The Value of Culture

[time2rock]

The Value of Culture

Posted: December 30th, 2024 | Author: Tommy Lawlor

NFL coaches have a lot of important responsibilities. We love to focus on game management, with so many coaches getting it horribly wrong in recent weeks. One area we overlook too often is building a good culture.

I’ve written about how this is something Nick Sirianni does well and makes him a valuable head coach. I decided to re-visit the topic after hearing and seeing some stuff over the past couple of days.

In his postgame press conference Kenny Pickett talked about how the Eagles have the feel of a college football team, specifically the way the players care for each other. He said it isn’t like that everywhere (Pittsburgh?).

Being connected and caring about each other doesn’t mean everything is all sunshine and hugs. We know Sirianni preaches accountability. Pickett told the other QBs before the Dallas game "Win at all costs.” He was going into the game with broken ribs so those words carried some weight. This wasn’t just typical pre-game bluster.

Pickett played until he took some big shots and the pain got to be too much for him to function at a high level. He left the game with the score at 27-7. Tanner McKee came in and finished off the Cowboys.

Think about what Sirianni says all the time. Three of the key words are connect, compete and accountability. With Hurts out, Pickett took over as the leader of the QBs. He connected with the other QBs by talking to them and sharing the message – "Win at all costs.” That message is all about competing. Do whatever it takes to win. By laying that message out there, Pickett was telling the QBs what the standard was and that they were all accountable to meet that standard.

This isn’t random. Sirianni has created a strong culture. It is hard to quantify that, but his record shows you that something is working. Yes, he has talented players. Winning in the NFL goes beyond just talent. You need guys to buy in and do the right things. Mike Sando had some good info on this in his excellent column from Monday.

A few years ago, I studied the 17 quarterback-team relationships spanning at least a decade since Peyton Manning entered the league.

Five organizations supported their franchise quarterbacks with the defense/special teams production to contend consistently: Baltimore with John Harbaugh coaching Joe Flacco; Seattle with Carroll coaching Russell Wilson; Philadelphia with Andy Reid coaching Donovan McNabb (and Jim Johnson coordinating the defense); New England with Bill Belichick coaching Tom Brady; and Pittsburgh with Bill Cowher/Mike Tomlin coaching Ben Roethlisberger.

These teams with these coaches and quarterbacks combined to appear in 28 conference title games and 16 Super Bowls. The teams with Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, Tony Romo and the other longest-tenured QBs struggled to contend for championships as regularly.

Harbaugh, Carroll, Belichick, Cowher and Tomlin were program builders and culture setters first, not play callers. While Reid became an elite play caller, he had not called plays before the Eagles hired him. He was a program builder and culture setter as well. Three of these coaches — Harbaugh, Belichick and Cowher — had special-teams backgrounds.

X’s and O’s are a big part of success in the league. If you can’t design good schemes and call good plays, you’re going to struggle to sustain success. But it is more important to have a coach who knows how to lead a team and get the most out of them.

Think about our old friend Shane Steichen. He was a hot candidate after helping the Eagles reach the Super Bowl in 2022. The Colts hired him and drafted Anthony Richardson, hoping to re-create the magic of Steichen and Hurts. Indy went 9-8 last year, but are only 7-9 this season. Beyond that, things have not been ideal.

Remember that from back in October? He did run a lot leading up to that moment, but just not a good look for the franchise QB to do that. After Sunday’s debacle things have just gotten louder for the Colts. They were still alive for the playoffs and faced the hapless Giants. Indy lost 45-33. The Giants had scored 52 points in the previous four games combined. Yikes. That performance has led to a lot of criticism.

First up is former Colt Pat McAfee (NSFW).

Pat isn’t going to hold anything back. And then there is this.

I only watched a couple of minutes of the game so I don’t have an informed opinion. People who did watch did not have good things to say about their effort.

There is no question that Steichen is a better play-caller than Sirianni. But Steichen has failed to create a strong culture in Indy and it could cost him his job if the complaints get loud enough.

I’m sure Steichen has used some of Sirianni’s phrases and ideas in Indy. You always take things from the coaches you learn under. But creating the right culture is more than just words. You have to connect with the players and really sell them on those ideas. It isn’t easy or everyone could do it. You should appreciate Sirianni for the fact he’s done so well in this regard as the coach of the Eagles.

Any talk of firing him seems utterly ridiculous to me. But what if they lose in the first round of the playoffs? There is no guarantee that the higher seed wins in the NFL playoffs. I think this team should have postseason success, but crazy things happen in January.

This post isn’t to say you have to love Sirianni. It isn’t to say you can’t be critical of him. He’s far from a perfect coach. I just think people fail to appreciate how good he is at the culture stuff and how much that matters. Make sure you give him credit for that.

Winning isn’t easy and it isn’t an accident. Sirianni is a good coach.

*****

No official word yet on sitting players in the finale, but it sure feels like that will happen. That means no record for Saquon Barkley, but he’s already said he’s more interested in a Super Bowl than a personal record.

Let’s see Tanner McKee, Jahan Dotson, Jeremiah Trotter Jr and Kelee Ringo do their thing on Sunday. Save the starters for the playoffs.

http://igglesblitz.com/2024/12/the-value-of-culture/

[UK_EaglesFan89]

Sirianni may not be a great football guy in terms of scheme etc. And he may be a hot head (something he needs to work on). But he does build a really good culture. These players clearly like to play for him and he’s turned around what could have been a real disastrous season.