This offseason turned Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts into one of the most polarizing players in the NFL.
Hurts is coming off a season where the stats look good, but the Eagles’ offense struggled. They finished in the bottom 15 in all major offensive statistical categories, putting more criticism on him for not uplifting the offense during the down times.
After months of negative reports and slanderous criticism from the national media, Hurts has a lot to prove to the NFL in 2026. While some have their reasons for not being a fan of his play, that doesn’t mean the Eagles need to pack up shop with him.
Eagles Have a Reason That Jalen Hurts Will Excel in 2026
GettyPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Sports Illustrated writer Eva Geitheim named Hurts as one of the five NFL quarterbacks in 2026 with the most at stake. Geitheim did share a perfect reason to be optimistic that Hurts will play well.
“Hurts is a quarterback the Eagles can consistently make the playoffs with and one even capable of winning the Super Bowl. Hurts remains a strong deep ball thrower, ranking third in passing yards (857), fourth in passer rating and sixth in passing EPA per dropback on throws 20 or more yards in the air, per Next Gen Stats. He’s at his best when he’s targeting his receivers downfield in one-on-one coverage, hitting them after they beat their defender or giving them an opportunity to win the contested catch. While Mannion has yet to call plays, Hurts’s deep ball throwing should pair well with his new OC, who comes from a Packers offense that liked throwing the ball downfield. A similar emphasis makes sense for Hurts.”
Last season, Hurts completed 64.8% of his passes for 3,224 yards and a career-high 25 touchdowns to 6 interceptions. He added another 421 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.
Hurts was just ranked as the 56th best player in the NFL with many of the players saying that he’s a proven winner. He’s won over 68% of the games he’s started, making appearances in two Super Bowls, and winning one of them with a Super Bowl MVP.
Jalen Hurts has Already Proven Himself to be Trusted
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – SEPTEMBER 04: Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on against the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter in the game at Lincoln Financial Field on September 04, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The resume backups up a quarterback who has played at a high level every season. As the starting quarterback, he has never had a losing record. He’s been selected to three Pro Bowls, proving that he’s got enough talent to make it there.
It is a pivotal season for Hurts to prove all the doubters wrong around him. Despite that, optimism should always be there with him because there’s nothing that would stray anyone to think otherwise.
This Eagles team around Hurts is talented enough to elevate the quarterback’s play. At the same time, his athleticism can only make the team better like it has the last six years.
The pressure may be on Hurts to perform better in 2026, but there’s no physical evidence to think he will do anything else.
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