Democracy Dies in Darkness
NFL

Eagles’ Nick Sirianni apologizes for interaction with fans in Philadelphia

The fourth-year coach, who took heat from the home crowd during a close win over the visiting Browns, was shown jawing at the stands toward the end of the game.

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“I’m sorry and disappointed at how my energy was directed at the end of the game,” Eagles Coach Nick Sirianni said. (Matt Slocum/AP)
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Eagles Coach Nick Sirianni apologized Monday for having jawed with fans in Philadelphia the day before, in an episode that occurred in the closing moments of his team’s narrow win over the struggling Cleveland Browns.

“I was trying to bring energy and enthusiasm yesterday, and I’m sorry and disappointed at how my energy was directed at the end of the game,” Sirianni said during a virtual news conference. “My energy should be all-in on coaching, motivating and celebrating with our guys. I’ve got to have better wisdom and discernment of when to use that energy, and that wasn’t the time.”

While the Eagles were able to improve to 3-2 on Sunday, fans showed their discontent at times with a 20-16 victory that may have felt less than convincing given the struggles of the Browns, who fell to 1-5 and have fielded the league’s worst offense by some metrics. The score was tied well into the fourth quarter of the game, which reportedly also featured some chants calling for Sirianni’s firing.

With less than a minute to go and the win finally secured as his Eagles were kneeling out the clock, the 43-year-old coach was shown on the Fox telecast turning toward the stands at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. Sirianni could be seen cupping his ear and gesticulating while offering some of his thoughts to the crowd.

At a postgame news conference after the victory, Sirianni was asked about that interaction.

“Just excited to get the win,” he said with a smile.

When the coach was asked about his demonstrative behavior during the game, which included exchanges with a pair of Cleveland defenders, he replied, “I was having fun.”

“I was having fun,” Sirianni repeated, “and I kind of got some feedback from the guys, the sense of like: ‘We need you back, Nick. We need your energy. We need your focus.’ I’ve gotten that from a couple players. When I’m operating and having fun, I think that breeds to the rest of the football team. If I want the guys to celebrate and be themselves after big plays, then I should probably do that myself, right?

“Now there’s times for that and times not for that. I have to have wisdom and discernment of when to do that and when not to do that.”

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