The Philadelphia Eagles might have made the playoffs last season, but for head coach Nick Sirianni, that one-and-done appearance was anything but a sigh of relief. This dude led them to a Super Bowl win just two seasons ago, but right now, things are looking shaky. Seriously, the vibes are off in the locker room, and the offensive unit has been stuck in neutral for significant stretches. It’s no secret, and the 2026 regular season hasn’t even kicked off yet.
Philly’s Culture Clash Is Getting Public
You can’t hide everything behind a Super Bowl ring. Sirianni’s struggles last season were so deep, his pick for offensive coordinator, Kevin Patullo, was under fire the entire campaign, and yeah, they finally parted ways this offseason. We’re talking about bickering between key offensive components making its way into the public eye because the unit just couldn’t get anything going. The biggest casualty? Three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver AJ Brown, traded to the New England Patriots. Losing that kind of talent because of internal issues? That’s rough.
Sirianni himself told reporters last month that “It’s no secret. Our best teams since I’ve been here have been the closest teams. We believe in that very much.” And you know what? He’s right. When your culture is crumbling, everything else follows. The Eagles have the talent to make another deep playoff run, no doubt. Most of that offense is still there, and they brought in first-round rookie Makai Lemon and Dontayvion Wicks to try and fill that huge hole left by Brown. Defensively, Johnathan Greenard is in, replacing Jaelan Phillips who went to Carolina, and Riq Woolen is seen as an upgrade at cornerback. But the NFC East looks tougher than ever on paper, with all three other teams appearing improved. If Sirianni can’t fix this locker room and get his team back on track, Philly might not hesitate to make a move to capitalize on this current core’s championship window.
Zac Taylor’s Seat Is Warming Up in Cincinnati
Across the league, another coach who should be feeling the heat is Zac Taylor with the Cincinnati Bengals. They haven’t even sniffed the postseason since 2022. Ouch. Now, Taylor might be a little more comfortable than some others on this hot seat list, but only because his organization is notoriously frugal. Still, no playoffs since 2022? That’s a long time in this league.
Paul Dehner Jr. from The Athletic spilled the beans on Taylor’s contract, reporting that “Contrary to prior reports, Taylor actually has two years remaining on his contract after this [2025] season, not one.” He signed a five-year extension after their Super Bowl season and even reached the AFC Championship Game back in 2022. But what have you done for me lately, right? That goodwill only lasts so long, even for a frugal team.
August might be all about excitement and hope for every NFL squad, but for guys like Sirianni and Taylor, the reality is way harsher. These coaches are under immense pressure, forced to compartmentalize and just focus on the daily grind. But you can’t deny that for some, their standing is already uncomfortable, even before a single snap of the 2026 regular season. The coaching carousel has been wild, and while the league might not want to turn over a third of its head coaches every offseason, if these guys don’t deliver, those seats will go from simmering to fully enflamed real quick. What happens next is everything for their careers and their franchises.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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