There are some in the Eagles’ organization who believe quarterback Jalen Hurts could have handled two relatively innocuous questions about head coach Nick Sirianni more productively.
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane cited multiple team sources in his latest “unCovering the Birds” podcast that Hurts’ handling of the situation “disappointed several key figures within the organization.”
A separate team source told SI.com’s Eagles Today that the timing of Hurts’ remarks, or lack thereof, before the summer break was essentially an unforced error that has contributed to “needless speculation.”
Hurts was asked: “What have you noticed about Nick being open-minded to change up the offense like he has? What does that say about him?”
"Um," Hurts said before considering the question during a lengthy, somewhat awkward pause. "I mean, that's a great question, I don't know that I know the answer to it."
A follow-up was also met with little substantive from the typically intentional QB1.
“I think he’s just been great in um….(another long pause)…the messages he’s delivering to the team,” Hurts said. “He’s trying to be very intentional with what he’s saying…yeah.”
The path from those comments to the speculation that the $255 million quarterback is having a problem with the head coach who “willingly” gave up the reins of his own offense is not the outrageous hot take Philadelphia sports radio is often known for.
In fact, it’s a somewhat easy way to connect those dots after Sirianni himself admitted he’s scaled back the time he spends with his quarterback.
“I'm not with him every second of every day like I have been in the past,” Sirianni admitted.
Hurts has been somewhat insulated from criticism inside the NovaCare Complex since his breakout season of 2022 but that worm is starting to turn with some, especially when the on-field leader blows a layup.
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