‘Follow his lead’ – Super Bowl -winning Nick Sirianni makes history and Philadelphia Eagles players love him for it

Fearless. No fear.

Those were the most common answers across four days of Super Bowl media availability with the Philadelphia Eagles players questioned on their headline-grabbing, head-shaving polarizing head coach.

Nick Sirianni has led the Philadelphia Eagles to a second Super Bowl in franchise history

Sirianni wears his heart on his sleeveCredit: Sky SportsA few days later, the proof was there for all to see as the Eagles squad put on a display as good as anything in franchise history to claim their second Super Bowl and his players soaked him in the traditional gatorade bath

A 40-22 win over the three-peat chasing Kansas City Chiefs looks closer than it was as two garbage time touchdowns put some gloss on the Chiefs who trailed 40-6 with just five minutes to play.

An elite defense, as good as anything around for the last couple of years made headlines, Jalen Hurts took the MVP honors, but to a man, the players spent all week singing the praises of their leader.

“He is probably one of the greatest men I have ever met,” Jordan Mailata told talkSPORT without hesitation before on to become the first Australian to win the Super Bowl.

MORE FROM SUPER BOWLWhen a 365lbs, 6ft 8in human talks, you listen.

“He’s so passionate, he’s caring and he is a man who leads through his words but also his actions.

“If he says he is going to be somewhere or do something – he is going to be there and he is going to do it.”

On Sunday in New Orleans, he did it.

Spinning back through the week, the signs were there as the Eagles eased into their surroundings, by Thursday their was a relaxed confidence to Sirianni and his players.

They played like they believed in themselves at the Superdome, and backed up the words of offensive tackle Mekhi Becton who told talkSPORT.

Super Bowl Coaching Rematches

Nick Sirianni is the first head coach to win a Super Bowl rematch

Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs) vs Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers)

Tom Coughlin (New York Giants) vs Bill Belichick (New England Patriots)

Chuck Noll (Pittsburgh Steelers) vs Tom Landry (Dallas Cowboys)

Jimmy Johnson (Dallas Cowboys) vs Marv Levy (Buffalo Bills)

“No fear, hungry, dominant,” when asked to sum up his coach.

“That makes us fearless, everybody follows his lead.”

A podium huddle with Eagles legend Brandon Graham, or a table sit down with defensive tackle Milton Williams or a press conference with star quarterback Jalen Hurts will tell you all you need to know about Sirianni.

The Eagles head coach from Jamestown, New Jersey who caused a stir by beginning the season with a shaved head against the Cleveland Browns.

The Eagles head coach who shed a dramatic single tear two years ago as the Eagles were beaten by Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs.

And the Eagles head coach who is the third HC in NFL history to reach two Super Bowls in their first four seasons in the position

Jalen Hurts & Nick Sirianni lift the Vince Lombardi trophy as the Philadelphia Eagles celebrate Super Bowl win

Read More on Super Bowl LIX

Four previous coaches had met in Super Bowl matches, and on every occasion the man who won the first was victorious the next time.

Until Super Bowl LIX.

That included Reid against Kyle Shanahan last year, Tom Coughlin against the great Bill Belichick. Chuck Noll over Tom Landry and Jimmy Johnson over Marv Levy.

Big names for Sirianni to have bettered, at least in one stat – he may still have a ways to go on the other.

As talkSPORT discovered on the ground in New Orleans, Sirianni the coach is fiercely protective of his players.

He promised to hand the floor to them in the final speeches on Saturday night, just as he did two years ago in Arizona.

But he will also choose his moments. Defensive tackle Milton Williams told us that he empowers them with moments of inspiration ranging from music and cartoon clips, to goosebump inducing speeches.

Dallas Goedert called his coach ‘one of the most competitive guys I have ever met’ and described the standard that ‘makes everyone in the building better.’

And he has their back whether it’s declaring them winners in press conferences or fronting up to fans – both his own and the opposition.

That feeling is paid back in buckets. “I don’t care what anyone outside the building thinks,” Mailata said.

Goedert’s answer was almost identical, which underlines the culture that was has been created.

It was evident all over the players faces all week, it’s evident in the 14-3 record that took Philly through the regular season and it was on display with gritty playoff wins and record-breaking NFC championship game wins.

And it was evident in the execution on Sunday, a near perfect game from an impressively put together squad, with empowered coordinators and energised players.

Like his team’s city, there are no half measures with Sirianni. No stone is left unturned, as Landon Dickerson explained: “There isn’t a situation that we haven’t gone over where we wouldn’t know what we have to do.

“There is going to be weird things that will happen and coach does a great job of talking us through citations we know what we do.

Sirianni is loved by his playersCredit: GettyAfter a meltdown in the second half of last season could have brought a firing, instead it brought change.

Vic Fangio and Kellen Moore control the leagues best defence and a balanced offense, Saquon Barkley and Zach Baun arrived in free agency and ended the season on the NFL Honors lists.

Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean did the same after coming in via the NFL Draft and a rebuilt Eagles team are back in the Super Bowl.

DeJean and Baun made game changing first half plays and Barkley set an all-time rushing record – for DeJean and Barkley is came on their birthday.

There had been a business like feel to Philly on opening night, at odds with the chaos around them.

But as the week wore on and press availability turned into more availability, a more relaxed Eagles squad emerged. Happy to answer questions at the final day of three with the press on Thursday and the smiles were more frequent.

Just 15 minutes before the whole squad emerged to the media room, their head coach had fielded the final questions from a packed conference room at the Hilton Hotel, and Sirianni’s story of evolution struck a chord.

Asked about dealing with viral moments in relation to Liam Coen’s ‘Duval’ opening press conference, Sirianni recalled his own first day in front of the media as Eagles HC.

Awkward, nervous and strange, were thrown around in headlines as the first year HC struggled at the podium to convey his feelings.

Read More on talkSPORTBut Sirianni is an emotional man, they captured how he was feeling at the time, and as he said to the media on Thursday, “I think I’m getting a little better at it.”

The reception on Broad Street for the parade later this week but just underline that.

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