Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts faces far more uncertainty in 2026 than a player with his résumé should warrant. But after a rocky season — in which the Eagles fell to 19th in scoring and endured multiple bouts of frustration from star wideout A.J. Brown — there's some pressure on Hurts to get the offense back to its elite ways.
That's going to require change, something theteam signaled when it firedlast season's offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo and replaced him with Sean Mannion. While Mannion is unproven as a coordinator, he's expected to run an offense that features motion and under-center play-action passes, something the Eagles have not embraced during the Hurts era.
In order for that to be a success, it's going to require change on the quarterback's end as well, something he's been hesitant to take on since joining the NFL, per Tim McManus and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, who spoke to multiple sources about Hurts' 2025 season.
While some anonymous quotes still showed support for Hurts, others painted the quarterback as a player whoresists change and won't step outside his comfort zone, even in cases where it might make the team's offense more functional.
[Hurts] 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, limit the breadth to which the offense can expand -- or at least that's the way it has gone in the past.
That's Mannion's problem now. The former quarterback-turned-coach came up under Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur, who is a member of the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree. Shanahan's offense is heavily reliant on motion and under-center play-action, meaning Hurts is going to have to be uncomfortable if he's going to run Mannion's offense.
It's unclear how that will go. While a source close to Hurts told ESPN the quarterback isn't opposed to running plays with "motions and shifts," others said Hurts "continually fights" playing under center and doesn't like to "turn his back on the defense," something Patullo reportedly wanted Hurts to do more of during the 2025 season.
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Patullo and Hurts seemingly never got on the same page, leading to the Eagles' offense disappointing in 2025. After finishing seventh in points scored in 2024, the team fell all the way to 19th in 2025. It still made the playoffs, but those offensive shortcomings were exposed in a 23-19 loss to the San Fransisco 49ers — a team coached by Shanahan.
The man at the center of the team's offensive production in 2024 — then-offensive coordinator Kellen Moore — reportedly was able to compromise with Hurts that season, getting the team to rank 11th in motion plays. But Moore's relationship with Hurts was reportedly "tense," per ESPN.
If there was tension between the two, it didn't simmer long enough to come to a head. Following a successful year as the team's offensive coordinator, Moore left to be the head coach for the New Orleans Saints. In his first season in New Orleans, Moore's Saints ranked sixth in the NFL in motion plays.
In order to prevent similar issues between Hurts and Mannion, the quarterback will need to embrace concepts he's reportedly bristled at in the past. It might be the perfect time for that to happen, as the quarterback is reportedly "as open as he's ever been" to change, per ESPN.
Despite the team's offensive struggles in 2025, Hurts still managed to put up strong numbers. While his completion percentage dropped, Hurts threw for more yards and passing touchdowns in 2025 compared to 2024.
Hurts' stats have rarely been the issue. The quarterback is a three-time Pro Bowler who seems to elevate his game when it matters most. Hurts turned in two phenomenal performances in the Eagles' Super Bowl appearances, winning the game's MVP award afterleading the Eagles to a 40-22 winover the Kansas City Chiefs at the end of the 2024 NFL season.
A quarterback of that caliber shouldn't enter 2026 on shaky footing, but that speaks to how poorly things went for the Eagles last year. After a disappointing season, much-needed change is coming to the Eagles in 2026. Whether the team can get back to its elite ways on offense could depend on whether Hurts is ready to embrace concepts he's seemingly shied away from in the past.
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