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It wasn't long ago that Nick Sirianni was a young, inexperienced offensive coordinator hoping to put his stamp on the NFL.
So the Philadelphia Eagles head coach expressed confidence in young, first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion while speaking highly of his work ethic.
Mannion is just 34 and only three seasons removed from being an NFL backup quarterback. But Mannion will be tasked with turning around the Eagles offense, which struggled mightily in Kevin Patullo's lone season as offensive coordinator.
Nick Sirianni is Confident in Sean Mannion's Work Ethic
Mannion has the weight of one of the most intense fanbases on his shoulders, with the added pressure of a crossroads season for quarterback Jalen Hurts and fewer proven wideout options after the A.J. Brown-to-New England trade.
But Sirianni has seen reasons to expect greatness from the rookie OC.
"I'm not at all concerned as far as [Mannion's] inexperience because he's worked his a-- off," Sirianni said according to ESPN.com, "and I know that he'll work his a-- off to be as ready as he possibly can [for Week 1]."
Sirianni is set to enter his sixth season as Eagles coach and has already been to the Super Bowl twice. He has set a hardworking, blue-collar culture that Eagles fans have rallied around.
According to ESPN reporter Tim McManus, Mannion has passed every pop quiz that Sirianni has thrown at him and has been at the Eagles facility constantly. McManus also reported that Mannion drove through a snowstorm to get back to Philadelphia from Green Bay after there were no flights available.
Nick Sirianni is Getting More Hands-On in 2026
Part of Sirianni's tests has been to keep Mannion on his toes, since the head coach realizes his OC will have more time constraints in his new role.
So Sirianni has considered people who are adaptable and coachable, when building a staff and roster. His own adaptation will be getting more hands on in 2026, after largely serving as a CEO-style coach through his first five seasons.
He was accused by pundits of not taking the wheel amid Patullo's play-calling struggles last season, even though Sirianni was hired after a decade-plus as an NFL offensive coach.
But rigidity reveals nothing, and staying flexible is a huge part of Sirianni's culture.
"That's football," Sirianni said. "You have to adapt in game. You have to adapt in season, you have to adapt to all different styles of how you coach different people."
