Aug 15, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni works from the sideline during the first half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports We all know a Nick Sirianni.
They might not be coaching the Philadelphia Eagles, but they’ll jump at any opportunity they can get to act like Mr. Tough Guy, even when it’s abundantly clear that they’re going through the wringer deep down.
Sirianni was riding a high after Philadelphia beat the visiting Cleveland Browns 20-16 on Sunday, exchanging words with some fans while motioning toward his ear, seemingly letting them know that their boos weren’t loud enough during the game.
You see, the Philly faithful has started to turn on Sirianni, who had the Eagles at 10-1 last season before a collapse of epic proportions resulted in them losing in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
But Philadelphia fans still had plenty of reasons to be optimistic ahead of the 2024 campaign. After all, how could anyone slow down an offense with Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith?
Well, six weeks into the season, the Eagles are 3-2, and that high-octane offense has gone over 21 points just once. A lot of people are pointing the finger at Sirianni and his poor coaching decisions, but the 43-year-old continues to stick to his guns.
Apparently there were “Fire Sirianni” chants during Sunday’s game to go along with the boos, and to whoever started those, keep ‘em going.
If you’re going to act like a world-class tool and get into it with your own fans, at least do it after beating a good team. Cleveland (1-5) has looked anemic this season, and Sirianni should be sick to his stomach knowing that the Browns were even in that game.
Sirianni essentially stole candy from a baby, then bragged about it. Seems like he’d be a real fun guy at parties.
When asked about the interaction he had with fans at the end of the game, Sirianni said that he was “just excited to get the win” while letting out a smile that had more than a touch of arrogance behind it.
Among those witnessing the haughty smile first-hand were Sirianni’s three kids, who were with him at the podium during his postgame press conference. When asked why they were there, Sirianni gave a long, drawn-out answer about how football has essentially been the nucleus of his entire bloodline.
In other words, you fire me; you fire my family. Wouldn’t look too good now, would it?
I wish this man nothing but the best as a father and a husband, but I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t bring out the expensive bottle of champagne on the day he gets the boot from the Eagles—if that day ever comes.
And it’s not even because I want to see Philadelphia in a better place. Being from Boston, that’s actually far from the truth.
Believe it or not, there is a place for arrogance in sports, especially football. You just have to earn it. Talking the talk is one thing; walking the walk is another. Sirianni has been doing a whole lot of talking, and he doesn’t have the track record to back it up.
So yeah, watching Sirianni get humbled would make this season a whole lot better. And I wouldn’t be opposed to watching the Eagles scramble to get a new coach, either.