Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is entering his second training camp as the starter and it’s his second year working with head coach Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Shane Steichen. While that continuity pales in comparison to other quarterbacks in the NFL, it’s the longest partnership Hurts has had with a play-caller in years.
Replacing Carson Wentz in 2021, Hurts needed to learn on the fly. As he learned Sirianni’s system and began developing a relationship with the coaching staff, he also had to navigate his first full training camp as a starter.
- Jalen Hurts stats (2021): 3,144 passing yards, 16-9 TD-INT, 61.3% completion rate, 97.1 quarterback rating, 784 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns
All of that alone can prove to be quite challenging for a young quarterback. The weight on his shoulders only intensified during the season as Philadelphia dealt with plenty of injuries and Hurts at times had to overcome an underwhelming cast of offensive weapons around him.
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That’s no longer the case. Philadelphia acquired Pro Bowl wideout A.J. Brown, serving as the perfect complement alongside DeVonta Smith and tight end Dallas Goedert. Additionally, the Eagles offensive line will likely be one of the best in the NFL this season.
All of that bodes well for Hurts’ chances of becoming a viable starting quarterback in 2022. What might really make a difference, though, is his familiarity in his second year inside the system.
In an interview with Josh Tolentino of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Hurts shared why this is especially unique for him. As a quarterback who played at multiple college programs, this will be the first time in years he’s had the same play-caller.
“This is my first time having the same play caller and same coach since I had my dad in high school when I was 16. I think there’s a big difference in that. It’s exciting . . . we’ve spent so many conversations talking. It’s a rep-by-rep thing. Resetting every play, and treating every play independently.”
Jalen Hurts on continuity with Philadelphia Eagles offense
It’s remarkable to think how many different play-callers and coaches Hurts has worked with. During the 2016 season with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Hurts posted a 23-9 TD-INT ratio with Lane Kiffin as his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
A year later, Hurts posted a 17-1 TD-INT ratio with a 150.2 quarterback rating in his lone season with Brian Daboll as his play-caller and quarterbacks coach. Daboll then left for the NFL, being replaced by Mike Locksley and Josh Gattis. In Hurts’ final season with the Crimson Tide, Steve Sarkisian served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
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Hurts transferred to Oklahoma, spending a year with Lincoln Riley and finishing as a Heisman Trophy finalist. He then made the jump to the NFL, spending a single season with Doug Pederson and Press Taylor.
Finally, Hurts now has familiarity with a system and coaching staff for the first time since he was in high school. It should make him far more comfortable with his surroundings and will allow Sirianni to open up the offense a lot more in 2022.