Jalen Hurts hinted this summer that he and head coach Nick Sirianni were not "on the same page" during the Philadelphia Eagles' 2023 collapse, following up months of rumors and reports regarding the duo's apparent disconnect. But the quarterback and coach are taking steps to heal what some considered a "fractured" relationship, according to ESPN, which stemmed from differing offensive visions.
Citing unnamed sources close to both Hurts and Sirianni, Jeremy Fowler and Tim McManus reported Wednesday that the pair endured "prolonged" and "unhealthy" tension as the Eagles went from 10-1 to 11-6, finishing one-and-done in the playoffs despite Super Bowl aspirations. Echoing a January report of Hurts being "disappointed" in the offense's direction, they report the divide centered on what a team source called Hurts' "lack of full respect for Sirianni's ... chops" as an offensive schemer and play-caller.
Sirianni, of course, replaced offensive coordinator Brian Johnson with Kellen Moore this offseason, only after enduring repeated questions about his own job security. The Eagles' internal hope, per ESPN, is that Moore can "bridge the gap between" the head coach and quarterback.
Sirianni has openly declared Moore, the former Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Chargers coordinator, the head of the team's offense moving forward. Sirianni has subsequently taken a decidedly more hands-off approach on that side of the ball, ESPN reports, while the oft-animated coach also drew internal props for being upfront about his hand in the club's 2023 collapse at the start of spring workouts.
For his part, Hurts has privately acknowledged the "rush of fame and fortune" from the Eagles' Super Bowl bid affected him in 2023, per ESPN, and has had "markedly more positive" interactions with his head coach this offseason. The two were seen at a recent training camp practice laughingly sharing a golf-cart ride, and Hurts made a point to proclaim trust in Sirianni during his opening news conference of summer practices.
