Nick Sirianni was overcome with emotion Sunday ahead of Super Bowl 2023.
As country singer Chris Stapleton sang the national anthem prior to kickoff between the Eagles and Chiefs at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, cameras panned to Phialdelphia’s head coach on the sidelines, where tears were seen streaming down his face.
Sirianni is coaching in his first Super Bowl for the Eagles, whom he helped lead to an NFC Championship title last month following a 14-3 regular season in his second year at the helm.
Ahead of Sunday’s game, Sirianni was asked by NBC Sports Philadelphia about what could be going through his mind prior to kickoff.
“I’m trying to stay in the moment of every day we’re in, but you know, that’s something that I’ve always thought about, what it might be like to hear the national anthem at a Super Bowl,” the 41-year-old Sirianni said.
Sirianni remarked how he’ll never forget the late Whitney Houston’s powerful rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which she performed in 1991.
“The moment that I remember most as a kid growing up in Jamestown, N.Y., was I really remember the Whitney Houston one where she sang at the Bills vs. the Giants (Super Bowl after the 1990 season) and how powerful it was and you get the goosebumps thinking about it getting ready to play that game,” he continued. “You think about being in that moment of the Super Bowl, of listening to the national anthem and how much that’s going to mean.”
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Sirianni also remarked to the outlet how he was going to allow himself “enjoy that moment.”
“I will let myself enjoy that moment for a second and enjoy that feeling because — and everyone’s going to feel that way — a lot of hard work (went into it) and there’ve been a lot of people who helped me get to this spot, and it’ll be cool to listen to it and then get to work.”
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