Jeff Lurie

The Most Impressive Thing Eagles Owner Jeff Lurie Has Ever Done

The most impressive thing Jeff Lurie has ever done originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It was Jan. 11, 1999, in a press conference at the Center City Marriott, and Jeff Lurie was discussing the head coach the Eagles had just hired: “We needed somebody who is confident they can take something that’s been on a downhill slide and not only reverse that but have a real focused plan on how to succeed in a big way. Not just talk but a detailed, detailed plan.”

Two years later Andy Reid had the Eagles in the playoffs and a year after that they started their run of four straight NFC Championship Game appearances.

It was Jan. 19, 2016, in a press conference at the NovaCare Complex, and Lurie was discussing the head coach the Eagles had just hired: “The fans just want to win. It’s not about winning the press conference. It’s just about picking the best leader, and it was very clear to us that this was the way to go. This was an easy call.”

Two years later, Doug Pederson led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl championship.

It was Jan. 29, 2021, and this time Lurie was speaking on a Zoom call about the head coach he just hired: “Nick just shined through the process from the beginning. He knows the game as well as anybody, football IQ off the charts, somebody that has unlimited work ethic and a desire to be great. He's somebody who connects with everybody. To me, it continues the culture we've had and builds on it.”

Two years later, here we are. Again.

The Eagles just set a franchise record for wins and according to the 538 have a better chance than any other team to reach the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, Reid’s Chiefs are the No. 1 seed in the AFC and are averaging 12 wins since 2013, and Pederson’s Jaguars just went from three wins to nine wins, a division title and a playoff berth.

Hiring a head coach is the single most important thing an owner does. 

Lurie has done it five times now since buying the team in 1994.

Make the wrong call and you set the team back for years. Make the right call, and you reach the playoffs in 17 of 28 years, which the Eagles have done since Lurie got here.

All five of the coaches he’s hired won at least 10 games by their second season, three reached the playoffs in their first season, the other two in their second. Three of the last four earned a No. 1 seed and those three are all Coach of the Year candidates this year.

Ray Rhodes and Chip Kelly are the least successful head coaches Lurie has hired and both won at least 10 games in each of their first two seasons.

Imagine being a Browns fan? They’ve won one playoff game since the franchise re-started in 1999.

Imagine being a Lions fan? They haven’t won a playoff game since 1991 and they haven’t even played a home playoff game since 1993.

Imagine being a Bears fan? Their last playoff win was in 2010, and they’ve won three since 1995 – or 12 fewer than the Eagles.

Imagine being a Commanders fan? Their last playoff win was in 2005 and last winning season was in 2015.

Imagine being a Dolphins fan? It’s been 22 years since they won a playoff game. 

And can you just imagine being a Cowboys fan? All they’ve got to show for the last 24 seasons is a 3-10 postseason record.

It’s easy to take winning for granted around here.

The Eagles have done it routinely since Lurie rescued the franchise from Miami auto dealership magnate Norman Braman more than a quarter of a century ago.

Since Lurie’s first full year running the Eagles, they have the sixth-best record in the NFL, the fifth-most playoff wins, the third-most playoff appearances, the fifth-most winning seasons.

And this year they’re the No. 1 seed for the fifth time since 2002 under three different coaches.

All you can ask of an owner is that he builds a culture that breeds winning, and it’s up to the players and coaches to do the rest. So far, it’s only resulted in one championship, but with another Coach of the Year candidate at the helm, an MVP candidate at quarterback and star talent all over the roster, this has the look of sustained success.

This franchise hasn’t had consecutive losing seasons under the same coach since 1997 and 1998. And obviously there are more playoff games than ever these days, but the reality is that this franchise won eight playoff games before Lurie bought the team – just four between 1961 and 1994. They've won 15 since.

Winning is a way of life around here, and there are a lot of people responsible for that. Joe Banner. Andy Reid. Howie Roseman. Doug Pederson. Nick Sirianni.

And more than anything the guy who hired all of them.

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