At a time when FS1 host Craig Carton has hinted at (but has not disclosed) a potentially salacious “real reason” for the implosion of the Eagles in 2023, long-time Eagles reporter Derrick Gunn has offered something more concrete, and far less juicy.
According to Gunn, the banishment of Eagles security chief Dom DiSandro from the sidelines after he made contact with 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw during a December 3 game against San Francisco threw coach Nick Sirianni off balance. Gunn posted on X that “Big Dom” “controls Sirianni emotions on sideline” and that “in his absence Nick gets in numerous arguments with players/coaches during games.”
The Eagles went into a free fall after the Big Dom sideline suspension, which lasted for the rest of the regular season. The Eagles won only one more game and surrendered the division title to the Cowboys. (After the lone victory — on Christmas over the Giants — Sirianni admitted he was “too tense” during the game.)
The Eagles lost in the wild-card round of the playoffs with DiSandro present. By then, however, the damage had been done. The Eagles were lifeless and punchless in a 32-9 embarrassment against the Buccaneers.
If accurate, the Eagles should rebound when 2024 rolls around, with DiSandro back on the job. Unless and until Big Dom lays hands on an opposing player and gets bounced from the sideline again.
The report also speaks to the significance of DiSandro to the operation. Above all else, an NFL head of security is a fixer. Usually, that means keeping problems from becoming problems in a subtle, low-key way.
For Big Dom, his best fixing apparently happens out in the open.