It wouldn’t have been strange for Nick Siriani to think that his time with the Philadelphia Eagles was up.
After one of the most shocking late-season meltdowns was capped off with a shambolic loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it probably took everything he had to convince owner Jeffrey Lurie to keep him on the team.
Now that he managed to keep himself on the sidelines of Lincoln Financial Field, he knows better than anyone that next season is make-or-break time for his Eagles career.
Nick Siriani wants Philadelphia Eagles leadership to trust him again
Siriani himself understands that the trust the team’s ownership gave him years ago was flushed down the drain after they barely put up a fight against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card. More than anyone, he understands that it’s up to him to turn the tides and win them over again.
Per ESPN’s Tim McManus:
“In my mind, you better believe I’m thinking, ‘How do I reprove myself?’” Sirianni said. “I was a young coach that Mr. Lurie and [GM] Howie [Roseman] and this organization trusted to give the job to. I had to prove myself that this guy can lead the organization like they asked me to, and I had to prove myself from then. Did I have to sell my vision [to Lurie]? No, because it was business as usual, but you better believe I’m thinking after that 1-6 finish … that I’m going to prove them right again.”
The Eagles were 10-1 during the first 12 weeks of the season, and many expected them to make another deep run for the Super Bowl. However, their season unraveled after the San Francisco 49ers rocked them to the tune of 42-19.
The team never got back in their groove after that, with a narrow win over the New York Giants their only win in their final five games.
Who will wear the Eagles’ DC hat?
The Philadelphia Eagles fired both of their coordinators to help Siriani reshape the team back to top shape. Of the two, the defensive coordinator position will get a lot of attention.
Their defense during their final game of the season was simply unacceptable, and the team will need a bright defensive mind that could help them win games.
Vic Fangio is the heavy favorite to land the role. He was a consultant for the Eagles in 2022, the year Philly made it back to the big dance. Should he get the nod, he has a big job of transforming a defensive unit that allowed the third-most points in the league (428) into an impenetrable wall.