The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off a disappointing season in which they won just 11 games and lost in the Wild Card round to the San Francisco 49ers. This offseason has been defined by drama, from trade rumors to bombshell articles about behind-the-scenes frustration.
Jalen Hurts has been at the center of a lot of the drama, with people in the building reportedly pointing fingers at the quarterback who was the MVP in Super Bowl 59. Now, Jason Kelce is coming to his former teammate’s defense, while also explaining the unique challenge of playing in an “insatiable” market like Philadelphia.
Jason Kelce Backs Jalen Hurts While Putting Philadelphia Pressure-Cooker in Perspective
Eagles legend and ESPN analyst Jason Kelce addressed the criticism surrounding Hurts and provided a unique perspective on the situation given his own experience in that market.
He spoke about the changes Hurts has dealt with, and hinted that some of this may be coming from the former OC Kevin Patullo since he was fired recently.
“It’s quite a bit right now. I know there’s a story that came out about Jalen earlier. My overall thing, especially with Jalen: what quarterback doesn’t want to run their stuff? … I think it’s very coincidental that it comes when the season and everything don’t go the way they want and people are getting fired,” Kelce said.
“The reality is that sometimes these things that people view as weaknesses when you’re losing, people view as strengths when you’re winning. I think that kid has been through a lot. He’s been through a lot of change, and he’s going to go through a lot of change this year. Everybody talks about the offensive coordinator changing over, there’s going to be a drastically different offense in Philadelphia. It’s going to be more under center, it’s going to running play action on second down, it’s going to be more motions.
“So this is a big year for him, and at the end of the day, I think they have great players there and they have a lot of great leadership in that building, and when you combine them with Vic Fangio, I feel very confident about the Eagles this season. I think the drama is going to start going in the other direction at some point.”
As for the recent reports about drama in the locker room, finger-pointing, and frustration, Kelce explained that this is the kind of thing that happens in Philadelphia after a disappointing year.
“Well, I think there’s always drama when they are losing and not living up to expectations; that has always been the case. Conveniently, when you are winning and playing well, there happens to be not as much drama,” Kelce said. “The media attention in Philadelphia is incredible, it’s a massive metropolitan area, there’s beat writers in there every single day getting news and storylines with sources. It’s endless. When the season doesn’t go well, everything gets magnified. Everybody’s weakness or one thing here gets picked apart.
“And quite honestly, everyone is trying to salvage that the reason the season didn’t well wasn’t them, whether it’s coaches, players, front office. Across the board, that’s kind of just how it works, especially in Philadelphia with an insatiable fanbase. You’re always the No. 1 ticket in town. They have an endless desire for that content.
“While that breeds some of the most awesome moments of my life and fandom and incredible things that I get to experience as a player who played there a long time, when you’re losing, you better be mentally strong and able to overcome a lot of that stuff and firmly know you are and confident in your abilities.”
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Hurts has guided the Eagles to two Super Bowl appearances and secured a championship victory over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
According to PFSN’s QB Impact metric for the 2025 season, Hurts recorded a 78.3 QBi score, ranking 15th among quarterbacks. (The average QBi score is 78.3). This was a dip from 2025 ranking when he posted an 89.9 QBi score and tied for third-best in the league.
Hurts finished the season with 3,224 yards, 25 touchdowns, and six interceptions, while also rushing for 421 yards and 8 TDs. It’s hard to say how much the Eagles’ struggles fall on Hurts’ shoulders and how much was due to the play-calling and game-planning. After all, Patullo was fired for a reason.
All eyes will be on Hurts to see if he can return to the superstar form he has shown in the past, and Kelce is clearly expecting big things from new OC Sean Mannion.
At the same time, the uncertainty around the Eagles’ offense extends beyond the quarterback position. Trade rumors involving wide receiver A.J. Brown have added another layer of instability, while there are questions about the long-term future of Lane Johnson, Landon Dickerson, and Dallas Goedert. Johnson and Dickerson reportedly weighed retirement, while Goedert agreed to a one-year contract to remain with the team.
Last season, Philadelphia’s offense finished the year with a 74.6 Offense Impact Score, which was 16th in the NFL.
To Kelce’s point, the only way for the Eagles to get rid of the drama and frustration is by winning. These storylines have been surfacing since 2024 and while they temporarily quieted them by hoisted the Lombardi Trophy in 2025, they came flooding back after a disappointing campaign. With a new offensive coordinator and a motivated Hurts entering the year with a chip on his shoulder, Kelce is confident they can silence their critics.
