Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles started the 2023 NFL season with a 10-1 record. The defending NFC champions looked to be very much the part of Super Bowl favorites through those first 11 games.
After that? Well, it was a disaster of epic proportions. Philadelphia lost five of its final six regular-season games before being blown out by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs.
Since the Eagles’ season came to a premature end, reports of major drama have become public record. We now have more on this courtesy of SB Nation’s Joseph Santoliquito. To say that it doesn’t paint Hurts in the best of lights would be an understatement.
“Sources within and around the team say Jalen Hurts “changed” since signing the big $255 million contract extension. His accessibility to media, fans, teammates had been limited. He became less accessible this season, according to numerous sources.”
Report on Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts
It must be noted that this report doesn’t come out of left field. Santoliquito is the individual that foreshadowed Carson Wentz’s demise with the Philadelphia Eagles back in 2019.
This past weekend also saw Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports cite team sources in a report on Hurts. That included the Super Bowl quarterback “freelancing” more at the end of the season and not being on the same page with the Eagles’ coaching staff.
Related: Jalen Hurts and the NFL’s highest-paid quarterbacks
Could Jalen Hurts be part of the Philadelphia Eagles’ problem?
Leadership seemed to be lacking for the Eagles as the 2023 season came to a conclusion. That starts with embattled head coach Nick Sirianna. But quarterbacks are expected to be leaders in today’s NFL. There might have been a void there when it came to Hurts.
“There are two versions of Jalen Hurts. The one the public sees, and the one behind closed doors at the NovaCare Complex that the Eagles protect—as they tried to do with Carson Wentz,” report on Jalen Hurts lack of leadership. “The public, well, some of the fanbase, sees a leader. His teammates may not. Sources close to and around the team say Hurts should have been a better leader—and is capable of being a better leader.”
A team as talented as Philadelphia doesn’t lose six of seven after starting 10-1 without something being up behind the scenes. Another report from back in December indicated that finger-pointing had become the name of the game for the Eagles. That came after a 20-19 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football.
- Jalen Hurts stats (2023): 65% completion, 3,858 passing yards, 605 rushing yards, 38 total TD, 15 INT
As you can see, Hurts did put up a solid statistical performance throughout the 2023 season. However, he did struggle to the tune of five touchdown passes compared to five interceptions during that ugly six-game span to conclude the regular season.
The backdrop here is Hurts’ massive five-year, $255 million contract. He signed it shortly after leading Philadelphia to the Super Bowl last year. Based on the aforementioned reporting, said contract could have played a role in his change in attitude.
We’ll hear from Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and general manager Howie Roseman later in the week. Questions about Hurts are sure to come up.