Eagles coach apologizes for yelling and gesturing angrily at fans in the stands

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni apologized Monday for gesturing and jawing at fans in the final moments of a win during which restless fans booed a listless performance and “Fire Nick!” chants permeated pockets at Lincoln Financial Field.

Sirianni — a habitual trash-talker — put a finger to his right ear and chirped at fans in the first rows at the Linc on Sunday. Flanked by his three young children, Sirianni defend his antics following a narrow win over Cleveland, saying he was simply “excited” to get a victory. The fourth-year coach added the Eagles “don’t necessarily like it” when fans boo at home games.

Sirianni struck a conciliatory tone for his behavior a day later after his boorish behavior was ripped by fans and media.

“I was trying to bring energy yesterday. Energy, enthusiasm,” Sirianni said Monday. “I’m sorry and disappointed at how my energy was directed at the end of the game. My energy should be all in on coaching, motivating and celebrating with our guys. I have to have better wisdom and discernment of when to use that energy and that wasn’t the time.”

Sirianni said players had urged him over the bye week to bring the type of passion he flashed on the sideline when the Eagles went to the Super Bowl in the 2022 season and started 10-1 last year. Jalen Hurts and Brandon Graham were among the veterans who publicly supported Sirianni after the Eagles (3-2) held on to beat lowly Cleveland 20-16.

Sirianni said as of late Monday afternoon he not yet met with team owner Jeffrey Lurie. Sirianni attributed his turnaround in tone to a period of reflection and equated the apology in football terms, saying it was no different from when a coach wished he could have a do-over on a bad play.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

“You want to be passionate and have energy just like I did in there today with the guys when we watched film together,” Sirianni said. “It’s having that discernment of when to do that. I wish there was a playbook for stuff like that. It would make the job a little bit easier to do.”

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

Perhaps his most infamous fan interaction came last season when he barked at Chiefs fans after the Eagles won a Super Bowl rematch. The pressure was ratcheted up on Sirianni after the Eagles lost six of seven games (including playoffs) down the stretch, which left his job status in doubt over the summer. He earned a reprieve from Lurie — only to find himself swirling in controversy again for failing to keep his emotions in check against Eagles fans.

“We have the best fans in the world. There’s no place like this,” Sirianni said. “They show up and show out no matter where we are. Brazil, Arizona, it doesn’t matter.”