This year, the Super Bowl had a lot more meaning for my family than any other Super Bowl in history. Not because one of our favorite teams was playing in the game, but because we had a family connection.

The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-35, in Super Bowl LVII.

Nick Sirianni, the head coach of the Eagles is a relative of mine. I’m not going to say we’re close, in fact, Nick may not even know who I am. His parents surely do, but Nick was so young when I moved away from Jamestown, NY, that he wouldn’t remember me.

Our relationship stems from our great grandparents. My great grandmother was the sister of his great grandfather. His dad and my dad are second cousins. So, yeah, we’re related through the family tree, but on different branches.

There has been a lot of attention given to the Sirianni family ever since Nick was hired by the Eagles before the 2021 season. His parents and two brothers have been interviewed on almost every media outlet regarding how the family’s faith and football are foremost in their relationship and has attributed to not only Nick’s success, but his brothers’ as well.

The oldest Sirianni son, Mike, is the head coach at Washington and Jefferson, and the middle son, Jay, won two New York State high school football championships as the head coach of Southwestern Central High School. Jay is now a track and basketball coach at the same school.

Much has been made of how Nick grew up the son of a high school football coach, Fran Sirianni, in a     “small” city in Western New York, and his rise to stardom as an NFL head coach.

Fran and I have always been close. When I worked at a radio station in Jamestown, I broadcast some of Fran’s high school football games. I even refereed a junior high basketball game that Fran was coaching.

As the chaplain for the Jamestown Expos for nine season, I often invited Fran to speak to the players in chapel. His two older sons, Mike and Jay, would often come with Fran to chapel and attended several baseball games. When I left Jamestown in 1988, I turned over the chapel program to Fran.

Throughout the past two seasons, Nick’s father has sent me photos via text of the family at Eagles games. The most recent one coming last Saturday, the day before the Super Bowl; it was a photo of Fran and his wife Amy in front of a large replica of the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Phoenix.

Fran wrote, “Having a great time. Tell everyone there that we said hello. God bless and be safe. Go Birds!”

Speaking of texting, a few of my family members were commenting during the game in a group text. My aunt said, “I’m rooting to support the family no matter what the final score!”

One of my cousins commented, “I’m rooting for the Eagles in honor of Uncle Tony and Aunt Lily. (My great uncle and aunt, and Nick’s great grandparents.) They were very special to me! I’ll never forget how excited I’d get as a young child when they were coming over to our house…I also must admit, as a seven-year-old, I may have crushed on Nick’s dad!”

After the game, one cousin said, “So sad. Refs strike again!”

While another cousin commented, “I just had the highest respect for his great grandparents, he [Nick] comes from good stock. Totally for supporting the Eagles, so sad that they lost.”

The Super Bowl outcome didn’t go the way we wanted, but the family is still very proud of Nick and what he has accomplished in only his second season as an NFL head coach. We’re pretty confident his Eagles team will be good for many years to come.

TULSA BEACON WEEKEND

My guests this week on the “Tulsa Beacon Weekend” radio show will include PBR entertainer Flint Rasmussen. The show airs on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. CST on 970am KCFO.