After a red-hot 10-1 start to their season, the Philadelphia Eagles looked like a sure bet to repeat as the NFC representative in the Super Bowl. Only, that didn’t happen. Instead, NFL fans witnessed a rapid decline, with the Eagles losing five of their last six regular season games, sending Philadelphia into the playoffs on a cold streak.
To no surprise, they weren’t able to suddenly turn things back around against the NFC’s best teams in the postseason either. The Eagles were promptly crushed 32-9, losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round.
Some pointed the blame on the coaching staff. Others suggested it was on the players. Either way, the Eagles didn’t live up to expectations, and some are wondering if the 2024 NFL season will be any different.
Recently, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini closely examined the relationship between head coach Nick Sirianni and franchise quarterback Jalen Hurts. Her findings don’t paint a pretty picture, but there’s reason to believe this can still work. Here’s what she discovered.
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Jalen Hurts-Nick Sirianni relationship is frayed, but possibly fixable
According to Dianna Russini, the chemistry between Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts needs improvement. Much of it may simply be attributed to the vast difference in personalities between the head coach and his starting quarterback.
“We’ve seen Jalen Hurts on the sideline with Nick Sirianni, and they were not going at one another. But there is definitely a difference in personality. The way I would describe it: The relationship is still a work in progress. Last year there was some disconnect between them, due to their personalities. Nick, we’ve seen, is a very emotional guy. Jalen is a very private guy. They are different human beings, which is fine. You don’t all have to be the same, but you do have to be on the same page when it comes to what you want to do on offense.” – Dianna Russini on Philadelphia Eagles
She also adds that “Sirianni is a conservative playcaller, and that never goes over great with a franchise quarterback.”
The Eagles’ late season collapse was so ugly that some wondered if it could cost Sirianni his job. But Russini confirms that the Eagles coach was “never really in danger, because of what he accomplished the previous season.”
Okay, that’s fine, but it doesn’t mean Sirianni isn’t entering the season on the hot seat in 2024. This is the exact sentiment Russini closes with.
“In the end, I believe they kept Sirianni for 2024 because they felt that Nick could still do this. And he can. But Roseman believes this is a championship roster. What that means: If Sirianni doesn’t take them to that level in 2024, the leash probably isn’t very long.”
Once again, if the Eagles get off to a rough start, don’t be shocked if Sirianni feels the pressure in the City of Brotherly Love.
Related: See where Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts lands in Sportsnaut’s NFL QB Rankings