Nick Sirianni’s Secrets to Success and Lessons for Philly’s Other Coaches

When he was hired by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021, Nick Sirianni had zero Head Coaching experience at any level of football and was unknown to many Philly Sports Fans.

But in four years, Sirianni has led the Eagles to the postseason every season and a Super Bowl Championship. With 48 regular-season wins, Nick Sirianni has already risen to fourth-most wins by a Head Coach in Philadelphia Eagles Franchise History:

-Andy Reid 130-93-1
-Greasy Neale 63-43-5
-Dick Vermeil 54-47
-Nick Sirianni 48-20

The soon-to-be 44 year Head Coach has learned from his mistakes and endured plenty of public criticism on his way to becoming a Super Bowl Championship Head Coach. He is a part of an organization that has won two Championships in the last eight years, while their neighboring teams that play in the Philly Sports Complex haven't won anything in 17 years.

What Can The Other Philadelphia Head Coaches/Managers Learn From Sirianni?

The recent run of success of the Eagles has cast a shadow on the Phillies, Sixers, and Flyers. Those organizations' lack of success has become more glaring with now two Super Bowl Trophies belonging to the football team.

So, what can the other Coaches/Managers learn from Nick Sirianni's success in just four years as Eagles Head Coach? Let's take a closer look at each man's situation:

*Rob Thomson, Phillies Manager (2022-Present)

Like Sirianni, "Topper" had a very successful mentor who laid the groundwork for their coaching styles. When Joe Torre was the Yankees Manager, winning four World Series Championships, Rob Thomson was New York's Field Coordinator and Director of Player Development.

Nick Sirianni's mentor, Frank Reich, won a Super Bowl Championship as the Eagles Offensive Coordinator in Super Bowl 52. The current Eagles Head Coach has credited Reich for helping me learn about coaching in the NFL.

Thomson, who was a member of the Yankees organization that won multiple championships, has an understanding already about what it takes to win a championship. Sirianni learned from his failures, even going as far as firing 90 percent of his coaching staff after the 2023 season.

"Topper" have to make similar staff changes if the 2025 Phillies cannot get back to the World Series. Sometimes, part of learning from your mistakes is embracing change.

*Nick Nurse, Sixers Head Coach (2023-Present)

While Nick Nurse won an NBA Championship with the 2018-19 Toronto Raptors, he has not gotten past the second round of the NBA Playoffs in the last six years.

A plethora of injuries to the 76ers' Superstars resulted in Philadelphia winning their fewest games in a season since the 2016-17 season. Nick Nurse was put in a no-win situation, being forced to answer questions about Joel Embiid's health and coach a roster depleted of high-level NBA-caliber talent.

Nick Sirianni endured numerous people calling for him to be fired, saying he doesn't know how to handle being a coach in Philadelphia. But the Eagles Head Coach evolved, trusted his Front Office and Players to do their part en route to winning a Championship.

Like Sirianni, Nick Nurse has to tune out the noise outside the building and focus on being the best version of himself for his players. Nurse is a passionate coach who also has been known for being a Player's Coach. Like Sirianni, being true to himself will be Nurse's best ally moving forward.

*Rick Tocchet, Flyers Head Coach (2025-Present)

The Flyers Hall of Fame Player became the 25th Head Coach in Franchise History. Tocchet is a beloved former player who recently won the Jack Adams Award (NHL's best coaching award); He won a Stanley Cup Championship as a player and Assistant Coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

But as Nick Sirianni learned at the end of the 2023 NFL season, Philly Sports Fans do not care about your resume if your current team goes on a losing streak. Flyers General Manager Danny Briere said at Rick Tocchet's Introductory Press Conference that the team is not accelerating their rebuild.

So, if the Flyers miss the playoffs for the sixth straight season and if, during the 2025-26 NHL season, we see Philadelphia lose 8 out of 12 games, how will Rick Tocchet handle the frustrations of Philly Sports Fans? Former Flyers Head Coaches like John Tortorella, Ken Hitchcock, and Alain Vigneault had confrontations with the Philadelphia Sports Media.

Like Nick Sirianni, Rick Tocchet will have to learn how to handle the media scrutiny and not give them ammunition to use against him. During the 2024 NFL season, Sirianni admitted to the Philly Sports Media that he has given them too much information at times and he needs to be better at balancing between answering their questions and staying consistent with team messaging.

Rick Tocchet is a coach that NHL Players enjoy playing for, and he needs to remember that is more important than what a group of media members may say to or about him. When Sirianni focused on being the best Head Coach for his players, the Eagles had the most success. Tocchet needs to focus on his relationships in the organization more than what people say outside the building.

As long as Rob Thomson, Nick Nurse, and Rick Tocchet don't mind being controversal figures in Philadelphia, that thick skin will allow them to do their best work at their jobs. Even Super Bowl Championship Head Coach Nick Sirianni made our list of most controversial figures in Philadelphia Sports over the last 30 years: