Philadelphia is a notoriously difficult place to play or coach. It’s a sports town through and through but whether you’re a member of one of their teams or an opponent, do not expect any leeway. Former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon can attest to that.
During the Arizona Cardinals’ jersey reveal on Thursday night, Gannon took a moment to lament about his time in Philadelphia. He spoke about how unforgiving both the fans and media are — even when everything is going right.
“Philly is a very hard media market. We were 9–0 and I did my presser and they say, Coach, we want you fired,” Gannon recalled, via Eagles Nation. “I said, ‘We’re the No. 1 defense in the NFL right now, in every statistical category. Why do you want me fired?’ ‘You don’t blitz enough.'”
Gannon found that criticism outlandish, both in real time and in hindsight.
“We lead the league in sacks by 30-plus sacks, so if you want to come call the defense, then you can have at it,” Gannon said. “They have a job to do and I understand that.”
The Eagles were never 9-0, losing their first game to the Washington Commanders in Week 10, dropping them to 8-1. That’s something Philly fans and media will undoubtedly pick up on and ridicule him over, but the rest of his commentary was spot on.
Gannon and the Eagles finished the 2023 regular season atop the league in sacks (70) and with the No. 1 pass defense. They were seventh in the NFL in points surrendered per game (20.2) and that defense helped carry them all the way to the Super Bowl. Of course, that’s when the wheels fell off and Gannon’s unit was picked apart by Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
But hey, who can really discredit Gannon for that? Well, other than those in Philly, of course.
