Nick Sirianni’s speaking out after Jake Elliott’s tough night on Thursday Night Football. The Super Bowl 52 champ had a rough outing, but the coach is cool about it. He’s got the full scoop on Elliott’s future in Philadelphia.
Despite the slip-up, Sirianni’s backing his placekicker. Will Elliott bounce back, or is this the start of a tough stretch? Let’s break it all down — Eagles fans, don’t panic just yet!
Nick Sirianni Says Jake Elliott’s Misses Won’t Shake His Faith
Jake Elliott’s Thursday was a legitimate nightmare in Week 11 — two missed field goals and an extra point gone rogue. However, Eagles head coach Sirianni is not sweating it. In fact, he’s so chill about Elliott’s uncharacteristic miss-fest that you’d think the kicker was just running a drill. On “The Pat McAfee Show,” Sirianni couldn’t have been more confident.
“We have so much faith in Jake. He’s made so many kicks here, so many big-time kicks here, dating back to before I got here, and then ever since I’ve been here, he’s made some big-time kicks,” Sirianni said.
“I mean, shoot, you put on that Buffalo film from last year, it’s a big-time kick to help us go into overtime and win that game. And it’s just, he’s been clutch ever since I’ve been here, and, you know, just an unusual game for him.”
"We have so much faith in Jake Elliott and he's made so many big time kicks for us..
I have no doubt that this team is gonna rally around him and we know that he's gonna respond" ~ Coach Sirianni #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/VMCxko9WOD
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 15, 2024
Sure, Elliott’s rough night didn’t stop Philadelphia from improving to 8-2 with a solid 26-18 win over Washington, but it was a weird one for the usually rock-solid kicker. Yet Sirianni wasn’t fazed.
“I have no doubt in my mind that this team will rally around that. … We know that he’s clutch. We know that he’s coming back next week. … I’m just looking forward to the next time he gets out there and has an opportunity to set straight; I got so much faith in Jake,” the coach added, reassuring everyone that the kicker would bounce back.
Despite his hiccups, Elliott still nailed the key kicks when needed, pushing the Eagles to a 16-point lead late in the game. With a little over a week to reset, Elliott will look to bounce back in L.A. in Week 12. Sirianni has one word for that: “Faith.” And if you ask us, that’s a pretty good word to go by in Philly.
Jason Kelce’s retirement: Sirianni on Replacing the Eagles Legend
The former Philadelphia center Jason Kelce called it a career after 13 seasons. Kelce was pivotal in the Eagles’ Super Bowl 52 win and redefined the “tush push” with his leadership on the line.
Sirianni spoke candidly on the loss during a Nov. 15, 2024 appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” acknowledging the challenge of replacing the former champ’s impact: “When you lose a player like Jason Kelce, who made that thing [the tush push] go … it’s always tough.”
However, Sirianni praised Cam Jurgens, Kelce’s successor, who benefitted from learning under the legend last season.
"Jason Kelce was a big part of making that play go and Cam has done a great job for us..
I can't say enough good things about Mekhi Beckton and I love that he's on this football team..
I still call it a Quarterback sneak" 😂😂
Coach Sirianni #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/NzT0E9gVwH
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 15, 2024
With Kelce now hosting a podcast and contributing to “Monday Night Countdown,” his legacy will live on beyond the field.