Jalen Hurts probably wants to forget last season. And honestly, you can’t really blame him.
The Eagles went 11-6, lost to the 49ers in the wild-card round, and the whole thing just kind of fell apart. Dissatisfaction in the locker room, friction with the system, a lack of trust. It wasn’t the follow-up anyone expected after Hurts led Philly to a Super Bowl win and took home MVP honors the year before.
Now ESPN has released its annual quarterback rankings, based on surveys of league executives, coaches, and scouts. Hurts was ranked 9th last year. This time he didn’t even crack the top 10. He landed in the honorable mentions section, alongside Brock Purdy, Sam Darnold, Jayden Daniels, Jordan Love, Baker Mayfield, and Trevor Lawrence.
Where the trust still holds
One anonymous AFC offensive line coach told ESPN he still believes in Hurts. “I know it has been up-and-down, but I’m still betting on the Super Bowl credentials, the intangibles, and the toughness,” the coach said.
That’s a decent vote of confidence from someone who works with quarterbacks every week. But the fact that Hurts is now in the honorable mention pile after being a top-10 guy just shows how fast things can shift in the NFL.
His numbers last season: 3,224 passing yards and a career-high 25 touchdowns. But his rushing production dipped to 421 yards and eight scores, after back-to-back seasons with 700-plus on the ground. That’s a notable drop for a guy whose legs made him dangerous.
He’s entering year four of a five-year, $255 million contract. So the Eagles are committed either way.
What this means for 2025
The question now is whether Hurts can get back to that 2022 form or if last season was more than just a bad year. Philly still has weapons. The offensive line is solid. But the locker room stuff matters. If the vibes are off, it’s hard to win consistently.
Fans online noted the snub pretty quickly. Some argued Hurts deserved better, especially given what he did two years ago. Others pointed out that the league moves on fast and you’re only as good as your last game. The 49ers loss was ugly. The season ended with more questions than answers.
For now, Hurts sits in that group of quarterbacks people aren’t sure about. Talented. Proven. But slipping. It’s on him to change that narrative starting Week 1.
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