Nick Sirianni’s Wednesday press conference was highlighted by a goofy metaphor in which he compared his football team to a burgeoning plant. There are roots that are solidifying the foundation of the flower. We need to continue fertilizing and watering every day until the flower grows big and strong, and wins the Super Bowl.

He said some other things that were more straightforward, among them:

Now that Gardner Minshew is the backup, what have you seen from him?

The main thing is I have seen him grow in the offense. I know you guys aren’t out there at practice when we are going through — like if Jalen is behind the center making a play, Gardner is back there on the other side also making the play, but behind visually. So, he is growing in the offense. You see that in our developmental periods. Knowing where to go with the football, knowing what we are asking him to do, what receivers are going to do etc.

We already knew he could play, that’s why he’s here in the first place. So, it’s really what we are confident in is that he is growing in the offense. And that’s because he puts so much work into it.

How will the QBs split first team reps this week?

Jalen will get all the reps. He’ll get all the reps. So that’s not my philosophy to say that. Now, other positions, like it’s a little different. At quarterback, our starter takes all the reps. I’ve got no problem sharing that with you guys.

At other positions like receivers, with some of the longer periods that you have, you rotate in and out, and we rotate receivers in and out. Offensive line, same thing. They do a little bit of rotating. But at quarterback, our quarterback’s taking all the reps, and that’s why Gardner is standing behind Jalen while the play is going and taking the virtual, or the rep behind there, the visualization rep.

When the front office is trading players (i.e. being “sellers”), how do conversations with Howie go?


I think I explained this with the Zach Ertz thing. It was a good opportunity for Zach to be the guy because he wasn’t going to be the guy here. It was also an opportunity for Dallas (Goedert) to be the guy here, and we’ve got a ton of faith in Dallas to be the guy and to get more reps, and we feel like we’re in a really good spot with Dallas getting all the reps and getting all the targets, that he’ll continue to ascend and to be the player we anticipate he’ll be.

Then as I just mentioned with Gardner, we feel really good about Gardner being — I’ve got a ton of respect for Joe Flacco. I really enjoyed being around him every single day, but if we didn’t feel like Gardner was ready to be the backup, then that wouldn’t have been a thing that we would have pursued.

We felt good about the moves we made because we feel good about the players that we have here currently.

Is he lacking a veteran voice in the building?

No, I don’t believe so. I don’t believe so. I have great people that I can talk to. There’s no secret. I talk to [Colts Head Coach] Frank [Reich]. I go through a rough patch, I talk to Frank [Reich]. My dad’s been a coach forever, I talk to him. My brother’s been a coach forever, I talk to him. [Raiders Defensive Coordinator] Gus Bradley’s been a coach, I get to talk to him.

These guys that I have at my – I don’t want to say disposal. These guys – every time Frank Reich sends me a message and it’s audio voice, I’m like this guy is unbelievable. He still takes the time to mentor me and to be a guy that I still look up to. And I have those around the league, and I have those outside of the league.

Follow up statement noting that those guys aren’t in the building: 

They’re not in the building, you’re right. But I can call them when I need to call them and be able to talk through things with them when I need to talk through things with them. I’m very confident in that. I’m very confident in the people I have in my corner. I’m very confident in all the resources I have and the way I can get in touch with them.

Eagles vs. Lions on Sunday. Should be a BARN BURNER.