Nick Sirianni
Q. Who isn’t playing on Sunday? (Jimmy Kempski)
NICK SIRIANNI: [S] Rodney [McLeod] will be out.
Q. Just Rodney? (Jimmy Kempski)
NICK SIRIANNI: Just Rodney.
Q. Do you expect a role for OL Landon Dickerson at all, maybe special teams? (Ed Kracz)
NICK SIRIANNI: We’ll hold that close to us, just for right now.
Q. What went into the decision to practice at The Linc today? (Eliot Shorr-Parks)
NICK SIRIANNI: We’re going to play there on Sunday.
[Laughter].
I’m not saying it like that [smiling]. But it is, it really is the main reason why is so, hey, we’re playing there Sunday. We have an easy trip to get over there. Not every stadium is right next to their facility. If it matters this much, it’s worth it, right?
So the receivers get to see the ball a certain way in that stadium. The DBs get to see the ball. Jake, Jalen get to feel the wind and how that moves in that stadium. Just the surroundings of being there getting ready, just practicing, executing plays in that stadium. I do really believe — is it a huge difference? Not a huge difference. Even if it’s that much, it’s worth our time to go over there.
The other thing is that’s our home field. If you get eight games or ten games at that stadium, imagine how much more it feels like your home than when you’re 20 games. So put a lot of thought into that. There was one place I’ve done that before in the past. I always thought that was really a good idea. It was in Kansas City. The stadium was close to the practice facility, and that’s why we do it.
Q. So that’s your plan to continue that throughout the season when you are home? (John McMullen)
NICK SIRIANNI: Obviously, that can change here and there. That can change based off the weather, and different things go into it. That’s my initial plan. Just being ready to adjust just like we do in a game.
Q. Has S Marcus Epps been through the concussion protocol? Is he available? (Ed Kracz)
NICK SIRIANNI: Tomorrow? We’ll find out in the morning, yeah.
Q. You obviously knew Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon really well from working with him in Indianapolis, but in seeing him in this new role, what have you learned about him that you maybe didn’t know? (Bo Wulf)
NICK SIRIANNI: I knew he was a great leader, but now he’s leading an entire group. I just see his leadership skills. I already knew he was really good with fundamentals and technique, especially at the DB spot, and then also with his scheme. Now just to see his leadership role amongst an entire group instead of just a position group, in front of an entire group as a coordinator instead of a position group, that’s really been fun to see.
He’s the same guy, though. Same energy and same insane energy and knowledge of football.
Q. With his background with DBs, does that put you a little more at ease with the injuries you do have in the secondary? How do you feel about your secondary right now? (Mike Kaye)
NICK SIRIANNI: I feel good about our secondary. They played a good game. They’ve been practicing well in the past. They’ve had a good week of practice this week, so I’m really confident in them. I think we’ve got some good playmakers back there.
Q. We saw some of the veterans get a rest designation on Wednesday. What goes into that? Is that something you want to continue all year? (Dave Zangaro)
NICK SIRIANNI: Just like we do in the season, it’s always about the players’ health and making sure they’re fresh for the game. That’s something that each individual week we’ll talk about and we’ll think through. That was the Wednesday plan, though, coming off the game on Sunday.
Q. You protected four practice squad players. Obviously, you can do that. Didn’t activate any last week. What goes into the decision whether or not you’re going to bring somebody up for the game? (Ed Kracz)
NICK SIRIANNI: You are limited in how many times you can actually bring somebody up. It’s just the guys that maybe the position’s thin, special teams is always taken into account, the style of offense or defense that the team plays against you, that always takes into account like who might you need up, who might need a rest, et cetera.
So there’s a lot of factors that go into it, those three being the main ones.
Q. In the week of game planning though, how early does that decision have to be made between you and Executive Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman? (Mike Kaye)
NICK SIRIANNI: Because you’re dealing with the second group, I mean, it’s not — the first part of the week is talking about the guys that are going to be up and are going to be down and who’s healthy and who’s not. So really pretty much — and then it’s kind of the next level, that Wednesday, Thursday, the other stuff happening Monday, Tuesday.
Q. Was that the top shirt in the pile, or is there a specific reason for that shirt? (Zach Berman)
NICK SIRIANNI: [Jokingly] Somebody sent me this shirt, and I liked it and put it on. Just supporting [QB] Jalen [Hurts]. I like to connect with those guys through wearing their shirts. Also, just supporting them, letting them know I believe in them.
Q. Handling success can be a little bit different than adversity. How do you get a feel for the players this week? Can you get a feel? Do you know where you are by Friday? (John McMullen)
NICK SIRIANNI: I think the message has been clear ever since the beginning. We had a talk about adversity. You kind of think — somebody asked me about do you have a talk for each thing, and I kind of said I do, but we had a talk about adversity, and when adversity hits. Because it’s going to hit, right? And how you handle that.
What are the things that you really believe in that you double down on when adversity hits? Well, that’s the same thing when you have success too. It’s got to be the same mindset. So my message to them was, if you stick to the things that you really believe in and you double down on the things that you really believe in — connect, compete, accountability, football IQ, fundamentals — and you double down on that, no matter if you win or if you lose, you’re going to set yourself up to be in good shape because we know those are the things that help you win and lose games.
So that’s been the message, but I think the guys have really handled it this week great. We know it’s one game. It’s round one. That just can never be forgotten. We’re not thinking about that game. We’re thinking only about this game this coming week.
Q. Your connection to the players, obviously, things are going well now. When they’re not, do you have a temper? How do you handle it? (Jeff McLane)
NICK SIRIANNI: I have a temper when things go well. So yeah, both and. I’m a yeller and screamer whether it’s good or whether it’s bad. I mean, as far as — I’m not going to change based — they’ve got to look at me and know that I’m the same guy no matter what, right? It’s not all nice out there when we’re out there, whether it’s coaches, players, whatever.
I would say I think I’m the same whether we’re winning or we’re losing, but we’ve only got one game in there, so I’ve got to practice what I preach.
Q. How do you handle your temper? Is it something that you want to fix? (Jeff McLane)
NICK SIRIANNI: My temper?
Q. Your temper, yes. I’m talking about if you do have. We’ve seen it a little bit out on the field. I’m just wondering behind the doors. (Jeff McLane)
NICK SIRIANNI: I was just teasing a little bit to a point. No, I don’t think I have an issue with temper. I know I kind of answered you two different ways there. I think it’s an intensity, like hey, there’s a standard that is set, and if you meet the standard, then we’re really excited about it. If you don’t meet the standard, then we’ve got to correct it.
Sometimes that correction is made in ways where you’re yelling. Sometimes that correction is made in ways that you’re teaching. Sometimes that correction is made in the film room. Sometimes it’s made in the practice room. So it’s all different based off different circumstances. I mean, that’s kind of how I handle that.
Q. When you look at WR DeVonta Smith, it seems like there’s two different sides of him. When he’s with us, he’s pretty quiet, but inside he’s dancing in the locker room and that stuff. When did you first notice that side of DeVonta, and what do you think about it? (Martin Frank)
NICK SIRIANNI: I see a little bit more of the side you see. Sometimes you’d be surprised as well with coaches sometimes it’s similar. Maybe we see a little bit more. I’ve said this a couple times about a couple different guys in my career, like, ‘Hey, he’s really quiet,’ and guys will laugh at me, like, ‘No, he’s not.’
We do. We’ve seen it. I don’t want to say like when you’re in there talking ball with him, he’s not quiet, right? This is something that he knows well. He studies it hard. He’s obsessed with his craft of getting better and loves wide receiver play, loves the details of the game. So that’s where you see it. That’s where I guess I’ve seen it more than not is just talking ball with him in general.
Q. Heading into week one, you emphasized the advantage that you guys had, people not knowing what your offense was going to look like. Now that there’s some tape out there, what becomes important so you keep defenses off balance? (Tim McManus)
NICK SIRIANNI: Just knowing your tendencies and knowing the things that you do and being able to balance those off, marry things together from that really is the most important thing.
Again, you’re getting ready for a certain style of defense, and then you’re going to get ready for a different style of defense. So there’s still only one game, but we’ve always got to make sure that we know what our tendencies are with a lot of different things because we know the defensive coordinators in this league are really good and they look at a lot of different things as well.
Q. Is there a pregame routine or gameday routine that you have? (Zach Berman)
NICK SIRIANNI: Back when I played, and even when I first started coaching, it was like I was very superstitious about a lot of different things. It was like it got like it bogged me down a little bit. As a coach, when I became a coach — maybe I did it for the first couple years, and then I’m like, ‘I can’t keep up with this.’
I guess my superstition, or my routine is to not be superstitious. That’s really the fact. I think a lot of coaches are, and they’ll be like, ‘Whoa, we sat here last week.’ I’ll purposely sit somewhere else. That’s just me.
Q. I saw you in the preseason game kind of look up, I assume, to your family in the stands. Is that something you do? (Zach Berman)
NICK SIRIANNI: I do. Now that I know exactly where they are sitting, I can look up and do my little things with my son. Me and my son have a little wave from afar. So that’s really it.
Q. What was it about Mike Hill’s DAWG culture that resonated with you when you were in Indianapolis that made you want to bring it here to Philadelphia. How has it resonated? (Ed Kracz)
NICK SIRIANNI: Really, the shirt – [Colts WR] Zach Pascal, our receiver in Indianapolis, he had the shirts and passed them out. There are different ways of saying dog mentality. Different places, I’ve had different things, but there’s a story I have about dogs, and I’m not going to go into that whole story. It takes about 15 minutes to tell the story. I’m not going to bore anybody.
Just that me seeing them is that no matter what, when they go hunt, regardless of what happened the week before, they’re ready to go. Whether they got shutout, whether they won by 40, whether they didn’t do good on third down, whatever it is — again, I’m talking about the dogs. They went out, and the gates opened for them to hunt, and they went out and hunt. So that’s what that is about.
The shirt, I’ve told that story for a number of years now. When Zach Pascal had that shirt, and we were all like, ‘Man, that shirt’s cool,’ that kind of tied it in together there. So it wasn’t — I don’t really know Mike. Happy for his business. I heard it’s doing well now. I don’t really know him or his story all that well, to be a hundred percent honest with you.
Q. Just in general terms, when you talk about game planning, getting ready for your next opponent, where do you start? Do you start with, okay, this guy’s going to be really difficult on the opposition? Or do you start with yourself? (John McMullen)
NICK SIRIANNI: Again, everything’s got to start with yourself, but everything is taken into account, right? I say it always, always, always starts with players. So it starts with how am I going to get these guys the football, right? Or how are we as a staff going to be able to get these certain guys the football? And what do they do well?
Okay, this guy has speed. Okay, we have these certain things in there for speed and that we’ve done in our past. This guy has a great feel. All right, well, let’s get these things in there.
Then it goes to, okay, we have this group — without getting too much into it, but we have this group of feel routes that are really important to have. Well, does this feel route look good against the coverages and the fronts that they’re running? Does this feel route look good? So, it kind of goes like that.
Then once you go through all that too, then you’ve got to think about who they have. So it all kind of comes together. I think, if you just went out and said, ‘I’m going to do all these feel routes,’ your game plan would be — it’s kind of cool how it plays out because your game plan would be this monster sheet, huge sheet of things that you couldn’t get repped or practiced. So it kind of whittles itself down. It starts high and whittles itself down based on what you do well, what your defense does well, what their scheme is, et cetera, et cetera.
Q. The play last week where DeVonta calls out the corner blitz, is that a rare thing for a rookie to do or is that standard operating procedure? (Bo Wulf)
NICK SIRIANNI: It’s something we talk about a lot, but not everybody sees it. DeVonta studies tape a lot and studies tape hard. He picks up on those little things. Again, I think he’s obsessed with getting better and obsessed with his craft of being a better wide receiver every day.
Q. With the way you used Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett last year, did that help you gain an understanding for how 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan might use 49ers QB Trey Lance and 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo? (Mike Kaye)
NICK SIRIANNI: They’re just different style players, and they’re different offenses. With Jacoby, I would say no. Without going into it too much, I would say no just because of the style of players they are. Jacoby was a guy we brought in on short yardage things to run a couple runs. There was no secret that Philip wasn’t running some of those plays.
So, no, just because of the style of player.