Following a disappointing Week 8 loss against the Washington Commanders, reporters asked Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni if any changes were on the horizon.
The head coach assured the public that he’s still around. Sean Mannion is still going to call plays, and Tanner McKee will be the starting quarterback.
That last part? Turns out to be false.
“Tanner is our guy,” Sirianni said on November 2. Two days later, it was revealed that the Eagles were benching McKee and planned to start Joe Milton against the New York Giants in Week 9.
Clearly, the comment isn’t aging well, and fans have taken notice.
Eagles World Reacts To Nick Sirianni’s Tanner McKee Support
“Sirianni really just says whatever in press conferences. 🤣,” gobirdsbro said on X.
“Far from the point, but how can anybody trust what Nick says if stuff like this happens? not the first time either,” Pete Carril on X added.
“So it sounds like someone above Nick made the call. Like everything else the puppeteer pulled some strings on the puppet,” Jasoncc024 said.
“Taking Nick at his word in a press conference is never the move. Hes going to give 0 and back his guys always,” PhilDelphia4L wrote on X.
It’s unclear how collaborative the decision to sit McKee for Milton was. The Eagles’ power structure has always been cloudy, leaving fans wondering who ultimately calls the shots.
While Sirianni’s comment won’t age well and will come off as dishonest, it’s hard to totally blame the head coach for choosing to publicly support McKee as the starter before the change-bomb was dropped on the NFL world.
As a head coach, Sirianni has a duty to back his players. It seems the Eagles just needed more time to review the film and discuss before coming to the conclusion that it’s time to make a change at quarterback amid a six-game skid.
Is Milton the answer to all of their problems? Only time will tell. The Eagles can’t guarantee anything but the fact that they are taking steps to make a change. The delivery might not have been flawless, but it was an understandable approach.
