Nick Sirianni

Q. Is Eagles QB Jalen Hurts through the concussion protocol? Will he play on Sunday? (Martin Frank)

NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, he made it through the protocol.

Q. How has he looked to you this week? (Dave Zangaro)

NICK SIRIANNI: He had a good week of practice. A really good week.

Q. Is there any update on Eagles WR A.J. Brown? How is he feeling? What are your expectations of him for practice today? (Eliot Shorr-Parks)

NICK SIRIANNI: You’ll see the injury report. Giving him some rest. At this stage in the season, been a long road, so giving him some rest yesterday to make sure that he’s in the best shape he can be to play on Sunday.

Q. How about the fact that Eagles QB Jalen Hurts hasn’t been able to practice, obviously the last few weeks, and now Eagles WR A.J. Brown hasn’t been on the field with him, to sort of reestablish the rhythm in front of this playoff game. (Tim McManus)

NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, they have worked a lot. They’ve got a lot of reps together. You know, prior to, you know, these last couple weeks, a lot, a lot of reps together. So that’s not a concern of mine. And I just feel like we’re in a good spot going into this game.

Q. As Eagles QB Jalen Hurts went through the protocol, how much was he able to do as far as film study? (Reuben Frank)

NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, not going to get too much into all what he did and what — there’s different rules for when you’re in it.

So again, just feel like he’s had a good week of practice, a good week of preparation, and now he’s ready to roll.

Q. You’ve only had three games this year with Eagles TE Dallas Goedert, WR A.J. Brown, and WR DeVonta Smith all together. Do you feel like there’s another gear where the passing game can come together in the postseason? (Zach Berman)

NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, obviously they are all three really, really good players. Any time you can have them all on the field at the same time, it’s a good thing. And so I think that’s a good question, and definitely those guys are — yeah, they are really good players. We are excited about the opportunity that they’ll have together.

Q. Given the nature of Eagles QB Jalen Hurts’ injury, obviously he’s a runner. How do you manage that? (Brooks Kubena)

NICK SIRIANNI: We are always careful with him. He’s our quarterback so we always want to be careful with him. I think that’s been a question I’ve probably got here since 2021, right?

So we always think about his health first and foremost because you never want him not to be on the field. You always want Jalen Hurts on the field. You always feel better when Jalen Hurts is on the field.

And so it’s always part of our process and our plan to make sure that when he does carry the football, you know, on planned runs that we try to protect him, and he protects himself when he’s on a scramble and stuff like that.

Q. What about Eagles QB Kenny Pickett as the backup with the rib injury? (Ed Kracz)

NICK SIRIANNI: We’ll see. We’ll get you the practice report from today but we’ll see as the week goes on. Again, he’s had a good week of practice as well on the scout team.

Q. Was Eagles S Lewis Cine someone you got to know during the draft process? (Zach Berman)

NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, obviously, [Eagles Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman] and his staff do such a good job of getting all of the information on guys. You get so many opportunities to talk to these guys, a lot of opportunities to talk to those guys, and I was impressed by him out in practice yesterday and doing — yesterday, and he made some good plays. You’ll see him in the locker room, right? Big guy, strong. Great size and really fast when I was watching him on some teams yesterday. Yeah, excited that he’s here.

Q. Eagles LB Zack Baun finished among linebackers in All-Pro voting. What can you say about how far he’s come and what he’s been able to do in his first year at a new position? (Reuben Frank)

NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, highly impressive. What you see with Zack is just a guy that’s tough, physical, loves football. Great work ethic, those guys that have all that, usually have an opportunity to reach their ceiling.

And he just keeps getting better, so I don’t think we know what his ceiling is. You know, he keeps getting better with every rep that he gets on the inside at linebacker. Very versatile, the different things that he can do. He’s worked really hard at that. You know, there’s – [Eagles defensive coordinator] Vic [Fangio] has done a great job of putting him in positions to succeed. [Eagles inside linebackers coach] Bobby King and [Eagles assistant linebackers/defensive quality control coach] Ronell Williams have done a great job of helping him get better with his fundamentals day in and day out.

[Eagles LB] Nakobe [Dean] has done a great job of playing right beside him. Can’t be great without the greatness of others. So the defensive line has done a good job of allowing him to run and make plays, the way they take on blocks, and again, it takes everybody but all the credit, most of the credit goes to Zack because he’s gone out there and did it and played at a very high level for the entire year. I’m proud of him and proud of all the things that he’s accomplished this first year as an Eagle.

Q. You’ve been around Eagles RT Lane Johnson for a while. What have you seen from him this season that you didn’t know in the past, either in the locker room or on the field? (Chris Franklin)

NICK SIRIANNI: Lane is the best offensive lineman in the NFL. I have no doubt about that. I think — but you said “knew.”

I’ve known Lane has been the best offensive lineman in the NFL from the moment I got here and all of the things. I think Lane is a phenomenal leader. He’s always, always talking and helping — helping out the younger guys, and always, you know, very — what is it — very — just when the scout team is giving them — complementary is not the word, but just so thankful for the scout team that they help him get getter as a football player. I love the connection he has with his teammates and the offensive linemen.

I guess you just, every time you have an opportunity to be around Lane and watch him play, I can’t tell you how many times I’m watching the tape and I’m like, ‘Man, this guy is one of the best football players in the world. This guy is the best offensive lineman in the world.

Like I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched the pass protection and said that to myself or paused it and said it to the offensive staff when we’re watching tape together because he does things that are so, like, crazy athletic and for how big he is. One thing I like to say to guys on the offensive staff, too, is when you watch him move his feet in pass pro and get his hands on a guy, but just how he moves his feet. I go, ‘If you guys think you can score one bucket on Lane Johnson in basketball, you are dead wrong. He would lock you up. I don’t care how many points you averaged in high school.’

He’s the best offensive lineman in the world, and I have no doubt in my mind about that. I love him. I love everything that he brings to this football team as a player, as a leader, as a person. He’s a great teammate. But I keep going back to, yeah, best offensive lineman in the world.

Q. What would make Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore a good head coach? (Bo Wulf)

NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, I think Kellen is very detailed in everything that he does. Very smart. Played at a very high level and done this at a very high level, so can relate to the players in that aspect.

Puts the guys in good positions to succeed. Can lead men. Is a good leader of men. You know, as I get to sit here and watch him install the offense, you know, just you can see that and you can say, ‘Man, he’d be great in front of the team.’ He’s in front of the offense right now but man, he’d be great in front of the entire team, inspiring the team, getting his message across to the team, coaching football to the team. You know, coaching the ins and outs of football.

You know, just can’t say enough good things about what he’s done here as our coordinator, how much I think of him as a play-caller and offensive coordinator. I think of him very highly as a person. A great man of character and everything he stands for. I think he would be — yeah, I should temper — a great head coach. I have no doubt in my mind. He will be a great head coach.