Eagles’ Vic Fangio shuts down Nick Sirianni play calling claim

As Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has been getting flack, especially after the team barely won against the Cleveland Browns, he is also getting some heat for saying he had a hand in the defensive play calling. This isn’t the only event where Sirianni has been getting negativity like his interactions with fans last Sunday, but on the topic of the original issue, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio would downplay the thought of the head coach being involved with the defense.

Fangio would clarify to the media Tuesday that Sirianni did not call a defensive play during the win over the Eagles, but instead provided input in being aware of areas in the game according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of WIP.

“It wasn’t a defensive call. It was just a situation thing to where he just said ‘hey, be alert for this.’ He didn’t call a defense,” Fangio said.

Eagles’ Nick Sirianni clarifies his comments on calling a play on defense

The Philadelphia defensive coordinator would later say that Sirianni isn’t any different than other head coaches he’s worked with in terms of his involvement with the defense. After the game Sunday, Sirianni would claim that he “made a call on defense” according to Sports Illustrated.

“I did that on defense one time as well,” Sirianni said. “I made a call on defense. It didn’t work out just so you know. I’ll put that out there. That wasn’t on [Defensive Coordinator] Vic [Fangio]. I won’t tell you which play. I’m going to do that from time to time. This time it didn’t work. That’s on nobody else but me.”

Sirianni, the Eagles coach who was sporting a new bald look, was followed up with a question Monday and gave more insight into his statements the day before.

“I think it’s very common in the NFL when the head coach gets on and says, ‘Attack; concede; come on, let’s get after these guys.’ I think that is where that comes from,” Sirianni said. “Then there are personal philosophies that I have of how to play certain situations that you talk through. So it wouldn’t be fair for me to have the philosophies that I have, and push that on my coaches, and then not take accountability for it when the play doesn’t work.”