It’s not often an NFL head coach gets harshly criticized by almost everyone after a victory. But Nick Sirianni has now accomplished that feat.
The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Cleveland Browns by a score of 20-16 at home Sunday, a proverbial “ugly win” coming against a struggling 1-5 team. Fans understandably were restless, and in the final seconds, Fox cameras caught Sirianni seemingly yelling at fans behind the Eagles sideline.
Eagles HC Nick Sirianni appears to have some words towards the crowd as the clocked ticked down in the Philly victory. pic.twitter.com/XILkMvVamD
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 13, 2024
Then in Sirianni’s postgame press conference he invited his children to sit at the table with him. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Mike Sielski called it a “cynical ploy” to use the children as a “shield” against criticism.
So the Get Up cast had plenty of juicy storylines about Sirianni to play with on Monday’s episode. It started with former NFL offensive lineman Damien Woody, who called Sirianni’s interaction with the fans “clown behavior.”
“It’s clown behavior. Nick Sirianni looked like an absolute clown doing all of that,” Woody said. “And then to have your kids in the postgame to kind of deflect from reporters trying to come after you, it’s lame, it’s weak, he’s a clown. It just looks ridiculous.”
Damien Woody on Nick Sirianni jawing with Eagles fans: “It’s clown behavior. Nick Sirianni looked like an absolute clown doing all of that… and then to have your kids in the postgame to kind of deflect from reporters trying to come after you, it’s lame, it’s weak, he’s a clown.… pic.twitter.com/ltRUYCTYKt
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 14, 2024
Former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan also found the incident with fans troubling.
“Part of your job as a head coach, when you get hired as a head coach, you’ve gotta connect with your fan base,” said Ryan, a former NFL head coach. “This is atrocious, especially in Philly. By the way, they booed Santa Claus. So get over yourself.”
Rex Ryan on Nick Sirianni: “Part of your job as a head coach, when you get hired as a head coach, you’ve gotta connect with your fanbase… this is atrocious, especially in Philly. By the way, they booed Santa Claus. So get over yourself.” pic.twitter.com/3LQdypDJnU
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 14, 2024
Dan Orlovsky said the team misses Jason Kelce’s leadership. The All-Pro center retired after last season and is now with ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown (when he’s not chugging beers with fans at tailgate parties).
“I always knew that they were going to miss Jason Kelce on the field. [Nick Sirianni] misses Jason Kelce and his leadership. Jason Kelce was one of the greatest representations of an Eagle when it came to understanding the fan base. When we’re great, there’s no one that’s going to cheer for you more. And when you stink, they’re gonna tell you and let you know that you stink. And he embraced both elements of that as good as you can.”
Dan Orlovsky: “I always knew that they were going to miss Jason Kelce on the field. [Nick Sirianni] misses Jason Kelce and his leadership. Jason Kelce was one of the greatest representations of an Eagle when it came to understanding the fanbase. When we’re great, there’s no one… pic.twitter.com/hdU4pJCKv7
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 14, 2024
If the media and Philly fans are being this tough on Sirianni after a win, just imagine what the reaction will be after an unexpected loss. Then again, the coach brought this on himself, because it’s always a bad look to yell at fans.
[Get Up]
