As has become customary for nearly the past decade, the Philadelphia Eagles boast one of the NFL's most talented rosters from top to bottom. They've been perennial contenders, particularly with head coach Nick Sirianni calling the shots.
Ultimately, Sirianni and the Eagles are judged by their success, or lack thereof, on football's biggest stage: the playoffs. They collapsed late in 2025, which puts significant pressure on them entering 2026.
If Sirianni's sparkling résumé and Philadelphia's track record under his watch are any indication, not playing past Week 18 would be an epic failure. Yet, FanSided's Wynston Wilcox believes their flameout last season, specifically on offense, could spill into the upcoming campaign and cost them a postseason berth.
"The Eagles need to look a whole lot better offensively if they want to contend in the NFC let alone in their own division," Wilcox wrote. "This might be a hot take, but don't be surprised to see the Eagles taper off this year, especially if they trade A.J. Brown as anticipated."
Expect dramatic changes in the City of Brotherly Love if Wilcox's bold prediction comes to fruition — presumably starting with Sirianni.
Nick Sirianni could be on the first ride out of town if Eagles miss playoffs in 2026
Only the Buffalo Bills have more regular-season wins (60) than the Eagles (59) since he was hired in 2021. Philly's also tied for the third-most playoff victories during that stretch, including two trips to the Super Bowl and one championship. Alas, perfect is the enemy of good, as the saying goes, and this mindset may prove to be Sirianni's downfall.
With Sirianni's accomplishments come lofty annual benchmarks. There's no margin for error; fair or not, his seat is already hot. He'd have to be held accountable if the club took another step backward and didn't even make it to Wild Card Weekend.
At first glance, moving on from someone of Sirianni's stature and pedigree is a gamble. Bringing in a replacement, hoping they'll be better than him, sounds like a tall task. It'd have the makings of a "you don't know how good you have something until it's gone" situation.
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Of course, there's also the A.J. Brown-sized elephant in the room, like Wilcox pointed out. All signs suggest the Philadelphia Eagles will trade the star wide receiver on or after June 1 (presumably to the New England Patriots). The expected breakup leaves a massive void in the passing attack, though it doesn't affect the team's goal of competing for the Lombardi Trophy.
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