Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie still believes in Nick Sirianni, thinks coach can become all-time great, per report

When the Philadelphia Eagles collapsed in historic fashion in 2023, it was fair to question head coach Nick Sirianni’s job security, especially in light of the franchise’s recent trajectory. Behind closed doors, however, team owner Jeffrey Lurie remains a strong advocate for Sirianni, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, believing the coach to be “the real deal” with the skills to become an all-time great.

Lurie still envisions Sirianni, 43, as his “next Andy Reid,” Marcus Hayes wrote this week, citing a former Eagles executive. Specifically, Lurie apparently sees many of the same traits between the coaches: Sirianni is “a football nerd, a maniacal teacher, a passionate leader” with the “capacity to become an excellent administrator, a skill that took Reid more than a decade to master.” The general consensus around the NFL is similar, per Hayes: Lurie believes Sirianni “still has superb potential … as long as [the coach] can spend some time removed from the demands of developing an offense.”

Sirianni has admittedly taken a big step back from overseeing the Eagles’ offense this offseason, essentially turning the unit over to new coordinator Kellen Moore. The move may or may not have been a Lurie directive following the team’s 1-6 finish to the 2023 season, in which quarterback Jalen Hurts and Co. proved more predictable and turnover-prone. It comes a year after Sirianni replaced former coordinator Shane Steichen, who was hired as the Indianapolis Colts‘ head coach, with internal assistant Brian Johnson.

It’s unclear if Lurie has changed his tune on Sirianni since opting to retain him, as ESPN previously reported the Eagles at least considered pursuing former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick this offseason. While Belichick had Philly “very interested” after he was dismissed by the Patriots, per the Boston Sports Journal, Lurie and Co. were reportedly ultimately concerned with uprooting their organization for a man with a domineering leadership style. Sirianni, on the other hand, has been widely known for his more energetic approach, showing a notoriously colorful personality while managing the sidelines.