NFC Notes: Josh Harris, Dak Prescott, Nick Sirianni, Commanders, Cowboys, Eagles

Commanders

• Commanders owner Josh Harris said they decided to fire HC Ron Rivera because they “clearly” weren’t good enough: “Clearly we weren’t good enough this year. We didn’t get it done on the field,” per Ralph Vacchiano. 
• Harris mentions he did not want to make any coaching decisions during the season and would let 2023 play out under Rivera: “Ron’s a consummate professional. Ron’s been in the NFL for a long time. … I think that it wasn’t a surprise. … We continue to have a good relationship. … I went out of my to give him the season to perform. … I’m sure whatever he does with his life, it will be good and successful. Obviously, I think about coaches all the time. …. And I don’t think changing coaches in the middle of the season is tremendously productive, and I didn’t think it’d be productive here. … And I committed to Ron that we’d give him the season, and we did,” per Nicki Jhabvala. 
• Harriss considers Washington to be an attractive option for head coaches given they have a lot of draft capital and cap space going into 2024: “We are coming out of this poised for a great future – a lot of draft capital, a lot of cap space. Obviously, we think we’re an attractive destination for the next generation of leadership.” (Vacchiano) 
• As for bringing in former Golden State Warriors GM Bob Myers as a consultant, Harris feels its a move that will be mightily beneficial: “Bob Myers is a winner. Who wouldn’t want him on your team?,” via Andrew Siciliano. 
• Mike Garafolo points out Myers and 49ers’ assistant GM Adam Peters, whom Washington requested to interview for their GM vacancy, both attended UCLA and the same high school.
• As for the Commanders potentially doing another name change, Harris said their focus is currently on the football staff and stadium: “As you can see, we’ve been a little busy,” via Ben Standig. 
• Regarding OC Eric Bieniemy‘s future with the team, Harris said they want to have a senior football operations executive in place before making any decisions: “I’ve enjoyed working with Eric and obviously he’s had success over the years. I spoke to Eric today and … I look forward to, hopefully, having our senior football operations executive in place and then approaching the search with Eric and others.” (Jhabvala)
• The Athletic’s Mike Sando writes there’s a strong sense in NFL circles that the Commanders could look to poach from the Ravens, including for both their head of football operations hire and their new head coach.
• One executive told him to watch for the match of Ravens exec Joe Hortiz and DC Mike Macdonald coming to Washington: “Everyone is saying Hortiz makes a lot of sense as the GM there, and that could be a bridge to Macdonald.” 

Cowboys

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is “very ready” for the postseason and always felt they had a team to compete for a Super Bowl. 

“Very ready,” Prescott said, via Patrik Walker of the team’s site. “Coming off of the past years, understanding the team that we have, knowing that coming into this season that we had a team that could compete, and we wanted to put ourselves in this position, and to stay in the moment each and every moment and not look forward to this. But, now, it’s upon us, and we’ve got to take it one game at a time — with the same attitude that we came into this game with; and the same attitude that we’ve taken in every home approach. Tomorrow’s not promised, in that sense. … We’ve gotta make sure we give everything we can, in each and every moment.”

Prescott thinks they responded well to losing consecutive games in Weeks 15 and 16.

“I mentioned it weeks ago: it’s about running our own race and controlling what we can control,” said Prescott. “The latter part of the year had that stretch where we didn’t handle it the way we would’ve liked to have handled it — losing a couple of games back-to-back — but getting back home and winning that one, we knew it was important to come back on the road and finish the division. We finished things in our way, to our expectations and to our standards.”

Prescott praised their fanbase for creating an intimidating atmosphere, but their team needs to come prepared for their upcoming Wildcard game against the Packers.  

“It’s huge — the atmosphere the Cowboys’ fans have created these last two years,” Prescott said. “I can you this [though]: we can’t lean on that. We’ve got to lean on our preparation. We’ve got to commit to studying these guys, executing and playing our very best; and playing to our standard.”

• Jeremy Fowler reports Cowboys CB Stephon Gilmore‘s MRI on his shoulder injury showed no significant damage and the cornerback expects to play in their Wildcard game.

Eagles

• Eagles HC Nick Sirianni said they plan on observing WR A.J. Brown (knee), WR DeVonta Smith (ankle), and G Cam Jurgens (pectoral) throughout the week to determine their availability: “We’ll see as the week progresses,” per Zach Berman. 
• As for Philadelphia losing five of the last six games, Sirianni feels it’s his duty to break them out of their slump: “I know we can get out of this slump that we’re in. It’s my job to make sure that we do. And I look at it as a challenge and how sweet it will be when we do get out of it because I know we will and we’ve got the right the guys to get out of it,” per Brooks Kubena.