two years after Graham in 2012, is also prepared to address the team.
Cox has taken his role as a captain very seriously and, like Graham, he won a Super Bowl with the Eagles in 2017.
I havent really thought about what Ill say to the team yet, Cox said. But obviously, Ill have to keep it short because if someone else wants to speak, I cant be too long with it. I actually might go last. Honestly, believe it or not, a lot of guys like to hear me speak. I might go last or I think he wanted me to go first. Whichever one he wants, Ill do. I havent really thought about it but its going to be pretty good.
Cox might give some thought to what hell say but not too much. He wants it to come from the heart.
And thats the key for a lot of players when it comes to these things. Its fine for Sirianni to really have a plan for talking to his team as the head coach. But when its the players turn to speak, it means more when its genuine and from the heart.
Darius Slay became a first-time captain in 2022 and it meant the world to him. He teared up when he found out before the season. Hes spoken to the entire team before and his message really seemed to resonate, even if he was nervous as hell doing it.
Im pretty sure hell probably give me the opportunity to talk in front of the team, Slay said. Im glad you kind of prepared me for that early in case he calls my name or anything. I gotta get my mind right. Even though I talk from the heart, but it be scary.
Thats probably my most scariest thing is to talk in front of the team because Im like a goofy guy. My heart gets to racing, my mouth gets dry and I get a little nervous because I really talk from the heart and Im really meaning what I be saying and it be real genuine. So I be getting real emotional when it come down to that because I love this game, I love this team. So I gotta get my mind right in case I get called up.
A.J. Brown isnt a captain like those other guys but his words carry weight too. Hes in his first year with the Eagles and has a chance to cap off his incredible season with a championship. Brown isnt sure whether or not hell speak, itll really just depend on how he feels in the moment.
Either way, Brown said hes looking forward to hearing those who do take the floor.
And then theres Jason Kelce. An unquestioned leader on the team. Like Brown, hes not sure.
I dont know. Ill make that a game-time decision, Kelce said. I havent spoke this year yet. Well, I do breakdowns and stuff like that but in terms of talking in front of a team meeting. If you feel like theres a time to talk, you talk. If not, you dont really need to. But, yeah, well see.
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