Eagles' Consistent 'Luck' With Injuries Isn't Random

PHILADELPHIA - Rewind to February of last year, and the Eagles had 21 of their 22 starters ready to go in what turned into a Super Bowl LIX rout of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Fast forward to Sunday in South Philadelphia, and the Eagles are again poised to have 21 of 22 starters when they kick off the postseason on Wild Card Weekend against the San Francisco 49ers, a team devastated by injuries on the defensive side of the football.

Although there are 60 minutes of football to play, the Niners will need to fend off attrition, along with the reigning Super Bowl champs, in order to pull off an upset.

On Friday during Philadelphia’s final practice before the game, all 53 available Eagles players were participating in some form.

There is usually something behind what is often perceived as random good fortune, especially when the “luck” starts to feel consistent.

Go back to Super Bowl LVII, and the Eagles had all 22 starters at their disposal.

Extended Run Of Good Luck

Sep 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman looks on prior to the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

At some point, coincidence should be ruled out.

Nick Sirianni was asked about the organization's philosophy regarding injury prevention and maintenance, as well as load management, and practice length.

"Everything that's on that field, and I look at everything as my responsibility, every single thing that shows up,” the Eagles’ coach said. “Definitely, [the organizational philosophy is] a big part of it.”

Most recently, many questioned why the Eagles laid up in Week 18 when there was still an opportunity to jump up to the No. 2 seed in the NFC.

Sirianni defaulted to what he could control – resting key starters – rather than crossing his fingers that help from elsewhere would come through. The result wasn't want the Eagles wanted but the team is comfortable with its process.

“At the end of the day, the head coach has to make the decisions on how much you practice, when you practice, when you take some time off,” said Sirianni. “... As a head coach, you have to make sure you're doing the things to make sure your guys are fresh while also making sure they're ready for that football game and making sure that their skills are being sharpened and ironed out every single day of the week.

“There's always a balance with that.”

The data points to the conclusion that the Eagles are handling that balance better than anyone else.

"Every part of that in my mind is my responsibility, but I have great people to help me out,” Sirianni explained. “But that's the mode you always have to be in as a head football coach of-- and I think that's the only way to really look at it and get better continuously when you're putting yourself through the grinder on every different thing because everything out there is mine and Howie's [GM Howie Roseman] responsibility."

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