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Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles.
ESPN dropped a damning report on April 1 detailing the internal friction that has defined the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense over the past two seasons — and quarterback Jalen Hurts sits squarely at the center of it. Unfortunately for Eagles Nation, it’s wasn’t an April Fool’s joke.
The report, from insiders Tim McManus and Jeremy Fowler, paints a picture of a broken passing attack, complacent coaching and a fractured relationship between Hurts and star receiver A.J. Brown.
Behind the scenes, according to the report, there’s also a perception that the Eagles’ power structure, led by head coach Nick Sirianni, general manager Howie Roseman and owner Jeffrey Lurie, has been reluctant to publicly criticize Hurts — and that dynamic has rubbed some players the wrong way.
Let’s take a closer look at what else McManus and Fowler’s sources have told them about the recent dissension in Philly.
A Look Back at the Philadelphia Eagles 2025 Season
GettyA damning new report from ESPN suggests QB Jalen Hurts has been a big part of the problem for the Philadelphia Eagles on offense.
In 2025, Hurts threw for 3,224 yards with 25 touchdowns and six interceptions across 16 starts. The touchdown total was a career high, but his QBR was 55.2, which ranked 20th in the league, and he was held under 200 yards passing nine times in 16 starts.
The Eagles finished the year ranked 25th in total offense, 28th in passing yards per game and 29th on 3rd down. A predominant concern was that Hurts had stretches where he pretty much disappeared in the second half of games.
According to McManus and Fowler, some of the growing frustration in 2025 was directed at Hurts by teammates — most notably by Brown, whose relationship with the quarterback has been tested over their four years together.
Brown publicly vented during the season on multiple occasions, so that’s not really news, but the degree to which Hurts has shaped the offense might have been a source of frustration for the wideout, who is likely going to be traded before the 2026 season arrives.
More on ESPN’s Report on Jalen Hurts & the Problems With the Philadelphia Eagles Offense
Here’s more on Hurts’ role in Philly’s offense, via McManus and Fowler:
Though there is plenty of blame to spread, Hurts has had a hand in the offense becoming calcified, according to several team sources who spoke to ESPN on condition of anonymity. He has pushed back on changes that would diversify the scheme, sources said, including when it comes to him going under center more. He has shown a reluctance to let it rip at times, particularly against zone coverage. He diverts from the game plan and changes playcalls to what some feel is an excessive degree. His strong preferences, coupled with the coaches’ efforts to play to his strengths, which include his deep ball accuracy and throws to the perimeter, limits the breadth to which the offense can expand — or at least that’s the way it has gone in the past. … Eagles offensive players know Hurts isn’t afraid to change plays he doesn’t like and must adjust accordingly, a team source said. Added a separate team source, ‘You never know what play is coming out of the huddle’ when Hurts is leading it, and in the past he has been known to signal a route that hadn’t been installed by coaches.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported during the season that teammates were frustrated with Hurts’ reluctance to throw into tight windows and his tendency to play “his game” rather than executing the weekly plan. Hurts never publicly pushed back hard on any of it, though — and heading into 2026as, change is the word in Philly.
The Eagles fired offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo after their wild-card loss to the 49ers and replaced him with Sean Mannion. It’ll be fascinating to see how Hurts plays in Mannion’s system, but if there’s friction or problems yet again — right or wrong — expect QB1 to be on the receiving end of more finger-pointing.
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