Nick Sirianni's message on 'death by inches' after Jalen Carter's bizarre act
The Philadelphia Eagles' locker room after a win is a sight to behold. Coach Nick Sirianni is often a whirlwind of emotion, screaming and firing up his players. It’s a beautiful chaos, the kind that wins championships. But behind that fervor lies a meticulous philosophy. It’s a culture built on something far more profound than just emotion.
That culture faced an immediate test on September 5th. Star defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected from the season opener against Dallas before even playing a snap. His transgression? Spitting on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. The bizarre act forced Sirianni into a delicate dance between disciplining a key player and fielding his best team. The NFL later fined Carter $57,222, considering his ejection a served suspension.
Sirianni’s response was predictably tight-lipped. He stated, “I'm going to keep everything that I do with him private.” This incident, however, provided a perfect window into his coaching mantra.
On Tuesday, Sirianni joined the 94WIP Morning Show and was immediately asked about balancing discipline with winning. He explained his core belief, stating, “You know, obviously that is my job—to win football games—but you’re constantly trying to help guys not only become better football players, but better men.” He then delivered his key message.
Sirianni warned, “There’s a death by inches when you don’t address mistakes, when you don’t correct them, and when you don’t hold people accountable.”
This "death by inches" isn't just about one player's mistake. "That includes myself, the coaches, and the players," Sirianni added. Meanwhile, Carter’s absence was immediately felt.
The defensive front lacked its usual interior push, allowing Dak Prescott to operate with uncomfortable ease. The new-look edge rushers failed to generate pressure, a concern that prompted the team to sign veteran Za’Darius Smith just days later. Sirianni praised the addition, noting, “I think he adds to a very deep room where we have a lot of confidence.” But the incident exposed a vulnerability that the front office is already working to fix.
Nick Sirianni's Culture of Accountability
Sirianni’s secretive handling of the situation is a feature, not a bug. He flatly refused to disclose any internal discipline for Carter, keeping all conversations private. This approach extends beyond one incident. He also highlighted A.J. Brown’s “mental toughness” for staying engaged despite seeing zero targets for nearly the entire game. This emphasis on doing your job, even when things go sideways, is what Sirianni is trying to protect.
Carter is now eligible to play against the Chiefs. While the league’s decision provides clarity, the real work happens within the NovaCare Complex. The Eagles pride themselves on a culture of relentless effort and accountability, principles that were showcased by their stellar special teams play in Week 1. Carter’s act was the antithesis of that.
Now, the Eagles fly to Kansas City for a Super Bowl rematch. All eyes will be on Carter, not just for his play, but for his composure. Sirianni’s message has been delivered. The inches matter. How the team responds will define their season.
Raiders DB Gets Into War of Words With Antonio Brown on Social Media
Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown isn’t in the news nearly as much these days. However, he still likes to make his presence known by posting offensive comments on his social media pages.
On Sunday, Las Vegas Raiders defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr. went viral on social media for posting photos and videos of himself wearing his full uniform despite having to stay home due to a broken fibula.
It was a lighthearted way for Johnson to still feel connected to his team despite not being able to play or travel due to the injury. On X, Brown took the photos of Johnson and captioned them “CTE of the day.”
The Raiders defensive back took issue with that and clapped back at the former wide receiver.
“Next time tag me (expletive) BOY,” Johnson wrote on X. “AINT YOU RUNNING FROM THE FEDS.”
Brown has had numerous run-ins with the law over the years, which is what Johnson is referencing. Also, there’s been much speculation that Brown actually sold his X account to somebody else who is pretending to be him. Johnson must not be up to date on that, as he’s likely not arguing with Brown himself. Regardless, there’s nothing wrong with Johnson finding unique ways to support his team.
Raiders Defense Played Well Without Johnson in Week 1
Unfortunately for Johnson, he’s likely not going to play this season as he continues to recover from his injury. It looked like he was going to be a key player for the team this season before he got hurt.
The Raiders seem keen on giving him another chance next year, but in the meantime, the defense looked strong in Week 1. They held the New England Patriots to just 13 points and only allowed three in the second half.
“Everybody is talking about the defense is going to be the weakness of our team, but it was great to come out and have that type of game,” safety Isaiah Pola-Mao said after the game. “You’ve got to build off that.”
There are still some concerns about the depth the Raiders have on defense, but for now, they’ve proven that it won’t be easy to walk all over them.
“Defense did a tremendous job in the second half to hold them down, getting off the field on the third downs and all of that, just playing tough as heck,” head coach Pete Carroll said.
Will Secondary Be Able to Hold Up?
The biggest concern on the defense is the secondary. The group is very young and there isn’t great depth.
They held up well in Week 1, but they might not have as easy a time against Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2.
Kyu Blu Kelly was a player who shot up the depth chart this offseason and became a starter. Carroll singled him out as a player who impressed him.
“I thought Kyu Blu did a nice job fighting to the hands without making something that impeded that receiver,” Carroll said. “I challenged both of them, and I thought those guys played really well.”
