Something happened to the Eagles last year, after their 10-1 start. Plenty of theories have been advanced, up to and including the impact of the absence of Big Dom from the sidelines during the final strech of regular-season games.
A new story from ESPN.com points to a more fundamental problem. The quarterback and head coach didn’t get along.
Per the report, the relationship was “fractured” and unhealthy in 2023. The issue arose from a disagreement on vision for the offense. One source described the situation to ESPN.com as a lack of full respect for Sirianni as an Xs and Os tactician.
The implosion of the Eagles, capped by a playoff loss at Tampa Bay that sparked an image of owner Jeffrey Lurie wearing a unique mask of bewilderment, frustration, and rage, prompted speculation that Sirianni would be fired, possibly for Bill Belichick. While that didn’t happen, the new ESPN.com story makes it clear that, if things don’t get better in 2024, the coach or the quarterback or both could be gone in 2025.
For now, the goal is to have new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore can “bridge the gap between the two,” per the report.
The dysfunction traces to the departure of offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, who became the Colts’ head coach after the 2022 season. Ben Johnson, who has known Hurts for years, was promoted from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator. Per the report, Sirianni was on a different page from Hurts and Johnson. Sirianni wanted to keep the scheme the same; Hurts wanted more control.
“When Brian got [promoted], I think he thought, ‘I could do the thing that I’ve wanted to do,’” a team source told ESPN.com regarding Hurts’s mindset. “That didn’t fly as much with Nick.”
Players were freelancing at times. Per the report, at one point some didn’t know who was calling the plays. Multiple sources told ESPN.com that they believe Hurts tuned out Sirianni at times during the 2023 season.
On the surface, the Hurts contract gives him more juice than Sirianni. However, as we pointed out in the aftermath of last season’s disastrous ending, the Hurts deal was and is relatively easy to trade — if he wants out or if the Eagles decide to move him.
Still, it was Sirianni not Hurts who spent several days in public limbo after the playoff loss. If things don’t improve in 2024, Sirianni seems to be the more likely of the two to get the heave-ho.
And the ultimate message of the ESPN.com article hardly paints a rosy picture: “‘Do I think they will go to dinner together? Hell no,’ a team source said. ‘But it can be a good working professional relationship, and I don’t think it’s hatred.’”
I don’t think it’s hatred.
Good luck with that.