METAIRIE, La. -- Eagles coach Nick Sirianni preached "focus and refocus" during the Eagles’ first Super Bowl LIX-week practice in the New Orleans area, according to PFWA pool reporter Nicki Jhabvala.
As the designated home team in their matchups with the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia is practicing at the Saints facility in Metairie, LA.
“It’s not a normal week,” Sirianni said. “You want to keep it as normal as possible, but the times are different, the obligations are different. The game’s not normal either.
"… So, just focus and refocus — it’s a good prep for the game.”
The Eagles practiced for two hours in nearly 80-degree weather, featuring a 20-minute stretching period, followed by individual work, team drills, and a special teams period. The latter half of the session was a walkthrough, no surprise because Sirianni stresses mental preparation as much as the physical aspect.
The session was set up similarly to a typical Eagles Wednesday practice during the regular season.
“Our goal for right now is how do we eliminate distractions and continue to get better?” the Eagles coach said. “… For a lot of guys, this isn’t their first time here, which I think is really important. I feel like our guys are locked into what they need to do and are enjoying some time together.”
Four players participated on a limited basis: defensive tackle Jalen Carter (illness), running back Kenneth Gainwell (concussion, knee), wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and defensive end Brandon Graham (elbow).
Left guard Landon Dickerson (knee) and center Cam Jurgens (back) were full participants, along with linebacker Zack Baun (groin), receiver Britain Covey (neck), and tight ends Dallas Goedert (ankle) and C.J. Uzomah (abdomen).
“They’re doing everything they can to get themselves ready to go,” Sirianni said of Graham and others hoping to be healthy enough to play Sunday. “I’ll never put limitations on them. We’ll see where they are as the week progresses.”
After the practice, the Eagles returned to their New Orleans hotel where coaches planned to review the session before meeting with the players.
“We’ll meet with them tonight, review this tape, then sleep, rest, focus and refocus,” Sirianni said. “Again, it’s just constantly coming back to controlling what you can control, which is what we’ve talked about all year. Staying focused on your job.”
