Experience matters in the playoffs and head coach Nick Sirianni is starting to figure that out just as well as any coach in the league.
As the Philadelphia Eagles prepare for another high-stakes playoff matchup, Sirianni made it clear that trust in the quarterback position comes from having already lived through these moments. For Philadelphia, that starts with Jalen Hurts, who wants to add to an already impressive postseason resume.
“Big time,” Sirianni said, per NBC Philly. “Obviously, Jalen's a great player and has had a lot of big-game experience. The amount of big games we play on a yearly basis in our regular seasons are huge and then he’s played, how many playoff games is this now? This will be our 10th. That's huge. Every time he steps out on the field, I feel like Jalen does a great job of continuing to raise his level of play.”
Hurts has won in tough environments, playoff pressure, and Super Bowl expectations.
For Sirianni, that kind of experience shows up when things get tough and when quarterbacks are asked to make the right decisions.
Sirianni also talked about why playoff reps are useful, especially when both teams have quarterbacks who’ve already been tested on this stage.
“He has a ton of experience, and the quarterback we're playing has a lot of experience too in the playoffs,” Sirianni said. “A lot of respect to (Purdy). I think that's valuable. I think when we first started, I think back in '22, you guys asked me something in the sense of, ‘Well, none of you guys have played in the big games.’ I think what I said was, ‘Well, a lot of these guys have played in big college games and national championships.’”
Experience in the NFL playoffs allows teams to see what they have. This is why both quarterbacks are very expensive.
Facing Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers, Sirianni understands the matchup isn’t just about scheme or talent, as it’s about who’s been here before, and who can raise their level when everything is on the line.
Hopefully, the Eagles QB is better prepared than San Francisco’s.