The Eagles reportedly (the team has yet to announce the move) agreed to make Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni their next head coach. Sirianni was a late addition to what appeared to be a thorough coaching search, and he emerged as the favorite over the last 24 hours. He also reportedly received a strong endorsement from former Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich. Unsurprisingly, there were many differing opinions on Sirianni and his candidacy.
To the links…
What the Nick Sirianni hire means for Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles (ESPN, Tim McManus)
Philadelphia had an interview with Sirianni on Tuesday that reportedly spilled into the next day. Buzz began picking up soon thereafter that he was a front-runner for the job alongside McDaniels. He helped the Colts finish in the top 10 in offense two of the past three seasons despite a rotating cast at quarterback. He similarly got a lot out of the Chargers’ receivers when he was their position coach from 2016 to 2017.
A source said Sirianni has “great people skills,” is good with player evaluation and has a strong work ethic. Though maybe not the loudest of personalities, Sirianni is said to have more of an edge to him than it may first appear.
Siri, Find Me A Coach (Iggles Blitz, Tommy Lawlor)
This is a risky hire, but I like it. The Eagles went with a young coach with lots of upside. I prefer that to hiring a guy who has been looked at heavily for several years and checks all the boxes. If you want to get ahead in the NFL, you have to take some chances.
Sirianni has been exposed to different schemes and styles of coaching. He has worked with several QBs. His career isn’t built on one player or one amazing season. He hasn’t been a regular play-caller in the NFL, but Andy Reid and Doug Pederson had limited experience as play-callers before becoming head coaches and they both did okay.
Philadelphia Eagles have bright offensive mind in Nick Sirianni (Inside the Iggles, Hunter Doyle)
This is a coach who was well respected by his players in Indianapolis and for good reason. He has a strong track record of coaching both quarterbacks and wide receivers. He puts his players in the best position possible to succeed.
When Sirianni was hired in 2018, he did an exclusive interview with Caroline Cann discussing some of his offensive philosophies with film. He used the Philadelphia Eagles game-winning Super Bowl touchdown with Zach Ertz as one of his examples.
Connecting possible offensive, defensive coordinators for Nick Sirianni’s Eagles staff (NBC Sports, Dave Zangaro)
He had never worked with Jim Schwartz or Frank Reich before.
That’s important to keep in mind over the next week. Because there’s a chance that connections to Nick Sirianni won’t mean anything. But unlike Pederson, Sirianni has coached under more head coaches and is probably better equipped to put together a coaching staff than Pederson was five years ago.
Who is Nick Sirianni? Meet the Eagles’ new head coach, an ideal replacement for Doug Pederson (Sporting News,
The Eagles could have followed their Pederson path and plucked either offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy (overdue for such a job) or quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka (still young for such a job) from the Chiefs’ staff. There also was an intriguing in-house candidate in Duce Staley.
But there was a reason the Eagles did not want to be attached to Pederson connections and tap more into what they lost with Reich offensively since he separated from Pederson. Reich has quickly proven his worth as the Colts coach with two playoff trips in three years when his QB play has been solid, first with Andrew Luck and then with Philip Rivers.
Sirianni Knows Challenges With Wentz (Inside the Birds, Geoff Mosher)
Adam Caplan: “Here it’s gonna multi-formational. A lot of two-tight end sets, a lot of 12 [personnel], with the ability to go 11, ability to do 12 depending on if they keep [Zach] Ertz. I still think Ertz is going to be traded, but I can’t say for sure.”
Geoff Mosher: “Outside of the Xs and Os, you and I have heard similar things about his coaching style – he’s energetic, he’s a leader. One source described SIranni to me as kind of like Doug in his ability to relate to a locker room and get his players on board, but he will coach his coaches. He said [Sirianni] is not afraid to get into it and coach his players hard and his coaches hard.”
Thumbs up/thumbs down: Experts weigh in on Eagles’ decision to hire Nick Sirianni as coach (PhillyVoice, Evan Macy)
A lot will surely be written about the Eagles’ unexpected decision over the next few days, with decisions about the rest of the coaching staff and eventually the players who will be on the 2021 team sure to be made in the coming days and weeks. But right now, a day later, we are still left scratching our heads.
Was this a good or bad hire?
Here’s how some of the top Eagles writers and football thinkers answer that question…
7 potential defensive coordinators to pair with new head coach Nick Sirianni (EaglesWire, Glenn Erby)
The Eagles can finally start building a staff after it was confirmed that Nick Sirianni would be hired as the team’s head coach.
Sirianni wasn’t the play-caller in Indianapolis and it’s unknown if he’ll start here in Philadelphia while trying to rebuild Carson Wentz on the fly. Sirianni is still likely to hire an offensive coordinator regardless of who calls the plays and he’ll need to do the same for an aging defense as well.
Here are 7 early candidates to pair with Sirianni as defensive coordinator of the Eagles.
Nick Sirianni tried to run away from coaching but failed (The Athletic, Stephen Holder)
Note: This story was originally published on Nov. 20, 2018.
For Nick Sirianni, one of the most pivotal moments in his coaching career happened far from a football field and nowhere near a meeting room.
It was, rather, the time he found himself running, in a full business suit, in ankle-deep sand on Miami Beach.
How he got there is a story unto itself. But the whole bizarre experience provided an epiphany that, ultimately, has led him to what he’s become today…
Nick Sirianni and the Road Map that Led Him to Become Eagles’ Head Coach (SI.com, Ed Kracz)
The Eagles owner believed Nick Sirianni was the best man for the job as his next head coach.
Howie Roseman thought differently. The general manager wanted Josh McDaniels, per multiple sources.
One source speculated that the reason for some confusion with a few of the holdover assistants was that Roseman believed McDaniels’ hiring was imminent and was why special team coordinator Dave Fipp fired up his contacts line and offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland reached out to Nick Saban in Alabama about returning as the Crimson Tide’s O-line coach.
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Mike Maher is the editor and publisher of The Birds Blitz. Follow him on Twitter @mikeMaher and @TheBirdsBlitz and check out his archive for all of his latest stories about the Eagles and the NFL.
