Nick Sirianni Defends Decision to Rest Eagles’ Starters Despite Costly Loss

With the loss, the Eagles and Bears are tied, but the Bears own a head-to-head tiebreaker after beating Philadelphia 24-15 on Black Friday.

Head coach Nick Sirianni of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on during the second quarter of the game against the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on on Jan. 4, 2026. Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni defended his decision to rest the Eagles’ starters on Sunday.

The defending champions had an opportunity to leapfrog the Chicago Bears for the second seed in the NFC playoffs after they lost to the Detroit Lions on Sunday. But the Eagles’ backups couldn’t close out the game, losing to the Washington Commanders 24-17. Sirianni said his decision was best for the team, pointing to their previous success with first-round byes.