PHILADELPHIA – Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni is actively working to reframe his team’s mindset as they navigate life after a Super bowl victory, seeking to establish a sustained winning culture rather than simply defending a championship. sirianni consulted with UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma about the psychological challenges of being the team to beat, and the conversation profoundly influenced his approach.
Auriemma suggested flipping the narrative from being “the hunted” to being “on the hunt” for another championship. “I asked [sirianni], I said, ‘Well, why can’t the message be: We’re not the hunted. We’re on the hunt for another one. Why should we feel like everybody’s chasing us and everybody’s giving us thier best shot? Why don’t we flip the switch and we’re hunting for another one? And is that more powerful, knowing that you’ve done it and now you’re on the hunt for another one than someone who’s not done it and is trying to get one?'” Auriemma explained.
Sirianni aims to prevent his team from falling into a “victim” mentality, where they dwell on the pressure of defending their title. “That has helped me the last number of years, to try and not let my team feel like everybody’s after us and sometiems play the victim: woe is me, we’re getting everybody’s best shot, blah, blah, blah. And, you know, try to think about it in a completely different way,” Auriemma said.
The Eagles have faced constant reminders of their Super Bowl LVII win. their ring ceremony was delayed until July 18, the week before training camp began, and the championship banner was unveiled before their season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. This week’s game against the Kansas city Chiefs is also heavily linked to their Super bowl appearance, prompting numerous questions about the February contest.
Sirianni has emphasized the collective effort required for continued success. Running back Saquon Barkley relayed a message from the coach: “If you think you’re the reason we won the Super Bowl last year, you’re exactly right. If you think you’re the only reason we won the Super Bowl last year, you’re exactly wrong. It’s going to take all of us.” Barkley added, “I love that with all the stars and playmakers we have and legends like [right tackle] Lane [Johnson], Hall of Famer, we do a good job of buying into the message that Coach wants.”
