Could Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni suffer the same in-season fate as Robert Saleh?
Saleh was unceremoniously fired as head coach of the New York Jets on Tuesday. Jets owner Woody Johnson personally told Saleh that his services were no longer needed.
Saleh was hired as Jets’ head coach in 2021. Over four seasons, Saleh went 20-36 and had to navigate six different starting quarterbacks.
It was supposed to be different when Aaron Rodgers came on board in 2023, but it never materialized. Rodgers went down four snaps into the regular season after tearing his Achilles. And things didn’t start off much better in 2024 as the Jets are 2-3 through the first five games of the season.
Sirianni, who was also hired in 2021, is currently on the hot seat with the Eagles following the team’s 2-2 start. The defense has been abysmal and there are questions about his relationship with franchise quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has had turnover issues since the beginning of 2023.
There were questions if Sirianni would lose his job following last year’s late-season collapse. Despite starting out 10-1, the Eagles went 1-5 down the stretch, handing the NFC East crown to the Dallas Cowboys. The Birds were also embarrassed in the Wild Card round of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 32-9.
NFL insider doesn’t believe Nick Sirianni would be canned in-season
If the Eagles don’t turn it around, will we see Nick Sirianni fired during the season? Don’t count on it.
“I don’t know that they are doing that in-season, I don’t know that. That, again, I’d be surprised. I never rule out anything, anything in this league is always possible, but I’m not looking for them to be reactionary in-season – I’m not,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter told 97.5 The Fanatic on Wednesday morning. “Although, they did sack Chip Kelly.”
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie fired Kelly in 2015 with one game left in the regular season. The Birds were 6-9 at the time.
Schefter added that Sirianni is also in a different position than Saleh was with the Jets.
“I think it’s different. Robert Saleh had not gotten them to a Super Bowl, Robert Saleh had not won consistently. I know the Eagles had a fall off the cliff last year, I got it, and at times they’ve been uneven this year, but I do think they’re different situations.
“And I don’t think that in a division, which they should be competitive all year, that they would make the move in-season, but I wouldn’t have thought that the Jets would fire Robert Saleh heading into Week 6. So, that’s the crazy part about this — you never know when an owner’s buttons are going to get pushed, and he feels like he’s had enough.”
In his first three seasons with the Eagles, Sirianni has led them to the playoffs every year, including a Super Bowl appearance during the 2022 season. His career record is currently 36-19.
The Eagles are hoping to turn it around Sunday when they face the Cleveland Browns at home.
