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Oh, what a difference a few months can make, Philadelphia Eagles fans.
You see, I was there when Nick Sirianni couldn't possibly keep his job into 2024. I was there when Bill Belichick was definitely going to take his job. I was there when Kellen Moore was going to take over head coaching job mid-season after 2-2 start. And I was there in week 15, when Sirianni “lost the team” and was heading towards another 2023-style collapse, what with this team unable to throw the ball and his best players feuding in the locker room.
And yet, here we are, the Eagles' head coach firmly thrust into the conversation for NFL Coach of the Year, with articles being written to support or dash his case.
A remarkable turnaround? Or has Sirianni always had the resume to justify such considerations, with perspective being the thing that has shifted? Have the Eagles always been good under the former Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator? Or is this a new development, with the head coach finally embracing a run-first identity in 2024 after understandably being humbled by how things shook out at the end of 2023?
You know, there are tons of different reasons why Philadelphia is succeeding in 2024 despite having a head coach that doesn't call plays on the offensive or defensive side of the ball, that it's hard to pinpoint just one. But when you throw them all together, it's not hard to see why some would believe that Sirianni deserves legitimate consideration for Coach of the Year, some of which are based on his own merits and others based on the sheer openness of the field.
1. There is no clear frontrunner for Coach of the Year
In the past, coach of the year has always had a clear favorite by mid-December.
A narrative-driven award no matter how you slice it, there's usually some team that is punching above expectations that garners the award, or a well-deserving case who has been good for a long time that finally took that step forward.
In 2024, that really isn't the case.
Two of the early pre-season favorites for the award, Kyle Shannon of the Sanders Francisco 49ers and Kevin Steffanski of the Cleveland Browns, have watched their teams tumble down the rankings to last place in their respective divisions. While their jobs are probably safe – barring a trade to Chicago – their chances to be Coach of the Year are all about over.
Then come coaches like Dan Quinn of the Detroit Lions or Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings, who were expected to be good and have met expectations despite injuries.
Widely considered a favorite for the award last year, Quinn has Detroit in first place in the NFC through Week 15, tied with the Eagles in terms of record but with the edge in the divisional record, at least for now. The Lions lost their best overall player, Aidan Hutcheson, back in September, lost their battering ram rusher, David Montgomery, in Week 15, and have added about a dozen players, largely defensive, to IR over the course of the season to boot. Sure, their defense is bad, but their offense is very good, and that could very well lead them to the Super Bowl.
And as for KOC? Well, who thought the Vikings would be this good after saying goodbye to longtime starter Kirk Cousins and then losing their first-round pick, JJ McCarthy, to a season-ending injury during the summer? Or Sam Donald playing like a legitimate MVP candidate? That alone should place O'Connell near the top of the Coach of the Year list, if not right at the tippy top.
Factor in legacy picks like Andy Reid and Sean McVay, who deserve to always be in the conversation but aren't doing anything spectacular versus their resume, and you have to wonder how Sirianni isn't a top-3 option at minimum in this current crop of coaching talent.
2. The Eagles are among the best teams in the NFL
Another reason why Sirianni deserves to be considered for Coach of the Year honors is because he's simply leading one of the best overall teams in the entire NFL.
Need proof? Well, just look at the numbers: through 15 weeks of action, the Eagles have been among the best rushing teams in the NFL, ranking first in rushing offense and seventh in rushing defense behind the strong play of Saquon Barkley, Zach Baun, Jalen Carter, and company. While they aren't particularly impressive at throwing the ball, seemingly by design, as they throw the ball the fewest times of any team in the NFL for the fifth-fewest passing yards, they more than make up for it by having the best passing defense in the NFL, allowing just 2,427 yards through the air despite starting two rookies at cornerback.
Factor in the fact that the Eagles rank eighth in points scored, first in points allowed, and have the best average time-of-possession in the NFL this season, holding the ball an average of 32:15 in any given game, and you have a team that is built to win in a number of different ways.
Goodness, when was the last time it was actually fun to watch the Eagles' defense regularly? Though Vic Fangio may be the one calling the plays, Sirianni brought him to town and gave him agency to run his defense as he pleased, even when it wasn't popular early on. If that isn't the sign of a good coach, I don't know what is.
3. Nick Sirianni has that “It factor” for the Eagles
Much has been written about what the Eagles look like on the field in 2024, but one of the more interesting sub-storylines of the year has to do with Sirianni the coach's willingness to go all in on building a culture in south Philadelphia.
You see, Sirianni is kind of a weird dude. Fans immediately made fun of him for his shaky introductory press conference, his overly animated sideline gesturing has made him a massive villain outside of the City of Brotherly Love, and his general demeanor just seems to rub some people the wrong way. When the team is winning, that often gets overlooked, with some fans even embracing the weirder parts of his personality. But when things get tough? Even in a win? Fans immediately turn to Sirianni's Sirianni-isms and wonder what exactly he brings to the table.
Did Jeffrey Lurie hire Sirianni to be a cheerleader? Does he see the same odd passing concepts that have transcended multiple offensive coordinators and get excited about such simple ideas? Or does his way of firing up a team actually work, as his four-straight winning seasons clearly prove?
While Sirianni might not be a master game planner, an elite tactician, or even an unflappable leader who doesn't get into occasional spats with his players, he seems to have a way of getting the best out of his guys, and Philadelphia is clearly benefiting from that in 2024. Would the Eagles be better with another head coach running the show? It's impossible to say, but based on his performance so far, it's hard to see that happening any time soon.
