Dom DiSandro, affectionately known as 'Big Dom' within the Philadelphia Eagles organisation, has been handed a new role, although the team insists it changes nothing.
Currently serving as the senior advisor to the general manager and chief security officer, Big Dom now also holds responsibility for 'gameday coaching operations', though the specifics of this role remain unclear. Despite his official titles, Big Dom wields significant influence over head coach Nick Sirianni, often acting as a calming presence during high-stress moments.
However, an incident in Week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers saw Big Dom stripped of his sideline privileges for the rest of the 2023 season, a loss that seemed to impact the Eagles' performance. The Eagles were on track for the No. 1 seed in the NFC last season with a 10-1 record before facing the Niners on December 3.
But a clash between Big Dom and Niners star Dre Greenlaw led to disciplinary action against the Eagles' security chief, and the team's fortunes took a turn for the worse. The Niners trounced the Eagles 42-19, shaking Philadelphia's confidence.
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Despite still holding a 10-2 record after the game, the Eagles suffered one of the most dramatic collapses in recent NFL history. For the rest of the season, the Eagles managed just one victory, against divisional rivals New York Giants.
They also lost against the Giants in Week 18 and were outplayed by the Arizona Cardinals, who ended the regular season with a mere four wins. Things took a turn for the worse for the Eagles as they were kicked out of the Wildcard Round of the playoffs, suffering a humbling 32-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, adding salt to the wounds of Jason Kelce's career end.
But hope springs eternal for the new season, with rumours swirling around Big Dom's tweaked role sparking speculation among fans about a strategic trick up the Eagles' sleeve. Although his role might not affect the day-to-day routine, one theory floating around is that by appointing Big Dom 'gameday coaching operations', he could have more of a hands-on involvement at the touchline, potentially bending the rules given he's not just seen as a security chief.
Big Dom was disciplined after clashing with Dre Greenlaw in Week 13 last season (2023 Mitchell Leff)Sirianni might be a top coach but his relationship with Big Dom is essential, particularly after the Eagles suffered a disturbing 1-5 run without him on the sideline. NFL reporter Derrick Gunn believes Big Dom plays a vital role in keeping Sirianni grounded, seeing as the coach tends to get emotional.
But, it's not just Sirianni who reaps the rewards from Big Dom's influence as Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata shed light on his significance to the squad. "Well, to be honest, you don't really notice the significance that he played on our team till he was gone," he admitted to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Jordan Mailata understands the importance of Big Dom and how it impacts the Eagles (2024 Ryan Kang)"And it's like, we haven't been executing since he was gone. We're getting our --- beat since he was gone. So maybe he was a little bit of that good juju."
"So I think the positive vibes, man. Believe it or not, he's actually a very positive person. Especially on game days. He'll get you locked in. So it's gonna be great having him back, for sure. Just the energy. The energy that we needed."
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