Nick Sirianni chirps Eagles fans, Kenny Albert learns a lesson, and more highlights from the broadcast
Philly fans booed Sirianni at halftime and called for his job. After the win, he appeared to get into with fans, but said he was “just excited.”
After a week without the Birds, the stands were full again at Lincoln Financial Field, and the rest of the city of Philadelphia is back on the couch watching the Birds.
It truly looked like an incredible day at the tailgates Sunday, with a wedding, an engagement, and a Jason Kelce cameo appearance in the parking lots pregame. If you were in the lots living your best life — or if you were too busy doing some other fun fall activity — here’s everything you missed during the broadcast of the Birds’ win over the Browns …
Was Nick Sirianni chirping Eagles fans?
After the Eagles knelt out a 20-16 win over the Browns, Nick Sirianni was spotted on the sideline yelling at someone behind him. The crowd wasn’t visible in the shot, so it’s not clear exactly who Sirianni may have been yelling at — it might not have been directed at Eagles fans or even negative at all, but the crowd was not giving him an easy time on Sunday. At the end of the first half, the Eagles exited the field to boos and chants of “Fire Nick!”
» READ MORE: Eagles squeak past the lowly Browns, 20-16, as A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith return with TD catches
Naturally, fans watching at home speculated he might have been chirping the fans seated behind the Eagles bench.
While it appeared as though all may not be sunny in Philadelphia, even after a Birds win, Sirianni said after the broadcast that he was just fired up for the win.
“Just excited,” Sirianni told reporters. “Just excited to get the win. Our fans created a couple false starts that really helped us win this football game, but just excited to get the win. Appreciate the Linc’s support.”
Speaking of those Boo Birds …
The crowd chanting “Fire Nick!” and booing the team as it continued to struggle on offense and defense had Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma shocked to hear the jeers.
» READ MORE: The Eagles win ugly, but show signs of promise late for a Philly sports landscape with a bleak outlook
“I don’t know why the Eagles crowd is booing, that’s just great defense,” Vilma said after the Eagles failed to convert in the red zone following two false-start penalties and a failed third-and-14 attempt.
Do you really not know? Really? This is Philadelphia.
Cooper DeWhat?
Cooper DeJean’s last name is pronounced like jeans, not like jawn. Not knowing that as a random Browns fan in understandable, but the broadcasters should probably know better. Unfortunately, on DeJean’s first punt return of the game, Kenny Albert pronounced the Eagles rookie’s name closer to “DeJohn” or Dijon mustard.
Albert is one of the best, calling his 500th game Sunday — and he’s a busy man, what with the Rangers season starting back up last week. He even received a cake in the booth!
For the second half, Albert took the criticism to heart, pronouncing DeJean’s name correctly when calling his strong defensive plays in the third quarter. That’s what makes Albert great.
» READ MORE: Eagles grades: Coaching gets a mixed review, but the defense held up in a win against the Browns
Mike Trout takes in his first Birds game of the year
Mike Trout likes baseball, sure. But he loves the Eagles. The South Jersey native is a diehard Birds fan and a staple at Lincoln Financial Field in the MLB offseason. On Sunday against the Browns, Trout made his first appearance at the Linc in 2024, and he brought his son, Beckham, with him. Start them young, Mike.
Vilma admits being ‘dead wrong’
Being an announcer is hard. There’s only so much you can see on any angle, and you’re expected to be the authority on everything that happens.
But Vilma totally blew it after a flag on Amari Cooper in the red zone in the fourth quarter. The Super Bowl champ confidently explained it would be a defensive pass interference call on Kelee Ringo while watching the replay — until the official came out and confirmed it was a actually a face-mask penalty on Cooper.
“Wow, I was dead wrong,” Vilma admitted.
Fox proceeded to show another angle that made the face mask clear, which explained why Ringo didn’t turn around and make a play on the ball.