Jason Burgos
An interesting new report seems to open the door to the Philadelphia Eagles moving on from star quarterback Jalen Hurts if he can’t make adjustments to get on the same page with his coaches and teammates in 2026.
The Eagles have been a premier team in the NFC for the last four years. They have won 14 games twice and ended the Kansas City Chiefs‘ hopes for a three-peat at Super Bowl LIX early last year. A key part of their success is the growth and development of quarterback Jalen Hurts.
The 27-year-old has emerged as one of the game’s best at his position after earning Pro Bowl honors in three of the last four years. However, there have also been cracks in the Eagles’ success. There were previously questions about a divide between head coach Nick Sirianni and his players. Then, last year, there was drama on the offensive side of the ball.
Jalen Hurts stats: 3,224 passing yards, 421 rushing yards, 32 total touchdowns, 6 interceptions
Despite an impressive array of talent, the passing game regressed in 2025, and star receiver AJ Brown went public more than once with his frustration over how he was used. On Wednesday, ESPN’s Tim McManus and Jeremy Fowler released a report that seemed to suggest Hurts was a major reason why the offense was missing the electricity it had during their 2024 title run.
“[Hurts] has pushed back on changes that would diversify the scheme, sources said, including when it comes to him going under center more. 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,” the insiders report.
“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.”
Jalen Hurts’ approach to football is wearing thin with teammates?
The hope is that new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion can get Hurts and the other players on offense back into the groove they had not that long ago. However, it seems that the QB’s approach to the game has grown thin with teammates, and he has work to do to rebuild stronger bonds in the locker room.
“Sirianni has compared Hurts’ leadership style to that of basketball legend Michael Jordan, and his agent, Nicole Lynn, has likened his obsessive work ethic to that of former Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant,” the insiders write. “That unrelenting, demanding mentality toward not just himself but his teammates can be met with mixed reactions, especially in a star-studded locker room like Philadelphia’s.”
The report seems to open the door to a world where the Eagles don’t have Hurts as their QB. Of course, they could make a head coach change and adjust the roster around him. But if he has habits that he is unwilling to change for the betterment of the whole, it doesn’t matter who the coaches and players are.
After this season, Hurts will have two years and an $89 million cap hit left on his contract. However, there is an out that lessens the hit after 2027. If they did want to trade the signal caller after the 2026 season, his contract would be easier to move.
