Eagles Press Conference: Matt Patricia | December 21, 2023

um we try to tap into those as soon as we can but um appreciate everyone's time so go ahead how difficult is it to kind of take over calling a defense when it's been installed you know obviously before the season started and it's basically somebody else's defense yeah um you know I think the great part about it was just um going back to the spring when I had the opportunity to come here you know and thankfully um nick uh extended that opportunity to me um coach serani has been tremendously amazing you know for me to be around in this program and you know what um obviously Mr Lori and how we have built here um for me it's just been such a privilege so kind of just um coming into the building and and really being in a role where I kind of was in a lot of different areas you know at the time being able to help a little bit with offense from some of my experiences there and and special teams which I love um that part of it and then defensively you know being around those great coaches and around Shawn who's phenomenal um and and kind of putting this the installation of the defense in and um learning you know for me it was a great learning learning opportunity at that point so just kind of being involved with it I think it's always um you know with coaches I think it's always collaborative right we always kind of meet and talk and have different ideas and thoughts and um certainly like I said it was a great opportunity for me to kind of learn the defense that um you know Shawn was was building but it really it's it's the Eagles defense you know it's the 2023 Eagles and that's what we were trying to develop and I think every year in football um things change a little bit and schemes change based on the people and the Personnel that you have and certainly I think that's what um you know we've been trying to do through the course of the year so it was just it was good for me I was kind of you know already in the mix with those guys trying to just offer help and experience when I could in certain situations that maybe I've uh been experienced with or been around and um so I think from that aspect of it um you know it's a great collaborative effort I think with everybody there's great coaches you know coaches that have been here new coaches that came in um you know coach rocker and Coach wash and those guys that were here and DK um to be able to bridge some of the stuff previous and and to build this year's Eagles defenses is really I guess what it's about so um that's kind of you know where we are and we've had a little bit of a change of maybe roles or responsibilities but it's still I would say a huge collaborative group and you know Sean's a tremendous tremendous football coach he's a super um intelligent you know with scheme and and teaching and I've learned a lot from him um from that aspect of it and and and tried to offer some insight into different things that I've seen through the years um so we're all still kind of trying to just work together from that aspect of it and make it a a group how do you know how do you know how do you know when it's when it's enough to change not enough to change you can't change everything yeah great question I think um I think it's really I think I think defenses and football evolve every week you know based on who you play and kind of the schemes and and the the problems that the offense presents I think that's like one of the things that for me um that I always look at you know sometimes I say this all the time sometimes it's it's it's more like the NBA than it is anything else like what are the matchups and what are the people and I think that um we've been we've been evolving you know through the course of of the season in different areas and different ways um and trying to maximize what we do each and every single week so I think you still have to have some of that I think you do have to evolve and and do things that fit the players that you have to that particular week um but certainly you know you want to keep the foundation of what you spend a lot of time on and just you know a lot of times um you know try to just let the talent shine that that we have on the field which is great you know we have great players we have great coaches so you know really just excited watching them play and and learn to get to know them um and be around guys like Fletcher Cox I mean who I have the utmost respect for and have just you know I remember coming out with the draft I you know I loved him then I was like let get my hands on this guy you know and and a lot of those guys um like that so just being around tremendous people like that that's what I think makes you know that's what as coach coaches makes us better you know you be on great players you know I've been blessed to be around a lot of great players and there's great players here so I'm trying to learn as much as I can from all of them and then you know you try to figure out what do they do well and and how can they impact a game and how can you get a matchup maybe in a game that helps you win in those situations so um you try to find that balance I going to go back you mention come back the collaborative process Eagles defense how much have your imprint can you put on this game this late in the season I mean I think again it's it's it's um it's really our imprint you know I I don't think through the course of my years in defense offense whatever it is that I've ever really felt like it's fine you know I think it's the players you know and I think I think the beauty of it and the way the NFL Works through the years that I've been in it is it changes every year you know and I think you got to be able to identify what do you do well and then try to you know emphasize that and then what are areas that I think we can get better at and then try to emphasize those and sometimes it takes a little while sometimes you build on it um but I don't think there's any one great Playbook that just comes in and it's like here you go this is the one that's going to you know do it all all the time because I think everyone would do that I think it's the art of it is trying to adapt what you think helps your players the best to give them a chance to go play fast and aggressive and and and give them a chance to win so um I think that's just what we're trying to do as a collective group as decide okay hey you know what what do we where are we really good and what do we need to add or what are we missing and and grow that you know through um the weeks as we go how how did the switch how did the switch happen as far as how did Nick come to you and make the change um I'll probably leave the the conversations as you know Nick can can handle those from from um you know the conversations he's had but I think I think Nick is U you know I think look as a head coach you're just trying to do everything you can you give yourself you know the best chance to maximize everybody in the building and I'm I'm certainly very blessed that I'm I'm here I'm I'm honored that he was allowed me to be in the building I'm honored that Shawn you know has been so great and I've been able to learn from him and and he's a huge part of of everything still you know now so it's there may have been a little bit of a switch in some of the responsibilities but I feel like it's still just a group effort of like you know we go in the room and we talk about you know the different areas of the game and what teams are going to do we talk about what our players do well so it's it's a huge open dialogue all the time between everybody to to do that um so I think it was just you know a little bit of a shift from that aspect of it how how did the interactions work with you and and Sean during the game and stuff like is he making yeah it was it was great yeah so um you know and again just depending on where you are on the field obviously um it's really cool like I wish sometimes we we you guys ever sat in the Box during a game like there's so much information that comes from upstairs and really on the field um you know I've always looked at like those are the those are the eyes you know your eyes in the sky and that's it's got to happen live it's got to happen in time and those suggestions are always free flowing you know that's why we're all on the on the line together with the headsets and everything where um you know they may see something from up top and they may hey hey look this is happening or see this over here and you're trying to communicate it to the players on the field at the same time so um I we were I when I was upstairs I was trying to do the same thing with Shawn downstairs and you know he did a great great job of really helping me through the game with some of the stuff that he was seeing but you know there's other coaches up there you know that are doing the same thing whether it's um you know the guys that are giving you Personnel or guys that are seeing different you know things in the Run game the pass game and and really what you try to do is um you take the onfield eyes and then you cross reference it with the eyes up in the sky and then obviously now we have the tablets which is great we used to have the pages back in the day and you're trying to figure everything out but um and you're trying to figure out okay hey what happened here what was good and you know where are they you know what are they doing their game plan and so when you're in certain situations in the game some of that is live feed like you're getting all that information and you're trying to communicate that to the players on the field to see if you can help them um sometimes you can get it in time sometimes you can't and you get it corrected when you come to the sideline and those um but that communication Upstairs Downstairs is is critical it's it's really I think it's one of the cooler things that we do that probably um you know we really you don't see you know I know they got the cameras in the box now and all that stuff but you know just think about the information that's coming down at halftime you know whether you know I'm going down at at halftime and we're trying to make adjustments or Sean's coming in at the locker room saying hey we got this this and this is going on or the other coaches um from that collaborative group you only got so much time to do it because you got to get back out on the field so that that whole race of all that's really cool you talked about the collaboration withan um specific to the secondary in the role because it seems like that's been part of your focus um in the last several years but what were uh some of the things that you could do in this role that you couldn't before and Sean and what you supplies through the scheme here and what are some of the things that you guys have already started to change that you couldn't have done yeah in your previous role um previous role here yes um you know I never felt like um at all in any of the the roles I think everybody's really you know working with great people you know really great people so I never felt like it was not a suggestion or a thought or a conversation that you know couldn't happen from that aspect of it so I think it's just free flowing back and forth um you know between all the coaches from that standpoint um and I you know I fully understand is you know in certain roles or whatever it is like you might have an idea you think is really good and it just may not make it in and you know that's fine you know it is what it is but you go through that process to make sure you're trying to do everything you can and you know I think it gets a point in the week too where like you know there's a lot of information we feed these guys and a lot of stuff they have to learn early Downs you know that'll be today and then third down tomorrow red area will be the next day and two minute will be on top of that and sometimes you get towards the end of the week depending on the game plan and the the time that you have to prepare to install whether it's a short week or a long week sometimes you get to the end and say I you know what I don't think this is really going to make it in the game plan this week sometimes you actually take all that information and you vet it through and you say Okay this may be something we can get to in the game sometimes you have like good ideas or thoughts that um you don't get to practice but maybe it's a foundational call that you have that sometimes it's actually easier to install during the game because there's less variables because the gamees maybe declared you kind of know what the plays are you know what the tips are from the looks that you get from the opponent so um you know you try to keep those ideas fluid from that standpoint too from a self standpoint what do you want perspective on that last Drive yeah I mean I obviously I would take it all back you know I mean that's that drives starts with me and and um you know I got to do a better job to get them you know in position to to get us off the field and obviously help us win um you I think our guys played really really hard I was really you know proud of the way they went out and you know give give praise to them for what they did I thought um you know tried to play aggressive tried to play physical up front covered really well and then obviously in the two-minute drive you know wasn't good enough and that's me and I got to get some um you know things in there or calls in there whatever it may be to to help them a little bit more so they can go out and um you know obviously they you know give them credit too they made a great great play too you know it's they're a good football team and um but I got to just do a better job why you like to call why' you like to call on the on the on the game touchdown game-winning touchdown why' I like it um hind said I don't really like it very much right now I mean obviously um it didn't work out well I mean at the time yeah why why did you choose that call at that time yeah I think um during the course of that drive there's probably a couple plays in there and calls and coverages things that we were mixing that um you know that you look at I'm like okay this is this was good um and then you know maybe a play two before that there was a call that um maybe on that last play would have been better but the play before that I saw something that made me nervous about calling it again because there was maybe another space or another um you know opportunity for them in there you know to to make a big play so moved away from that call went to another call to try to you know give help other places and um you know wish you know obviously wish I hadn't wish I had had another call in that situation to to be able to help uh in those areas and then really in the situation in the field where where we were you know a lot of it too you know we're trying to gauge the clock and see where we're at from the time and how much time was going by because that changes some things as you go and and what they can what they can do you know is it limits as the time goes down and they have to start elongating they still had some time and um you know they had the right play on for that situation how did you handle things from a a personal standpoint how did you handle things from a personal standpoint when it came to Sean obviously it's a that's a tough situation since what was your messaging to him how did how did you handle that yeah you know um what's what I love about football and what I love about coaching and one of the reasons I got into coaching um honestly is because of the relationships you know I think that's what's really important in just you know my story and and where I came from and you know um left um the business world to get into coaching you know I played football I loved football I loved the relationships I have from football um I loved the coaches that I had you know my parents were teachers um and I saw how they impacted um kids and and young people um and so that's why I left and I got into coaching and um you know honestly I think you know this has been great for me um coming here coming to this organization Nick the culture he has here um to be able to get back to that you know I think it's a very competitive business is what it is the NFL it's about production and and we have to produce we understand that and you know when you're in it for a long time which I somehow um I'm now the old guy I don't know how that happened but it happened quick and uh you know you get caught up in the rest of it you're trying to produce and you're trying to win which is what we're all trying to do um but to me it's the relationships whether it's the relationships I have with the players or the coaches I hold a lot of value in that and um you know when when the game is done and and we're all you know not with the game anymore it's the relationships that'll stay and I think I've been really blessed with Shawn to have a relationship and build a friendship um we've had um mutual friends that we've either worked with and and have that connection to each other and um he's been great you know really helped me transition in here um you know in a situation where um you know my family's not here I'm kind of you know here by myself and and he's looked out for me from that aspect of it so I think in those situations the first thing for me you know whether it's whatever it is you know you you pack all the rest of it away and you just you talk as friends you know most important thing is that everybody's okay you know that's the most important thing you know because in the end that's all that matters and then you know at that point once you make sure and you check in and say okay well then right from the other side of it then how do we go forward and what's the best plan and then then you sit down and just try to figure it out you guys what you do to reconcile yeah um man I just gave him a big hug before I came in here too um it's really been awesome for me to you know be back around slle and and and really have um an unbelievable relationship he's he's he's a great guy he's um super kind super funny he's very determined he's everything that you know that he is and um obviously um just so appreciative of him you know and and our conversation that we had in the spring and just you know just helping me honestly he's helped me a lot you know he's um in the spring you know just kind of getting acclimated and just talking through and honestly he's one of the guys I knew coming in the building um and you know how it is when you go into a new building you go someplace new and you're trying to learn people you gravitate towards the ones you know and you know out there with arms open and and trying to you know help me kind of you know fit in and and feel comfortable which um I really very grateful to him for um and I think you know just look as you go through life and you grow and you learn and you know hopefully improve and get better as a person um you know from from me personally where I was whenever that was um you know I'm just trying to be a better person every day and I'm just really thankful to him for that and then you know you roll into the season and you're playing football and you're talking technique and we were out there post practice one day and he was working on some man-to-man techniques and footworks with the young guys and I was sitting there watching and we were just kind of talking about techniques and you get back into the football fundamentals of it which he's super great at and um that was fun you know you're back coaching and and teaching and couple things we were talking about which was really cool and then um you know we get into the season and he he was obviously knew you know maybe the first game of the year or so it was going to be a little bit tough for me and and he kind of was there and kind of made sure I was okay and that was awesome you know that was awesome so I think um you know look you just everybody tries to grow as people and and you know and sit down and come together and and go forward and and that's what's been really really awesome and cool you know about it and I love that you know I don't think all of us are ever our most perfect selves for our entire lives you know I don't think that has ever happened so um it's good for me to be able to come back and build some of those relationships you know the way that really you know you want them Matt throughout your time in the NFL what have you learned about yourself as a play caller and throughout this year you weren't in that role where you kind of take mental reps you get ready for that yeah good question um play caller is probably a longer one trying to decide there you know I've kind of morphed Through The Years depending on um the stage of my career with some of that stuff um probably better play caller at times than than not you know um I think sometimes with the play call part of it you know you go to different experiences that you've had in those situations um sometimes in the moment there's different instincts that kick in you know say oh like I'm feeling this and a lot of that happens in Game and it's probably because of something that experience has taught you um usually in a negative way um in the previous years um but try to you know I try to draw on those as much as I can I think um all we do to get ready to call the game is do the best we can to put the players in the right situations to be able to go play fast and play aggressive and I think when you don't do that as a coach that's where you feel the worst you know that's where you feel really horrible that I didn't give that person a chance to be successful um on that play so um any of those opportunities that I've had where I didn't do that I really try to make sure I take good notes and make sure that doesn't happen again you know I don't want to do that and this year has been really cool for me um honestly when I got here um being able to be in a lot of different areas you know help on offense which was fun you know coach ston and I go way back to Syracuse days and and that was great being you know being around him and his family again and helping on special teams and and sitting in those meetings um just that's that's fun and then defensively it's been great you know for me just to listen you know listen and watch coaches I I I I would say probably in more of my you know more recent years been around and watched a lot of great young coaches come through and and tried to help them and and do whatever I can to maybe you know guide them or give them any sort of advice that I may have and that's been really cool for me and even you know with Coach serani you know and and things that um you know that he's dealing with and I'm like hey I'm here if you need me and as a sounding board so I really enjoy those roles I enjoy that part of it now um in my career kind of just hey I have a bunch of bunch of knowledge I have a bunch of experience I have a bunch of wisdom um you know if you want any of it it's here before you know for I'm not doing this anymore so you know I just want to try to share as much of that as I can and might as well that's that's kind of what everyone you know helped me with you know they I think everyone helps you at something last one last one for Matt because we got to get jayen in soon too Nick always tells us about his role as a CEO coach with the defense as an offensive minded guy he says he's got a couple demands but he hires people to do that job so how does that sort of relationship uh work now that you're in the position you're in yeah um good good one there too you know it's crazy um thinking about this so I've worked for two head coaches been in the league like 20 years that's kind of crazy so this is the first time with an offensive head coach which is cool for me you know I'm learning a lot from him you know and and not only as uh Nick as the head coach but you know and Nick and how he handles all the different areas and then the offense too so um he he's the head coach but his vision of the team is what I'm you know it's our job as coaches to try to go fulfill you know whatever he sees that to be and um you know he's very very smart you know coach serion he's been doing this a long time he's got a great mind for the game um we talk a lot about situational football together and you know what he sees and then he'll ask what I see and I think that collaborative uh conversation is really you know awesome I think you know you grow a lot from that um but there are certain things that he as a head coach you know if he wants and that's the way he sees it and that's what we do you know and there's there's not really a you know you have a conversation but in the end you know he's the head coach that's that's who we work for and that's the vision that we have to fulfill is whatever um in those and it usually comes for all of us when we're in those situations there's probably something that transpired that you know we all have our scars from games that have happened and um you know he may be in a situation or I just don't want that to happen again we'll figure out the rest of it and I completely understand that totally