The Philadelphia Eagles’ 2023 season began with high hopes and a blistering 10-1 record, positioning them as the league’s frontrunners.
However, their fortunes took a dramatic turn as they managed just one more win and suffered a shocking blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card Round.
Central to this collapse was the deteriorating relationship between quarterback Jalen Hurts and head coach Nick Sirianni.
Initially, Hurts and Sirianni appeared to be a strong duo, transforming the Eagles into a Super Bowl contender.
Yet, reports have surfaced suggesting that a significant rift between the two contributed to the team’s late-season struggles and ultimate collapse.
Hurts reportedly did not fully embrace or even respect Sirianni’s coaching, leading to growing animosity between them.
“Things were off, including between the head coach and quarterback,” ESPN’s Tim McManus and Jeremy Fowler reported. “One source with direct knowledge of the dynamic described the relationship as ‘fractured’ and unhealthy last season.
“At the root of the divide: a disconnect in offensive visions, with what a team source described as a lack of full respect for Sirianni’s X’s and O’s chops.”
Hurts, known for his improvisational play style, seemed to have taken it to an extreme in 2023.
Team sources indicated that his tendency to play “hero ball” disrupted the offensive flow that had been so effective early in the season.
This approach, perceived as Hurts trying to prove his worth, led to a lack of cohesion on the field.
“What was taught was not necessarily what was relayed in the moment,” a team source noted. “He wanted to add to it, like, ‘It’s not quite enough, let me add to this.’ Jalen doesn’t give Nick enough credit. A lot of what we do well does stem from Nick.”
“One team source described it as Hurts trying to play ‘hero ball.’ Another put it this way: ‘He was trying to prove he was worth $250 million every throw,’” the report added.
Interestingly, it was revealed that Hurts reached out to recently-departed New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale for advice.
“I’ve been doing this for 40 years and it’s the first time I’ve had an opposing quarterback call me up,” Martindale told ESPN.
“I thought it was pretty cool that the guy called. It shows you what kind of pro he really is. He’s just looking at every angle that he can to get better.
“It was very effective and he knew it, and he just wanted to know why we did certain things that we did. Then he went to work on that.”
Martindale’s advice didn’t seem to work too well as the Eagles’ season went down in flames leaving some fans to wonder if the front office made a massive mistake by giving Hurts the enormous contract as early as they did.
There was even talk that Sirianni’s job could be in jeopardy. With Bill Belichick and Mike Vrabel floating around, some fans were calling for Sirianni’s head.
As we all know, the Eagles ended up sticking with Sirianni. By all accounts, the vast majority of the team loves and respects him. Hurts seems to be in the minority that doesn’t.
(Ironically, Belichick and Vrabel both remain unemployed at the NFL level.)
What are your thoughts on the bombshell report???