Philadelphia Eagles fans are restless.
A 2-2 start after the late-season collapse in 2023 led to calls for head coach Nick Sirianni’s job. A narrow win at home on Sunday over one of the NFL’s worst teams 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 an otherwise spiraling Cleveland Browns team to 1-5.
When the game was over, Sirianni had a few words for Eagles fans in the stands.
It is not clear what was said. But the interaction did not appear to be cordial.
Sirianni asked about exchange
After the match, Sirianni was asked about the exchange. He declined to share what he said and downplayed the interaction as a matter of being “excited” about the win.
“Just excited. Just excited to get the win,” Sirianni said.
When asked several follow-up questions about the exchange, Sirianni continued to deflect.
“I’m just excited to get the win,” Sirianni continued. “It’s hard to win in this competition, so we’re happy with the win. Our fans created a few false starts that really helped us win this football match.
“I’m just excited to get the win and appreciate Linc’s support.”
The questions were the first Sirianni faced during his post-match press conference. He gave his answers while surrounded by his three young children.
Not so sunny in Philadelphia
The Eagles started the season 2-2 and entered last week’s farewell game on the back of a 33-16 loss to the same Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that knocked them out of the postseason in January via a 32-9 blowout in the wildcard. round.
The playoff loss followed a 1-5 finish to the 2023 regular season after a 10-1 start and laid the groundwork for critics to question whether Sirianni is the right man for the job in an Eagles team built to compete for a win. 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 little like a Super Bowl contender. Dissatisfaction with Sirianni has not diminished.
Sirianni survived the Eagles’ bye week with his job. But if the team doesn’t show signs of significant improvement in the coming weeks, the calls for his job likely won’t let up.
