Nick Sirianni Recalls Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll's Influence on His Career

Former coaching colleagues Nick Sirianni and Brian Daboll will face off against each other this weekend at MetLife Stadium.

Author:
Patricia Traina
Publish date:
Dec 7, 2022 10:17 AM EST

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New York Giants

The NFL might employ thousands, but when it comes to the coaching rank, it's quite the small world.

And this week, when the New York Giants host the Kansas City Chiefs, there will be a reunion between two coaching colleagues from their days on Romeo Crennel's Chiefs staff: Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and Giants head coach Brian Daboll.

Sirianni and Daboll crossed paths in 2012 when Siriani was the receivers coach, and Daboll was the offensive coordinator. That year, the Chiefs went 2-14, the offense finishing dead last in the league in scoring, and in passing yards while finishing fifth in rushing.

Crennel was fired after the season, replaced by Andy Reid, who had been let go by the Eagles. Daboll, meanwhile, left the team to join Bill Belichick's Patriots staff, while Sirianni, who had been on the Chiefs staff since 2009, became an offensive quality control coach for the Chargers.

"It wasn’t by any means a year that either of us probably want to remember," Sirianni recalled during his daily press briefing with Eagles beat writers on Monday.

"It was my first year as a position coach. Brian was our coordinator. We didn’t have a great year as far as statistically, record-wise--all those things."

Won-loss record aside, the offensive-minded Sirianni recalls Daboll being a willing mentor who helped expand his mind from the offensive side of things and taught him how to view the game from the defense's perspective.

"I always felt like he took me under his wing and said, 'I’m going to help this guy,'" Sirianni said. "I felt that way about myself and Jim Bob Cooter--he took us under his wing and wanted to teach us as much as he possibly could because I think he always would say he saw something in us, and he wanted to contribute to our success as coaches. And he did that."

Sirianni, who said he's stayed in touch with Daboll through the years, said that the two, who would sometimes go out to scout players together, especially bonded over wide receiver play and the passing game.

As Sirianni, who, like Daboll, hails from Western New York, grew in his role as an NFL offensive-minded coach, that knowledge he picked up from Daboll is showing up these days, particularly among the Eagles receivers.

According to Football Outsiders, A.J. Brown (13th) and DaVonta Smith (18th) are among the top 20 receivers in the league with a higher DYAR (Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement), a stat representing total value.

"I feel like he took me like any good coach does, you’re here, and you want them to be able to take you to the next level and then some. That’s what we try to do with players--how can we get these guys to raise their game to another level.

"Well, Brian Daboll did that for me as a coach. I felt like I was here, and he took me a couple of levels higher because of the things he taught me about offense, about defensive football. I just have so much respect for him and appreciate everything he has done for my career because he made me a way better coach just being around him for a year."