Patricia hired as senior defensive assistant by Birds

At the beginning of his media availability Thursday, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said he was “trending in the direction” of hiring Matt Patricia, the long-ago defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots, as a defensive assistant.

By the end of the session, it was hard news. Patricia will be senior defensive assistant for the Eagles, who on Feb. 28 hired Sean Desai to be their defensive coordinator.

Mindful of veteran cornerback Darius Slay's frayed relationship with Patricia, who was the player's head coach in Detroit, Sirianni said he had spoke with Slay.

“Of course,” Sirianni said. “Like you do with anything you go through it and you talk to guys and make sure everybody's comfortable. I had a conversation with Slay. Obviously, I had a conversation with Coach Patricia. And I know that it will be a good working relationship.”

Slay was upset that Patricia didn't regard him as an elite cornerback with the Lions. That hastened his decision to sign with the Eagles in free agency. There was no love lost in the relationship.

Patricia is known to Eagles fans as the Patriots defensive coordinator Nick Foles carved up for 373 passing yards and three touchdowns and a receiving touchdown en route to MVP honors in Super Bowl LII. The Eagles hung a 41-33 defeat on Tom Brady, who passed for 505 yards and three TDs, and the Patriots.

Last season, Patricia crashed and burned along with the Patriots as he attempted to switch gears to offensive coordinator after rejoining the club.

“Obviously, his resume speaks for itself,” Sirianni said. “He gives you a great mind in there that's done it at the highest level. He gives you great ideas to bounce ideas off the defensive staff. And he's another former head coach that I can bounce ideas off of as well.”

Desai replaces Jonathan Gannon, who took the head coaching job of the Arizona Cardinals.