The $255 million question in Philadelphia isn’t about Jalen Hurts’ arm. It is about his legs, his stubbornness, and a mounting disconnect between the franchise quarterback and the offense he is being asked to execute.
Behind Jalen Hurts’ Friction in the Philadelphia Eagles Film Room
Reports of friction have been steadily leaking out of the NovaCare Complex, painting a picture of a quarterback pushing back against offensive adjustments.
Now, former Philadelphia Eagles scout John Middlekauff is shedding light on a structural clash that could threaten the team’s entire identity.
Answering a recent mailbag question on the “3 & OUT with John Middlekauff” podcast about why the media seems to be attacking Hurts rather than presenting both sides, Middlekauff did not hold back. He pointed directly to a glaring operational issue that has quietly frustrated the organization for months.
“Why is this all on Jalen? Why aren’t you and the NFL media looking at it from Jalen’s angle? Instead of crucifying the guy, at least present both sides,” Middlekauff read, before dropping the hammer. “Because what the article said is they will tell him to go under center, and he will not go. That is well known in NFL circles.”
The reluctance to play under center is only half the problem. According to Middlekauff, the dual-threat weapon who rushed for 15 touchdowns and threw for 15 picks in 2023 is trying to evolve into a pure pocket passer, regardless of what the coaching staff actually wants.
And that eye test can be backed up by the numbers from last season. Hurts threw for 25 TDs to just 6 INTs in 2025. He finished 15th on the PFSN’s QB Impact Metric.
“He will no longer run. That is something that he does not want to do,” Middlekauff said. “Well, now with this new offense, he’s got no choice. And that to me was the bat signal, like, we’re doing this. So that stuff that used to happen is not going to fly anymore.”
When addressing why this internal tug-of-war is just now spilling into the public eye, Middlekauff offered a blunt assessment of the team’s media control.
“And you’d be like, well, why didn’t they keep that under wraps?” Middlekauff noted. “I think they had for a couple years.”
The stakes for the Eagles are astronomical. Hurts signed a massive five-year, $255 million contract extension in April 2023. He carries a guaranteed salary of $51.5 million this season, but the guaranteed money completely vanishes after 2027. The front office needs him to embrace the scheme, not fight it.
If the 27-year-old quarterback refuses to utilize the mobility that made him a nightmare for defensive coordinators, Middlekauff believes the results will be disastrous for Philadelphia.
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“If he’s not going to run anymore, he’s going to be an average player. Period. Point blank,” Middlekauff warned. “Unless they lead the league in rushing, which they’re going to try to do this year.”
The honeymoon phase is definitely over. For the Eagles to keep their championship window propped open, their franchise quarterback has to decide if he wants to play the game his way or the way that actually wins in December.
