Eagles’ Jonathan Gannon explains viral video prior to NFC championship game

Gannon uttered a phrase that included an expletivie about what the Eagles would do to the 49ers.

Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon said he got caught up in the moment ahead of his viral video prior to the NFC championship game against the 49ers.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

Published Feb. 7, 2023, 8:44 a.m. ET

PHOENIX — “We’re gonna [expletive] gut these guys.”

With six words, uttered out of the window of his Mercedes G-Wagon just hours before the NFC championship game against the San Francisco 49ers, Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon etched his name in Philadelphia smack-talking lore.

The defensive coordinator, who has often been criticized for a lack of blitzing, delivered the line to some Eagles fans as he rolled by the Wells Fargo Center on his way to the Eagles’ NovaCare Complex on Jan. 29. The video, which went viral on social media on Feb. 2, won over Eagles fans, many of whom have had their issues with Gannon.

On Monday at Super Bowl media night, Gannon filled in the context around the viral moment and why he said what he said.

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“So there’s a backstory to that, so I was driving in and the ramp was blocked at like 7:30-8 o’clock in the morning,” said Gannon. “I was driving into NovaCare to work out and do the call sheet and so this cop sees me and he’s like ‘Hey Jonathan, follow me I’ll take you through and get you to NovaCare.’

“We’re driving and it’s a traffic jam so he’s pulling through Broad Street, the four lanes, and so fans see kind of what’s going on, and so they recognize me and they start yelling ‘hey, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go,’ and I’m not going to get into the backstory but there was a theme that we had all week, so I rolled down my window and I kind of said the theme. I love our fans, you know I had no idea I was getting videotaped, obviously, but love our fans and the passion that they have. I guess I was in the zone and I let my guard down for a minute. But it was cool, all in good fun.”

The Eagles defense made Gannon look prophetic, as they held the 49ers to 164 total yards and forced three turnovers on the way to a 31-7 Eagles win.

In recent weeks, the polarizing Gannon has endeared himself to Eagles fans on multiple occasions. After the win against the 49ers, Gannon reiterated his loyalty to the Eagles even amid head coaching interest from other organizations.

“No, Philly is keeping me good, bad, or indifferent, I’m staying here,” Gannon said following the NFC title game.