There might not be a more polarizing head coach in the NFL than Nick Sirianni, who many felt was on the hot seat following the Philadelphia Eagles’ middling 2-2 start to the 2024 season.
The always edgy Sirianni then did himself no favors after Philly’s Week 6 win over the Cleveland Browns, when the coach was seen on the broadcast jawing with his own fans at Lincoln Financial Field. That led to ESPN analyst and former player Damien Woody’s famous “clown” rant (at Sirianni’s expense).
The ball don’t lie, however, and after the Eagles’ dominant surge to last year’s Super Bowl LIX championship, it’s time to start putting some respect on Sirianni’s name as one of the top young coaches in football.
ESPN, of course, wasn’t ready to go there this offseason.
Eagles’ coaching staff keeps getting downgraded for the most obvious (and ridiculous) reason
Love him or hate him, it’s Sirianni Season.
The Eagles’ head coach has a 70-plus percent winning percentage (48-20) in the regular season, two Super Bowl appearances, a championship ring and a new contract extension. His team just outclassed the greatest coach-quarterback duo running in Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. Those still arguing against Sirianni’s chops as a high-end leader, motivator and strategist no longer have much of a leg to stand on.
Ben Solak recently released his annual coaching staff rankings for ESPN. He had Philly ranked 15th in 2024, so moving the Eagles up to No. 8 this year is an improvement (even if it’s still way too low).
“They are still one of the most challenging teams to rank,” Solak wrote in his piece.
Yes, part of that reason is on Sirianni, whose fans in the national media seem to be few and far between. The main reason, however, has been recycled year over year, to the point where it’s become painfully obvious.
The Eagles' annual turnover among the assistant coach ranks has been overblown
It’s well-documented that the Eagles hire a new offensive coordinator for quarterback Jalen Hurts every offseason. This spring, with Kellen Moore now the head coach of the New Orleans Saints, longtime Eagles passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo was promoted to offensive coordinator. From Shane Steichen to Brian Johnson to Moore, Philly has a new offensive coordinator for the fourth time in as many years.
As Eagles fans know, that stat has been overplayed. While Sirianni was right to relinquish play-calling duties back in 2021 and adopt a more CEO-like approach on the sideline, he remains an offensive-minded head coach whose influence is evident in each week's game plan. The offensive coordinator's main job is to be in sync with Hurts, and Patullo should be well-positioned to do so, given his wealth of experience in Philadelphia.
The national media is also underselling some hidden gems on Sirianni’s coaching staff. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio gets a ton of attention — his weekly press conferences are a must-see for Eagles fans, by the way — but Christian Parker is one of the brightest, up-and-coming defensive coaches in football. Jeff Stoutland is the class of the NFL at teaching offensive linemen, and the team made several intriguing additions this offseason, from quarterback coach Scott Loeffler to former Georgia Bulldogs quality control coach Montgomery VanGorder.
Read more: Lane Johnson's fate is already written (with obvious final destination)
At this point, the narratives have been played out. The Eagles shouldn’t be ranked No. 8 in anything coming off the season they just had, the coaching staff included.