'Still With Nick!' Eagles Defend Sirianni as Seat Gets Hotter

Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni may not have the support of many among the fan base, but the players seem to still have his back - at least publicly.

PHILADELPHIA – As Nick Sirianni gets his team ready for a third straight postseason, the debate rages as to whether the Philadelphia Eagles should bring him back for a fourth season. Everyone has an opinion on it.

Some think he should return with a few new assistant coaches, others believe he needs to go as soon as the Eagles lose in Monday night’s Wild Card against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There is a segment of fans that think he needs to win that game in Tampa to continue as the head coach.

The players are all in, at least publicly.

Nick Sirianni :: John McMullen/Eagles Today

“Absolutely we’re still with Nick,” said tight end Dallas Goedert after the Eagles limped to the regular-season finish line with a non-competitive, 27-10 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday.

“This really doesn’t show much about our season. We’re in the playoffs. It’s 0-0, everybody is 0-0. It’s win or go home, and I wouldn’t want to go to battle with anybody else besides this team, besides these coaches.”

Fletcher Cox didn’t play on Sunday but felt the need to speak to reporters afterward, and it was hard for his teammates not to notice, with Cox standing tall in the middle of the room with a large media contingent encircling him.

“I know the guys we got in this locker room,” he said. “This team won 11 games. You know how hard that is to do that in the NFL, to win 11 professional football games? It’s really, really hard. You know how hard it is to get into the postseason? It’s really, really hard.”

Brandon Graham was a bit more circumspect when asked if the team was still with their head coach and how big this week is for his future.

“We’re going to see,” he said. “I know this team is with him. I know that everybody creates their own narrative on the outside but I don’t see nothing but people working every week owning their stuff. I feel like we’ll see next week.”

Added quarterback Jalen Hurts: “I have a lot of confidence in coach. He puts his heart into it. He has a will to win. That’s really all you can ask for.”

It was a career year for Hurts, most of it good, some of it not so good.

His 15 interceptions were bad, but he threw for 23 touchdowns and ran for 15. His 65.4 completion percentage was just a tick below his career-high of 66.5 set last year.

Exactly what to make of that as well as what has taken place during this historic collapse from 10-1 to 11-6 is a job for Sirianni’s bosses. And speaking of those bosses, Sirianni was asked on Monday about the support of owner Jeffrey Lurie.

“Ever since I've been here, whether it was we started off 2-5, whether it was that we won 16 games last year, whether it was we started off 10-1, whether it was that we've lost five of our last six because we've been through ups and we've been through downs, and (Lurie’s) been nothing but supportive towards me the entire time I've been here,” said the coach.

“Through any tough decision I've ever had to make, through any personnel, anything like that, anything with a game decision, Mr. Lurie has been nothing but completely supportive and willing to do anything in his power to help us win football games.”

Sirianni Reveals Self-Affirmation for Playoffs: 'We'll Fight!'

Firing Sirianni only one year after taking the Eagles to a Super Bowl, which came on the heels of firing Doug Pederson three years after winning a Super Bowl would be a bad message to send to any high-level coach who may be interested in taking the job.

Granted, coaches are hired to eventually be fired, but it just wouldn’t reflect well on the Eagles to get rid of coaches so quickly after that kind of success. Plus, the next coach would be the team’s fifth in the last 11 years, dating back to Andy Reid’s final year in 2012 through Chip Kelly, Pederson, and now Sirianni.

“We got a lot to fix, a lot to do better,” said center Jason Kelce. “I think it’s the worst stretch of football since Nick has been here. And it’s very, very frustrating. But you know, we’re in the playoffs, and it’s one-and-done.”

Some fans would take that when it comes to Sirianni – one more and done.