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Jalen Hurts Can Still be an Elite Quarterback and it’s Dumb to Act Otherwise
By Sean Barnard
Published:
The Philadelphia Eagles fell short of their goal to repeat as Super Bowl Champions, and it didn’t take long for the takes to start flying. While the first order of business will be replacing Kevin Patullo as offensive coordinator, there’s plenty of conversation about quarterback Jalen Hurts.
As resident bossman Kevin Kinkead pointed out, there oftentimes is too much made about the OC conversation. Nick Sirianni has evolved into a CEO-style of head coach, but he is an offensive-minded coach by trade and has claimed responsibility for the offensive design whenever he has been asked. Among Sirianni’s best traits is his willingness to fall on the sword and accept responsibility for anything that occurs with this Eagles team, even when this is not fully the case. But to a certain extent, you have to allow him to get his wish.
The real root of these frustrations is that Jalen Hurts has always had his doubters and haters who are not entirely sold that he is the guy. There are plenty of talking heads nationally and fans within the city that still have not been won over by his level of play, despite Hurts winning Super Bowl MVP, having a 57-25 record as a starter, and the Eagles never missing the playoffs with him as the quarterback.
This is not to say that Hurts is perfect, but no quarterback is. The 27-year-old was not good enough this regular season, nor in the lone postseason game. But he certainly has been in the past, and this has to count for something.
The Eagles made quick work of announcing that Patullo would not be back as offensive coordinator and that they will be looking for a new voice to speak into the quarterback’s headset next year. Fair or not, the collective mindset of the fan base has been made up, deciding that Patullo deserves the biggest slice of the blame pie, and the organization seemingly agreed.
Without diving into the breakdowns of the specific play calls, hitch routes, or usage of the middle of the field, the job of a coach is to maximize the players and put them in positions to succeed.
Any way you slice it this season, it was a massive failure from Patullo and the rest of the Eagles’ staff. This is not exclusive to Hurts, with players like A.J. Brown and Saquon Barkley each also performing below their individual standards. Brown also was not quiet about his frustrations with the offense in a way Hurts would never be caught saying, even if reading between the lines can paint the picture:
Any conversations about Hurts limiting an offense should be wholeheartedly rejected. The Eagles can (and have) run an elite offense with him at the helm. The Eagles can be, and have been, a Super Bowl-caliber team with Hurts as the quarterback. It’s also more than just a throwaway note that Hurts has been at his best in both Super Bowl appearances and outplayed Patrick Mahomes in each.
There are fair critiques of Hurts’ skill set, but this applies to every single quarterback. Josh Allen’s recklessness with the ball shows up at times, Joe Burrow tends to hold onto it for too long, Lamar Jackson has come up small in the postseason, and even Mahomes proved his is not Superman this season. This is only when looking at the true upper echelon of QB talent as well. Guys like Justin Herbert look like they could not start for a JV high school team when the postseason lights are turned on, and there are 10+ teams in the league that will be actively searching to upgrade their quarterback spot this current offseason.
Building an offense around your quarterback to maximize his talent is something every team does, and it is the task the Eagles have at hand once again. We will never truly find out how much of a voice each individual in the room had in the Eagles’ offense this year. Sirianni has been the continuity along with Hurts, and one would think the foundation of the design. Being the reigning Super Bowl MVP has earned Hurts a bit more of a voice in the conversation than was the case in past years. Patullo saw his voice amplified compared to previous seasons with the new title, and surely wanted to put his fingerprints on this offense.
It’s also worth noting that the last two external hires at OC (Shane Steichen & Kellen Moore) have been wildly successful, helping lead the team to a Super Bowl and earning head coach jobs. The past two internal hires (Brian Johnson & Patullo) had stuck-in-the-mud offense with the team being bounced from the playoffs in the opening round.
But it’s clear the offense did look different this year, and it was not good enough.
Changes to the offense must be made next year, with Hurts a key part of this conversation. Being a dual-threat option must be an essential part of his game. Hurts rushed the ball 105 times for 421 yards and eight touchdowns this season. Previously, his career-low as a full-time starter over a season was 139 carries, 605 rushing yards, and 10 scores. Whether this was Hurts’ unwillingness to run, or Patullo not calling these designed plays, it was wrong for this team.
Hurts’ ability as a dual-threat quarterback, along with how effectively he takes care of the football, must continue being the foundation of his style of play. He can throw an impressive deep ball, and his knack for being at his best when the moment is at its largest is also essential. But Hurts has also shown the ability to throw effective slants and utilize the middle of the field in past years, which barely showed up in 2025.
Winning the Super Bowl is extremely difficult. Going back-to-back is even harder. Hurts is just now entering his athletic prime and will be as motivated as ever after coming up short. 20+ NFL organizations would trade places with the Eagles to have Hurts as their franchise guy without a second thought. Buckle up for the offensive coordinator search, let the emotions die down, and be ready for next year’s Super Bowl run with Hurts under center.
Sean Barnard has covered the Philadelphia 76ers and general Philly Sports for over six years in a variety of roles and for multiple outlets. Currently works as a Content Writer for DraftKings Network, Sixers/NBA Insider for Philadelphia's Fox Sports the Gambler, and co-host of Sixers & Phillies Digest on Youtube. Forever Trusting the Process.