The Eagles have begun game-planning for their Super Bowl LVII matchup at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., against the Kansas City Chiefs, looking to win their second championship in the last five seasons.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and his staff have decided on the right mix of rest and practice before the Eagles arrive in Arizona on Sunday night. It’s Sirianni’s first Super Bowl as a head coach, so he’s accepting advice from those who have been through it.
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“Obviously, a handful of guys went to the Super Bowl in 2018, but there were a lot of [other] people in the building that were here, too, and that’s obviously an advantage, schedule-wise, things like that,” Sirianni said. “I’ve talked to multiple coaches. (Passing game coordinator) Kevin Patullo has helped me a lot with that, and I’ve been able to reach out to some of the other coaches that have gone through this before.”
The first big event is Super Bowl Opening Night on Monday at the Footprint Center in Phoenix. Hundreds of media from around the world will ask crazy questions. Comedian J.B. Smoove once asked New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick if he wanted to start a company called “Uber Feet.” Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay was asked if he thought he was better looking than Belichick. And on it goes.
The Eagles — a chatty group with entertaining personalities — could have standout performers:
Mailata should be one of the sought-after interviewees. He’s Australian and didn’t start playing American football until several years ago, and he’s a colorful and blunt personality, who can drop an F-bomb from time to time. His appearance on “The Masked Singer” likely will come up.
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CB Darius Slay
He likes to be called “Slay,” so expect the colorful cornerback to correct the media about a hundred times next week. He’s the guy who came up with the Batmen analogy when talking about wide receivers A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Quez Watkins. Slay’s interviews are more like monologues: When you ask him a question, make sure you have fresh batteries in your recording device.
In this Kelce vs. Kelce Super Bowl — his brother, Travis, is a Chiefs’ All-Pro tight end — Jason will answer a lot of questions about growing up, the brother’ popular podcast and his football career, which could have just one game remaining. The guy who wore a Mummers costume to the Eagles’ championship parade and gave a fiery speech in 2018 can be a thoughtful and playful.
WR A.J. Brown
Brown caught 88 passes for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns in the regular season, earning a Pro Bowl nod and a spot on the AP All-Pro second team. But he’s also one of the Eagles who will stand at his locker and answer questions — win or lose, touchdown catch or shut out. The “Always Open” sign over his locker in the NovaCare Complex describes his relationship with the media, too.
Reddick has 19.5 sacks in the regular season and the playoffs, and he single-handed wrecked the 49ers by knocking quarterback Brock Purdy out of the NFC Championship Game. He’s an old soul who loves to describe football in old-school term, and he has a terrific underdog story that has taken him from Heights High School to Temple University to a first-round pick. He’ll return to the stadium where his career started when the Arizona Cardinals selected him in the first round of the 2017 draft.
RT Lane Johnson
Johnson is not always the most enthusiastic interview, but as one of the Eagles’ elder statesmen, he brings a veterans’ wisdom. He can be playful — see his pro wrestling promo video — and he brings an impressive resume to Glendale: He hasn’t allowed a sack since 2020. He caused a stir in the NFC Championship Game when he was so quick off the ball that it appeared he was jumping the snap. That’s likely to come up. Johnson refused surgery on an abdomen tear so he could play in the postseason. Seems he made the right choice.
Gardner-Johnson is a joke-cracking locker room leader who arrived after a trade with the New Orleans Saints. He tied for the league lead in interceptions — even though he missed several games — and he brings energy. Last week, while when linebacker Kyzir White was interviewed, Gardner-Johnson jumped into the pack of reporters and fired questions at him.
QB Jalen Hurts
A Super Bowl starting quarterback will always be the draw, and Hurts cracks a smile. It will be telling to see whether the Super Bowl circus will get to him. Then again, he broke character to sing the Eagles’ fight song on the podium after Sunday’s win.
Graham’s outgoing personality will make him a natural for this atmosphere and he’ll be one of the most popular Eagles. Remember: Graham had the game-sealing strip sack of Patriots’ Tom Brady when the Eagles won their first Super Bowl. He’s a trash-talker on the field who loves chatting with the media, but also loves busting their chops: He often plays hall monitor and playfully kicks reporters out of the locker room when availability ends each day.
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Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com.
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