Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni put himself on the hot seat a year after reaching the Super Bowl by leading one of the worst late-season collapses in NFL history. It’s going to come at a significant cost for the Eagles coaching staff.
After a 10-1 start to the regular season, the Eagles collapsed in the final weeks. Philadelphia dropped five of its final six games and then suffered an embarrassing 32-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card Round.
Already poised to lose team leader and future Hall of Fame center Jason Kelce to retirement, Philadelphia’s coaching staff will also be overhauled this offseason. Neither defensive coordinator Matt Patricia nor offensive coordinator Brian Johnson will retain their roles in 2024. However, the larger question has been Sirianni’s future in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Eagles offense stats (Weeks 9-18): 199.2 passing yards per game, 11-8 TD-INT, 2.2 sacks per game, 82.1 QB rating, 6.0 net yards per attempt
As Sirianni and Eagles’ general manager Howie Roseman began evaluating NFL coaching candidates to take over as offensive and defensive coordinators, Eagles’ owner Jeffrey Lurie pondered a decision at head coach. The call was going to come down to Sirianni’s plan to replace Johnson and Patricia, with that one-on-one meeting with Lurie seemingly influencing the final decision.
Appearing on ESPN during halftime of the Houston Texans vs Baltimore Ravens game, Adam Schefter disclosed that signs point to Sirianni returning as the Eagles’ head coach in 2024. While a decision isn’t official, Sirianni’s involvement in the search for new coordinators and the absence of an announcement from Philadelphia strengthen the growing expectation that Sirianni returns next season.
“The signs continue to point to Nick Sirianni returning. Nothing official. Conversations ongoing, There are expected to be changes on the defensive side of the football. But right now, Nick Sirianni still has a job, and it’s trending to staying that way.”
Adam Schefter on Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni
By bringing in new coordinators, Sirianni will enter next season in a prove-it year. There were already signs he lost the Eagles’ locker room late in December and there wasn’t overwhelming support from players for his return following the Buccaneers’ loss.
However, the Eagles have gone through three head coaches since 2015, firing the coach who won them a Super Bowl and even parting ways with Chip Kelly after one losing season. Sirianni, who has delivered a 25-9 record in the last two years, will likely be one of the top NFL coaches on the hot seat in 2024.
Based on Sirianni’s current situation, it’s possible the next Eagles offensive coordinator could have some head-coaching experience in case Philadelphia needs an interim coach next winter.
