In two years as an NFL coach, all Nick Sirianni has known is winning, leading the Eagles to consecutive NFC playoff berths and this season to the NFC championship. Sirianni received some recognition for his merits when the prestigious Maxwell Club awarded Sirianni as the 34th Greasy Neale Professional Coach of the Year, announced by Maxwell Football Club Director Mark Wolpert on Wednesday morning.
Sirianni joins former Eagles coaches Ray Rhodes (1995), Andy Reid (2000-2002-2010), Chip Kelly (2013), and Doug Pederson (2017) as winners of the Greasy Neale Coach of the Year Award.
Led by Sirianni, the Eagles finished with their best regular-season record in franchise history, 14-3, this season, and in two seasons overall, the Eagles are 23-11 under Sirianni.
Since the NFL merged with the AFL in 1970, Sirianni became only the fourth coach to win 14 games in their first or second season, joining Jim Caldwell (2009 Indianapolis Colts), Mike Martz (2001 St. Louis Rams) and George Seifert (twice, 1989-90 San Francisco 49ers).
Under Sirianni, the Eagles are No. 1 in the NFC in yards per game (389.1), total yards (6,614) and points per game (28.1), and fourth overall in the NFL in third-down efficiency (45.9%) and third overall in red-zone offense percentage (67.8). Under Sirianni as head coach, the Eagles this season were No. 2 in overall defense (301.5 yards a game) and first overall in passing defense (179.8 yards a game).
In two years’ time, Sirianni has the Eagles in their eighth overall NFC championship after the team landed 4-11-1 the season before he arrived in Philadelphia.
Sirianni, along with Jalen Hurts, will be honored Thursday March 9, 2023 at the 86th Maxwell Football Club National Awards Gala which will be held at the Mohegan Pennsylvania Resort. Also receiving awards at this event will be Caleb Williams – USC (Maxwell Award), Will Anderson Jr. – Alabama (Chuck Bednarik Award), Sean Clifford – Penn State (The Brian Westbrook Regional Player of the Year Award), Drake Maye –North Carolina (Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award), Willie Fritz –Tulane University (George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Award) and Joe Klecko – New York Jets (The MFC Legends Award presented by Mohegan Pennsylvania). The Club will be announcing additional winners this week.
Tickets for the Maxwell Football Club National Awards Gala are available for purchase on the Club’s website https://maxwellfootballclub.org/purchase-tickets/ or by calling 215-643-3833. Questions concerning any of the Maxwell Football Club’s awards or programs can be directed to MFC Executive Director Mark Wolpert at [email protected].
Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter based in the Philadelphia area who has written features for SI.com, ESPN.com, NFL.com, MLB.com, Deadspin and The Philadelphia Daily News. In 2006, he was nominated for an Emmy Award for a special project piece for ESPN.com called “Love at First Beep.” He is most noted for his award-winning ESPN.com feature on high school wrestler A.J. Detwiler in February 2006, and his breaking story on Carson Wentz for PhillyVoice on January 21, 2019. In 2015, he was elected president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.
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