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Despite coming off a championship, Nick Sirianni does not believe Jalen Hurts gets the credit he deserves. While acknowledging the undeniable importance of Saquon Barkley, the Philadelphia Eagles head coach hates the narrative that his quarterback was not a significant contributor to the franchise's second Super Bowl.
Sirianni acknowledged that he saw such fan comments after the Eagles' Super Bowl LIX victory and disagreed completely. The fifth-year head coach called the notion “bulls***” and believes his signal-caller deserves more mainstream credit.
“I think that's bulls***,” Sirianni told ESPN. “I mean, he plays the most important position in all of sports. And it's the most ultimate team game. And what I admire about him is his selflessness of doing anything we need to do to win.”
Sirianni added that he “loves” that football “takes everybody” to win. The controversial coach believes Hurts has progressed each year he has worked with him, including in 2024, which led to the Eagles' Super Bowl win.
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts took step back in 2024
Barkley was easily the Eagles' best offensive weapon in 2024, winning the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award in his first season with the team. The dynamic running back ran for a career-high 2,005 rushing yards and had a legitimate case to be the first non-quarterback to win the MVP award since Adrian Peterson in 2012.
On that same token, Hurts threw for just 2,903 yards in 2024, his fewest since taking over as the Eagles' starter. He added 630 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, with most of his scores coming on Philadelphia's signature “tush push” play. His statistical regression is the main reason why fans believe he was “carried” to a Super Bowl, particularly with Barkley immediately turning the team into championship contenders.
But while Hurts took a noticeable step back, his regression was clearly due to a change in play-calling rather than a career decline. His willingness to accept a decreased role for the good of the team is what makes Sirianni see him as their ultimate leader.
While fans criticize Hurts for his seemingly inflated numbers due to the “tush push,” there is no doubt about his leadership. Since taking over as Philadelphia's full-time starter in 2021, the Eagles have secured three straight winning seasons and two Super Bowl appearances. The NFC East will get significantly more competitive in the coming years, but the 26-year-old Hurts does not appear to be going anywhere.
