Jalen Hurts just led the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl victory in the 2024-25 season. So why did NFL insiders rank him ninth among quarterbacks? The answer might surprise Eagles fans who see their quarterback as a top-five talent. But one former NFL quarterback thinks the ranking makes perfect sense.
Why Does Dan Orlovsky Think Jalen Hurts’ No. 9 Ranking Is Fair?
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently polled 50 different NFL coaches, executives, and scouts to figure out who the league believes are the best quarterbacks in the NFL. One of the most shocking rankings on the list was Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts’ ranking at No. 9, despite leading his team to a Super Bowl LIX victory.
The consensus around Hurts is that he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the game. It’s rare to find anyone who doesn’t place him in the top 10, but there’s still debate about where he belongs within that group.
While many fans and analysts consider him a top-five quarterback, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler’s recent poll of NFL personnel revealed that the league sees him slightly lower. Players like Jayden Daniels, Justin Herbert, Matthew Stafford, and Jared Goff ranked ahead of Hurts in the survey.
Despite garnering controversy, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky believes Hurts’ ranking is fair. The former NFL quarterback explained his reasoning during an “Get Up” appearance, pointing to the elite talent surrounding Hurts and the passing offense’s inconsistencies as key factors.
“I do think there’s a reality where, one, the easiest place to play quarterback in the NFL last year was Philadelphia. There’s no debating that,” Orlovsky said. “Two, the passing game struggled at times to their own words.”
These two observations highlight the complexity of evaluating quarterback performance in context. While Hurts succeeded in an ideal environment, questions remain about his contributions to that success.
What Makes Philadelphia Such an Ideal Quarterback Situation?
Orlovsky makes a compelling point about Hurts’ supporting cast. The Eagles have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, consistently giving Hurts a clean pocket and time to operate. Their dominant run game also helped ease the pressure on him throughout the 2024-25 season.
In terms of weapons, few quarterbacks have a better supporting cast. A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert are all elite at their positions, giving Hurts plenty of options in the passing game.
However, Orlovsky is also right about the offense’s struggles through the air during the 2024-25 campaign. In 15 games, Hurts failed to eclipse 3,000 passing yards and finished with 18 touchdowns and five interceptions. While those numbers are solid, they don’t quite represent top-five production.
The former quarterback argues that the situation often shapes quarterback performance more than fans realize. He believes that if a quarterback like Herbert were given the same opportunities and supporting cast as Hurts has in Philadelphia, he would likely perform at an even higher level.
“You don’t hold it against him, but it’s part of the conversation,” Orlovsky said. “It’s always about who you’re doing with it at the quarterback position. It’s a dependent position.”
There’s no denying that Hurts is a great quarterback and, most importantly, a winner. But when he’s compared to some of the other talent in the NFL, it’s fair to say that there are seven or eight guys better than him.
Hurts will have a chance to solidify himself as a top-five guy in the 2025-26 season. If he brings another Super Bowl to Philadelphia, it would be hard to find anyone who deserves to be ranked higher than him.
