NEW ORLEANS — There were many aspects that led to Carson Wentz’s downfall with the Philadelphia Eagles. Jalen Hurts‘ success filling in for Wentz was certainly one of them.
Wentz struggled throughout the 2020 season as the Eagles decided to make a change to find a spark in the offense. They turned to Hurts, who was drafted in the second round of that year to be Wentz’s backup. Hurts never relinquished the job.
“Everybody knew coming in he was an athlete, but I was impressed by how accurate he was,” Wentz said of Hurts. “He threw the ball well, he spun it well, he was accurate from the start. He seemed sharp and had a good head on his shoulders, so kudos to him on setting the tone.”
Wentz knew Hurts had a bright future in Philadelphia, even at the expense of his career there. Hurts was still a work in progress as a passer, completing 52.0% of his passes for six touchdowns and four interceptions in his rookie campaign, while also rushing for 354 yards and three scores.
The Eagles turned the reins over to Hurts when Wentz decided to move on from Philadelphia, leaving Hurts as the first quarterback under Nick Sirianni. Hurts and Sirianni have taken the Eagles to two Super Bowls in their four full seasons together, as the Eagles are 45-17 in games Hurts has started (.726 win percentage).
The relationship between Wentz and Hurts remains a mystery, but Wentz isn’t surprised by the success Hurts had since taking over for him. He could see it coming.
“He could run around and make plays and do those things,” Wentz said. “Again, I was impressed just how accurate he was. For a rookie coming in and learning the offense, I was very impressed with his ability to throw the ball and be accurate.”
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Author: Jeff Kerr
February 4, 2025 | 12:10 pm
