'Somebody Has to Go' Says Eagles' Jordan Mailata Following Letdown Season
The Philadelphia Eagles started the season 10-1 and were the best team in the NFL, but even while they were winning there were undertones of struggles that hinted toward darker days to come if not addressed.
While Eagles coach Nick Sirianni made attempts at shaking things up to stave off the impending doom, it arrived anyway, and ultimately Philadelphia ended its season on the bottom of a Wild Card Round game blowout against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who had just won the worst division in all of football.
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni (L) and quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and offensive coordinator Brian Johnson (R) talk during the second quarter against the New York Giants at Lincoln Financial Field.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
“I think when the season ends the way it did, there has to be a finger pointed somewhere,” Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata said to the Philadelphia Inquirer. “That’s just how the cards are played. I don’t know what happened. Very rarely do they talk to us players about it. But when you see that kind of [losing] happening, somebody has to [go]. It’s the nature of the business.”
More changes have been made, and one of the people to go - whether he had to or not - is former offensive coordinator Brian Johnson.
Johnson was a one-and-done offensive coordinator under Sirianni after he was tagged to replace Shane Steichen who was hired to run the Indianapolis Colts following the Eagles' run to the Super Bowl last season.
His removal came in the offseason while Sirianni replaced defensive coordinator Sean Desai in-season, at least in function if not in title. His replacement, Matt Patricia, is no longer with the team making three prominent coaching changes since the end of the season alone.
The loss of two coordinators in one offseason wasn't viewed as heavily as it obviously should have as many viewed Sirianni as a head coach capable of ushering in new names from the same talented group and leading them to the top of the NFC once again.
Obviously, we were wrong.
This time around Philadelphia is turning to more experienced coordinators with Kellen Moore running the offense and Vic Fangio on the defense.
Neither man is expected to need much - if any - hand-holding, which is good since Sirianni's hands are clearly better served to hand coffee to protesting fans and sending obscene gestures to opposing sidelines.
This time, if it doesn't work, the leading man won't be able to hide behind the execution of his assistants and Mailata will once again be playing for a new coordinator and coach.
After all, that is, "the nature of the business."
