Nick Sirianni's seat in Philadelphia has been scorching hot all season, but one legendary voice is urging everyone to pump the brakes. Hall of Fame coach Bill Cowher came out swinging in defense of the Eagles' embattled head coach, insisting that writing his obituary now would be a colossal mistake.
Speaking on CBS ahead of Monday night's clash with the Cowboys, Cowher delivered a passionate plea on Sirianni's behalf. He pointed to a resume that most coaches would envy: five straight playoff appearances, two Super Bowl trips, and one Lombardi Trophy. "He's been to the playoffs five straight years. He's been to two [Super Bowls]. He's won one," Cowher said, via Awful Announcing. "He's also had three assistant coaches become head coaches, which are feathers in his cap."
The Eagles have been decimated by injuries, losing quarterback Jalen Hurts for the season, seeing All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson retire suddenly, and dealing with a wave of other setbacks. Yet Cowher believes Sirianni's ability to navigate such chaos is exactly what makes him the right man for the job. "Let me say this about Nick Sirianni. He's a winner. He knows how to galvanize a locker room," Cowher said. "He may not say what you want to hear, he'll tell you what you need to hear, and sometimes that ruffles people's feathers."
Cowher, who coached the Steelers to a Super Bowl title and later rebuilt the team into a champion again, sees a kindred spirit in Sirianni. "Give this guy a chance," he urged. "And it may not be this year. I hope it doesn't take him three years like it took me to get back. I came back, and I built another Super Bowl championship team."
The Hall of Famer didn't stop there. He emphasized that Sirianni knows the DNA required to win and that the current struggles are part of a process. "This guy knows what it takes. He knows what the DNA needs. He has to go through this process," Cowher said. "Maybe he makes mistakes. … They still have the best defense in this division. This team is not out of the playoff scenario one bit. Give me a break on Nick Sirianni."
Cowher's defense comes from a Steelers culture that famously stood by its coaches through thick and thin. But Philadelphia has a far shorter leash, as evidenced by the franchise's history of moving on from Andy Reid, Chip Kelly, and Doug Pederson at the first sign of trouble. The pressure is on Sirianni to keep the team competitive with Tanner McKee under center, but Cowher believes the Eagles aren't dead yet.
Some critics have already thrown Sirianni under the bus, but Cowher's backing adds a powerful voice to the other side. As the Eagles prepare for a tough matchup against Dallas, the question remains whether Sirianni can rally his battered squad. Cowher, for one, is confident he can.
For more on the Eagles' quarterback situation, check out Jalen Hurts landing on injured reserve. Also, see what Travis Kelce said about the Hurts blood clot scare and how the NFL cleared the Eagles' handling of the situation.
