There might be trouble brewing for Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles.
According to ESPN’s Tim McManus and Jeremy Fowler, there are people on the Eagles who believe Hurts has had a hand in the offense getting stale. He apparently didn't see eye-to-eye with Kellen Moore in 2024 and wasn't "receptive" to using motions and shifts.
The hope for the Eagles, however, is that newly-hired offensive coordinator Sean Mannion can turn things around this fall.
"He has pushed back on changes that would diversify the scheme, sources said, including when it comes to him going under center more," McManus and Fowler wrote. "He has shown a reluctance to let it rip at times, particularly against zone coverage. He diverts from the game plan and changes playcalls to what some feel is an excessive degree. His strong preferences, coupled with the coaches' efforts to play to his strengths, which include his deep-ball accuracy and throws to the perimeter, limit the breadth to which the offense can expand -- or at least that's the way it has gone in the past."
© Bill Streicher-Imagn Images.
The Eagles responded to this report from ESPN by sharing a clip of Hurts attempting a deep pass to DeVonta Smith. It didn't take long for the NFL world to question that decision.
For starters, the Eagles lost that particular game to the Dallas Cowboys. Also, that wasn't exactly Hurts' finest throw of his career.
"Posting a highlight from game you lost against your biggest rival on a play that could have been a TD if it was a better throw is certainly a choice," one person replied.
"Eagles admin’s attempt to defend Hurts is a throw that made a wide open WR have to be a contortionist to catch it," a Giants fan commented.
"Deciding to pull a clip from a game the Eagles lost (after being up 21-0) against the rival they name a week out of is an interesting decision to say the least," Cowboys reporter RJ Ochoa wrote.
"This has to be bait by the Eagles social team. It just has to," another person said.
Is Jalen Hurts on the move?
Despite all the negative noise surrounding Hurts, he has Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie's full support.
"MVP of the Super Bowl 13 months ago, should have been MVP of the Super Bowl right before that against Kansas City the first time. Exceptional. So dedicated," Lurie said. "I think you probably know, I spend a lot of time with Jalen as I do with most quarterbacks, and he's incredibly dedicated to the game, to winning, and being a huge winner. I love everything about him."
The Eagles gave Hurts a five-year, $255 million contract extension in April of 2023. There isn't a ton of guaranteed money left on his deal after the 2026 season, so it's possible a strong year would secure him another payday.
