How Nick Sirianni’s handwritten letter, film sessions and discipline turned Eagles into contenders

PHILADELPHIA — During his four-year tenure coaching the Eagles, Nick Sirianni has not always received a ton of credit for their success.

In the offseason, Sirianni added offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to his staff, and as a result, he has become a CEO head coach, focusing more on leadership and game management.

Sirianni learned from last year’s struggles to become a better coach and has thrived in his new role, but some pundits question what he brings to the table because he no longer runs the Eagles’ offense.

Most Eagles players believe that Sirianni is one of the NFL’s best coaches and has received too much criticism. His ability to deeply connect with players has strengthened their bond and has helped them overcome adversity this season, including last week’s Jalen Hurts-A.J. Brown drama.

“He’s so consistent day in and day out,” Eagles kicker Jake Elliott said about Sirianni. “When you do that every single day, you can kind of build that trust and you build a culture. The way he’s built this culture around here is pretty special.”

At the end of last season, the Eagles’ locker room still supported Sirianni even though he lost six of their final seven games. And during the first month of the 2024 season, Philadelphia struggled on both sides of the ball, losing two of its three games before the Week 5 bye.

But for the second consecutive year, Sirianni’s players didn’t give up on him. Now, the Eagles are one of the best teams in the league, winning 10 straight games to start with a 12-2 record.

Sirianni, who has the sixth-best winning percentage (.708) in NFL history, has been compassionate toward players during tough moments and cares about their personal development.

In October, Eagles long snapper Rick Lovato and his wife, Jordan Lovato, had their first child together. For two years, Jordan Lovato struggled with infertility, but she was able to have a baby after receiving in vitro fertilization treatment (IVF).

Sirianni, who has three kids of his own, sat with Rick Lovato at lunch that week to find out how his first few days as a father went.

“That’s why I’ll have his back no matter what,” Rick Lovato said. “He truly is thoughtful and meaningful as a coach and as a person.”

Hours after speaking with Lovato at lunch, Sirianni gave second-year safety Sydney Brown, who was cleared from an ACL injury that week, a motivational speech from his office.

“Nick said, ‘Just stay in it. You’ve got to be obsessed with it. You’re going to be a better player on the other side of it,‘” Brown said. ”He had something happen to his calf (in college). The surgery he had with that just made him a better person and player. I just relate to every aspect of that.”

‘Be ready for those moments’

One of Sirianni’s biggest strengths is finding different ways to motivate players.

After serving a year-long suspension for violating the NFL’s gambling policy last season, Eagles backup cornerback Isaiah Rodgers needed someone to believe in him again.

Before Rodgers made his first start of the season in Week 9, he found a one-page, handwritten letter in his locker that was written by Sirianni.

“Nick said, ‘Your time is now. Be ready for those moments,’” said Rodgers, who had not started a game in two years before getting the nod against the Jaguars. “I take the paper with me to every game. I still have it. It’s still freshly folded.”

Through the first 15 weeks of his rookie season, Eagles offensive guard Trevor Keegan has struggled with self-doubt, especially when he compares himself to his All-Pro caliber teammates and realizes that he’s not as good.

“When I see (Sirianni) in the hallway, he pulls me over and says, ‘Hey, how are you doing? How is this stuff going?’” Keegan said. “Because there are growing pains and stuff. He’s been there for me. I really respect him for that. He doesn’t need to do that as the head coach of an NFL football team. He doesn’t have to worry about me. But it shows what type of man he is.”

This past spring, Sirianni asked Rodgers to come into the building on an off day because he wanted to watch film with him. He played Rodgers an hour-long tape, showing different types of releases that wide receivers use.

At the end of his rookie season (2022), center Cam Jurgens and Sirianni watched 30 minutes of film together on different coverage schemes. Now, Jurgens can recognize what opposing defenses are running.

Sirianni has also spent more time in different position groups meetings this season, making him a valuable resource to all of his players.

“Having the support of your head coach is helpful,” Jurgens said. “It’s not like he’s stepping in there and taking over the meeting. That’s (Eagles offensive line coach) Jeff Stoutland’s room. He’s teaching us. But if we have any questions for Nick, he’s there to answer it. So it helps.”

‘Don’t take it as a slight’

Sirianni praises his players for making good plays, but he’s also critical of their mistakes. He points out his bad coaching decisions, too.

“In football and in a lot of different areas of life, you need accountability,” Eagles defensive tackle Thomas Booker said. “You need to have faith that whoever is criticizing you or holding you accountable understands who you are as a person, so you don’t take it as a slight. But you take it as it is, which is coaching, criticism or somebody holding you accountable.

“If someone messes up and needs to be told about it, it comes from a place of love, and they know it’s coming from a place of love because we’ve had those moments on the field, during practices, in the locker room, in the weight room, all the rest of it. Our coach understands us, so we know this isn’t somebody that doesn’t know us that’s talking to us. It’s somebody that cares.”