Nick Sirianni plans for more success
When Nick Sirianni was named head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, the team had just come off an abysmal 4-11-1 2020 NFL campaign with the team missing out on the playoffs for the first time in three years. Expectations were low and there wasn’t a whole lot expected from the first-time head coach.
However, Sirianni managed to surprise many by getting his side into the playoffs with a winning record of 9-8 in his first season. While they were ultimately eliminated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card Round, the mere fact they were there in the first place was a massive step forward for a team that looked like it would take years to rebuild. The coach isn’t taking anything for granted heading into his second year with the franchise though.
“How are we going to win this next game? It was just staying in the moment,” Sirianni said when asked what he learned in 2021, via PhiladelphiaEagles.com. “When you handle it that way, you can handle the criticism, you can handle what looks to be an unclimbable mountain. It was just a day-by-day process of ‘How are we going to get better?’
“Everybody is looking at you at all times. There’s not as many unknowns and getting better emotionally and not riding the ups and downs of the season and not looking ahead too far into the season. It’s easy to get into that mode. And connecting. Everybody needs my attention, and a little bit of attention goes a long way. I’m definitely better at carving out the time to do those things.”
The Eagles begin training camp on July 26th at NovaCare Complex and for Sirianni the message is largely the same in his second year as it was in his first season.
“I think the message is exactly the same as far as how we prepare and everything like that,” Sirianni says. “It’s just noticing the fact that, hey, there’s going to be a lot of people telling you how good you are. Probably more so, right? Or how good you could be. But that’s still could be. The same amount of work is going to be required regardless if you have high expectations or low expectations. You have to work. You have to work. How many times have we seen a team start off really hot and maybe buy into the hype? So, that’s going to be something. I’m very conscious of that as far as I know what some of these guys are hearing as far as outside noise.
“So, the message is, ‘If we want to do what we want to do, if we want to win the first game and move on from that, then we have to be committed to the process of how we work.’ And that is high detail in meetings starting with the coaches, full speed to the snap in walkthrough, high intensity at practice, and a commitment to how we get better at the core values every single day.”
Starting quarterback Jalen Hurts will be entering the third season of his NFL career, with the Eagles selecting him 53rd overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. While he has struggled at times, Hurts has also improved tremendously under Sirianni which is something that will be worth looking out for throughout the 2022 season.
“Ranking what’s important in a quarterback, accuracy is always going to be No. 1,” Sirianni says. “I’m back and forth at No. 2 between decision-making and the ability to create plays for the offense. I’m really impressed with his ability to process and get it out on time. He’s making good, accurate decisions and he’s doing it on time. I’m seeing a better base to make throws. He has to continue to be on the uprise, or it’s just talk. He’s gotten better throughout his entire career.”
The Eagles will play their first exhibition game of the year on August 12th when they host the New York Jets at Lincoln Financial Field.
