Eagles Rumors: ‘Offensive Players Don’t Know’ If Sirianni or Brian Johnson Call Plays

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The Philadelphia Eagles fired Doug Pederson three years after he won them a Super Bowl. For Nick Sirianni, the equity he built from a 2022 NFC title may not last half that long.

Ahead of Philly’s NFC Wild Card Round matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ESPN’s Tim McManus dove deep into what has led to the team’s second-half slide. Among the factors was a “disconnect between the visions” of Sirianni, starting quarterback Jalen Hurts and offensive coordinator Brian Johnson.

According to McManus, the extent to which Johnson influences the offense is another issue:

“A source described Johnson as having to fit his own philosophy within an offensive structure belonging to Sirianni. And just how much autonomy Johnson has as a playcaller is unclear. Sirianni has acknowledged that he’ll step in to overrule a call on occasion, as he did on a critical third-and-long play against the Washington Commanders in Week 4 when Johnson wanted to pass and Sirianni dialed up a run, which didn’t pan out. The line is blurred enough that some offensive players don’t know for sure who is calling the plays and when, a team source said.”

McManus also referenced friction within the Eagles locker room, with a source lamenting “too much finger-pointing” and an inability to work constructively.

“Ideas for how to fix the offense varied by position group and came with natural biases, a team source said,” McManus wrote.

The general tenor around Philadelphia could shift dramatically based on how the postseason unfolds. However, McManus spoke to a source who said “the problems and issues are still there” regardless of the outcome Monday night.

The Eagles’ situation is a reminder of how a head coach’s job goes beyond just drawing up the right scheme and calling the right plays.

Losing offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon in the same offseason presented Sirianni with a challenge. In the case of Gannon, his departure caught Philly a bit off guard and might have cost the team a shot at hiring its preferred successor, Vic Fangio, per McManus and Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.

What’s happened since the turnover on the coaching staff might have some within the organization a little worried.

New defensive coordinator Sean Desai was demoted in mid-December. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane outlined what had led to the change: “Sirianni wanted more collaboration and communication between Desai and his staff—including senior assistant Matt Patricia—and conveyed to his coordinator a need to be more open to other viewpoints, sources said.”

Before getting removed from play-calling altogether, Desai “lost his authority over third-down game planning,” per McLane.

That doesn’t sound totally dissimilar to McManus’ reporting on the dynamic between Sirianni and Johnson the offensive side of the ball. The ambiguity there is even more perplexing since Johnson, unlike Desai, was promoted from within when he took over for Steichen. He came aboard when Sirianni was hired in 2021, so they have plenty of experience working together.

Reporting Sunday on NFL Countdown, ESPN’s Adam Schefter downplayed the notion Sirianni is actually on the hot seat. Should the Eagles go out with a whimper, though, you’d have to expect some level of change for the coaching staff for the second successive offseason.