Nick Sirianni defends taunting Bills fans: ‘We had fun winning that game’
Jawing with fans and opposing players has been a staple of Sirianni's tenure as the Eagles' head coach.
During the 2023 season, an emotional Nick Sirianni taunted Kansas City Chiefs fans following a narrow win by the Eagles.
“Hey! I don’t hear any [expletive] anymore Chiefs fans!” Sirianni yelled as he left the field. “See ya!”
Things went downhill from there. The Eagles went on to lose five of their next six games in an epic collapse that cost them an NFC East title, followed by an early playoff exit.
That trash-talking Sirianni was back following Sunday’s win against Buffalo, where the Birds coach offered a similar-sounding taunt aimed at Bills fans.
“There was a lot of talking by those Buffalo fans coming in. Not so much anymore!” Sirianni shouted as he exited the field. “Not so much anymore.”
Wide receiver A.J. Brown, who was walking in next to Sirianni, didn’t appear too impressed by his coach’s outburst. Neither was 94.1 WIP morning show host Joe DeCamara.
“Can he just not help himself?” DeCamara said during Monday’s broadcast. “I think he’s a great coach. This is an aspect of his thing I could do without.”
So what got Sirianni so worked up? During an interview Tuesday morning on WIP, Sirianni said it didn’t have anything to do with growing up in nearby Jamestown, N.Y., or having friends and family in the stands. Instead, he offered a simpler explanation.
“Football is fun,” Sirianni said. “It’s OK to show emotion. It’s fun to show emotion. Like, it’s OK to be excited.”
Sirianni certainly hasn’t been shy showing his emotion during his five-year tenure as Eagles coach. It has led to some awkward moments, like when he yelled at Birds fans in the stands last season or was caught mugging for the camera after the Eagles went up 14-0 on the New York Giants during a 2023 playoff game.
The outbursts might cause some fans to cringe, but you can’t question the results. Since Sirianni took over as head coach in 2021, the Eagles have advanced to the playoffs five straight seasons, played in two Super Bowls, and took home a Lombardi Trophy last season. Sirianni already ranks second in wins in franchise history (including the playoffs), and is just one of five head coaches in NFL history with a career winning percentage above .700.
Even during Sunday’s game, Sirianni was seen on the sideline jawing with Bills players and celebrating following a first-quarter touchdown pass to Dallas Goedert.
“We had fun winning that game,” Sirianni said. “And, yeah, you’re going to be emotional after the game and you’re going to be emotional in the game.”
“I love seeing our guys show emotion after they make a big play, and I show emotion after they make a big play,” Sirianni added. “That’s one of the reasons why you get into coaching. You can’t make plays anymore, and you want to help other people make plays.”
No update on whether Eagles starters will play
If Sirianni has made a decision on whether to play or rest his starters Sunday against the Washington Commanders, he didn’t open up about it Tuesday morning.
“We still have time,” Sirianni said. “There’s benefits to rest, there’s benefits to play, and we’ve just got to do what we think is best for the football team.”
The Eagles will likely enter the playoffs as the No. 3 seed and face either the San Francisco 49ers or Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round. But the Birds could move up to the No. 2 seed and face the Green Bay Packers with a win Sunday and a loss by the Chicago Bears against the Detroit Lions.
» READ MORE: Rams loss eliminates one Eagles wild-card opponent as playoffs approach
Columnist David Murphy thinks Sirianni’s lack of a straight answer is a signal he’s giving serious thought to resting his starters.
“If the Eagles punt on Week 18, it will allow the coaching staff and front office to spend an extra week preparing for the playoffs. It will give Jalen Hurts and the rest of the starters the ability to participate in that scouting and game-planning process,” Murphy wrote. “That’s a big, big deal.”