Eagles coach Nick Sirianni apologized to fans for his behavior after the home game against the Cleveland Browns. “I wanted to show energy and enthusiasm, but I’m disappointed with how I translated it at the end of the game,” he said during a video conference with reporters on Monday. “My energy should be focused on coaching, motivation and celebrating with our team. I need to be better at deciding when to use that energy and this wasn’t the right moment.”
Excitement in the game against the Browns
While As the Eagles secured a 20-16 win over Cleveland, Sirianni was filmed shouting and gesturing toward fans behind the team bench. At one point he held his finger to his ear as if to suggest that the victory had silenced the murmurs of the fans. Parts of the game were accompanied by boos as the offense stalled at times and the talented Eagles struggled to pull away from the now 1-5 Browns. Some fans even began chants of “Fire Nick” during weaker moments of the game.
Reactions to the criticism
Sirianni, with a mischievous smile and a wink, said after the game that he was “just happy about the win.” He praised the fans for being loud and forcing Cleveland into some false starts. When asked about the boos in his own stadium, Sirianni acknowledged that the negativity wasn’t helpful. “We thrive on the support of the fans. That’s all I’m going to say about it,” Sirianni said Sunday. “We hear the boos. We don’t necessarily like that. I don’t think that’s productive. But when they cheer us on and we carry them along, we love it.”
Challenges in the season
Sirianni has come under criticism following the Eagles’ slump last season, when the team finished 1-6 after a 10-1 start. The performance on the field so far leaves a lot to be desired. The offense, which has one of the best O-lines in football and stars like AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley at the skill positions, is falling short of expectations. Since the 34-point opener against the Green Bay Packers, the Eagles averaged just 18 points in the following four games.
Sirianni very emotional on the sidelines
Sirianni was more emotional than ever before this season. He clashed with several Browns defensive backs, including cornerback Greg Newsome, and was seen arguing with the referees several times. Before Sunday, he had consciously reduced his behavior because he knew that attacks on the officials could send the wrong signal to his players. Sirianni revealed that the return of his fiery demeanor was due to the desire of some players, including quarterback Jalen Hurts, who encouraged him to be himself.
When asked about the right level of passion, Sirianni said, “You want to be passionate and have that energy,” but it has to be used right and at the right time. Directing the energy after a win against their own fans was clearly not the right decision. “We have the best fans in the world,” he said on Monday. “There is no place like this.”
