Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni will look to keep adding to his impressive resume as the team gave him a multi-year contract extension on Monday.
According to ESPN, the contract details weren’t disclosed, but it’s safe to assume Sirianni cashed in on leading the Eagles to their second Super Bowl title.
Despite the recent championship win, it wasn’t always a great relationship between the controversial head coach and the front office. After the team’s 2023 collapse, which saw them start 10-1 and end the season 1-6, reports suggested that Sirianni was on the hot seat as team owner Jeffery Lurie quietly explored the idea of hiring the then-unemployed Bill Belichick.
However, the turmoil from that year shaped the 2024 champions. Sirianni was willing to give up play-calling and delegated more responsibilities to new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Sirianni focused on team building and in-game management, which proved crucial as the season progressed.
Reports from last season suggested Eagles franchise quarterback Jalen Hurts and star wide receiver A.J. Brown had a contentious relationship as the passing game faltered compared to the ground game led by running back Saquon Barkley. The players credited Sirianni with helping to mend the working relationship between the two and avoid a wider team fallout.
It certainly helped, as Hurts’ performance as a passer sealed the 40-22 win against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, leading to the quarterback’s first Super Bowl MVP award.
This is all to say that Sirianni is deserving of this new deal. He’s 54-23 (including the playoffs) with the Eagles and led the team to the postseason in his first four seasons at the helm.
However, the pressure won’t be any less demanding in Philadelphia for the remainder of his contract. Whether that’s from fans he’s yelling back at — in Philly, they may say that’s a sign of affection — or trying to live up to the expectations of an exceptional roster, Sirianni will remain in the spotlight.
This season will be a test in managing higher expectations as the Eagles try for back-to-back championships. This time, though, Sirianni will be without Moore, who left to become the head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Moore was a proven coordinator with several other teams before calling plays in Philadelphia.
Sirianni replaced Moore with his associate head coach, Kevin Patullo, who also worked alongside Sirianni during his time with the Indianapolis Colts. Patullo is an unproven play-caller, but a proven aid to Sirianni, who’s gone on the record to say he runs almost all his decisions by Patullo.
This creates a new spotlight for Sirianni. Patullo will look to build off the head coach’s offensive concepts and create an offensive identity that will be closely attributed to Sirianni more as a football mind, than just overseeing the bigger picture.
Of course, Sirianni may be more inclined to keep delegating as it brought the team a Lombardi Trophy. Still, if things go wrong with the offense, questions will be pointed at Sirianni first, not just because he’s the head coach but because Patullo is from within the organization.
Many have attributed all of Sirianni’s success to general manager Howie Roseman’s shrewd roster building or the quality of coordinators brought onto the staff. Sirianni has the chance to prove he’s at the center of that success and can see his winning ways continue for as long as he’s in Philadelphia.
