With another loss added to the Philadelphia Eagles‘ 2026 record, the team’s coaching staff is taking a lot of heat.
The veteran running back Saquon Barkley took an unpopular stance in defending the staff following Sunday’s 19-11 loss to the New York Giants.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley on the confidence he has in the coaching staff after a seventh straight loss: “Its sad we’re not producing. They’re working their asses off.” via Cayden Steele, NJ.com
Sunday’s loss marked the seventh in a row for the Eagles, who haven’t won since the second week of the season back in September.
They head into the bye week with an unexpected record, sitting fourth in the NFC East, with the same number of wins as the Washington Commanders.
The Eagles’ struggles are understandable considering the amount of absences due to injuries throughout the year, but their struggles go beyond a lack of star power. Each week, the Eagles struggle to look prepared and ready for the moment, and a lot of that falls on the coaching staff.
Still, Barkley credits Nick Sirianni for his approach.
Saquon Barkley Takes Unpopular Stance With Thoughts On Eagles’ Coaches
“The person who spoke the most is Nick [after the game],” Barkley told reporters after the loss.
“I think he did a great job. It’s so hard, and it’s human nature to point the finger. It’s human nature to feel bad about yourself and be like, ‘It’s not me, it’s not this, and it’s not my fault.’ Like, it’s just all of us. We’re all in this together. It doesn’t make sense right now, but who you are in these moments is going to be the reason why, when we get this thing turned around–I still believe in this season–when we get this thing turned around, it’s going to take the right men with integrity and character to continue to come to work with your head high and demanding the best from your teammates and demanding the best from yourself and the coaches. That stuff matters, and it may not transfer to this season. It may not. You may not understand it for two years. It may not be until you’re done playing football, but that stuff go a long way, and that was really kind of the message that I took from the group.”
Clearly, Barkley still appreciates Nick Sirianni’s messages for the group. As a captain for the Eagles, the running back has the proper mindset. He can’t overreact to the record and call for the team to make a staffing change in-season.
Still, his appreciation for the head coach’s messaging won’t change the public’s perception. In a results-based business, and a “what have you done for me lately” kind of league, the Eagles are coming up way short of expectations just two years removed from a Super Bowl campaign. The regression has been sharp, and soon the NFL world will see if Sirianni’s past success can save his seat as the head coach.
