Turning Adversity into Success

Last week’s Super Bowl LIX served as a poignant moment in the coaching careers of both team’s head coaches.

Nick Sirianni’s journey- marked by setbacks, challenges & resilience- felt like a full stop on a chapter that many were reluctant to read.

Despite taking the Eagles to the Super Bowl less than two years previously & boasting the third best winning percentage of all time, headlines such as “NFL hot seat coaches: Nick Sirianni among those on notice”were ever-present this season.

Similarly, Andy Reid- fired by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012 after 14 years as head coach- was unable to repeat the 2023 victory his Chiefs achieved over his former side.

Both coaches, fired from previous positions have navigated the path to becoming Super Bowl champions.

Even with their Super Bowl successes, the precariousness of their roles remains ever-present.

Sirianni’s leash, whilst for the time being slightly slacker, remains a head coach forced to ‘embrace adversity’- something he repeatedly referred to in post-game interviews.

And despite being a single game away from being the first franchise to ever achieve the three-peat, Andy Reid has faced plenty of external criticism in the fall-out.

There’s much for head coaches to learn from the staying-power of these two coaches who’ve battled through (and continue to do so) the volatility of the role.

As the saying goes, a ‘the phoenix must burn to emerge’…

Accepting Mistakes to Evolve

Whilst typically having a few months or even years to ruminate as a fired head coach before an unguaranteed next opportunity, Andy Reid was hired by the Chiefs the day.

During this period of accelerated introspection, Reid understood the need for reinvention both on-field & in his leadership if he was to achieve success at the second time of asking.

Embracing the changing landscape of NFL offenses at the time, Reid evolved his offensive thinking to better suit the playing talents at his disposal at the Chiefs.

His new team also profited from the introspection their new head coach undertook into how his rigid structure had hindered the Eagles’ on field ability.

It was in his leadership, however, that Reid made the most significant transformation with greater emphasis on building relationships and communicating more transparently.

Listening to Reid in press-conferences, the word “love” is frequently mentioned.

An autocratic leader in Philadelphia, Reid sought to better empower his assistant coaches & coordinators allowing freedom to oversee the team from a wider angle.

Seeing Adversity as an Opportunity

Sirianni’s first season at the Eagles’ helm produced mixed results which forced him to reshape his approach.

With criticism in no short supply, Sirianni oversaw an adaptation in the way the team played on offense which resulted in a playoff appearance.

Similarly, after a period of "mourning" following Super Bowl LVII, Sirianni made key changes to the way the team was coached- identifying the need to better prepare the team for late-game, high pressured scenarios.

He recognized the loss as an opportunity to drive the team to new heights. It’s a reminder to every head coach that you can’t sit on your philosophies; you’re in the constant business of tweaking & looking for ways to get better.

Of the 2022 loss, he noted “We’re grateful for that. We're thankful for that."

Embracing Adversity 

Another subplot to Super Bowl LIX was that Reid had fired Sirianni as wide receivers coach in 2013. Sirianni was also subsequently fired by both the Chargers & Colts.

His hiring as head coach by the Eagles in 2021 is, therefore, testament to both his resilience & willingness to learn & adapt.

For his detractors, it also served as ammunition as to why his hiring was an error.

Sirianni chose to embrace the criticism & use it as motivation whilst even incorporating it into the Eagle’s identity.

No one embodies Philadelphia’s “No one likes us, we don’t care” attitude quite like the Eagles head coach.

Circling the wagons.

Sirianni’s spoken of doubling down on his values & what he knows to be true in the face of adversity. He showed his players that in tough times he would be there for them, stand by them and, ultimately, lead them to great heights.

“If you let adversity shape you, it will.”

 Trusting the Process

Reid is known for his composure & remaining constant in the face of criticism. What both head coaches have shown that the key to success lies in maintaining a long-term vision & the daily pursuit of the process over the outcome.

Given the average tenure of an NFL head coach is under three years, adhering to a long-term plan can be challenging, especially in the wake of adversity.

In his first season in charge, Sirianni compared the Eagles to a flower requiring the constancy of conditions in order to bloom.

The analogy, ridicule aside, illustrated his commitment to incremental improvements.

"I’m not going to panic. I’m going to stick with what I believe in and stay steady. That’s what I’ve always done."

 

“You can’t be great without the greatness of others”

The overriding theme of his post-Super Bowl speech was Sirianni’s celebration of not only the players but the entire organization.

As well as demonstrating the flexibility to evolve & adapt their on-field style, both coaches have prioritized their nurturing of relationships with players & staff.

Even after Travis Kelce’s side-line confrontation in the 2024 Super Bowl, Andy Reid’s response to questions about it was “he knew he could help the team, and how do you argue with that?”

Trust. Love. Care.

Following the tough start to this season & the clear effect the pressure was having on him, Sirianni was confronted by some senior players to bring back his old spirit. Defensive end Brandon Graham publicly reinforced the support they had for him; “we got his back because Philly can be hard- I know all about it.”

Adversity is a given in performance sport. It’s perhaps also the greatest litmus test of the strength of the organization & the fortitude of the relationships that form the bedrock.

The volatility of being an NFL head coach is as clear as it is unlikely to change.

The success of both Andy Reid & Nick Sirianni should serve as examples of coaches who’ve navigated their way through firings, criticism, Super Bowl losses to achieve the highest success.

In fact, accepting & embracing adversity can be the greatest development a coach can achieve.

It’s in the eye of the beholder.