Philadelphia Eagles fans are restless.
A 2-2 start on the heels of a late-season collapse in 2023 prompted calls for head coach Nick Sirianni’s job. A close win at home on Sunday over one of the NFL’s worst team didn’t quell those calls.
Eagles fans reportedly broke out in boos and a “Fire Nick” chant at Lincoln Financial Field during Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns. The Eagles held on for a 20-16 win to improve to 3-2 and send a further spiraling Cleveland Browns team to 1-5.
When the game was over, Sirianni had some words for Eagles fans in the stands.
It’s not clear what was said. But the interaction did not appear to be a cordial one.
Sirianni asked about exchange
After the game, Sirianni was asked about the exchange. He declined to share what he said and downplayed the interaction as a matter of being “excited” for the win.
“Just excited. Just excited to get the win,” Sirianni said.
When asked multiple followup questions about the exchange, Sirianni continued to deflect.
“Just excited to get the win,” Sirianni continued. “It’s hard to win in this league. So we’re excited to get the win. Our fans created a couple of false starts that really helped us win this football game.
“Just excited to get the win and appreciate the Linc’s support.”
The questions were the first that Sirianni faced in his postgame news conference. He provided his answers while surrounded by his three young children.
Not so sunny in Philadelphia
The Eagles started the season 2-2 and went into last week’s bye on the heels of a 33-16 loss to the same Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that bounced them out of the postseason in January via a 32-9 blowout in the wild-card round.
The playoff loss followed a 1-5 finish to a 2023 regular season on the heels of a 10-1 start and laid the groundwork for critics to question if Sirianni is the right man for the job on an Eagles team that’s built to compete for a Super Bowl. Making matters worse are reports of a strained relationship between Siranni and quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Six weeks into the 2024 season, the Eagles look very little like a Super Bowl contender. Dissatisfaction with Sirianni has not waned.
Sirianni survived the Eagles’ bye week with his job. But if the team doesn’t show signs of marked improvement in coming weeks, those calls for his job aren’t likely to cease.