Nick Sirianni Handed Injury Blow With Surgery Update As AJ Brown Demands Myles Garrett Trade

“I want my sons to play football like Nolan Smith. He has fun out there… plays as hard as I’ve ever seen anybody play.”—said Nick Sirianni. Nolan Smith Jr’s 2024 season? Chef’s kiss. 6.5 sacks, 24 QB pressures, and a Wild Card game against Green Bay where he dropped 8 TKLs and 2 sacks like it was a Tuesday. Sirianni, handing him that game ball, gushed: “Before my kids go out to play any sport, I say ‘Have fun, play hard, be physical.’ And that guy is the definition of those things.” Translation: Smith’s not just playing football; he’s out here cosplaying as the Eagles’ mascot—if the mascot ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash (second-fastest DL since 2003, BTW).

Let’s set the scene: Super Bowl LIX, Eagles vs. Chiefs, fourth quarter. Smith Jr., Philly’s 24-year-old linebacker and human highlight reel, just tore his triceps mid-game. But did he tap out? Nah. The dude played the entire second half like he’d mainlined Rocky’s entire training montage. Fast-forward to Wednesday: surgery, a thumbs-up prognosis, and a locker room vibe somewhere between ‘How?!’ and ‘Of course he did.’

#Eagles LB Nolan Smith is super tough. The young pass rusher suffered a torn triceps during the Super Bowl win over the #Chiefs and played through it, sources tell me and @RapSheet.

Smith had surgery on Wednesday. He’s expected to be ready for the start of the season. pic.twitter.com/Knm8NZOCGm

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 21, 2025

But here’s the kicker: Smith’s triceps tear isn’t just a “he’ll be fine” footnote. It’s a legend in the making. Imagine Wolverine healing mid-fight, but swap adamantium for Philly grit. And as per Mike Garafolo, he is expected to be ready for the start of the season. That’s great news for Sirianni and Co.

Now, the Eagles’ D-line? Stacked. Jalen Carter’s a wrecking ball, Sweat’s a QB’s nightmare, and Smith’s return by Week 1? Lock it in. But Nick Sirianni’s sweating the small stuff: “It’s my chip. No one else put that chip on my shoulder,” Smith once said. Translation: Dude’s gonna rehab like he’s training to fight Thanos.

A demand by Nick Sirianni’s WR: Myles Garrett

Meanwhile, Eagles WR A.J. Brown, fresh off a 1,079-yard season, just slid into the NFL’s rumor mill like DMs on fire. On the KickinItWithDee Podcast, Brown dropped a nuke indeed: “Honestly, that’s what it be feeling like over here. I’ll say Myles Garrett. Adding him with Jalen Carter [and] Nolan Smith… You know, I don’t know what’s going to happen with Josh Sweat or Milton [Williams].”

Let’s unpack this. Myles Garrett—6’4”, 272 lbs of ‘bend the edge like Beckham”’–is a four-time All-Pro who racked up 14 sacks in 2024. He’s basically Khal Drogo with a spin move. But here’s the tea: Garrett wants out of Cleveland, and Brown’s playing matchmaker like a kid trading Pokémon cards. ‘Gotta catch ’em all!’

Problem? The Browns aren’t exactly folding their hand. Garrett’s under contract till 2026 ($19.7M cap hit in 2025), and Cleveland’s GM’s probably texting: ‘New phone, who dis?’ to Philly’s trade offers. But Brown’s not wrong – imagine Garrett + Carter + Smith. That’s the Avengers’ defensive line.

Financially, Nick Sirianni’s Eagles have $19.6M in cap space – enough to swing a deal if Howie Roseman works his Moneyball magic. But Garrett’s price tag? Think Ocean’s 11 heists: multiple first-rounders, a star player, and a case of cheesesteaks. Still, Brown’s pushing harder than Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible. ‘Your mission, should you choose to accept it…’

So here we are: Sirianni is balancing a linebacker with a bionic triceps and a WR moonlighting as a GM. Smith’s injury? A hiccup. Nick Sirianni’s already calling him ”The Mentor” – a nod to Smith’s quote: “Most people know me as The Mentor, but I was a follower & a great listener.” As for Brown’s Garrett fantasy? It’s a long shot, but in the NFL, crazier things happen. Remember when Brady un-retired? Twice? If Howie pulls this off, Philly’s D-line won’t just win games – they’ll break the internet.

So grab your popcorn. Smith’s comeback tour starts in September, Brown’s playing 4D chess, and Garrett’s Instagram likes? Probably all Eagles fans rn. As Smith would say: “We don’t work. We’re not working… I’m just playing football.” And ain’t that the truth.

Fly Eagles Fly – into the 2025 season, triceps and trade rumors intact. 🦅