Former Green Bay Packers wide receiver James Jones did not take kindly to Jalen Hurts’ choice of words when discussing head coach Nick Sirianni after the Philadelphia Eagles’ NFC Championship victory.
Last Sunday, the Eagles secured their spot in the Super Bowl with a dominant 55-23 win over the Washington Commanders.
Hurts, despite a season of modest passing statistics, delivered a solid performance, completing 20 of 28 passes for 246 yards while adding three of the team’s seven rushing touchdowns.
When asked about Sirianni’s coaching after the game, Hurts chuckled and said, “He let me out of my straitjacket a little bit today.”
Jones took issue with the “straitjacket” remark, perceiving it as a slight against Sirianni.
Speaking on FS1’s The Facility, the former Super Bowl champion did not hold back his thoughts on the matter.
“I hate it, dog,” Jones admitted. “Number one, you’re going to the Super Bowl. You just won the NFC championship. All right? It ain’t rocket science, you’ve been playing weak.”
Jones argued that Hurts’ words were an unnecessary jab at Sirianni, who has consistently supported his quarterback throughout the season.
“You ain’t been balling,” Jones said of Hurts. “And all year long, your coach has gotten up there and had your back. … A straitjacket, that means someone is holding you back, dog. That’s a shot at the coach.”
Jones then shifted the focus to Eagles wide receivers DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, suggesting that if anyone has been “in a straitjacket,” it’s them.
“You know who else is in a straitjacket? Smitty and A.J. Who holding them back?” Jones continued. “They’re getting in trouble for reading books on the sideline, but they’ve been in straitjackets all year long.”
He recalled Brown previously facing criticism for pointing out that the Eagles needed to improve their passing game. Jones also accused Hurts of missing open receivers on film.
“That’s weak to me,” Jones added. “You’re calling out your coach right there. … You’ve been bailed out by this team, being in a straitjacket and being in this game.”
Some fans think Jones was too harsh with his assessment of the situation. While others felt his words were warranted due to Hurts’ struggles this season despite playing behind the best offensive line in football.
To his credit, Hurts has made it clear that he only cares about winning and that individual statistics don’t matter to him.
Having said that, what are your thoughts on his “straitjacket” comment???
