<a href="https://time.news/historic-nfl-debut-in-brazil-eagles-vs-packers-thrill-47000-fans-in-sao-paulo/" title="Historic NFL Debut in Brazil: Eagles vs. Packers Thrill 47,000 Fans in São Paulo”>Nick Sirianni’s Animated Interactions with Fans Raise Eyebrows
A few of his players told Nick Sirianni to just be himself.
Unfortunately, he was listening.
Sirianni was caught on the Eagles-Browns FOX TV broadcast having an animated shouting match with fans at the Linc in the final seconds of the Eagles’ win Sunday.
Video shows Sirianni holding his hand up to his ear in a sarcastic gesture, indicating, “I can’t hear you.”
Earlier in the game, fans were booing and chanting for Sirianni to be fired when the Eagles went scoreless in the first quarter for the seventh straight game, something they hadn’t done in 30 years.
They won 20-16 over the 1-5 Browns, improving to 3-2 but only 4-7 in their last 11 games going back to last year’s collapse.
Sirianni refused to provide details on what prompted his post-game antics, but it’s not the first time he’s appeared unhinged in the final moments of a game. Usually, it occurs on the road.
“I was having fun,” Sirianni said after the game, surrounded by his three kids at a bizarre press conference. “I was having fun and I kind of got some feedback from the guys (during the bye week) of the sense of, ‘We need you back, Nick. We need your energy. We need your focus.’ I got that from a couple players.
“When I’m operating, having fun, I think that that breeds to the rest of the football team. If I want the guys to celebrate and be themselves after big plays, then I should probably do that myself, right?
“There are times for that and times that are not for that. I have to have wisdom and discernment of when to do that and when not to do that.”
While Sirianni may have been having fun, such behavior is unusual for NFL head coaches and not the best image for someone consistently advocating for a balanced approach to coaching.
Imagine coaches like John Harbaugh, Mike Tomlin, DeMeco Ryans, Andy Reid, or Todd Bowles making faces at fans and yelling into the stands after a game?
There are standards NFL coaches are expected to uphold, and it’s hard to picture Jeff Lurie being supportive of this kind of conduct from his head coach.
Sirianni was also seen interacting with Browns corners Greg Newsom and Denzel Ward near the Eagles’ sideline, though that exchange appeared to be amiable.
During the offseason, Sirianni expressed a desire to be more restrained on the sideline during games, especially regarding his interactions with officials. However, Sunday was a different story.
After his 200th game in an Eagles uniform, Brandon Graham mentioned that he was one of the players who encouraged Sirianni to be himself. He was nearby when Sirianni engaged with the crowd in the waning moments of the game.
“I just told him to be him,” Graham said. “I need him to be 2022 Nick, so we can get there. Because we just want people to be themselves. At the end of the day, coach has been taking a bunch of heat, and I understand he’s got a lot on him. We got his back, because Philly can be hard; I know all about it.
“I always said (his critics) are going to eat the words that they say. And so I know that’s what Nick is probably saying too. I don’t know what he said, but I know it had something to do with that.”
Quarterback Jalen Hurts stated that he spoke with Sirianni during the bye week about the importance of being true to himself and not trying to be something he’s not.
“It’s just a reassurance of, ‘We trust who you are,’” Hurts explained. “We trust where you are as a coach, and we know we can build with you. So it’s about doing it together. And I think for him, any leader, it’s about having a vision and trusting in that vision.
“He’s done a really good job of having conversations and honestly trying to map things out, but some things take time. It’s a group effort, and everybody has to dominate their box. Everybody has to respect their role, accept their role, and give their best.
“I’m excited for him and his growth and look forward to seeing where he’s going, and I think it will continue to help our football team.”
Sirianni must be doing something right, as the Eagles have reached the playoffs in all three seasons with him as head coach, reached a Super Bowl two years ago, and their 37-19 record since 2021 ranks 5th best in the NFL. His .661 career winning percentage is the 15th highest in NFL history, and currently, they face a slate of seven teams with a combined 14-27 record.
However, eventually, everyone faces criticism, and lashing out at fans may not be the most constructive way to handle it.
“We thrive off the crowd when they cheer for us, that’s all I’ll say,” Sirianni remarked. “When our crowd cheers for us, we thrive off of them. You know, we hear them when they boo. We don’t necessarily like it. I don’t think that’s productive for anybody.”