Philadelphia Eagles Just Placed Nick Sirianni On The ‘Hot Seat’
Nick Sirianni will return as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024. His team emphatically failed down the stretch in 2023, losing five of the final six regular-season games and an embarrassing NFC Wild Card matchup.
Jeffrey Lurie, Howie Roseman, and the Eagles decided to retain their head coach despite heavy criticism from the media. During their end-of-season press conference, Roseman and Sirianni acknowledged elements of reality that are often reasons for an NFL franchise to move on from a head coach.
The history of Lurie’s ownership suggested that the Eagles would fire their head coach. They’ve decided to keep him and make other adjustments on the staff instead, but the changes come with an implicit challenge. Nick Sirianni is on the proverbial hot seat as much as any coach in the NFL entering 2024.
Sirianni’s Strengths
The Eagles hired Sirianni largely because of his leadership qualities and his focus on the intangibles that impact NFL teams.
What he lacked in X’s and O’s he was supposed to make up for with careful preparation, strengths in situational football, emphasis on fundamentals and impactful core principles, relationships with players, and the ability to empower assistant coaches.
He led the Eagles to an unexpected playoff berth after his first season and a Super Bowl appearance after his second. The best microcosm of his success came during his biggest win with the Eagles.
DeVonta Smith “caught” a pass for 29 yards in the first quarter of the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers. There was only one problem. He didn’t actually catch it. Kyle Shanahan stood on the opposite sideline and missed the opportunity to throw the challenge flag.
Sirianni’s team quickly got to the line and eliminated Shanahan’s opportunity to rethink his decision. The quick thinking set the Eagles up for an early 7-0 lead (before Brock Purdy left the game).
The 49ers hired a head coach with a lauded offensive scheme and a reputation as a great play-caller. The Eagles hired a head coach who cleverly outdueled him by preparing his players to react quickly to a key situation.
Everything looks great when a team finishes 14-3 and advances to the Super Bowl. The success looked like a tribute to the culture of a winning organization.
The 49ers didn't challenge after this was called a DeVonta Smith catch. pic.twitter.com/6r4Eis9Hxm
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 29, 2023
Sirianni’s Failure
The Eagles were always vulnerable to the weaknesses of that subjective concept that comes up in professional sports at an alarming rate: culture.
Sirianni pointed to culture as a key mark he can make on the organization.
“My job is to be the head coach of the team, not the head coach of the offense, not the head coach of the defense, not the head coach of the special teams…That’s building the culture. That’s making sure the culture is working with our five core values…I know that when I have that connection with the guys on the football team, that’s when the culture is working at a high level.” –Nick Sirianni
Sirianni’s expected strengths did nothing to stop the Eagles from reeling down the stretch in 2023. His offensive game plans didn’t maximize the unit’s talent. Repeated turnover issues belittled his emphasis on ball control. Fundamental mistakes proved the Eagles weren’t a disciplined team in 2023.
Connectivity wasn’t present when the defense was completely out of sync in Tampa Bay to the point of absolute embarrassment. Sirianni and his coaching staff lost the conviction that drives a team compete in the NFL.
His culture failed the 2023 Eagles.
Eagles Adjusting Roles in 2024
The Eagles will hire new offensive and defensive coordinators for the 2024 season. The staff replacements will most likely be the biggest offseason change resulting from the 1-6 collapse. Why replace Brian Johnson as the OC?
“To me, we got a little bit stale on offense by the end…These ideas and this new person coming in is meant to take away the staleness and add the value of what they’re adding to the offense.” -Sirianni
Sirianni consistently took ownership of the offense’s struggles during the season. The third-year head coach designed the scheme, and Johnson called the plays from his boss’s menu. Sirianni was in charge of his own scheme. When asked about how the hire would fit into his offensive scheme, Sirianni emphasized a reference to the offense as “our” scheme.
What will the new OC do?
“It’s about getting the right guy, and we’ll decide where that goes. I’m hiring him to do a job and to be in charge of the offense.” -Sirianni
While he did mention the possibility of an expanded role in the defensive approach, it’s safe to say the Eagles didn’t hire Sirianni for his expertise on the defensive side of the ball. An offensive-minded head coach referred to someone else “in charge of the offense” and essentially admitted his minimal involvement on the defensive side over the past three seasons.
Those contributions he makes to the culture had better make a much bigger impact next season.
Nick Sirianni On the Hot Seat
Questions about Sirianni’s job security were never about what the former Mount Union wide receiver deserved. Any coach who helps his team to a Super Bowl appearance and three playoff berths in three seasons deserves to keep his job.
However, the questions are about what’s best for the future of the franchise. How will Sirianni address them?
"You are always growing as a coach... Are there things I still believe in, even after going through a difficult stretch? Of course. But there is no growth unless you are critical of yourself."
— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) January 24, 2024
- Nick Sirianni on if he needs to adjust his coaching style going forward.
Howie Roseman pointed to Philadelphia’s excellent record under Sirianni through November 2023. He has a point to say that most NFL head coaches can’t achieve that kind of success.
Lurie and Roseman are aware of the effects of intense scrutiny in a major media market like Philadelphia. They know whaat to expect if the Eagles experience another bad stretch next season.
The same duo that was in power when Andy Reid and Doug Pederson lost their jobs just willingly stood behind a head coach without identifiable expertise or control on either side of the ball who allowed the bottom to fall out from under his team during an atrocious showing late in the 2023 season.
They just sat Nick Sirianni on a hot seat that you’ll hear about plenty during the 2024 season.
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