Nick Sirianni, head coach of the Eagles, is conspicuously missing from a recent NFL ranking
These days, Nick could use someone to lean on, but if he goes fishing on PFF, he definitely won’t find that.
Alright, we’re going to defend Nick Sirianni if no one else will, doggone it. We comprehend. Working in the City of Brotherly Love is challenging for anyone in the sports industry. Come on, though. Compared to our guy Nick, the Philadelphia Eagles can do far worse. We offer proof in the form of exhibit A.
In 2021, the NFL appointed seven new head coaches, including him. To see how that worked out, all one has to do is glance over the list. Look it over.
Nick… Brandon Staley… Urban Meyer… Dan Campbell… Arthur Smith… Robert Saleh… David Culley… Notice anything? Four of those guys were fired. Only two have led their teams to the postseason (Sirianni and Campbell). The other is Robert Saleh. He has yet to lead the Jets to a postseason berth in three seasons as the guy in New York.
Okay, so, you have exhibit A in your mind. Here’s exhibit B if it pleases the court. Sirianni, to his credit, can boast about something that Campbell can’t. This is a big one.
Coach has led Philly to the postseason during each of his first three years on the job. Again, no one else hired during his hiring cycle can say the same. That, however, doesn’t seem to be enough to earn the respect of one of our favorite platforms.
Despite his achievements, PFF leaves Nick Sirianni off a list of the top ten returning head coaches.
We have got you covered if you’re searching for some reading material. Pro Football Focus recently ranked the NFL’s top ten returning coaches. Take a look at this list. Tell us if you notice anything. It probably won’t take you long to crack the case.
Did you figure it out? What jumps out at you here? If you guessed that Nick Sirianni is absent, take a bow. Our question is this. Why is that the case?
Okay, here’s what we aren’t going to do. We aren’t going to insult your intelligence by stating Nick is a better Xs and Os head coach than Andy Reid, Kyle Shanahan, John Harbaugh, Sean McVay, or Mike Tomlin. We can debate the Matt LaFleur thing though, right?
No? Okay, then, what about the Dan Campbell ranking at seven? We’ll start there. Sirianni could, at minimum, be ranked seventh.
Say what you want about Nick, or, in Jalen’s case, don’t say anything… Sorry! That was a bad joke, and it was too soon. But, let’s be real. What has Campbell done to distinguish himself as the better leader?
Both are CEO head coaches and good motivators, but Nick is 34-17 as a head coach. Campbell’s win-loss total stands at 24-26 (and 29-33 if you count his 12-game run in Miami with the Dolphins). Long story short, Nick wins more, and that’s the basis for which good head coaches are most often judged.
Ready for exhibit C? Okay, here we go.
Sirianni and Campbell met on the field once. Nick Sirianni won that game, one in enemy territory at Ford Field. Coach has lost to Reid and Shanahan in head-to-head matchups but has also beaten both. He has also beaten McVay, Tomlin, LaFleur, and Sean McDermott and has done so during these past two seasons.
Last but not least, Nick led his team to a Super Bowl appearance. No, he didn’t win it, but he got them there. LaFleur, Campbell, DeMeco Ryans, Kevin Stefanski, and McDermott still can’t say that. We’ll see how things go as we move forward, but for now, Nick has a feather in his cap that these other guys don’t have. So, what are we saying here?
No, he doesn’t drink decaf. Yes, there’s the thing about needing a babysitter on the sideline. Yes, his quarterback needs to calm him down sometimes but ask Urban Meyer, David Culley, or Robert Saleh if they’d rather have Nick’s NFL head-coaching resume or their own.
Ask Stefanski and Ryans. Consult LaFleur and Campbell. They will trade resumes in an instant, we guarantee it. PFF, hurry up! The case has been made. We are requesting the right to request a voter recount.
