Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni made headlines when he took a shot at the New York Giants fanbase on June 4.
“Sometimes you see Giants fans around here [in Philadelphia] with [it] being so close, and you know, they give me a good like — ‘hey, go Giants,’” Sirianni said with a smirk. “And I’d typically let it go but if the guy gets me good enough, I’ll usually say — ‘you know, we got your best player.’”
Sirianni was obviously referring to star running back Saquon Barkley — who left the NYG organization for Philly in free agency.
Later, on June 6, Giants head coach Brian Daboll was asked about Sirianni’s remarks. And he only had four words for his Eagles counterpart.
Brian Daboll was asked about Nick Sirianni’s comments about the Giants:
“I love Giants fans.”
“I love Giants fans,” Daboll replied with a straight face. When asked if Eagles fans get on him a lot too, the NYG HC just reiterated: “Yea, I love Giants fans.”
Finally, regarding Barkley being their “best player,” Daboll simply told reporters that he’s “focused on OTAs” and “our football team.”
Giants’ Brian Daboll & Eagles’ Nick Sirianni Are Polar Opposites as Head Coaches
The irony here is that Daboll and Sirianni couldn’t be more different in the way they run their respective franchises.
Sirianni is passionate, but brash. He’s earned his reputation from press conferences like these, as well as his postgame feuds with different fanbases.
Daboll is passionate too, but keeps things very professional and brief during press conferences. His answers to questions are typically measured and reserved.
It’s unlikely you’ll ever see Daboll take a jab at another fanbase or another coach. But in some ways, his terse retort was the perfect comeback.
Daboll’s Giants are all business, all the time. The NYG head coach often embodies that mentality, and his Sirianni response is another great example of that.
Eagles Could Be Team to Beat in NFC East in 2024
It’s no secret that the Eagles have had the Giants’ number over the past several seasons. Having said that, Big Blue finally defeated Philly last year during the final week of the regular season, 27-10.
The victory didn’t impact the Giants’ fate. In fact, it worsened their draft capital this spring.
And yet, it felt like an important win for Daboll and his team. The Eagles had taken five straight matchups between the two rivals, including the playoff battle the year before.
Week 18 was a deviation from the new normal. A culture changer, perhaps. The key is keeping that going in 2024.
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Eagles are the team to beat in the NFC East in 2024. The oddsmakers have them at +115 to win the division, while the G-Men are currently at +1000.
To an NFL head coach and a locker room, however, none of that matters. The old adage in any sport is that the preseason is the most hopeful time of the year because every franchise starts fresh at 0-0. And everyone has an equal shot at a championship.
Daboll and the Giants know that better than anyone, defying the odds and making the playoffs during his inaugural campaign at the helm.
Although things didn’t go as planned in year two, you can bet Big Blue likes their chances in 2024. And if you don’t believe that, just listen to Daboll’s players.
“Just looking at our team, looking at what we got, we have a good chance to do whatever we want to do,” second-year wide receiver Jalin Hyatt stated on June 6. “For goals, I just want a team goal. We have a playoff team and that’s what we want to do, and we gon’ get there.”
The perfect comeback indeed.
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Brian Daboll Offers 4-Word Response for Nick Sirianni’s Shot at Giants Fans