Eagles receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith addressed Philadelphia’s late-season struggles on Wednesday, saying head coach Nick Sirianni is still the right guy for the team.
“We tried to stop the bleeding, but I think we just kind of ran out of time,” Brown said on the “Up & Adams Show.”
Smith said that Eagles players still believe in Sirianni, who’s returning for a fourth season with the club despite speculation that he could be dismissed following a 32-9 wild-card loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“I don’t think he’s lost the team,” Smith added. “I think we just had some things that we needed to adjust to, and we just didn’t do that well as a team. I don’t think he’s lost the team at all.”
The sideline boss, who’s 34-17 in his head coaching career, recently admitted that the offense “got a little stale” in 2023.
The Eagles started the regular season 10-1 but didn’t keep their momentum in the campaign’s final stretch, losing six of their last seven games. Some of Philadelphia’s most prominent players were seen expressing their frustration during games, including Brown, who has repeatedly said he didn’t have any issues with how often quarterback Jalen Hurts targeted him during the 2023 season.
The three-time Pro Bowl wideout recently sparked speculation about his future after deleting several Instagram posts referencing the Eagles and deactivating his account on X. However, Brown explained that his social media actions “had nothing to do with football.”
“I kind of have been through this before; I’m a vet,” said Brown, who was part of a blockbuster trade from the Tennessee Titans to the Eagles in 2022. Philly signed him to a four-year, $100-million deal following the move.
Brown didn’t deny the most recent trade rumors, saying that football is “a business.”
“I think you just gotta be prepared,” he added.
Sirianni is returning to the Eagles this year, but his coaching staff will look significantly different after Philly parted ways with offensive coordinator Brian Johnson and defensive coordinator Sean Desai. Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio will now be in charge of the team’s offense and defense, respectively.
“Just let us do what we do,” Smith said Wednesday when asked if he had a request for Moore in 2024.
With Brown and Smith, the Eagles boast one of the NFL’s best wide receiver duos. They’ve both topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last two seasons.
