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Tag: Jalen Hurts

  • Jalen Hurts on blocking out the criticism: ‘This isn’t my first rodeo’

    Jalen Hurts on blocking out the criticism: ‘This isn’t my first rodeo’

    On Sunday afternoon following the Eagles’ blowout win over the Las Vegas Raiders, Landon Dickerson didn’t have the patience to entertain an iota of criticism about his quarterback.

    Jalen Hurts, the Eagles’ fifth-year starter, was fresh off a near-perfect performance. He went 12-for-15 for 175 yards and three touchdowns in the passing game, plus he added 39 yards on seven carries.

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    It was a stark improvement over his performance in the previous two games of the Eagles’ losing streak, in which Hurts didn’t complete more than 56% of his passing attempts and turned the ball over seven times. When a reporter asked about Hurts’ showing against the Raiders in the aftermath of a “rough ride” during the losing streak, Dickerson bristled at the nature of the question.

    “Oh, y’all just, like, dog him,” the Eagles left guard said.

    But Hurts wouldn’t know that, or so he claims. The 27-year-old quarterback emphasized Tuesday that he tunes out the external criticism, making him impervious to the many opinions about his play that crop up in the media, locally and nationally.

    His teammates, though, are more plugged into the discussions about Hurts that percolate online, especially during their string of losses. A reporter told Hurts on Tuesday that Nakobe Dean had said after the Raiders game that if he had been seeing the criticism about the quarterback, then he would bet that Hurts had seen it, too.

    “He’d be a broke man if we made that bet,” Hurts said.

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    Evidently, he didn’t tune into Nick Sirianni’s weekly radio appearance on 94-WIP, when the coach was asked whether Hurts would remain the starting quarterback. (“I think that’s ridiculous,” Sirianni responded). That Hurts didn’t hear a snippet on the radio or catch a glimpse of a chyron on a talking-heads debate show on one of the TVs at the NovaCare Complex over the last three weeks is an impressive feat.

    How was he able to drown out the scrutiny?

    “It’s who I am,” Hurts said. “It’s my focus. This isn’t my first rodeo, you know? So very unprecedented journey to be here. But unprecedented is unprecedented.”

    Hurts has been here before. He often points to his benching at Alabama as one of the pivotal moments of his football career, one that taught him lessons of perseverance and determination.

    He responded emphatically to that low point, leading Alabama to victory in the SEC title game the following season and finishing as the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy after transferring to Oklahoma. Hurts was the fifth quarterback taken in the 2020 draft — and the first to win a Super Bowl.

    The past month was a microcosm of Hurts’ football journey — you can doubt him, but you can’t underestimate his ability to respond, especially when the stakes are high. That’s part of the “clutch gene” that Jeffrey Lurie has said he identifies within Hurts. It’s a trait that the quarterback values, too.

    “You work really hard to show up when your team needs you the most,” Hurts said. “All of the perceived pressure, whatever that is, just really preparing for a moment, preparing for an opportunity and knowing that resilience, determination, and perseverance can bring it home for the group. I’d say that’s pretty valuable for me, to take pride in showing up when my team needs me to the most.”

    Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert celebrates his first-quarter touchdown with Jalen Hurts against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.

    Soon enough, the stakes will be as high as they’ve been all season. The Eagles have a chance to clinch the NFC East on Saturday with a win over the Washington Commanders. They could be playing to improve their seeding in the NFC, too, depending on how the conference’s front-runners fare for the rest of the season.

    Then, the playoffs will begin, providing Hurts with the stage to flaunt that “clutch gene” he has channeled throughout his career.

    “I see it as an opportunity,” Hurts said. “That’s it. September, October [are] important games, kind of finding yourself. It’s a new team, you find your groove. But new things are found in December, January, and February. I think just being built off of perseverance, being built off of learning from all of my experiences and learning from everything, you definitely look forward to those moments.”

    In those moments, the Eagles will try to build off the strides they took in the win against the Raiders. As the player with the ball in his hands on every offensive snap, Hurts will incur plenty more scrutiny. He is well-equipped to handle that job responsibility, according to Sirianni.

    “I think that playing quarterback in the NFL, you’re going to get a lot of attention,” Sirianni said. “Positive, negative, all attention. When that happens — we talk about this a lot as a team — any little thing [that] distracts you [or] what can distract you, you need to block out.

    “I think that why Jalen can handle it so well is because he’s so locked in and focused and not distracted by things to be able to lock in onto what he needs to do to get himself ready to play.”

  • Jalen Hurts gave a fan a touchdown ball. What happened next led to a lawsuit.

    Jalen Hurts gave a fan a touchdown ball. What happened next led to a lawsuit.

    First and goal from the New York Giants’ 10-yard line at MetLife Stadium. Jalen Hurts in the gun. Jason Kelce snaps the ball. Hurts takes off running, sneaks through a lane paved by a Kelce block, and dashes into the end zone for a touchdown.

    The quarterback who led the Birds to a win that December 2022 game and a Super Bowl at the end of the season then handed the ball to a bearded fan in a Philadelphia Eagles jersey.

    It should have been a memory for the ages. With that touchdown, Hurts became the first quarterback in NFL history to score 10 or more rushing touchdowns in two consecutive seasons. And Paul Hamilton, a lifelong Eagles fan, had the record-breaking game ball in his hands.

    But the events that followed led Hamilton, 34, to shed his Eagles fandom and file a lawsuit accusing the Eagles, Giants, stadium security, New Jersey State Police, and others of assault, false imprisonment, and other charges.

    After the touchdown celebration ended, various security, team, and NFL officials approached Hamilton and asked for the ball back, according to the lawsuit initially filed in 2023 in New Jersey state court. The officials told Hamilton that the Hall of Fame needed the ball, and he would break the law if he didn’t return it.

    A representative from the Eagles, accompanied by two New Jersey State Police troopers, offered Hamilton an “alternative gift opportunity” in exchange for the ball, the suit says. Hamilton declined and decided to leave the stadium with his friend.

    On the way out of MetLife, the suit says, security officers grabbed him from behind. They pinned Hamilton to a gate and radioed state police their location. Hamilton told a police officer that he was assaulted by security officers, according to the complaint.

    The security officers told Hamilton he was free to leave, but he was swarmed by about 10 New Jersey officers a few moments later, the suit says. Police escorted Hamilton to a gated area, where he says he was detained and feared for his life. The fan was threatened with arrest if he didn’t return the ball.

    An officer was told over the phone to let Hamilton go, a command that the fan overheard, the suit says, and he was released.

    Hamilton left MetLife with the ball and emotional scars that required psychotherapy.

    “He is so hurt by what happened and disappointed, he’s not an Eagles fan anymore,” said Adam Thompson, Hamilton’s attorney.

    The attorney for New Meadowlands Stadium Company and the Giants, and the attorney for the New Jersey State Police, did not respond to requests for comment. The Eagles, who have been dismissed from the case, declined to comment.

    The litigation is in discovery, which is set to continue through April, according to the court docket. Thompson said depositions of witnesses and officials from the teams, stadium, and NFL should begin soon.

    Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert tosses a touchdown ball into the stands during the third quarter at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025 in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 31-0.

    Game balls are precious commodities in the NFL, which has penalized players for handing them out to fans or throwing them into the stands. But there is no policy that requires fans to return balls, an NFL official told The Athletic.

    Touchdown balls can also be meaningful to players, leading to retrieval efforts.

    Last year, a hyped-up A.J. Brown threw a touchdown ball into the stands only to realize seconds later that it was Tanner McKee’s first NFL touchdown throw.

    “Dude, no!!!!,” a miked-up McKee said on the sideline when he learned the ball was gone.

    But the wide receiver did good, offered a fan his jersey in return for the ball (“I got you,” the fan responded), and gave McKee his prized possession.

    Thompson said Hamilton went through a roller coaster of emotions that day in MetLife.

    “Fans have rights, fans have a voice, and fans should be respected by the game,” Thompson said.

  • Jalen Hurts makes a statement, the NFC is wide open for the taking, and what else they’re saying about the Eagles

    Jalen Hurts makes a statement, the NFC is wide open for the taking, and what else they’re saying about the Eagles

    It feels good to play a week of football where the Eagles aren’t the number one topic of the national conversation, doesn’t it?

    But some in the national media still had things to say about the Birds after they snapped a three-game losing streak with a 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders …

    Injuries catching up with rest of NFC

    The Eagles aren’t out of the woods offensively, even after delivering against a weak Raiders team. But with the Cowboys’ loss to the Vikings, the Eagles are just one win or Cowboys loss away from clinching a playoff berth — and becoming the first team to repeat as NFC East champs in 20 years.

    But what Week 15 showcased for former Eagle Chris Long is that the NFL is wide-open this season. The Eagles still have work to do, but they’re not the only contender with issues.

    “If you’re the Eagles, you kind of feel like, if we can get our [expletive] together, the Rams … might have lost Davante Adams for a little bit … Green Bay’s lost Micah [Parsons], Christian Watson, Tucker Kraft, these are tough injuries to overcome for these other teams,” Long said.

    The Eagles can still get to the Super Bowl, but only if their defense drags them there

    Eagles are ‘in a good spot right now’

    Were the Eagles the biggest winners in Week 15? Damien Woody said on ESPN’s Get Up that he thinks so.

    “Obviously, you win the game against the lowly Las Vegas Raiders, but the Dallas Cowboys lost, and you look at some of the other losses in the conference,” Woody said. “If you’re Philadelphia, you come out of this week thinking, if we get our offense back on track and these other teams lose, we’re still in a good spot right now.”

    The Birds are one game back of the Bears for second in the NFC and two games back of the Rams, with the easiest remaining schedule of the three. It’s extremely unlikely that the Birds could secure the bye at this point, but second in the NFC is still very much in play.

    NFL playoff picture: Eagles No. 1 seed scenarios, Chiefs eliminated, two teams clinch
    Jalen Hurts was incredibly efficient against the Raiders, throwing as many touchdowns (3) as incompletions.

    Hurts ‘had a statement to make’

    After a career-worst performance against the Chargers, Jalen Hurts needed a game like Sunday’s against Las Vegas. Hurts went 12-for-15 for 175 yards and three touchdowns, and was out of the game by the fourth quarter.

    Emmanuel Acho said on Speakeasy that he wasn’t ready to say Hurts was fully back, given the opponent, but was encouraged that the Eagles took care of business instead of falling into the trap.

    “The Eagles played the second-fastest game in NFL history against the Raiders,” Acho said. “Here’s why that matters, you got in, you got out, you got on with your life. You did what you needed to do and you did it efficiently.”

    ‘That was amazing:’ Return of Jalen Hurts as a runner — and run-heavy offense — is the Eagles’ winning formula

    Former Eagle LeSean McCoy was also impressed with Hurts’ performance.

    “I don’t want to say he’s silenced all doubt because it is this Vegas team, but it’s the way he looked,” McCoy said. “He looked really, really good, he looked really confident, like he had a statement to make.”

  • ‘That was amazing:’ Return of Jalen Hurts as a runner — and run-heavy offense — is the Eagles’ winning formula

    ‘That was amazing:’ Return of Jalen Hurts as a runner — and run-heavy offense — is the Eagles’ winning formula

    When Jalen Hurts and the first-unit offense took their well-earned rest early in the fourth quarter of an eventual 31-0 blowout over the Las Vegas Raiders, the Eagles had a run-pass ratio of 32 to 17.

    There were myriad reasons for a ground-heavy attack on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field: from wintry weather conditions and schematic improvements to situational play-calling with a lead and rebuilding Hurts after a disastrous performance vs. the Los Angeles Chargers.

    But mostly the Eagles ran the ball because it’s what they need to establish if they want to repeat as Super Bowl champions. Coach Nick Sirianni would never cop to looking that far ahead, nor should he, but the hapless Raiders offered the opportunity to give his directionless offense a compass for the future.

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    The run game wasn’t exactly efficient or close to explosive, especially on traditional handoffs to running back Saquon Barkley. The 2025 offense is unlikely to become the 2024 version of itself.

    But a formula closer to that of a year ago — and, really, for most of the five years of the Hurts-Sirianni partnership — is the Eagles’ best hope. That meant, obviously, more carries for Barkley and backup Tank Bigsby, but also more diversity in the calls, more runs from under center, more up-tempo, and perhaps most importantly, more of Hurts on designed keeps.

    “These are things that have been staples in our offense for a long time, and we’re just continuing to use things that we think fit for that week,” Sirianni said. “I haven’t watched anything on Washington, but next week we could come out and it could be a completely different game.

    “We have core philosophies and visions of our identity, but we’ll see.”

    It’s no coincidence that the Eagles’ preceding three-game slide came with Hurts dropping to throw more than he ever has, with a 70-30 ratio away from the run. That’s additional pressure for any quarterback, but Hurts has repeatedly shown that he’s most effective when he doesn’t have to shoulder the offense in the drop-back game.

    Can he do it at times? Absolutely. But analytics favor more balanced play-calling for the Eagles. That’s not an endorsement for the “just run it” crowd. Modern NFL offenses have to be adaptable. There have to be pre-snap checks at the line and options at the snap to counter defenses.

    But the Eagles didn’t operate that way on Sunday, even though the Raiders continued their tendencies of staying in base personnel and stacking the box. Las Vegas coach Pete Carroll often dared Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo to pass. And they did at times.

    Hurts had key first-half throws against single coverage on the outside, one resulting in a 44-yard pass to receiver DeVonta Smith and two others that attracted defensive pass interference penalties against receivers A.J. Brown and Darius Cooper.

    But most of the first 45 minutes featured Barkley, Bigsby — and occasionally Hurts — running, no matter what.

    “I think the most important thing was we did a better job on earlier downs of being more consistent in the run game,” Barkley said. “And got to get credit to [Patullo] and those guys for sticking with it … even though we [had] some negative runs.”

    Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley embrace before the Eagles game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.

    The Eagles also had the luxury of knowing their defense would stifle one of worst offenses in the league. The Raiders crossed the 50 only once in the first half and averaged just 2 yards per play.

    Barkley wasn’t much better on the ground with 2.3 yards per carry on 15 first-half rushes. Bigsby was a little better at 4.7 on three carries. But there were positive moments from under center and even in the shotgun, where they’ve struggled the most.

    Hurts was more productive with four runs for 25 yards. There was a draw that converted a third down, but three zone-read keeps — while not picking up significant yards — were important because they seemingly created space in the second half.

    “I think he did a really good job,” Barkley said. “Some of them [were] read, some of them [were] a feel, but it helps open stuff up.”

    In the second half, Barkley had seven carries for 44 yards, even though the trailing Raiders knew the Eagles were already in salt-the-game-away mode. They added wrinkles, like having left guard Landon Dickerson pull from the back side on a Barkley 17-yard scamper.

    ‘Ridiculous’ indeed: Jalen Hurts is nearly perfect in an Eagles bounce-back blowout

    They even used three-tight end sets from under center and ran counter and duo runs with success. And going no-huddle helped keep the Raiders defense from switching personnel and getting set. The pains of the first half paid off in the second.

    “With the changes that we made last week, I think we’re just more comfortable in it,” Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata said about the Eagles’ run blocking schemes. “We were able to execute, able to get to fundamentals, the basics that we do well, especially with that on-the-ball [tempo] stuff.”

    Hurts, meanwhile, ran seven times total for 39 yards. One was a scramble. Another was on a successful Tush Push. But five carries on designed runs were a season high and significantly higher than his average of 1.6 per game in the first 13 games.

    “Just think the flow of how it went every week is the same in terms of going out there and trying to execute what’s called,” Hurts said. “That’s just how the cookie crumbled today.”

    He ran with obvious conviction, though. Much has been made of Hurts’ reluctance to take off as much this season. His last two injuries that led to missed games came on designed runs in December. It briefly seemed like there might be a third when his leg bent awkwardly on a late third-quarter keep.

    Jalen Hurts ran the football with conviction in Sunday’s win over the Raiders.

    But Hurts stayed in when the Eagles switched sides to open the fourth quarter. And on the next play, he tossed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Brown. All told, Hurts completed 12 of 15 passes for 175 yards and three touchdowns. He was sacked only once.

    And most significantly, he didn’t turn the ball over after his five giveaways at Los Angeles. Last week was an uncharacteristically sloppy outing for Hurts. But games in which he’s asked to throw more have produced sloppy games at times.

    The Hurts who manages the offense, the one who protects the ball, and the one who runs with authority is the one who has shown he’s championship-caliber.

    “Aw, man, that was amazing, wasn’t it?” Mailata said about Hurts running more. “I thought it was great. It was a great reminder that we have a dual-threat quarterback back there that can pull the ball and run the ball. And if you don’t respect that, we took advantage of that today.

    “Speedy Gonzalez out there.”

    The Eagles haven’t solved all their issues on offense. There will come a time when Hurts and the drop-back passing game will need to deliver. There will be a defense that, for instance, takes away run-pass option plays, or an opposing offense that can actually score.

    It’s difficult to place much weight in beating one of the lesser teams in the NFL, and the subdued responses from several offensive players suggested they knew as much. Brown and Smith weren’t even in the locker room to answer questions from reporters.

    Hurts’ terse answers were probably in response to outside criticism he’s recently faced. He showed more emotion than usual after his touchdown toss to Brown.

    “It was just a natural reaction,” he said afterward.

    The quarterback showed his resiliency once again. He benefited from a run-heavy offense, a dominant defense, and an inferior opponent. But that’s not to diminish his performance.

    Hurts earned his sentiment and more than that. The same could be said for the entire offense.

    “We just haven’t been playing good ball, just call it how it is,” Mailata said. “We just haven’t been, so you’ve got to celebrate the moments that we do, that we do execute, that we do, third-down touchdowns, especially big ones like that. Like, we’ve got to celebrate that.

    “I’m glad that he’s showing emotion.”

    Teams often take on the personality of their quarterback. The position has that much importance. But the Eagles are often their most joyous when they win running the ball.

    Have they turned a corner or was Sunday just a blip?

  • Since Jalen Hurts started forcing the ball to A.J. Brown, the Eagles have stopped winning

    Since Jalen Hurts started forcing the ball to A.J. Brown, the Eagles have stopped winning

    Three seismic developments occurred over the past three Eagles games, all losses. Seismic, because the developments involved the Eagles’ best current defender, the best receiver in club history, and perhaps the best player in the history of the franchise.

    First, in an apparent response to complaints about his role in the offense, the Eagles began force-feeding wide receiver A.J. Brown. He was targeted 35 times in the three games in question. He’d been targeted 37 times in the five previous games.

    Second, right tackle Lane Johnson, who might be the greatest Eagle in history, injured his foot. The Eagles win 66% of the time when Johnson plays, while their winning percentage without him is 34%, and falling.

    Eagles vs. Raiders predictions: Our writers pick a winner for Week 15

    Third, defensive tackle Jalen Carter was either hurting or absent. Carter missed the loss Monday night against the Chargers after undergoing a procedure on his shoulders, which had rendered him virtually useless in the two previous games.

    Nothing can be done to remedy the conditions of Johnson or Carter. Johnson issued a cryptic Twitter/X message after Monday night’s game that indicated his return might come sooner than later, and he wasn’t put on injured reserve, but he’s going to miss Sunday’s game against the visiting Raiders. Carter isn’t on IR either, but he’s out, too.

    Which leaves A.J.

    He was getting fewer and fewer looks. The ball just wasn’t finding him. He wanted the ball more. Hell, I wanted him to get the ball more. After all, with due respect to the golden oldies and one year of Terrell Owens, the Eagles have never had a receiver quite like him.

    But getting it to him has spelled disaster.

    Me, Me, Me

    After the Eagles beat Tampa Bay in Game 4, Brown, who had two catches for 7 yards, posted a passage of scripture that indicated he was being ignored: “If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way.”

    Three games later, after a win at Minnesota, Brown posted, “Using me but not using me.” He had four catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns.

    Murphy: Benching Jalen Hurts would be short-sighted, but it isn’t ridiculous to wonder

    A week later, after a win in Green Bay, Brown was seen on a livestream playing a video game with a friend and saying the offense was a “(bleep)-show” and that he was “struggling” after catching two passes for 13 yards.

    Brown might have been indiscrete, but he wasn’t wrong: He needs to be included, if not featured, in order for the Eagles’ offense to function properly. What the past three games proved is that he does not need to be featured in order for the football team to win.

    A day after the “(bleep)-show” scandal, very publicly, on the sideline at practice, owner Jeffrey Lurie convinced Brown to stop publicly humiliating the team. Brown has gone silent.

    He also has been targeted a whopping 46 times. The first 11 times came against the Lions, a game the Eagles won.

    That was also the last time the Eagles had a healthy Lane Johnson and Jalen Carter.

    Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown has been targeted 35 times over the past three games, up from 37 in his previous five.

    Correlation equaling causation?

    How do the issues fit together?

    Well, while the Eagles beat the Lions, they scored only 16 points — not exactly an offensive feast. They won not because Brown was targeted 11 times but because Carter had his second-best game of the season and the defense surrendered just nine points. The Birds scored just 10 in Green Bay the week before, but Carter & Co. limited the Packers to seven.

    The offense wasn’t humming, but neither was it hurting the cause, in large part because the offensive line remained viable.

    Without Johnson, it is less so.

    Why Jalen Hurts plans to ‘stay the course’ after turnovers stalled the Eagles offense

    Before Johnson was injured, Hurts had committed three turnovers in 10 games. The team was 8-2.

    Since Johnson’s injury, Hurts has seven turnovers in three games. The team is 0-3.

    The defense has been pretty good in the past three games, but just before Carter wore down it had again developed into the type of elite unit that led the Eagles to their second Super Bowl win.

    The defense has not been good enough to compensate for Hurts, who is playing the worst football of his career.

    But is it because he’s trying to force the ball to A.J. Brown?

    What about us?

    Before Brown’s bellyaching got him more looks, bookend receiver DeVonta Smith was on pace for a career-high 1,241 receiving yards. That pace has been cut in half in the past four games.

    Asked Friday why his inclusion and production had slowed, Smith paused, then replied:

    “Um … ” five seconds passed as he looked into the distance and mused: ” … I don’t know. I don’t have an answer for that.”

    No one can accuse Smith of being indiscrete.

    Similarly, tight end Dallas Geodert was on pace for 72 catches, 13 more than his career best, and in a contract year, to boot. His pace has slowed by about 25%.

    First-time playcaller Kevin Patullo runs an offense that is both predictable and flavorless.

    Meanwhile, after projecting to fewer than 900 yards for 2025, Brown now has a chance for a fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season.

    There are plenty of issues with the Eagles’ offense.

    The biggest problem: The offensive line, due to rampant injury and aggregate fatigue, has declined from being the league’s best to being the league average.

    Another problem: First-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, who has never before called plays, runs an offense that is both predictable and flavorless.

    The most recent problem: Hurts has become hesitant unless he’s throwing to Brown, usually on the first read.

    All three of those problems get diminished the minute Lane Johnson returns. All three of those problems matter less if Jalen Carter is on the field.

    But the only thing the Eagles can do Sunday is let the ball find A.J. when the ball finds A.J.

  • Debate over benching Jalen Hurts is ‘the dumbest conversation of the NFL season.’ Here’s what else they’re saying.

    Debate over benching Jalen Hurts is ‘the dumbest conversation of the NFL season.’ Here’s what else they’re saying.

    A nightmarish five-turnover game from Jalen Hurts in the Eagles’ Week 14 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers led some to wonder aloud if it would be beneficial to bench the quarterback for the team’s Week 15 game against the Raiders.

    Nick Sirianni called the idea of benching Hurts “ridiculous” Wednesday morning during an interview with 94 WIP, but the coach’s comments did not stop the wave of opinions about Hurts.

    “You know what’s really, truly, magnificently ridiculous to think? That any quarterback could play as poorly as Hurts has played in back-to-back losses to the Bears and the Chargers without prompting some level of discussion about whether or not he should continue to start,” Inquirer columnist David Murphy wrote Friday. “As good as Hurts has played in his two Super Bowl appearances, that’s how bad he has played over the last couple of weeks.”

    Why Jalen Hurts plans to ‘stay the course’ after turnovers stalled the Eagles offense

    Meanwhile, fellow columnist Marcus Hayes also believes the conversation needs to at least happen, whether the Eagles ultimately go through with it or not — adding that one more bad game and the Birds might really need to consider sitting Hurts. And Eagles writer Jeff McLane opened the week by suggesting there’s “merit” to the idea of starting Tanner McKee against the Raiders, but that “opening that can of worms may cause more harm than good — especially in the long term.”

    Needless to say, the national media has had plenty to say about the idea of benching Hurts. Here’s a look a what they’re saying ahead of Sunday’s game in Vegas …

    ‘We all know Tanner McKee ain’t playing’

    Stephen A. Smith addressed the idea of benching Hurts in favor of backup Tanner McKee on Thursday morning’s episode of ESPN’s First Take. Smith dismissed the idea, largely on the basis that it would be irresponsible to give McKee, a 2023 sixth-round pick out of Stanford, his second career start in a pivotal game.

    “Jalen Hurts ain’t going to be benched,” Smith said. “The backup quarterback’s name is Tanner McKee, right? We all know Tanner McKee ain’t playing. We just know this, OK? Down the line, in the future, sure, but this year, Tanner McKee is not going to replace the reigning defending Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP.”

    Smith said calls for Hurts benching is a way for Philly fans to “light a fire” under the team after a three-game losing streak.

    “They’re saying, ‘What do we do? What do we have to do to light a fire under these dudes? Because, [expletive], what’s going on isn’t working, because Sirianni ain’t doing anything about it. [Offensive coordinator Kevin] Patullo ain’t doing anything about it. We got a problem.’ That’s the Philadelphia fan base,” Smith said. “There’s nobody with sense that would think for one second that Jalen Hurts is going to find himself on the bench in favor of Tanner McKee.”

    Eagles vs. Raiders predictions: Our writers pick a winner for Week 15
    Eagles backup quarterback Tanner McKee’s last start came in the 2024 regular season finale.

    ‘Do you know how stupid of a question that is?’

    Former NFL quarterback — and one-time Hurts critic — Dan Orlovsky agreed with his ESPN colleague on Thursday’s First Take, calling the talk of benching Hurts “the dumbest conversation of the NFL season.”

    “I was probably the most critical person of Jalen Hurts early in his career,” Orlovsky said. “He has gone to the playoffs four times. He’s gone to the Super Bowl twice. He’s won the Super Bowl once, and he was the MVP of the Super Bowl. And 10 months later — 10 months later from doing that — we’re going, ‘Do you think we should bench the quarterback?’ … Do you know how stupid of a question that is?”

    Orlovsky pointed out the absurdity of Hurts, whose 27 combined rushing and passing touchdowns are the fourth-most in the NFL, having his job security in question. Orlovsky, who has been critical of the Eagles’ struggling offense this season, said the team’s problems are too interconnected to blame on Hurts alone.

    “Saquon Barkley is one of two running backs that have over 50 carries this year that have gone for either no yards or negative yards,” Orlovsky said. “Is that because Saquon can’t play anymore? Or is it all connected?”

    Benching Jalen Hurts would be short-sighted, but it isn’t ridiculous to wonder | David Murphy
    Jalen Hurts’ fifth turnover against the Chargers ended the game.

    ‘I can’t be taller than your franchise quarterback’

    Colin Cowherd just wishes Hurts was a little bit taller.

    His criticism of the Eagles quarterback runs deeper than a game or the remaining weeks of the season. Cowherd said on Wednesday’s episode of Fox Sports 1’s The Herd that Hurts’ size may be enough of a reason for the franchise to move on from the quarterback. Cowherd pointed out that many of the league’s best quarterbacks, including Justin Herbert and Josh Allen are 6-foot-3 and above.

    “I’m 6-2,” Cowherd said. “I can’t be taller than your franchise quarterback.”

    At 6-foot-1, Hurts is the same size as Brock Purdy, Tua Tagovailoa, and Baker Mayfield. Cowherd wondered if the league’s 17-game season is wearing on its smaller quarterbacks.

    “[Hurts is] smart, he’s athletic, he’s tough,” Cowherd said. “He’s tiny. It’s not just the size and the length of the quarterback, it’s the length of the season. It’s now 17 games. NFL defensive players are now bigger, stronger, faster. The hits hurt more, they’re more punitive.”

    However, Hurts did not shrink — nor did the NFL schedule grow — over the offseason, and neither seemed to be an issue during last year’s Super Bowl run.

    Nick Sirianni: Sitting Jalen Hurts ‘ridiculous’? Hardly. Bench him if he struggles Sunday. | Marcus Hayes

    This season, Hurts has not missed time due to injury, but he is on pace to finish with his fewest rushing carries since his rookie year. Hurts has carried the ball just 88 times this season.

    The Eagles’ move away from running Hurts may protect his long-term health, but the team has struggled with Hurts throwing the ball more frequently. The Birds are 1-5 in games where Hurts throws more than 30 passes.

    “The truth is, the more Jalen Hurts throws, the worse Philadelphia is,” Cowherd said. “Those are the facts.”

  • Benching Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts would be short-sighted, but it isn’t ridiculous to wonder

    Benching Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts would be short-sighted, but it isn’t ridiculous to wonder

    Nick Sirianni is only half right.

    It is ridiculous to think that the Eagles might consider benching their Super Bowl MVP quarterback with four games left in the season and a division title all but assured.

    Yet, Sirianni and his coaching staff have a long list of equally ridiculous things they must consider.

    • It is ridiculous to think that an offense with the defending Super Bowl MVP at quarterback could go five straight games failing to score more than 21 points.
    • It is ridiculous to think said offense could score the fifth-fewest points in the NFL during that five-game stretch.
    • It is ridiculous to think that the four teams that have scored fewer points than the Eagles since Week 9 are all teams that have either A) benched their quarterback (Saints, Vikings), B) played with a backup quarterback (Washington), C) or continued to start Geno Smith at quarterback rather than benching him.
    • It is ridiculous to think that the Jets have outscored the Eagles by seven points over the last five games while shuffling Tyrod Taylor and Justin Fields at quarterback.
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    In his weekly interview on Eagles flagship station 94.1 WIP after the team’s 22-19 loss to the Chargers on Monday, Sirianni dismissed the notion that he might make a change at quarterback.

    “No, I think that’s ridiculous,” Sirianni said. “I know every time I go out on that field with Jalen Hurts as our quarterback, we have a chance to win the game. That’s something that’s been proven. We’ve won a lot of football games.”

    But you know what’s really, truly, magnificently ridiculous to think? That any quarterback could play as poorly as Hurts has played in back-to-back losses to the Bears and the Chargers without prompting some level of discussion about whether or not he should continue to start. As good as Hurts has played in his two Super Bowl appearances, that’s how bad he has played over the last couple of weeks.

    Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo is shown with A.J. Brown and Jalen Hurts against the Chargers on Monday night.

    In the Eagles’ loss to the Chargers on Monday, Hurts did something that only 10 other quarterbacks have done over the last 10 seasons. Here’s the list of names of quarterbacks who have thrown four interceptions on 40 or fewer pass attempts with no touchdowns while averaging six or fewer yards per attempt:

    • Max Brosmer (2025)
    • Sam Howell (2023)
    • Trevor Lawrence (2021)
    • Davis Mills (2021)
    • Jake Luton (2020)
    • Sam Darnold (2018 and 2019)
    • Nathan Peterman (2017)
    • Andy Dalton (2017)

    Apart from Lawrence, all of those guys eventually either lost their job as starter or never really had it to begin with. It took a couple of years for Darnold and Dalton. But it certainly wouldn’t sound ridiculous now to know that people were talking about benching them at the time. In fact, the two words that might best describe all eight of those players are, “Eminently benchable.”

    The rebuttal from Sirianni, et. al. is as follows. None of those eight players have been to two Super Bowls, and they’ve certainly never won one. None of those eight players have ever come close to factoring into an NFL MVP discussion. With the possible exceptions of Lawrence and Darnold, none of those players have ever come close to the quarterback Hurts was in the first nine weeks of the season, let alone at his peak.

    If you are going to ding Hurts for throwing four interceptions in his most recent start, you have to credit him for throwing only one in his first nine starts of the season. The Eagles offense didn’t set the world on fire in those first nine games, but it was the kind of unit that plenty of NFL teams would be thrilled to have. They scored 30 points three times, twice against potential playoff opponents (Rams, Bucs). We’ve seen this offense be plenty good enough with Hurts under center this season.

    Nobody was talking about benching Patrick Mahomes in 2023 when the Chiefs lost five of eight games and averaged under 20 points per game between Weeks 8-16. It’s a good thing, too. Mahomes recovered to win his last five starts, four of them in the postseason, the last three of them on the road, including a 25-22 victory over the 49ers in the Super Bowl.

    Again, so the argument goes.

    Sirianni’s head is in the right place. No team in modern NFL history has benched a quarterback this late into a season and gone on to win a Super Bowl. Nick Foles and Jeff Hostetler caught lightning in a bottle, but they were injury-related replacements. It’s absolutely ridiculous to think that the Eagles’ Super Bowl odds would improve with Tanner McKee at quarterback. That’s true even if you limit the discussion to the aptitude of each player. When you broaden the scope to include the ramifications within the locker room and the organization of benching a player of Hurts’ caliber, the discussion does seem more than a tad silly.

    What isn’t silly is the thought process of those fans and media members who have floated the prospect of a switch to McKee. The Eagles aren’t going to win a Super Bowl with Hurts playing as he has in recent weeks. Something is broken, and Sirianni and his coaching staff need to figure out a way to fix it. Hurts doesn’t need to be a world-beater to be a quarterback who can lead these Eagles to a second straight title. But he needs to be functional.

    Hayes: Nick Sirianni: Sitting Jalen Hurts ‘ridiculous’? Hardly. Bench him if he struggles Sunday.
    Eagles coach Nick Sirianni defended his quarterback this week when asked about the possibility of benching Jalen Hurts.

    “You always praise the things that they do well, and you correct the things that you want them to improve,” Sirianni said on Wednesday when asked about his approach to coaching Hurts. “That’s our job as coaches. The tone or the energy or whatever you do, won’t get too much into that. You may not coach everything exactly the same as far as demeanor. There’s a time to yell, there’s a time to bring [it] up, but it always goes back to, and I think there’s an art to this, it always goes back to the standard. Did you meet the standard, or did you not meet the standard? Then there’s an art to how you correct it in the sense of that. But it always goes back to the standard. Did you meet it? Great, and you’re going to praise that. Did you not? Then you correct it.”

    They need to correct it fast. The Raiders and Commanders are two opponents who won’t offer an opportunity for any excuses. These next two games are an opportunity for Hurts to quiet the noise and get himself back into a rhythm that can carry over into the postseason. If that doesn’t happen, you’ll only need one word to characterize the thought of the Eagles in another Super Bowl.

    Ridiculous.

  • Why Jalen Hurts plans to ‘stay the course’ after turnovers stalled the Eagles offense

    Why Jalen Hurts plans to ‘stay the course’ after turnovers stalled the Eagles offense

    Very few things about this Eagles season have made much sense, so what happened Monday is in some ways was just par for the course in what has been a wacky post-Super Bowl campaign.

    The offense looked the best it has during what is now a five-game slump of sorts. The Eagles racked up 365 yards against the Chargers, finally had a balance of run and pass, yet Jalen Hurts threw four interceptions, more than he ever has in a game, and the Eagles suffered their third consecutive defeat after one final turnover in the red zone in overtime.

    Two days later, as calls for his benching outside the NovaCare Complex — both from radio talking heads and some fans — increase, Hurts said he plans to lean on the things that he always does, but taking it all to “another level.”

    “I take the approach I’ve taken for a while, and it’s seemed to work,” Hurts said Wednesday. “I think right now it’s just a matter of being more detailed, more focused.

    “When you put forth the work, put forth the effort, good things happen when you need them to happen. That’s my mentality. That’s how I’ve gotten to where I am today.”

    Jalen Hurts throws the ball to A.J. Brown in the second quarter Monday.

    Regarding any benching, Hurts’ coach put that notion to rest, at least for now, during his weekly interview with 94 WIP, calling the idea “ridiculous” Wednesday morning.

    The offense, Nick Sirianni said later in the day, did “a lot of good things,” a sentiment left tackle Jordan Mailata later expressed in the locker room after the Eagles began their practice week with a walk-through. It was the turnovers, Mailata said, that made the difference. The turnovers, of course, put Hurts under the microscope. But of his four interceptions, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith took ownership of one apiece.

    “[We’ve] got to make catches and I think it’s a different ballgame,” Mailata said.

    What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 15 vs. the Raiders

    The message this week, Mailata said, was to “pick ourselves up from off the floor and dominate your box.”

    For Hurts, there is plenty to work on, even if two of the four interceptions weren’t entirely on him.

    The Eagles added some new wrinkles to the offense Monday. They returned to the under-center looks that they found some success with earlier in the season. They had new schemes in the running game, and invited Hurts to be more aggressive throwing the ball over the middle of the field, something he hasn’t done much. The Eagles and Hurts value possessing the ball, and we learned Monday why they don’t take too many chances in the middle of the field and into tight windows. But there were still signs of life from an offense that has too often looked impotent and vanilla.

    Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo with wide receiver A.J. Brown and quarterback Jalen Hurts during the game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

    “I think that he did a good job of taking some of those opportunities that he was given, and I think he’s always done a good job of taking what the defense gives him,” Sirianni said of Hurts using the middle of the field. “Obviously, I never want the turnovers, but he did some really good things. I’m always going to look at the win-loss, the turnovers, and look at that and say that, but there were a lot of good things on offense. We were able to move the football against a really good defense.

    “Now, we didn’t finish drives for multiple different reasons, and we turned the ball over for multiple different reasons, but there was a lot to be encouraged by, that we’re continuing to go into the right direction that we need to go.”

    Eagles’ Jalen Hurts hits his low point, which begs the question: Should he be benched for Tanner McKee?

    Hurts said there seems to be an “antagonist” every week.

    “When we do something very well, then there’s another thing that comes up and kind of bites us,” he said. “This week, it was turnovers.” Hurts also had one interception a week earlier vs. Chicago, which doubled his count from one to two this season.

    “We just have to find a way to put it all together,” Hurts said.

    Last week, leading up to the Chargers game, Hurts revealed that he often returns to old film. It is well documented that Hurts has dealt with a lot of change. He’s had 10 coordinators in the last 10 years. But Hurts goes back deep into the archives, he said, to reflect on how things were and how things are now — the rhythm of the games, the structure of the offense.

    What’s he learning right now, and how does one Monday Night Football game test what he knows about himself and what he can push for?

    “I stick to the process and I just stay the course,” Hurts said. “I think a lot of the going back is trying to find ways we can improve, find ways that we can have new perspective or maybe think about some of the perspective we’ve lost. I’m doing all those things in the midst of change. It’s thinking about all the different perspectives that I’ve had to lean on from a coaching perspective.

    “From that aspect, it’s endless.”

  • Jason Kelce wants the Eagles to ditch their ‘hokey’ positivity rabbit, and more from ‘New Heights’

    Jason Kelce wants the Eagles to ditch their ‘hokey’ positivity rabbit, and more from ‘New Heights’

    As the Eagles’ losing streak stretched to three games, Jason Kelce chronicled what he called a “comedy of turnovers” on the latest episode of New Heights.

    But Kelce found little to laugh about when it came to the heartbreak of a 22-19 overtime loss to the Chargers on Monday night. He also pointed to what he believes hurt the Eagles most: the lack of an offensive identity — and maybe a bunny.

    Here’s what you may have missed from the podcast …

    The not-so-positive rabbit

    Last week, the Eagles debuted a holiday locker room decoration: an inflatable “positivity rabbit.”

    After NBC Sports Philadelphia reporter Ashlyn Sullivan attributed the rabbit to the Birds’ offensive line, podcast co-host Travis Kelce asked the former Eagles center if it had mysteriously appeared in the locker room before.

    Jason Kelce replied that this was a first for the Eagles — and he was not a fan.

    “There was a lot of negativity in Philadelphia before the game for an 8-4 team that’s first in their division and certainly looking like they’re going to be in the playoffs,” Kelce said. “I think the team was trying to make a statement that we’re all in on this together.

    “To be honest, I don’t really like the rabbit. It’s a little hokey. … It didn’t work. You have to ditch the rabbit.”

    A.J. Brown is ‘fine,’ Zach Ertz in tears, Nick Sirianni’s glory days, and more ‘Hard Knocks’ highlights

    A ‘gut-wrenching’ ending

    The Eagles were on the precipice of a comeback win in overtime against the Chargers. And not even an inflatable bunny could save them, as quarterback Jalen Hurts threw an interception in field-goal range that handed the Birds another preventable loss.

    Jason Kelce shared the fans’ disappointment in the costly turnover.

    “It was just a very frustrating game that ended in a very frustrating fashion,” he said. “We’re putting together a great drive, playing outstanding ball in overtime, driving the length of the field, and then the interception to lose.

    “It was just a gut-wrenching way to end that one. We needed to get some momentum back, and unfortunately, a very sloppy game again left the Eagles in another week of frustration.”

    Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo (left) chats with Jason Kelce before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

    Offense searches for answers

    Much of the blame for the Eagles’ latest loss landed on Hurts, who committed an uncharacteristic five turnovers.

    “It was a horrendous game of ball security,” Kelce said. “I know the last couple weeks have been rough for [Hurts]. This is one of the things he’s done well his whole career, taking care of the football. It’s unfortunately two out-of-character games from him and our team that have really cost us.”

    Is ‘atrocious’ Jalen Hurts to blame? Is more Saquon Barkley the answer for Eagles? Here’s what they’re saying.

    Kelce also shifted the criticism away from Hurts alone, despite the quarterback’s five turnovers, including the second-quarter play in which he threw an interception, recovered a fumble, then lost a fumble himself. Rather than a lack of talent, Kelce suggested the Birds offense is missing the strong team identity that helped it succeed in past years.

    “This offense has been so stagnant and struggled to get anything going the last couple weeks. … Offensively, [the Eagles] are looking for who they are,” Kelce said. “They’re looking for that identity. There’s so many good pieces … Throughout Jalen’s tenure, what lends itself to the best for this team is that we’ve got to attack the line of scrimmage with [Saquon Barkley], one of the best running backs in the game, and then take our shots down the field.”

    If the Eagles are still searching for an identity with just four games left in the season, they’re running out of time to find it.

  • A.J. Brown is ‘fine,’ Zach Ertz in tears, Nick Sirianni’s glory days, and more ‘Hard Knocks’ highlights

    A.J. Brown is ‘fine,’ Zach Ertz in tears, Nick Sirianni’s glory days, and more ‘Hard Knocks’ highlights

    It doesn’t get much worse than a prime-time loss headlined by a five-turnover performance from your starting quarterback. Especially when Hard Knocks is there to film it.

    The HBO documentary series released its second episode on the NFC East on Tuesday, bringing a behind-the-scenes look at each team’s preparation for Week 14 of the NFL season.

    The latest episode looked into the Eagles’ wide receiver room, Zach Ertz’s unfortunate injury, and what players were saying on the sideline during Monday night’s deflating loss.

    Here’s what you may have missed from Episode 2 of Hard Knocks …

    Brown feels the love

    If you have listened to sports radio throughout the season, you have likely heard about A.J. Brown.

    Described by some as a diva receiver, the seventh year All-Pro wideout received a large amount of screen time from Hard Knocks this week, starting with some of his charity work at a local Acme.

    “Shopping’s on you today?” one Philadelphia resident asked.

    “It’s on me,” Brown responded. “Go get you another steak.”

    “Just spreading holiday cheer and just paying for customers’ groceries,” Brown said in a later interview. “Trying to make someone’s day.”

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    Brown appeared to make one shopper’s day in more ways than one.

    After he met a pair of customers and told them their groceries were on his foundation, one of the women thanked the Eagles wide receiver and finished by telling Brown, “You’re fine.”

    In case Brown didn’t hear her, she leaned in and whispered in his ear, “I said, ‘You’re fine.’” Brown thanked her before the two shared a laugh.

    “She kind of surprised me,” Brown said during an interview. “I read her lips perfectly fine the first time, but it just didn’t register in my brain. And then she leaned in and whispered it again, and I was just in shock. But that was a cool moment.”

    After checking in on DeVonta Smith’s Pilates workout, and reliving some of Nick Sirianni’s college highlights (more on that in a bit), the episode moved to the wide receiver room for a conversation between Smith and Brown about a fear you wouldn’t expect to hear out of an Eagle.

    “If you get on a plane,” Smith said, “you [are] not afraid of heights.”

    “It ain’t like we got a choice,” Brown responded. “What are you going to do, drive?”

    Smith shared an interesting strategy for surviving a plane crash, which we wouldn’t recommend trying.

    As the much-needed positive vibes continued, the show showed Brown and quarterback Jalen Hurts sharing a laugh in practice.

    The end for a franchise legend?

    The Washington Commanders’ portion of the show focused on Zach Ertz, the former Eagles tight end and Super Bowl LII champion.

    Former Eagles tight end Zach Ertz scoring a touchdown against Washington in 2017.

    The 35-year-old is second all-time in receptions for the Birds, and was candid with the documentary crew about not knowing how long he has left in the game.

    “I try and exhaust myself in this career as much as I can,” Ertz said. “I don’t know how much longer I’m going to play in my whole career, it’s just been focused on the task at hand and how I can be better as a player.”

    Week 15 NFL power rankings roundup: Eagles continue to fall after latest loss, but how far?

    In meetings, coaches even poked fun at Ertz’s increasing age — comparing the tight end, who recently rose to top five all-time in career receptions for his position, to a clip of then 89-year-old Bryan Sperry scoring a touchdown in a 2015 Kansas football alumni scrimmage.

    It was a hard watch, especially for those who knew what was coming next.

    During the team’s 31-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Ertz suffered a season-ending ACL injury — with Hard Knocks providing an up-close view of the ordeal, letting fans witness Ertz’s raw emotions leaving the field.

    “I think it like hyperextended in the back,” Ertz said. “I don’t think I can get up by myself.”

    The former Eagles star may have played his last down of football after leaving the field in tears.

    A game to forget

    The second episode ends with the Eagles’ overtime loss to the Chargers, the team’s third straight defeat in what some worry will be another end-of-season collapse.

    Is ‘atrocious’ Jalen Hurts to blame? Is more Saquon Barkley the answer for Eagles? Here’s what they’re saying.

    In the week leading up to the game, Sirianni focused on motivation as the team looks to get back on track. But his own college highlights brought excitement to the team, especially Brown.

    “You want to know his personality? Just watch these highlights,” Brown said as the episode showed Sirianni catching touchdown passes — and celebrating — at Mount Union College. “And that’s how he coaches and how he wants to be on the sideline, but he may have to calm down — like he is the coach.”

    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts threw four interceptions against the Chargers on Monday night.

    As for the actual game, one many Birds fans likely don’t wish to relive, Hard Knocks makes sure to cover every excruciating detail — starting with Hurts’ two turnovers on one play in the second quarter.

    “Damn, man,” Smith said. “We can’t get all the way down there and do that.”

    Later, in the fourth, following Saquon Barkley’s 52-yard touchdown on a fake Tush Push, the show shifts focus to a potential go-ahead touchdown Brown dropped in the back of the end zone, leading to overtime.

    “I’m more than capable of making those plays,” Brown said after the game. “Jalen trusts me in any situation. I made some plays, but I wasn’t great when it mattered.”

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    Before the Eagles took the field on offense in OT — trailing by three and needing a field goal to tie it or a touchdown to end the game — Barkley had this to say to Brown and Smith.

    “One of us three, all right?” Barkley said. “It’s that simple.”

    After Smith’s huge third-and-16 conversion to get the Eagles across midfield, the hype built even further.

    “We are about to score,” Brandon Graham said from the sidelines. “You hear me?”

    Of course, the game ended on Hurts’ fourth interception of the night on a pass to Jahan Dotson, and the Eagles fell to 8-5.