Fansided

5 high-end but dysfunctional NFL franchises

By John Buhler

Oct 15, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn and New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton meet at the end of their game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints won, 31-21. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 15, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn and New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton meet at the end of their game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints won, 31-21. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 19, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles new head coach Doug Pederson talks to the media during a press conference at the NovaCare Complex. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 19, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles new head coach Doug Pederson talks to the media during a press conference at the NovaCare Complex. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Philadelphia Eagles. 5. player. 54. . NFC. East

While the Philadelphia Eagles have a great owner in Jeffery Lurie and a very proud fan base, the Eagles aren’t as stable as led to believe. Philadelphia is the only franchise in the NFC East to have not won a Super Bowl to date and it looks like they are not going to be anywhere close to another trip to the Super Bowl in a while after firing head coach Chip Kelly.

The biggest obstacle that the Eagles have to overcome is the Philadelphia media and fan base, as both can be scathing to people they perceive as outsiders with their football team. Kelly wasn’t much of a talker during press conferences and the media crucified him. Lurie is reticent towards firing coaches, but felt pressured to part ways with Kelly before the end of the 2015 NFL season.

From booing Donovan McNabb on Draft Day to running both Andy Reid and Kelly out of town, the disgruntled nature of Philadelphia sports culture has warped the Eagles into a high-end dysfunctional NFL franchise. For as much good and stability Lurie has brought to the franchise, even he can’t evade the crushing media and fan base associated with Eagles football.

In less than four years, the Eagles front office has felt the pressure to fire two great head coaches. Reid is now winning AFC Playoff games with the Kansas City Chiefs. That hadn’t happened in Kansas City since 1993. Kelly will certainly help turn around the imploding culture with the San Francisco 49ers, as long as owner Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke don’t hinder his progressive coaching style.

While the Eagles usually field a team that is capable of contending in the NFC East, the hostile sports culture of Philadelphia is off-putting to outsiders that just want to help those teams. There are other difficult media markets in the country, but few burn bridges like Philadelphia. How long before Lurie has to fire new head coach Doug Pederson because he didn’t win 10 games annually with that dysfunctional NFL roster?

Next: 4. Indianapolis Colts

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