Jalen Hurts pushes back on ESPN report suggesting his resistance to change: ‘I’m always open to growth’
Hurts says he is focused on laying the foundation of Sean Mannion's new scheme and again reiterated the appreciation he has for we he and A.J. Brown "were able to accomplish" as teammates in Philly.
Speaking at mandatory minicamp on Wednesday, Jalen Hurts addressed an April report from ESPN that detailed internal frustration surrounding the Eagles quarterback.
The question was presented as an opportunity for Hurts to respond to the various claims within the report, which included the notion that he had recommended the failed “four verticals” final play that sealed the Eagles’ wild-card playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. But Hurts said he hasn’t looked for a chance to set the record straight.
“I’ve never really asked for an opportunity to respond to anything,” Hurts said. “So just let it live and go do my job.”
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When asked directly if he asked for that play, Hurts responded, “Nah. No.”
Hurts also was asked about another detail within the report that claimed he had been resistant to change within the offensive scheme in the past and that his preferences limited the offense’s ability to expand. The 27-year-old quarterback also pushed back on those assertions while keeping his focus on the future.
“I’m always open to growth,” Hurts said. “I’m always open to improving. Think a lot of it is, what do we put our time on task? What are we exhausting? What are we repping? And so I’m looking forward to seeing how training camp goes, so we can just continue to build on the foundation that we began to lay now.”
Hurts and his teammates finished setting the foundation of the new-look offense under Sean Mannion on Wednesday, the last day of mandatory minicamp and of Phase 3 of the offseason program.
But the scheme — and the personal evolution that it requires — isn’t the only change Hurts is tasked with embracing. The Eagles also traded A.J. Brown, Hurts’ top receiver for the last four seasons, to the New England Patriots on June 1.
Hurts spoke about his history with Brown during organized team activities two weeks ago with the trade looming and acknowledged that “nothing can replace all the greatness that we achieved together.” With the trade official, Hurts echoed his past comments when asked if he was disappointed in how Brown’s tenure in Philadelphia ended.
“You come into it and you have a sense of pride in how it began and definitely … what we were able to accomplish,” Hurts said. “And the same thing that I said last time, nothing can take that away. So, for the great things that we did, now it’s time to focus on achieving great things with this new iteration of the team.”
» READ MORE: Traded wideout A.J. Brown had ‘a lot of good years here,’ says Eagles coach Nick Sirianni
Following his trade to New England, Brown spoke with NBC’s Maria Taylor about a litany of topics, including his relationship with Hurts. The 28-year-old receiver claimed that he and Hurts are no longer as close as they were in the past, but “there’s no bad blood” and he loves “him to death.”
Hurts did not share his view of their relationship and instead chose to validate Brown’s.
“I’m not in a place to challenge anyone’s perspective on anything,” Hurts said. “Seemingly so it was. That’s who I am. I’ve always been focused on the collective. I’ve always put my energy toward that, and as a leader, I’ve always put an onus on giving maximum effort to achieve the shared mission we have in the team.”
Hurts also was asked about his current contract situation — while he is under contract through 2028, the 2026 season is the last year that is fully guaranteed.
The Inquirer reported in April that the Eagles have no plans to extend Hurts’ contract this offseason, suggesting that he could be at an inflection point in his Eagles career. Franchise quarterbacks often are asked to restructure their contracts to create salary cap space in exchange for more guaranteed years. The latest example is Patrick Mahomes, who added two years onto his contract on Wednesday to keep him under contract through 2033, according to ESPN. The first four years of Mahomes’ contract are guaranteed at signing.
Still, Hurts said he isn’t focused on his contract.
“For me, I’m truly focused on being the best that I can be right now,” Hurts said. “That’s where my energy is. There’s a lot of change as is. I’m focused on this offense, I’m focused on building with Sean and being at my best.”
In Mannion, Hurts has yet another offensive play-caller entering his sixth season as the Eagles’ starting quarterback. Given the change to the offense yet again, Hurts emphasized the importance of “fluency” within the scheme, which comes with time and repetition.
The figurative repetition counter reset to zero this offseason with the introduction of the new scheme. Hurts said there will be “a lot of opportunity” to grow his game, but he also acknowledged the challenges that come with the changes he confronts on a near-annual basis.
“When you are such a focused individual and you have to focus on all the different things that are changing, that’s something that you have to manage,” Hurts said. “And so I’ve really just done that and accepted the pieces and the situations that have come, because it has truly been about winning, and everybody is dealt their own set of cards.
“Mine’s just been dealing with change, and I’ve made the most of that.”
A.J. Brown is officially an Eagle no more! We knew the move was coming for weeks, if not months, but that doesn't make the departure of the Pro Bowl wide receiver and Super Bowl champion any less jarring. The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane and David Murphy react to general manager Howie Roseman's trade with the New England Patriots. Listen here.
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