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Nick Sirianni

Eagles Likely To Retain Nick Sirianni; Team Arranges DC Interviews With Ron Rivera, Mike Caldwell

January 22nd, 2024 at 1:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

Since the Eagles’ last-season collapse was punctuated by a lopsided wild-card loss, questions have emerged regarding the job security of the team’s coaching staff. Head coach Nick Sirianni has been the subject of speculation, but he appears to be safe.

Sirianni will take part in a press conference with general manager Howie Roseman on Wednesday, as noted by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The former’s participation in that media availability seems to put to rest any remaining questions about his status in the organization. Sirianni recently met with owner Jeffrey Lurie to discuss his future and his plans for a new set of coordinators.

As expected, Sean Desai is out after an underwhelming tenure as defensive coordinator, one which did not last the entire season. His replacement in that capacity, Matt Patricia, is likewise not in line to return. OC Brian Johnson also faces an uncertain future, though his departure could come about as a result of a head coaching opportunity. In any case, changes were needed after the manner in which a 10-1 start to Philadelphia’s season ended with the team losing six of its last seven games.

A report from earlier this month suggested Sirianni would be safe, although more recent signs pointed to some members of the organization at least preparing for the third-year coach to be let go. Instead, Sirianni is now in line to carry on with a re-vamped staff as he looks to lead the team to the postseason for a fourth straight campaign.

The Eagles are moving quickly in their bid to find a new defensive coordinator, and their first interviewee is a high-profile target. Philadelphia is set to interview Ron Rivera for the position, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Rivera’s tenure in charge of the Commanders came to an expected end on Black Monday, leaving him free to pursue other openings. The 62-year-old recently made it clear he intends to continue his coaching career, even though doing so would require taking a coordinator posting.

Rivera added that he has spoken with multiple teams, and the Eagles are clearly one of them. Philadelphia would be highly familiar with Rivera given his time in the NFC East with Washington, and he is still regarded as one of the league’s top defensive minds. His last DC posting came with the Chargers from 2008-10, and in the final year of that stretch the team ranked first in total defense and 10th in points allowed.

In addition to Rivera, the Eagles have an interview lined up with ex-Jaguars DC Mike Caldwell, Fowler adds. Caldwell was one of several defensive staffers fired at the end of the season after Jacksonville underwhelmed in a number of capacities. He played for the Eagles from 1998-2001, so a deal allowing him to join Sirianni’s staff would represent a reunion.

Plenty of questions – particularly at the coordinator spots – have yet to be answered in Philadelphia. More clarity will likely emerge in the coming days, though, and at a minimum the matter of Sirianni’s future is no longer in doubt.

Latest On Eagles’ Coaching Staff

January 20th, 2024 at 8:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

JANUARY 20: While questions remain regarding whether or not Sirianni will be retained, a name to watch has emerged on the offensive side of the ball. Colts OC Jim Bob Cooter could return to Philadelphia in the same role in the event Johnson takes a head coaching gig or is replaced, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports (video link). Cooter was a consultant with the Eagles in 2021 between his previous OC posting in Detroit and his current one in Indianapolis. Steichen operates as the Colts’ offensive play-caller, but Cooter would likely take on those duties if he made the lateral move to the Eagles.

JANUARY 18: Like all teams whose seasons are over, the Eagles will spend the coming days processing the way in which their campaign came to an end. That will include a meeting between owner Jeffrey Lurie and head coach Nick Sirianni in the near future.

That summit was initially set to take place yesterday, but it could not be arranged, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The meeting has been pushed to Friday, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane.

At Sirianni’s upcoming exit interview, the three-year HC will be required to present a plan for 2024 including a number of new faces on the coaching staff, Russini and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport note (video link). Even before Philadelphia’s wild-card loss, it was expected changes would be taking place at the defensive coordinator spot at a minimum.

Matt Patricia took over for Sean Desai as the Eagles’ defensive play-caller in December, but that switch did not produce the intended results. Second-guessing over the decision to being in Desai last offseason (rather than promoting Dennard Wilson) has permeated through the front office, though Philadelphia’s regression on offense has not reflected well on OC Brian Johnson either. The latter has received head coaching interest, but a new face overseeing the offense would come as no surprise in the event Sirianni were to remain in place for 2024.

The latter has led the Eagles to the postseason in each of his three years in his current post. That stretch includes a trip to the Super Bowl last year, but a nosedive through the closing weeks of the 2023 campaign has led to questions about his job security. Recent signs pointed to him being safe for now, but nothing is assured at this point. As Russini notes, Sirianni’s meeting with Lurie has been preceded by feelers being sent out for outside coaching options capable of taking over the coordinator posts.

Part of the Eagles’ regression can be traced to the loss of both Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon to head coaching positions last year. The team’s defense also suffered a number of losses due to free agent departures as well as injuries over the course of the 2023 campaign. Still, Sirianni’s stock has seen a significant downturn relative to where it was one year ago. More clarity on his job status should emerge once he presents his plan to Lurie, the aftermath of which will no doubt involve staff changes of some kind taking place.

Latest On Eagles, HC Nick Sirianni

January 17th, 2024 at 10:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

After their one-and-done showings in the postseason, both the Cowboys and Eagles are the subject of speculation with respect to coaching changes. In the latter case, staff alterations can be expected amongst the coordinator positions at a minimum, though questions remain one peg higher up the ladder.

Head coach Nick Sirianni‘s job security has come into question in the wake of Philadelphia’s late-season collapse, punctuated by the team’s lopsided wild-card defeat. Nothing is certain at this point, but Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports reports there are multiple people within the organization who are “at least bracing for the possibility” Sirianni could be let go. Such a move would be noteworthy given the Eagles’ run to last year’s Super Bowl, but not entirely unprecedented (as evidenced by the Broncos’ firing of John Fox following the 2014 season).

A report from earlier this week suggested Sirianni would be safe, although it has become clear at this point that a disconnect exists within the organization. As Vacchiano confirms, owner Jeffrey Lurie is among those in the building who have “soured” on the coordinators Sirianni chose to replace Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon this offseason. Brian Johnson was promoted to OC, while Sean Desai was brought in to lead the team’s defense. Friction between the former and quarterback Jalen Hurts has been documented, while the latter was stripped of play-calling duties last month in favor of Matt Patricia.

Given the Eagles’ struggles on defense in particular after the switch to Patricia, it was expected before the team’s playoff loss that at least one coordinator change would be coming. Both Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman would expect Sirianni to change his current OC and DC in the event he was retained, per Vacchiano. Turnover at both spots in consecutive years would certainly be an unwanted development, especially considering the presence of Dennard Wilson on last year’s staff. Wilson served as defensive backs coach for the Eagles in 2022 before taking the same position in Baltimore once it was learned he would not be promoted to defensive coordinator. That decision is considered “a big mistake” in the organization now, Vacchiano notes.

Sirianni has posted a 34-17 record across his three years at the helm, including a 25-9 regular season mark since 2022. The nature of the team’s collapse from a 10-1 start to losing six of seven games, however, has increased the pressure on him in part as a result of the depth of high-profile options on the coaching market at the moment. One of those is Bill Belichick, and seven sources each told Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post that Philadelphia would represent the most logical landing spot for Belichick.

The longtime New England coach has interviewed with the Falcons, the team with which he has most closely been connected to date. However, he has been floated as an option for a number of other openings, and a win-now roster would no doubt appeal to him. Given the number of holdovers from last year’s Super Bowl run, the Eagles figure to enter the 2024 campaign with significant expectations. The moves made in the near future as it pertains to Sirianni and his lieutenants in the near future will certainly be worth watching with the goal of another deep playoff push in mind.

Eagles Not Expected To Fire Nick Sirianni

January 15th, 2024 at 11:50am CST by Sam Robinson

Given how the Eagles closed out the regular season, tonight’s Buccaneers matchup doubles as one of the more fascinating playoff openers in years. The defending NFC champions run the risk of becoming a central figure when the subject of Super Bowl-losing hangovers comes up.

Staff changes are believed to be on the table for the Eagles, and it should be considered likely they will have three defensive coordinators in three years soon. But the top domino in this equation still does not appear poised to fall. Nick Sirianni is not believed to be on the hot seat, according to Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer.

This would be the case even if the Eagles lose to the No. 4-seeded Bucs, who are 9-8 and only secured a home game due to the NFC South’s status as one of the worst divisions in NFL history over the past two years. The Eagles, however, are 11-6 after dropping five of their past six. Sirianni, who is closing out his third season on the job, has presided over one of the more memorable late-season swoons in recent NFL history.

Although Philadelphia’s defensive issues have come under fire, Jalen Hurts — Brotherly Shove touchdowns notwithstanding — has not followed up his breakthrough campaign with another step forward. Playing through injury this season, Hurts has seen his numbers drop across the board. Interceptions represent the figure that has skyrocketed, with the fourth-year QB’s 15 picks matching his past two seasons combined. The recently extended quarterback did not earn a Pro Bowl invite, and ESPN.com’s Tim McManus notes a disconnect between Hurts and the offensive staff has emerged.

The Eagles replaced two-year play-caller Shane Steichen with Hurts’ position coach, Brian Johnson, who has known the dual-threat QB for most of his life. While Johnson has received multiple requests for HC interviews, the Eagles are limping into the playoffs. Hurts has grown frustrated with an Eagles overreliance on vertical routes that require A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith to win one-on-one matchups, per McManus, who adds just 5.2% of Hurts’ pass attempts came on between-the-hashes throws this season — lowest among qualified QBs. Brown is set to miss tonight’s game with the injury he sustained in Week 18, ratcheting up the pressure on Hurts.

Others, however, attribute this Hurts-staff disconnect to the Steichen-to-Johnson OC change, with McManus also indicating Johnson has attempted to fit his concepts into Sirianni’s scheme. That reminds of the Panthers’ situation, which crumbled in part because of the team attempting to pair OC Thomas Brown‘s philosophy with Frank Reich‘s scheme. While the Eagles are a few tiers north of what happened in Charlotte this year, their fall from 10-1 to the No. 5 seed has been puzzling.

Sirianni’s decision to demote Sean Desai and give much of his responsibilities to Matt Patricia has not produced an improvement, though McManus adds the switch initially provided relief to some defensive players. Locker-room tension helped produce the defensive switch, but McManus, citing finger-pointing on both sides of the ball, adds multiple players-only meetings have taken place.

This paints a grim picture for the Eagles’ chances of defending their NFC title, but Sirianni did both lead the Eagles on a surprise playoff journey in 2021 — after the final Doug Pederson–Carson Wentz season brought a freefall — and move the team to being within a disputed defensive holding penalty from having a chance to win Super Bowl LVII.

It would be shocking if the Eagles moved on so soon, even with the team having fired Pederson three years after his Super Bowl LII conquest and canning Andy Reid in the past. Should the Eagles follow the 2022 Cowboys’ lead and topple the Bucs in Round 1, Sirianni would seem safer. Barring a remarkable turnaround, though, the team’s December and January issues are likely to define the upcoming offseason.

Eagles WR A.J. Brown Ruled Out For Wild-Card Round

January 14th, 2024 at 12:19pm CST by Rory Parks

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has announced that his club will be without star wideout A.J. Brown for its wild-card round matchup with the Bucs on Monday (via ESPN’s Tim McManus). Brown suffered a knee injury in last week’s regular-season finale against the Giants, and while Sirianni said the three-time Pro Bowler “fought like crazy” in his efforts to heal up in time for the Tampa Bay contest, he was ultimately unable to do so.

Luckily, the injury is not a long-term one, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Brown will be expected to play in the divisional round if Philadelphia should advance. Of course, his absence will make it more difficult for the Eagles to defeat the Bucs, and it exacerbates what has already been an exceedingly trying stretch for the reigning NFC champions.

Since storming out to a 10-1 start to the 2023 campaign, the Eagles lost five of their final six contests to drop them not only out of contention for the No. 1 seed in the conference, but from their place atop the NFC East. During that time, Sirianni made the curious decision to hand defensive play-calling duties to Matt Patricia, which did not move the needle, and Sirianni’s own job security has recently been called into question. If the Eagles’ swoon should culminate in a loss to the Bucs tomorrow, it is at least feasible that owner Jeffrey Lurie will seek an overhaul of the entire coaching staff.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts, who regressed this year after a 2022 season in which he finished second in MVP voting, is dealing with an injured middle finger on his throwing hand, so he could be somewhat limited as he throws to a diminished WR corps. Though the Eagles still boast high-end skill position talent in the form of players like DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and D’Andre Swift, there is no replacing Brown in the club’s offensive scheme.

In 2023, Brown recorded a career-high 106 receptions for 1,456 yards and seven TDs. And while Hurts’ performance generally declined this season, he and Brown continued to be in sync, as Brown’s 67.1% catch percentage was the highest mark of his career (though Brown’s 13.7 yards-per-catch rate was the lowest of his five-year NFL run, which helps to explain the elevated catch percentage).

Last week’s game against New York was not meaningless, as the Eagles still could have won their division and secured a home playoff game if they had defeated the Giants and if the Cowboys had lost to, or tied with, the Commanders. However, the odds of the moribund Washington outfit putting up much of a fight against Dallas were quite long, so Sirianni’s decision to play his starters has been heavily scrutinized (especially in the wake of Brown’s injury). The third-year HC stood by his call, however.

“We went through it, like you guys asked me before, ‘why did we do it,’” Sirianni said (via Zach Berman of PHLY). “Not knowing what the game was, you know, wanting to put a good output on there. I know that those things didn’t – neither of those things happened. But no. Obviously, you can look back on anything. At that time, I did what I thought was best for the team, and I’ll stick by that. And so, I don’t regret — am I upset that A.J. is not playing because he got dinged in that game? Of course, I am. But no, I don’t second guess that decision.”

Eagles Considering Coaching Staff Changes?

January 12th, 2024 at 10:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles are set to play the Buccaneers on Monday night in their bid to return to the Super Bowl. Given last year’s success, head coach Nick Sirianni entered the campaign on firm footing, but his stock appears to have taken a hit in 2023.

Philadelphia enjoyed a successful run to begin the season, posting a 10-1 record. Things have not gone according to plan since then, however, and last year’s NFC champions lost five of their final six games to close out the regular season. A major change to the team’s defensive staff has already been made – with Matt Patricia taking over play-calling duties from Sean Desai – but more could be on the horizon.

Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reports the outcome of the upcoming wild-card round could be critical to the members of Philadelphia’s staff. The Eagles are already contemplating changes mainly the defensive side of the ball, Anderson notes, something which comes as little surprise given the continued struggles since Patricia took on a larger workload. Few staffers would likely be considered locks to return in 2024 if Philadelphia lost to a Tamp Bay team which went 9-8 to win the lowly NFC South.

Indeed, the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora notes that “plenty” of people around the NFL believe Sirianni’s job could be on the line if the Eagles were to go one-and-done in the postseason after a disappointing run in December. The Eagles’ defensive shortcomings were masked in part by top-10 showings in a number of offensive categories, but quarterback Jalen Hurts regressed statistically compared to last season. Pressure on the players and coaching staff could thus be elevated to a higher point than their collective success in 2022 suggested would otherwise be the case.

Both offensive coordinator Shane Steichen (Colts) and DC Jonathan Gannon (Cardinals) departed the Eagles for head coaching gigs last offseason. Current OC Brian Johnson has also received interest for this year’s hiring cycle, so his post could need filling in the near future. Especially in the wake of postseason failure, though, the possibility of more drastic moves could be a storyline to follow.

As both Anderson and La Canfora note, the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy could find themselves in a similar situation should they fall short of playoff expectations. The latter is believed to be safe for 2024 as things currently stand, but the door could be open to a quick change in job security. In the case of the Eagles, that appears to also hold true to a large extent.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Leonard, Cowboys, Giants, Commanders, Del Rio

December 6th, 2023 at 5:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Shaquille Leonard‘s free agency decision brought additional intrigue due to its NFC East-only nature, and Jerry Jones said during an interview with 105.3 The Fan (h/t The Athletic’s Jon Machota) the chase did not come down to money. The Colts still owe Leonard $6.1MM guaranteed for the rest of this year. The sixth-year linebacker will collect $416K in prorated base salary from the Eagles, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. That checks in above the veteran minimum, and Yates adds the Eagles included a $100K incentive and $17K per game in roster bonuses.

Leonard played 2 1/2 seasons on a five-year, $98.5MM accord — one that topped the ILB market until the Ravens’ Roquan Smith deal earlier this year — but saw two 2022 back surgeries impact his career. Visiting both the Cowboys and Eagles (ahead of the NFC East powers’ rematch Sunday), Leonard said (via AllPhly.com’s Zach Berman) his bond with Nick Sirianni played a key role in the Eagles choice. Sirianni was the Colts’ OC from 2018-20, Leonard’s first three NFL seasons (all of which resulted in All-Pro honors). He will attempt to recapture that form ahead of another free agency run in 2024.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches

July 4th, 2023 at 12:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

After the 2022 offseason produced 10 new head coaches, this one brought a step back in terms of turnover. Five teams changed HCs, though each conducted thorough searches — four of them lasting until at least January 31.

The Colts and Cardinals hired their HCs after Super Bowl LVII, plucking the Eagles’ offensive and defensive coordinators (Shane Steichen, Jonathan Gannon). The Cardinals were hit with a tampering penalty regarding their Gannon search. Conducting their second HC search in two years, the Broncos saw multiple candidates drop out of the running. But Denver’s new ownership group convinced Sean Payton to step out of the FOX studio and back onto the sidelines after just one season away. The Panthers made this year’s first hire (Frank Reich), while the Texans — running their third HC search in three years — finalized an agreement with DeMeco Ryans minutes after the Payton news broke.

Only one of last year’s top 10 longest-tenured HCs lost his job. A turbulent Colts year led to Reich being fired barely a year after he signed an extension. During a rather eventful stretch, Jim Irsay said he reluctantly extended Reich in 2021. The Colts passed on giving interim HC Jeff Saturday the full-time position, despite Irsay previously indicating he hoped the former center would transition to that role. Reich landed on his feet, and after losing Andrew Luck to a shocking retirement just before his second Colts season, the well-regarded play-caller now has another No. 1 pick (Bryce Young) to mentor.

After considering a Rams exit, Sean McVay recommitted to the team and is overseeing a reshaped roster. Andy Reid also sidestepped retirement rumors, staying on with the Chiefs after his second Super Bowl win. This will be Reid’s 25th season as an NFL head coach.

Here is how the 32 HC jobs look for the 2023 season:

  1. Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
  2. Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2024
  3. John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2025
  4. Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): January 9, 2010; extended through 2025
  5. Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2025
  6. Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2027
  7. Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2023
  8. Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2025
  9. Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans): January 20, 2018; signed extension in February 2022
  10. Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019: signed extension in July 2022
  11. Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
  12. Ron Rivera (Washington Commanders): January 1, 2020
  13. Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
  14. Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020
  15. Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
  16. Arthur Smith (Atlanta Falcons): January 15, 2021
  17. Brandon Staley (Los Angeles Chargers): January 17, 2021
  18. Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021
  19. Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
  20. Matt Eberflus (Chicago Bears): January 27, 2022
  21. Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
  22. Josh McDaniels (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
  23. Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022
  24. Doug Pederson (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 3, 2022
  25. Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022
  26. Dennis Allen (New Orleans Saints): February 7, 2022
  27. Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022
  28. Frank Reich (Carolina Panthers): January 26, 2023
  29. Sean Payton (Denver Broncos): January 31, 2023
  30. DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans): January 31, 2023
  31. Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts): February 14, 2023
  32. Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals): February 14, 2023

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches

June 29th, 2022 at 11:08am CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL experienced a busy offseason on the coaching front. A whopping 10 teams changed coaches during the 2022 offseason, with the Buccaneers’ late-March switch pushing the number into double digits.

Fourteen of the league’s 32 head coaches were hired in the past two offseasons, illustrating the increased pressure the NFL’s sideline leaders face in today’s game. Two of the coaches replaced this year left on their own. Sean Payton vacated his spot in second on the longest-tenured HCs list by stepping down from his 16-year Saints post in February, while Bruce Arians has repeatedly insisted his Bucs exit was about giving his defensive coordinator a chance with a strong roster and not a Tom Brady post-retirement power play.

While Bill Belichick has been the league’s longest-tenured HC for many years, Payton’s exit moved Mike Tomlin up to No. 2. Mike Zimmer‘s firing after nine seasons moved Frank Reich into the top 10. Reich’s HC opportunity only came about because Josh McDaniels spurned the Colts in 2018, but Indianapolis’ backup plan has led the team to two playoff brackets and has signed an extension. Reich’s seat is hotter in 2022, however, after a January collapse. Linked to numerous HC jobs over the past several offseasons, McDaniels finally took another swing after his Broncos tenure ended quickly.

As 2022’s training camps approach, here are the NFL’s longest-tenured HCs:

  1. Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
  2. Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2024
  3. John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2025
  4. Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): January 9, 2010; extended through 2025
  5. Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2025
  6. Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2025
  7. Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2023
  8. Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2025
  9. Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans): January 20, 2018; signed extension in February 2022
  10. Frank Reich (Indianapolis Colts): February 11, 2018; extended through 2026
  11. Kliff Kingsbury (Arizona Cardinals): January 8, 2019; extended through 2027
  12. Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019
  13. Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
  14. Ron Rivera (Washington Football Team): January 1, 2020
  15. Matt Rhule (Carolina Panthers): January 7, 2020
  16. Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
  17. Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020
  18. Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
  19. Arthur Smith (Atlanta Falcons): January 15, 2021
  20. Brandon Staley (Los Angeles Chargers): January 17, 2021
  21. Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021
  22. Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
  23. Nathaniel Hackett (Denver Broncos): January 27, 2022
  24. Matt Eberflus (Chicago Bears): January 27, 2022
  25. Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
  26. Josh McDaniels (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
  27. Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022
  28. Doug Pederson (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 3, 2022
  29. Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022
  30. Dennis Allen (New Orleans Saints): February 7, 2022
  31. Lovie Smith (Houston Texans): February 7, 2022
  32. Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022

Eagles Not Holding Minicamp This Summer

June 5th, 2022 at 6:19pm CST by Ely Allen

Second-year Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni is continuing a trend he started in his first year at the helm in Philadelphia. According to Zach Berman of The Athletic, out of the three allowable mandatory practices each team is permitted for annual minicamps, the Eagles will use zero. 

Last year, Philadelphia also had an abbreviated in-person offseason program, as COVID-19 led the team to move most of their activities to a virtual space. Sirianni modified the in-person activities they did end up having, as well, managing the practice load on many of the athletes. This trend continued late in the year. In the back-half of the season, the Eagles moved to walk-throughs on Wednesdays to manage player workloads. This led to a healthier team that, after a 3-6 start to the season, would peak late, going on a 6-2 run to end the year and make the playoffs.

So far this year, Philadelphia has taken it easy in voluntary organized team activities (OTAs). The NFL permits 10 practice sessions for OTAs. The Eagles will hold six total practice sessions; three were held last week and three will happen this upcoming week.

The sessions in the OTAs won’t even utilize 11-on-11 play, which the league allows during the period. Sirianni explained, “We’re definitely doing seven-on-sevens. We’re transitioning away from 11-on-11s. We’re not going to do those this year.”

There are a couple of reasons for Philadelphia to function this way. The obvious reason is health. Sirianni claimed that they modified their offseason program “with the players’ health and safety in mind.” While health is important, the Eagles also use it as a chance to cultivate competition and connection, holding basketball shooting competitions and bowling outings with all of the players and coaches last week.

While it remains to be seen how this method of offseason preparation can affect a team’s in-season performance consistently over time, the results in Philadelphia last year are promising. If the Eagles prove that success can be obtained while emphasizing player health and safety, it could forever change how teams, especially teams who have seen entire seasons lost due to a litany of injures, approach the offseason.

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