Nick Sirianni, head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, recently established a new rule for NJ real estate transactions.
Head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles Nick Sirianni has led the club to several significant wins this season, but he recently quietly achieved a different kind of victory that might have a long-term effect on the New Jersey real estate market.
In a ruling earlier this month, a judge in the New Jersey Superior Court found in favor of Sirianni and his spouse Brett, holding that house sellers are required to reveal whether or not a third party has the right of first refusal in a real estate transaction. It’s thought to be New Jersey’s first decision of this kind.
“Who would have imagined that the next head coach of the Eagles would establish a real estate precedent? “It’s just an odd notion,” stated Lance Rogers, an Ardmore-based managing partner at Rogers Counsel who represented the Siriannis throughout the legal process.
You accept our User Agreement and Privacy Policy by providing your information.
Following his hiring by the Eagles in January 2021, Sirianni and his spouse began house hunting with the intention of moving from Indianapolis, where he had been the Colts’ offensive coordinator. After locating a house near Moorestown, the family signed a deal to purchase it for $2.3 million.
According to court documents, the Siriannis claimed that the vendor had not initially disclosed a right of first refusal clause that was attached to the property. This condition, which the former owner had added to the property, said that all future contracts for the sale of the house had to be made to his daughter first, then to his son, and if neither of them accepted, to the family’s trust. In the event that the Siriannis bought the land, the right of first refusal would still belong to them.
The Siriannis requested the removal of the clause. According to court documents, the seller and their legal team were able to waive the deal’s clause, but they could not completely remove it from the property. The house was sold to a different buyer for $1.95 million, $350,000 less than the Siriannis had offered, after they refused to close on the purchase. They were later sued by the seller for breach of contract. The Siriannis then “quickly absorbed the nuances of real estate law,” according to Rogers.
According to Rogers, “[Sirianni] learns up legal fundamentals quite fast.” “I believe that everybody who speaks with him immediately learns why he plays the character that he does. There’s something almost majestic about him that makes you want to be near him.”
According to Rogers, Sirianni’s colorful attitude and competitive personality—qualities that have made him popular with Eagles fans and alienated rival fan bases—also came through in the court case.
Without a doubt, Nick is a competitor, according to Rogers. The lawyer described how, during intermissions in the deposition, Sirianni would discuss football with the opposing counsel, who didn’t happen to be a fan of his Philadelphia Eagles.
Judge Eric G. Fikry sided with the Siriannis in a verdict rendered on January 6, ending nearly two years of legal proceedings. According to Rogers, this decision sets a new precedent for the state of New Jersey and possibly the entire United States.
Following Fikry’s decision, a court rule now stipulates that in order for a buyer to cancel a contract, a seller must disclose a right of first refusal. Rogers added that his staff searched every court in the nation, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, New Jersey, and nowhere else, but they were unable to locate a case with the same outcome.
Fikry granted the Siriannis summary judgment and mandated that the seller reimburse them for their mortgage application expenses, title search costs, and $100,000 deposit.
The Eagles, in Sirianni’s second season as head coach, were about to embark on a playoff push that would take them all the way to the Super Bowl when the decision was made.
It wouldn’t have been only a playoff game against Sirianni if Fikry hadn’t had such a strong hold. According to Rogers, the trial would have begun sometime before the Eagles’ opening postseason game against the New York Giants.
“It’s a little strange that a well-known person is purchasing a home that is linked to a court decision like this one, since ultimately, the decision is huge, in my opinion, for the legal and real estate communities in New Jersey,” Rogers remarked.
According to Rogers, Sirianni, who is well-known for his exuberant celebrations on the sidelines, responded to the decision with equal fervor.
